COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17780, 13 May 1921, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. | BUSINESS VERY QUIET. THE PRODUCE MARKETS. Wholesale and retail both report a quiet week. The most satisfactory feature in wholesale trade is the constant call for small quantities, showing that retailers have all along adopted a cautious attitude, and have brought their stocks down to small compass. The surprise in the grocery trade is the falling off in the demand '.or sugar.

Australian goods are now arriving more regularly, and most shortages have been made up. Thi3 week a particularly welcome arr.val is announced, a Marger shipment of tobacco than usual, and heavy quantities wiil be distributed during the next few days. Matches are still in very short supply. Eastern goods are getting into small compass, so that the Waihora consignments this week arrive to a rather bare market. Importers have been particularly cautious in their ordering, and only small quantities of most lines are to hand. Sago and tapioca are lower, but most of the arrivals are already sold. Japanese rice is now arriving via Australia, and' the price is decidedly lower, the whole of the sensational rise of 18 months ago having now disappeared. Saigon rice is also being landed, but the quality is rather disappointing. Tea is particularly firm, all good grades being quoted higher in Ceylon. Potatoes—Stocks are still light, as most of the arrivals were sold for delivery from chip's side, most distributors being content to work on small stocks, depending on regular shipments from the South. Price shows no change, auotation being 7b 6d ex store in Email lots The consumptive demand i s keen, and it looks as if larger quantities will have to bo imported, especially a3 local are quite over.

Seed Potatoes.—Both sellers and buyers are now making preparations for the planting season which will begin in a few weeks.

Onions.—Several consignments have been landed during the week, so that local stocks are ample for all requirements. Quotation is 7s 6d to 8s ex store, with demand improving.

Oats —Price is decidedly firmer this week, the general impression beins that the ertremeiy low rates of a month or two ago were not warranted. Apparently the corneT has been turned, and buyers are now operating much more freely, both here and in the South. Quotation is 4s 6d ex store, but most of the sales this week have been effected from ship's side, the heavy demand resulting in very little coming into store. Larger importations will now be necessary. Oatmeal.—There nas been a dearth during the week, practically all brands being in short supply. The sharp turn in the weather has naturally brought in a decided increase in the demand, which the local mills could not fill. Southern makes are in short supply, but each steamer is now bringing more. Chaff.—This has followed the oat market upwards, as farmers seem determined not to run the risk of getting short thiß winter, and are keeping back more than usual. This has brought in a keener demand for Southern chaff, which is now being drawn from Marlborough, and selling at 9s 3d es store.

Wheat.—Consumers are taking the opportunity of buying wheat while they can, and each consignment meets a keen demand. Australian is much preferred, on account of its splendid quality, and merchants will require to get regular quantities across. Australian is selling at about 113, and Canterbury at 10s. Flour.—A heavy demand continues for i both local and Southern. No holders have any quantity, so that each arrival 13 distributed at once. Bran and Pollard.—Both are in been request, bran being now in ample snpply Maize.—Supplies from the Bay of Plenty have been rather irregular of late, and the l °ifi • Gasman yesterday morning will probably make matters worse, so that the door is being opened for heavier importations from Australia and the Islands. Australian is now arriving fairly regularly and as the quality is better than usual there is no difficulty in placing it. The market this week is based on a nominal quotation of Gs 9d on the wharf for wholesale parcels of local. Fertilisers.—A shipment of basic slag has arrived to practically a bare market, and regular supplies should now be available. Calcutta bonedust is still scarce. Flax.—The export market is very quiet, and nothing is being done here. Mills have closeti down for the winter. Kauri Gum.—Very dull, and prices a'-e only nominal. No buyers are operating for export

TURNERS AND GROWERS, LTD. A meeting of shareholders in Turners and Growers, Ltd , was held yesterday in the Chamber of Commerce to elect three directors to represent the supplier-shareholders and sit with three who have already been appointed. There was a large attendanoe. Mr. Harvey Turner stated that the firm had had a very successful year, and that the turnover up to Majrch 31, 1921. was approximately £500.000. The company was the largest In the fruit business operating in New Zealand and had a very representative body of fruit and produce growers on its share list, the majority of the growers in the province holding shares and supporting the company with their supplies The following growers were elected as directors:—Messrs. E. Roy Beecroft, Port Albert: J. Greenwood, Henderson; and S. W. House, Manger©.

LONDON MARKETS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 5.40 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. Lead.—lmports. 7951 tons; Australian, 250 tons; exports. 2065 tons. Tallow.— 2658 casks were cfered and 1758 sold. Mutton. 353 6d to 325; beef, 38a to 3'2s 6d; good mixed, 33a 6d.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S ADVICE. [BY TELEGKAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Department of Agriculture has received the following; cablegram, dated May 7, from the iiigh Commissioner for isew Zeaiand, London : — •>.

