COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17329, 28 November 1919, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. GOOD BUSINESS REPORTED. THE PRODUCE MARKETS. A very satisfactory turnover is reported by the wholesale houses, and the retail I are also getting busier, now that the festive season is so near. The country trade still appears to be the mainstay of most businesses, but heavier buying in the town has been reported lately. Shipping : Arrivals from overseas have not been of much interest during the week, but large quantities of goods, ex i previous arrival, have been distributed in a very active market, and the Maheno brought a few consignments from Sydney that were specially welcome. Further reports are continually coming to hand regarding the iuconven.ence caused by the delay in the arrival of shipping documents. In some cases the agents are not even in possession of a ship's manifest, and this makes the position very difficult when consignees have no papers. According to present appearances it is quite likely that some warehouses will have their goods in stock for a whole month beforo they can touch them, and this is a senouß matter at this time of tho year. As the difficulty will inevitably recur every time a vessel makes a quick passage through the Panama Canal, the matter calls for a prompt remedy at the hands of those responsible for "the. quick despatch and delivery of mails." t Coastal Shipping. Coastal Shipping : During the week there have been more than the usual delays occasioned by the restriction in the time during which departing vessels will accept cargo. It has often been a comi mon thing for shippers to have cargo ready several days before a. steamer wi.l accept it, only to be delayed until the day of sailing, or possibly "the day before. The result is a congestion of traffic on tho morning the cargo is received, causing the long queues that are so often viewed with interest and curiosity. Frequently the queue extends the whole length of ' the ; wharf, and it can be imagined how many i hours are absolutely lost by all the carters except those who happen to be at the front. During this week there has often been a remarkable scarcity of carts for urgent and necessary work, all caused by scores of them be'ng de'ayed for hours at time on the wharf, waiting their turn. Various suggestions have been made, such as receiving the goods into the wharf shads at an earlier date than the day of sailing. Auckland is destined to become a huge shipping centre, possibly second only to Sydney, but a large part of its future depends upon expeditious handling of goods. If the Chamber of Commerce could arrange a conference between the shippers, the carriers, and the shipping companies, it is more than probable that a solution of the present unsatisfactory position could be found, especially in view of the magnificent accommodation and conveniences already provided by the Harbour Board. Trade with the Islands. Island Trade: Heavy export business has been booked during the week, no doubt in view of the extra trade expected at tho Islands during the Christmas season. Consignments by the Flora had to be cut down, but the most regrettable feature has been the shutting out of meat consignments. Auckland enjoys a very heavy trade in this department, and anything that would imperil the connection is to be deplored, but only those who are personally acquainted with the Island trade itself can have any conception of the bitter disappointment that will be caused at the Islands through tho non-arrival of this necessary and popular food. The most important foodstuffs cent from Auckland to the Islands are flour, biscuits, and • preserved meats, tinned and salted. uu^sr: —A cargo of raw sugar arrived dunncr the week, and distributor and householders are looking forward to the position easing. This week it is worse than ever, and nearly every district is frantically calling out for overdue supplies. There in some curiosity as to how the present •x*ition has be"en brought about, and the official return issued by the Government throws a little light upon the matter. During the first nine months of this year 37,490 tons of sucrar were imported, compared with 40.496 ton during th same period of toxd. This trifling difference would not account for much, were it not for the fact that the 1918 importations were well below recent annual averages, so that presumably the Dominion started the year with heavily depleted stocks. Recent annual importations compare as under, and the official valuations throw a further striking light upon the very small advance in the price of eupr in New Zealand as compared with other parts of the world: — Year. Importations. Value .„., Tons. £ ]l\ 3 -' •• 64,570 512.548 ]*}i • • • • 50.080 699,307 1916 •' '• 6 V 6ir> -1.069,096 $ £ •• •• 62,455 986.766 ]l\L •' •• 68,29-1 1.136.722 1918 . . . . 