MARKET REPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18019, 18 February 1922, Page 7

MARKET REPORTS.

FRUIT AND PRODUCE. Heavy supplies of moat lines of fruit and produce rescued the Auckland City markeU this week, resulting in a decline in values in most cases and the markots on the whole were inclined ti be .dull. Poorer grade apples were present in large Quantities. Potatoes were also over supplied and Quantities sold at |d per lb. TropicaHruit was scarce anu will remain so until the arrival of the Tofua with a shipment ol bananas on February 27. Supplies of American oranges are expected by .the Waihemo, which is due from San Francisco in about two week 3' time.

FRUIT. The market woe heavily stocked with the exception of atone fruits. Second grade apples were over supplied and there was little demand. The best dessert apples made up to Us. Gr&venstein sold at from 7s to 8a 3d. and Scarlet Pearmains realised 4s to 6s Good cookine apples sold from 5s to 5s 6d. others as low as 3b. Peaches are gottine scarcer and commanding better prices in consequence. Best samples 8s to 9s 6d, and thb poorer quality 4s 6d to 7s. Plums are scarce, roalieing 7s to 10s per case for almost all varieties. Damsons ranged from Ga 6d to 9s. The best pears sold at from 69 to 7s. Local passion fruit is coming on the market freely and some sold up to 10s por case, but the bulk ransed from 6s to 8a Quinces are also making their appearonce and are selling up to 6s 6d. The shipments of cape gooseberries were fairly heavy and prices wore 7d to 9d per lb. The demand for hothouse- grapes is not keen for the heavy quantities marketed, the best fruit bringing uo to Is 6d lb. large Quantities fold at Is. with some as low as Bd. Nectarines are about finished and are realising 9s to 10s. Lemons are selling well, choice specimens realising 20s to 22s 6d. others varying from Ida upwards. A few Sydney pineapples sold at 18s case and Australian water melons from 2s to it 6d each. Bananas from the ripening rooms brought 28s per case, and the few remaining American oranges sold at from 45a to 50s per case. Tomatoes aro still being sent in freely. The best quality made ud to 6s, but the bulk, including many over-rine lots, ranged from 2s to 4s,

DAIRY PRODUCE. Although fresh hens eggs were present in (rood Quantities the demand was exceptionally keen and prices rose on last week's rates. Sales wore made, at from 2s Gd to 2s 9d per dozen, with an average of, about 2a 7}d' Farmers' dairy butter was in fair supply, with a steady demand. Prices were from lid to Is 3)d per pound. A fair amount of section honey was offered and sola at from 8d to 9d per section. POULTRY. Fair supplies of poultry were sent in. and pullets close to laying were in good demand, selling at from 8s to lis each. Heavy hens brought 3s fid to 5s 3d, and the lighter breeds, 2s 3d to 2s 9d. Heavy cockerels sold at 4s 6d to 7s 3d. and light 2s to 3s. FIELD PRODUCE. Potatoes again showed a drop owing to tho exceptionally heavy quantities on hand. Special lines, well graded, and free from rust and blight, sold at 6s 6d to 9s 6d cwt., the remainder being practically unsaleable at payable rates. The demand for onions was poor, and tho prices 6s to 8s per cwtKumaras realised 2d to 2(d per pound. Local cabbages sold up to 7s per dozen, but a supply of poorer quality vegetables from country growers went for 3s to 6s per sack. Groen pem were disposed of at from 2Jd to 6d per lb., but on the whole the quality was not good. French beana sold at about ljd, a special lot bringing up to 3d. ( Very little rhubarb was offered and ' sale* reached 3s per dozen. Lettuce were for the most part inferior, selling at from 6d to Is 3d dozen. Cucumbers made 9d to 3s 6d dozen, according to quality, and celery from Is 6d to 2s 6d dozen. Other lines were: — Pickling onions, Id to Ud lb: pumpkins and squash, 5s to 10s cwt: swedes. <s cwt; cwrots and parsnips, Is dozen: beetroot, 6d to 8d dozen; citron melons, 4s cwt; rock melons, 6jl to Is 6d each; vegetable marI tows, lg 6d to 2s 6d dozen.

TURNERS AND GROWERS, LTD , The supplies of fruit hava been exceptionally heavy during the last week, the main lines being apples,, pears, tomatoes, and hothouse grapes. Ripe bananas have also been plentiful, with low prices ruling. Vory little imported fruit, with the exception of bananas, is on the market. A fresh shipment of bananas is due in about 10 days' time. Plums and peaches are. realising high prices, as are also good lemons, while large-sized, well-coloured hothouse grapes are realising high prices, although •mall, second grade grapes aro selling very cheaply. The market has been fully supplied with Bon. Chretien pears, which are selling at cheap rates this week. The same applies to both cooking and dessert apples. Choice lines aro selling at good rates, although the demand for rough and coarse i« poor- A fr*»sb shipment of oranges is due, via Wellington, shortly. Field Produce.—Business in this line has been particularly brisk during, the last week, locally-grown potatoes being especially in heavy supply, while guits a Quantity of those tent in tie infected with