Jueai. —'lraae dull, but very little change in pr.ee. JJ.Z. mutton, light-weight, Bjd to 3d, hvavy-wtight 8d to Bict, ewes 7 id; N-Z. lamb, from America Is Oid to Is Id, new season's la 2*d; Australian lamb lid to Is l:d; beef, chilied, h.nds Hid. fores sd; N.Z. ox, best quality, hinds 6d to 7d, fores 4jd to od; N.Z. cow, hinds 3td to sd, inferior quality, fores 2id to 3{d. Butter—Market weak and irregular. Government has reduced price ex store, May 6 to May 12. New Zealand £9 123, or Is Bid per lb; Australian £9 6s, or Is 73d per lb; Argentine £8 Bs, per cwt, or Is 6d per lb. Official quotations w.th quotations for April 30 in parentnesis, are: New Zealand £9 16s to £9 ISs, or Is 3d to Is 9id per lb (£l3 5s to £13 10s, or 2s 4id to 2s 4fd per lb,'; Australian, £9 10s to £9 14s, or Is Bid to Is Bjd per lb (£l2 13s to £12 18s, or 2s 3d to 2s Sid per lb): Argentine. £8 10s to £8 14s, or Is 6Jd to Is 6fd per lb (£ll 4s to £11 18s, or 2s to 2s lid per lb): Danish, £9 10s to £10. or Is Bid to Is 9id per lb (£ll 10s to £12, or 2s Oid to 2s lid per lb); Ir sh. £9 10s to £9 15s, or Is Bid to Is B|d per lb (£l3 10s to £14. or 2s 4id to 2s 6d per lb). Cheese.—Quotations with prices :'or April 80 in parentheses are: Canadian, white £7 ISs. or Is 4|d per lb (£7 16s to £1 18s, or Is 4*d to Is 45 d per lb), coloured, stock exhausted, not quoted; New Zealand, white £6 18s to £7 4s, or Is 2}d to Is 3id per lb (£7 2s, or Is 3d per lb), coloured £7 16s to £3 2s. or Is 4id to Is 5-Jd per lb (£8 to £8 2s. or Is od to Is sid per lb); Australian, white £6 16s to £6 18s, or Is 2id to Is 2*d per lb (£7. or Is 3d per lb), coloured £7 14s to £7 18s. or Is 4|d to Is 4id per lb (£7 16s to £7 18s. or Is 4id to Is 4?d per lb). Ca-se : n. —Market weak and no change in price for imported. English quoted at £60 per ton. Hemp.—Manila market is dull and depressed. Continuance of coal strike has cau=ed fur'her stoppage and reduction in cordage industry, which has resulted in dedemand. Sellers quote "J" grade February-April shipment £42, May-July shpment £38 per ton. New Zealand neglected and tendency downwards. Quotations nonvnal and unchanged. Wool.—Market continues strong and with good support from Continent and Home buyers. SO per cent- to 90 per cent. oFering has been sold. Crossbreds showed no material change, but good Merinos show further slight advance. Fruit. —Australian and Tasmanian arrles arriving in more or leas iamaged condition. London pr ; ce3 range from lis to 22s per case. Hull 19s-to 25s per case: JSs to 40=. accord in <r to variety: Comio». Bosc, Aninu and Jow-phine heading market. Hon*"y.—Market very quiet. Finest 'white could be sold but non*> available, pal© amI ber recently sold at 70s per cwi ("id per lb.; low grado is abundant and tint in de- | mand.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. Australian- and N.Z. CaW« Association. fßeod. 5.40 p.m.) LONDON. May 11. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Asrency. Ltd., has declared an interim dividend of 2 per cent, free of income tax.

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 11.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 12.

Oats.—Algerian feed. 3s 3d to os 4d; white, feed, 33 5d to 3s 6d. Maize.—Yellow, 5s Id; white. 4s 9d. Potatoes. —Tasmanian, £6 to £7. Onions.—Victorian. £4 to £4. 10s. ADELAIDE, May 12. Oats.—Growers' lots, 2s 4d. PROPERTY SALES. William A. Horne, Ltd.. will offer for sale by public auction at their auction hall, Hlkli Street, at 1 p.m. to-day, a villa of rooms and all conveniences, on section 50ft. by 136 ft.. 5, Rangiatea Road, Epsom., and a semi-bungalow of six rooms and conveniences, on -section 40ft. by 110 ft., No. 29. Wilson Street. Grey Lynn.