52,092 901,957 Potatoes and Onions. Potatoes: Old have again fallen, and are now- quoted at £12 for best quality re-p:cked, but poor grades are hard to quit at any price, as most consumers are evidently determined to use new for the future. New Potatoes: Although supplies are not particularly heavy, the price is lower this week, and the very best grades are realising only lid per lb. Onions : Importers are glad to see the last of the Japanese onions, as their importation this season has been a most unprofitable venture. Now that they are pretty well cleared out, there is a "more sustained inquiry for American, and these are a little firmer at 40s per crate. Both onions and potatoes are in betterdemand than is usual at this time of the year, on account of the comparative scarcity of other vegetables. Oats : The firm tone in the south is even more pronounced this week, but the local market is only slowly responding Best feed is worth 6s 3d ex store. ° Wheat: Tli« drought in Australia is every week causing more attention to be paid to wheat. It is rather a peculiar coincidence that the last time the drought ruined the Australian crop in 1914 the area under wheat in New Zealand' was exceptionally small, and the Dominion had to go to Canada for supplies to make up the deficiency. r Fowl Wheat: Selling well at 9s 3d ex store. Consumers are looking for higher prices a „d are getting in good supplies while they can. " rl Chaff, Hay, and Maize. Chaff and Hay: After an earlv spr i n „ that promised so well for oats and hay in , this part of the Dominion, the prospects have been completely altered bv the dry weather. In the imr-diate vicinity of the | city no rain that couft do any good to the crops has fallen for over six leeks and the hay crop will be particularly 'light Further away there has been quite useful ram, and only yesterday it was raining in torrents twenty miles north of Auckland The poor rainfall at the most important part of the season is naturally attracting attention to the market for fodders, and chaff is dec-dedly firmer since last week best southern being quoted at £15 ex store. Maize : The rise in wheat is steadily improving the demand for maize, and ail concernments have been read'"lv placed at 7s 6d to 7s 9d in wholesale lines on the wharf. AUSTRALIAN MARKERS. Australian and K.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 12.80 a.m.) SYDNEY. Nov. 27. Oats: Algerian, &» 3d to 6s 6d; Tasmania)!. 6s 3d to 6s 6d. Barley: Cape, 6s 6d. Maize: 9s. _ Potatoes: Tasmanian. nominal; New Zealand, old, £& to £12. Onions: £9 to £13. Reed. 12.30 a.m.) ADELAIDE, Nov. 27. | Oats: 5s 3d to 5 8 6d. j

LONDON MARKETS. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Nov. 25. Jute.—Steady, November-December. £62 per ton. Hemp.—lnactive, prices unchanged. Rubber.—Para, 2s 6d per lb; plantation, smoked, 2s 4{d. Copra.—Steady. January-March, £59. PRICES OF METALS. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Nov. 24. I Copper. £08 17s 6d and £100 7s 6d. Lead, £37. Spelter. £47 10s and £48. Tin. £237 17s 6d and £290 12s 6d. Silver.—The price of silver is now 75Jd ' per ounce. " . STOCK SALES. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile : Agency Co., Ltd., report: On Thursday last at the Westfield store sale, dairy and store cattle were yarded in i average numbers and sold at late rates. Best dairy cows and' heifers, £14 to £19. 15s; others, £3 to £13 10s; aged and inferior cows, £5 to £8 10s; bulls, 6gns to 14gns; yearling to 18-month steers, £2 18s to £5 10s; ditto ' heifers, £2 15s to £5 15s; empty cows, £5 to £7 10s. At Waiuku on Saturday we had a large yarding and report a good clearance at satis- ' factory prices. *- -Dairy cows and heifer 9 sold at from £7 to £19; bulls, £5 to £13 10s; empty cows and heifers £5 10s to £8 12s 6d : yearling to 18-month heifers. £3 5s to £6 I 15s; ditto steers, £2 15s to £6 10s; 2 to 21J year steers, £5 lis to £7 10s; 21 to 3-year steers, £7 15s to £10 3s 6d; steer calves, £1 5a to £2 10s; heifer calves, £1 Is to £2 Bs. I On Tuesday at l'uni we held ft clearing I sale on account of Mr. D. Moloney. There I was a large attendance, and we report a I good sale. The dairy cows sold at from £7 to £24 10s; farm horses, £6 10s to £36 10s. | The yards were filled at Whitford on Monday, and while prices were easier a good I clearance was made. Best dairy cows and i heifers made from £11 to £13; otherß, £7 5s to £10 15s; empty cows, £4 to £9 ss; bulls, £4 to 7gns; heifers for dairying purposes, £5 10s to £7; yearling to 15-month heifers, £3 7s 6d to £5 2a Cd : ditto, steers. £3 5s to £5 4s; 2-year steers, £5 12s to £7 10s; 3-year steers, £9 10s to £10; calves, £1 15s to £2 17s 6d; fresh dropped, 5s to 12s. HIDES, SKINS, AND TALLOW. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report having held a, sale of hides, skins, and tallow on Tuesday as follows: — Hides.Cow, best 10id to 10"d. medium lOd bo 10id, rough 9d to P'd, scored 7»d to 81d. cut 8d to Sid, damaged 6d to 6id; ox, extra heavy 12{d to 13d. heavy 12d to 131 d, medium 11 id to 12d. light lid to Hid, cut 9id to lOd, damaged 6}d to 7d; yearling, 10|d to Hid, out 7|d to Bd, damaged sid to 61d; calf, good 20d to 22d, medium 18d ito 20d. heavy Hid to 12d, damaged 7id to i 9Jd, cut Sid to 12d: horse, 9s to 10s. medium 8s to 83 6d, small 6s to 5s 6d, cut 4s to ', 4.3 6d. ! Tallow.Casks, best 56s to 60s, medium , 50s to 558. ordinary 45s to 50s per cwt; tins, best 42s to 455, ordinary 40s to 45sdreggy and burnt, 35s per cwt. Bones.—Good, dry, £8 to £8 5s per ton. Dalgety and _ Company, Limited, report having held their weekly Bale of hides, akins, &nd tallow on Tuesday as under: — Hides.Best butchers': Ox, stout 12d to 13id, medium lid to 12d, light 10id- cow best lOd to IOJd. light lOd to 10id; year--1 lings, Hid to 13id; calfskins, best lOd to . 22d, heavy and meaty 14d to 16d; cut i damaged and -dirty hides. 2d to 4d per lb ! below above rates; horse hides, 5s to 12s ' each. i Tallow.— in shipment ca-sks, to £58 I per ton; broken packages, £45 to £50 I Horse Hair.— Is 5d to Is 6!d; mane i 10»d. j Bones.—Dry, £8 5s per ton. ! Rabbitskins.— is a good demand at . ! prices ranging from 2s per lb to 4s, for well j saved lots.