rust, (ho potatoes which are so infected being particularly hard to quit at any price. The prices realised for produce are as follows:—Potatoes, first quality from 8» 6d to 9s 6d per cwt, inferior lines from 4s 6d to 7s per cwt; swedes, 4s 6d per cwt; onionß, 7s 6d to 8s 6d per cwt; cabbage. 5a Gd to 6s sack; kumaras, 2d to 2Jd per lb; squash. 8s Gd t') 9s i>cr cwt; peas (very scarce), 4d to 5d per lb; beans. '2d to 2|d per lbmarrows, 2s Gd to 3s Gd per dozen; celery, '2s to 3s per bundle; parsnips. Is to Is 3d per dozen; beet, 9d to Is per dozen; rhubarb, '2s 9d to 3s Gd per dozen. Dairy Produce.—Eggs aro in exceptionally keen demand, the prices realised being from !Is Gd to '2s 9d per dozen. Farmers' butter | in fair supply, with prices ranging from lid to la aid per lb. Section honey, 8d to 9d per section. Poultry.—Kair supplies of poultry came to hand yesterday. White Leghorns meeting a poor demand, owing lo the moulting seafon. White cockerels are proving a glut ori the market, while there is a gcod demand for pullets of every description, the prices realised for these being from 8s to lis each. Hens are realising from 3s 6d to 5a 3d, light hens, 2s 3d to '2s 9d. . Heavy breeds of cockorels are meeting a fair demand, the prices being from 5s to 7s. Old ducks are realising from 2s 6d to 3s 3d. Drakes boen over-supplied, prices from 2s 3d to 3a.

A. B. DONALD. LTD. A, B. Donald, Ltd., report: — Apples and pears have been much more plentiful this week. Green Bon Chretiens arc still in strong demand, but prices for ripe have receded a little. Good quality dessert apples are bringing high prices, but there is a largo quantity of very inferior grades coming to hand, and theso are very hard to sell. Peaches have advanced in price, and plum 3 which are just about finished, are realising up to 10s per caseTomatoes dropped a little this week, but good carrying lines continue to sell well. Hothouse Kmpes, well coloured, aro easy to sell, others have dropped in price, Local lemoii3 are scarce, and bringing as high as £\ |>cr case. Local passions are now to hand. Tho American demand for New Zealand onions has improved the value here, and, owing to the hir"" ; "n'''' and to be shipped during tho next tew days, we antii i,,nu- a .-.v..... ...... the Southern crop is available, l'ho supply of potatoes moro than equals the demand, and iu consequence, values are lower than last week. Wo quote ruling prices as follows : — Apples.—Best grade Gravenstems. 8s to 10b 3d; second, 5s 6d to 7s; others. 2s 6d to 4b. Scarlet Pearmains, best 7a to 8s 6d, others, 3s to 5s Gd. Cookers, 6rst 6a to 7s 3d; others, 4s 6d to 5s 9d. . Poars.—W-B.C, green 7s to &s 6d, ripe 3s to 6s; Mario Louise, 7b to 8b Gd; cookers, 5s to 6s 6d. , _, _ . .„ Peaches, 6s 6d to 8s 6d. Plums, 7s to 10s Tomatoes.—Firm, 4s to 6s; ripe, 3s 6d to ss; seconds, 2s to 3s 6d. Hothouse Gr&pes.-No. 1, la 3d to ]« M; seconds, 6d to 9»d; out-door, 4d to 8d lb Lemons—Cured. 17s to 20s; others, 8s to 14s. Passion fruit. 5s 6d to 9s. ... Onions. 7s 6d to 9s; potatoes 6s to 8s cwt; cabbages, 3s Gd to 6s sack: carrots. 8d to lOd dozen; kumaras, 2d to 2Jd lb. Fresh egge, 2s 6d to 2s 7d dozen.

CANTERBURY MARKETS. [BY lilLZOllAPH.—press association.] CHBISTCHURCH. Friday. There is a good deal of fowl wheat in this season's threshings and fairly largo quantities are being offered by farmers. Merchants are quoting 4s to is 3d a bushel at country stations for prompt delivery. The offerings of oats bo far have been small. One or two very fino samples havo been submitted. Although heavy yields are exceptional ono or two splendid returns ore reported. It is stated in one district that the crop threshed out at 91 bushels to tho acre while another in the same district yielded 78 bushels. The market has firmed slightly. A grade Gartons are now quoted at 2s to 2s s!d, Algerians la lOd to 2s 2d. Barley is meeting with hardly any inquiry. New white clover is now coming on the market and selling at 9d to Ud a lb. There is no improvement as regards potatoes. A local merchant stated to-day that growers are offering freely, but buyers are holding off. The price is now £3 10s to. £3 16s. Although in the aggregate- the blight will have little effect on the yield the lesser area, planted will bring down the output to requirements, and the belief ia that if were is any further recession in values it will not bo to much extent. The new .crops of onions should begin to come in in. about a fortnight. The fact that Auckland 18 shipping a fair quantity to Vancouver should have a good effect on the local market Latest reports are that the cocksfooj, harvest is much hotter than anticipated a lew weeks a£o, but it ia vory hard to placo any lines above 4jd a lb.

PROPERTY SALES. There was a large attendance at the auction sale conducted by Mr. C. F. Bennett, at the New Zealand Insurance Buildings, yesterday. Tho Khyber Pass property near the Symonds Street comer, having a frontago of 100 ft. to Khyber Pass by a depth of 200 ft., with an old wooden residence thereon, was sold for £3500. A dwelling in Ngapuhi Boad, Remucra. realised £13dO. . Ihe Dominion Road property was passed in at Saniuel Vaile and Sons. Ltd., report having sold bv auction yesterday under instructions from tho registrar of the Supreme Court a bouse of five rooms on eecion 49tt. by 132 ft., at corner of bake Road and Byron Avenue, Takapuna, foi £1300.