COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16600, 25 July 1917, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

BUSINESS REMAINS QUIET.

PRODUCE VALUES MAINTAINED.

Although the wholesale has been improved by forward booking during the past few days, business is still rather quiet. The country trade is usually a great stand-by, but even that has been quieter of late, buyers evidently holding off as much as possible until the spring! Building remains quiet, and this is affecting hardware lines. A good deal of business is passing in dairy requisites for the coming season. The high price of tinplates is reflected in the general advance m most articles, but buyers are now quite reconciled to tile higher costs of all these lines.

I Produce: The markets are rather quiet Una week, but values are well maintained, especially m gram. Potatoes: Owing to smaller arrivals during the past few days, stocks in store aro con- , siderably lower again, and it looks as if consignments will for the future be on a, I more moderate scale. Quotation stands at i±(, ex store. The market does not appear J vers,- strong in the South, no doubt on account I ot bPin« able to get away only small shipments recently and just at present there are more sellers than buyers. Seed Potatoes: Business has been very quiet lately, except for those who are laying in stocks ready for the first improvement in the weather. Hardly any planting has been done yet. and the farmers are anxiously waiting for a pood spell of fine, weather. the few areas already put in arc not looklug particularly well, and they would also benefit by the weather taking up. Onions: Stocks are now fairly heavy, but I arrivals will be lighter for the future, as : Australian merchants are cancelling orders , they accepted for spring delivery, contingent on getting shipping space within a definite ; period. This is giving a firm tone to the I market, and the quotation remains at 17s. j Oats: Very small quantities are now being ; brought oversea- a3 shipping space is diffij cn.t tol secure, and consignments from the j South have also been hmited. The only oats j new obtainable are f.a.q.. all graded oats j hems.scarce, and this is keeping the market ' nrm in the South, where it is freely pre- | dieted that a shortage will appear soon. ; Loral quotation remains at 43 10d, ex store, j with business rather quiet. Seed Oats: The big months for seed oats are usually July to September, but this ■year the trade has not yet properly started, j the weather making planting almost impossible It is now getting late in the season, I and unless an imurovement in the weather sets in soon farmers will be inclined to abandon the crop, and chaff will again be scarce next year. Chaff: Both local and Southern are very scarce, although trade has been assisted by several shipments from Canterbury, in addition to tho usual lines from Blenheim. To relieve the position, arrangements have now been made for the importation of compressed fodder. It is a long time since any wag brought over, but chaff has been so "scarce . here that the imported article would have ! been imported long ago if shipping had been available. Blenheim is still selling at £10 10s ex store.

Pollard and Bran: Both are very scarce, anH_ orders are being turned down every day. Wheat : Fowl wheat is almost unobtainable nt present. Merchants would be importing from Australia, but they cannot be sure of the quality. Maize: Arrivals during the latter part of last week wore very small, and this has caused the market to advance further. The las! shipment was a large one, but as it arrived to a comparatively baTe market, it was readily sold at higher rates, old grain realising 5s on the wharf in wholesale lines. and new grain Is lid. During tho winter is always a good demand for maize, and tho scarcity of wheat has still further improved the demand. Fertilisers:_ The bad weather recently has been responsible for a, falling off in business in fertilisers, but it is expected that as soon as T'loushina can be resumed the planting operations will bring the usual demand for fer' ilisers.

Flax: Market is about the same. Very lift I .* is poine away just now, but the market is '"''•' un by the big prices ruling at Home. Fungus: Market is easier. Price has fallen to Sid per lb, and a further decline scpms probable. Kauri Gum: All pood grades are selling well, although very little is being exported at present Poor Quality is dragtn'ni?. and (lie stores are heavily stocked, but good quality quickly passes into second hands.

LONDON BUTTER MARKET. Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited, have received a cablegram from the head office. London, under date July 20: — 'Butter: Maximum advance. 4s. Australian, ltlSs: New Zealand, 2005." LONDON TALLOW MARKET. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Ai:ency Company. Ltd., has received the following cablegram from its London house, under -late Ju'y 18: — "Tallow: We quote present soot values for the following descriptions: Mutton. 6-ts Rd per cwt, beef. 6'2s 6d ; mixed. 58s 3d. Market good." CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. [BY TEI^EORAPIT. —PKF.SS ASSOCIATION I .] CHRISTCHUECH. Tuesday. There is no change to not« in the grain irmrket. business still being very limited. The potato market is weaker, buyers now offering only £2 16s at country stations. A few small orders are coming to hand from ti: ■ N", rth. hut the prices that merchants can obtain do _ not warrant their offering mure .than the figure quoted. Only moderate quantities are being offered by growers.