COMMERCIAL.

Northern Advocate, 26 July 1923, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE AND. RETAIL.

PRODUCE MARKETS REVIEWED.

' AUCKLAND, This Day. The pleasant ajd overdue turn in •the weather "jias apparently put new Jjfe into business, for both wholesale and -retail report conditions greatly improved, says the "Herald's" commercial editor. The former department is now busy with August bookings, and a -increase is noticeable in the country orders, although it is hard to know-how they are directly due to the improvement in the weather. It looks us if'the larger requisitions were made in .anticipation of the marked change that took place during the week-end, for .previously there had been rather disappointing responses to offers in the ! country in spite of the fact that the I dairy season will soon be in full swing.

Building Costs. —With the near approach. of the spring it is of interest to note that there is likely to be a slight reduction in the cost of painting. White lead is falling and linseed oil is also a shade lower. Latest American quotations for turpentine arc also easier. Dried Fruits.—These ore of particular interest just now, as contracts for the Christmas rupplies are now being arranged. Mediterranean sultanas are | lowdr, evidently influenced by the American campaign to capture an outlet for their lfirge surplus. On the other hand, one agent reports having sold the whole of his allocation of seeded raisins. The latest information on the fruit crop in general points to an attractive range of prices in most varieties. Canned Fruits. —Low prices from Australia, chiefly in peaches, are capturing a. great deal of trade. It is unfortunate in one way that part of one shipment was condemned on. the score of'condition, but another aspect is the care that is now taken in supervising the fruit trade, and nothing is now passed unless it is well up to standard in condition, as well as in quality. Dairy Produce. —A little has been going to Australia, but not sufficient to affect stocks here. Cheese is selling well at the favourable quotations now ruling. Bacon is in good supply, and is selling well, while business is already taking place in Christmas hams for forward deliver}'. Eggs are in heavy demand, with retail prices unchanged at 1/10 for hen and 1/8 for duck.

Potatoes.—Reduced stocks here caus

Ed an immediate reflection of the sharp rise that has taken place in the South, and merchflnts are now asking 12/0 for white and 11/6 for red varieties. The

Wingatui has under 4000 sacks, and this small quantity enabled tho market to. respond more readily. It is not.

yet known how much the Kurow and the Katoa will bring. Australian potatoes have attracted. a good deal of

Attention, but there has been some difficulty over the quality, and" importers arc not. so anxious ta repeat the experiment of. drawing from Tasmania. Seed Potatoes. —A little improve-

ment is noted in the demand, the principal inquiry being, for Early Rose, Puritan, and Gamekeeper. These «re selling at very little, advanco on table quotations.

Onions. —Better sales are reported-at 11/5 to 12/6 for Australian. Oats. —Dull of. sale At about 4/0 exstore for small, lines of A. grade. .' Chaff. —Another shipment of Australian by the Huia is selling well at 10/ in bales. Southern, in sacks, is quoted at .11/, and all good quality is in good demand. Not much, local has been coming in, but a permanent improvement in the weather would probably increase the supply.

Wheat. —Millers nave taken up so much that a scarcity is being created in fowl wheat. With a reduced acreage now being put in, everything points to a probability of importation being necessary next year.

Bran and Pollard. —In view of wheat having to be imported before long, it doe" not appear unreasonable to expect 'bran and pollard to be imported also, as there is a very pronounced shortage. Local mills are selling at the controlled prices, and are rationing supplies to best advantage, but they cannot possibly meet the demand. If the Government remits the duty, it is now likely that importation would take place, as both lines have fallen in price in Australia. Of course, they would have to sell at well above the local price to recover cost of freight, unless another fall took place on the other side.

Maize.—Small lots are arriving from the Bay of Plenty, chiefly of newgrain, and this is selling on the basis of 5/ on the wharf in wholesale lines.

Seeds. —The spring demand is causing some activity in the South, but very little interest is taken here, as the spring sowing in Auckland is very small. Chief interest ccntrcs in brown top, a vfriety of grass peculiar to the. W-aipu district, which is in keen demand for export to America. This is attributed to the enormous quantity required for laving out golf courses for thousands of new clubs that have lately been formed, and any quantity available could find a ready market here at about 4/ per lb, f.o.b. Growers in the North would do well to save all they can, as a good market seems to be assured in America for golf links and tennis lawns, and this will probably be increased this season 1 y the prosperity now existing there.

Kauri Gum. —The weather has "hindered digging and made the roads almost iijipassable, so that supplies 'have fallen off considerably. Ameiican demand is surprisingly dull, having rc- 1 ' gard to the gre&t activity in general j trafle there, but all advices indicate ' a fear that the boom cannot poss-tbOy last, and buyers are consequently . working up old stocks instead of sending fresh orders to Auckland. The re- *' action in the dollar exchange is likely to help a little, but is not sufficiently pronounced to creatc a demand puiely en ths'.t account, "fortunately for the Auckland market, n few welcome inquiries have lately been received from the United Kingdom, chiefly for the . lower classes of gupi, and these will probably result in Vusiness. THOMSON AND BAGLEY 'S REPORT J Thomson, Bagley and Co. report as 1 follows 011 sales for weelc ending July i 21; —The drop in potatoes was temporary and the market is now firmer than before. A parcel of Australian chaff < came to hand in first clas* condition and is selling readily. We quote: Produce, ctc. —T«smanian chaff, £12 per ton; Southern, £1.*?; potatoes (Southern), 14/ per cwt; onions (Melbourne), 14/0 per cwt; G.W.F. wheat, 7/ per bushel; oats, 5/; maize, 7/; hay, 0/0 per bale; seed potatoes, 14/ per cwt. Vegetables. —These were in short demand and were keenly bid for. Mar"rows, 2d per lb; pumpkins, 2d per lb; carrots, !)/<> per cwt; parsnips, 10/ per cwt; swedes, 7/ per cwt. Poultry.—White Leghorn her.s, 7/6 to S/ per pair; Silver Wyrndottes, 7/ per pairf others, to 5/ per pair; heavy cockerels, 10/ per pair; others, to 8/ per pair. The afternoon sale was well attended and a good clearance effected. HAMILTON STOCK SALE. The Farmers' Co-operative Auc- . tioneering Co. reports as follows. — ] , At the Hamilton sale on Tuesday - there was a good entry of sheep, with 1 a steady demand for mutton, butchers from outside centres operating. Heavy i prime, fat ewes made-31/6 and 31/9; t lighter Lit ewes, 27/; -fat wethers, ,• 32/0 to :>5/6; forward hoggets, 20/2 to i- 2U/( 5. 1 There was a steady sale for beef. - mainly grown steers, jacking in finish, s the best selling at 75/ to £7 10/; ii lighter weights, £6 to £6.5/; fa t cows, - good, £5 7/6 to £5 15/. The advertised r forward bullocks sold well up to recent values, making £4 15/ to £5 6/; :- store cows, 26/ and 27/6; calves, poor, p I 10/ to £1 4/.

A smaller yarding of fat pigs realised good values, baconcrs selling to £4 3/; porker,j to £2 15/. A ljirge entry of store pigs brought strong competition, grown stores selling at from 27/ to slips and other stores, 10/ to 20/; wcauors, 10/ to 14/6.