COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16757, 25 January 1918, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

■♦ 5 ; PRODUCE MARKETS ACTIVE. SHIPMENTS OF WHEAT. Vert, little improvement has taken place ir the wholesale trade during the week. Forward booking for next month's account is ■ now in full swing, but merchants' stocks are so limited that orders are being percmptorib curtailed, in an effort to make the available stocks go round amongst as many buyers a* possible. The position is not at all hopeftt regarding further supplies of imported goods and stocks aro being conserved. Local pro ductions are in heavy demand, but here agaii distributors are limited in their transaction: by the fact that manufacturers are short o materials, as well as of bottles and tins Numerous well-known lines, which for year: have been put up in - the more substantia t packages, aro being sold this year in boxe „or cardboards. Produce: The markets are rather active except in those lines where buyers' prefer t. find out first how the harvests are likely t turn out. A good general distributing trad is taking place. Potatoes: Good'supplies arc to hand, am 1 the quotation stands at £9 ex store for bes ' quality. No sales aro being made at preson i to"? shipment to the South, and the sam ' applies to business in Southern botatoes to r forward dolivery to Auckland. Both buyer and sellers are adopting a, waiting attitude in view of the uncertainty of the marke' but a good crop seems assured and loca D inerchftr)tß are not inclined _to speculate. Onions: The market promises to rule lo\ J this year, on account of\the absence of an. i export business. Already the local price i . steadily coming down, a result of the perfec ' weather condition's bringing on early ripen ' ing, and best samples are selling at £1 ex store. Southern shippers are quoting fo forward delivery at low rates, but local sue plies aro ample for the present. Oats; Good stocks are held locally and th market shows no change. During the week however, tho Southern market has decided! firmed, and there aro not so many seller for forward delivery now. It is not ye ' known to what extent the better season wil compensate for the reduced area under oat 1 this year, but so far the prospects are rathe promising. , Wheat: Recent shipments from Australi; have been distributed in an active market , and it is expected that further quantitic afloat or arranged will just about, kee] abreast of urgent requirements until 'our owi harvest is ready. It is more than likel: that the supplies orMowl wheat will bo ver: limited this year, dtad that importation from Australia will again have to take place Bran and Pollard Both lines are scarce particularly pollard. Ricemeal is beim eagerly bought as a substitute as fast as i can be obtained from Australia, bit shipping space is very limited, and to make up for this deficiency valuable grain ii Jieing ground up for meal, Maize: Owing to the non-arrival of sup plies from the Bay of Plenty, the market i: particularly bare, and the price is onlj nominal. If any quantities are still holt down the* coast, it would appear an oppor tune timfe for owners to send their consign ments to town while tho'scarctiy of othei grain continues. _ • Barley: A good inquiry continues, bu' very little is available at present. Linseed: The market is bare, and importa tion of Japanese and Indian has beer arranged. Chaff: The market is firm at £10 10a « ' store for prime old Southern, which is stil in short supply. Canterbury chaff is being quoted more readily for forward delivers this year, an indication that growers ruaj be induced by th© price to chaff more oi their oats this year, instead of threshing. I Grass Seed: Inquiries are already coming I in for the new season's seed, but it is not yet known to what extent seed will bo re ( quired for bush clearings. There is even promise of much more favourable weathei for burning than last year, but the scarcity of labour has greatly limited bush-felling during the winter. Fertilisers: Prices are still advancing; > and a general shortage seems most pro • bable. No more space is obtainable for Cal ' etitta bonedust for another six months • which wilUrnean nearly the end of the yeai ' before it arrives here; but it is reported " that a fair quantity may arrive shortly, ir ■ execution of old contracts. 1 Rice: Stocks are low, and it is difficult ' to arrange for large supplies to come for ' ward. ' Milk: Canned milk has been raised 2i r per case wholesale. ' Salt: Supplies are very precarious . African salt is being distributed, but Aus j tralian supplies are still uncertain, on ac [ count of (he weather. If any continuom ! rain falls, like last year, it is quite possibh , that there will be none for export to Nev Zealand. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. Australian and X.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 9.60 p.m.) ' SYDNEY, Jan. 2 Oats: Algerian feeding 2s lOd to 3s, mil ing 3s Id to 3s 3d; Tasmanian, 3s Hkl t 4s 2d. Maize, 6s to 63. Potato*: Tai manian, £7 to £7 10s. Onions, £10 to £12. ADELAIDE, Jan. 2« Oats, 2s 7d. BUTTER AND EGGS. The Dairy Produce Committee has fixe the wholesale price of butter and eggs fo the week ending January 31 as follows :- Farmers' butter,, first graue, Is per lb. Fres! eggs. Is 5d per dozen. 1 > PROPERTY SALES!. , Instructed by the mortgagee, Messrs. 1 Mandeno Jackson will offer for sale by pub lie auction, at their rooms. Customs Stree East, at 11 o'clock this morning, a farm 0 97 acres at Hunua, ten miles from Papakun railway station, together with house of si rooms, and outbuildings erected thereon Also, instructed by the Public Trustee, i five-roomed dwelling, let at 10s a week am standing on a quarter-acre section, Thame Avenue. Morningside. Full particulars ar advertised.