COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18294, 10 January 1923, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

GOOD COUNTRY TRADE.

RESUMPTION AFTER HOLIDAYS.

Business is getting more into its usual condition?" this : week, as ■;.: practically .all the travellers are oagain; on the road. A noticeable feature, however,;, has been the pleasing volume of ma; orders received since the holidays, plainly showing that: country storekeepers - could not wait for travellers. This indicates that their' Christmas itrade "exceeded, expectations, and depleted 'stocks have had,, to be filled at once. .»

: Hardware • houses report the arrival of large : quantities of American and Britsh goods, which appear to have landed to a good market. Business has Wen satisfactory rince the holidays, evidently supporting * the idea that the market improvement in : farming prospects would bring a corresponding activity in business. : American plain: wire has been in i shor.t supply, so; that recent arrivals are very , acceptable, although the demand '■; is | never very"heavy at this time of the year. The increased business is in general lines, heavy goods for obstruction work, building materials, farm requisites and implements, .. as well as shelf goods and household ironmongery. T

Eastern ; Goods /• Expected.

Eastern Goods.— Waihora is now on the Coast, and will soon arrive with a general shipment from Singapore, including product 3 from China and : Si am. Sago and tapioca are practically a' bare line, so far as the , wholesale houses are concerned, and it is ■ expected"" that the bulk of . the Waihora shipment will be distributed at once. Singapore pineapples by this vessel are also wanted. : Peppers and apices . are nicely timed to meet the exceptional demand which is just commencing, and which: will continue as long as manufacturers are putting down their summer and autumn pack of piokles and sauces.. Householders are alßo more interested in the season than usual this year, as the tomato crop is opening very well, and if the yield continues good there will be a large quantity of tomato sauce put down by householders, ;,; ■ ■ ' ■:.-'■.■;■■' Tapioca.A reliable mail report from Singapore refers to the cabled advices of a rise in sago and tapioca, and states, that the advance has been very rapid. TBere is no. doubt that there is a shortage of supplies, and with the renewed activity of the European and American markets even higher prices may' be expected up to. say. February. Beyond .that time it is difficult to venture an opinion, but if the present activity continues there is no reason why prices should not be maintained. : This report is supplemented by advices from Pen&ng to the effect that; arrivals for December-January are not likely to exceed 1400; tons in all, approximately divided into 700 tons seed (known in jNew Zealand as sago). 500 tons of flour, and 200 tons pearl. Of this Quantity 800 tons have'already been sold by dealers.

' Low Prices for Popper. Pepper.—Present priees are low., and represent good value. Buyers in America and Europe have not operated to any extent for several months, but when they do come into the market seriously it is expected thatprices will advance. Suppliers have not shown over anxiety to Bell at these 'prices, aa they are of opinion that while values may decline a few points there are possibilities of advances being both big and rapid.: ■' >•• ■.-,:■■ Nutmegß.—Prices have recently begun to advance, and show every sign of continuing to do so. owing to the fact that there is a good demand and supplies are not over plentiful, x..Mace.Supplies in Singapore are exceedingly scarce, and while this position exists values must continue to advance. ; Pineapples.—The opinion in Singapore is that pineapples have touohed bottom, and ; when buyers in Europe come into the market, which should b* early in the New Year, prices are bound to advance It is admitted that canners are incurring actual losses in selling at present prices. Locally there is a heavy call for the Waihora shipment, as stocks are very low. and In the meantime Australian have been selling well. Tea.—The continued advance in Ceylon has been leading people to expect a similar move .here, and at last one'firm has made ft definite advance .of 2d per lb, in its blends. v:v...:''i.'j;v; ".',:•.'-.--.■;';;."..;.:-".',, ■'.■/.-'■ Dates.—The belated shipment has arrived at last, too late for the Christmas trade, and actual sales will be slow for the next few months, with so much fresh fruit about. Stocks were practically exhausted on, arrival, so that the bulk of these dates will go into second hands at once. "

Produce,; Not;; Brisk. Produce.—Merchants: are not finding business particularly brisk, but this is the time of the year when a large proportion of local produce goes through the auctions. There is also the fact that so many householders have their own gardens producing at the maximum rate just now, especially with such a splendid season," while grain and .fodder could not possibly sell so well when the whole country is clothed in a mji.snificent mantle of grass. The weather has kept up a wonderful growth ;. of: grass, paddocks that were cut for hay having already recovered; sufficiently to be carrying' stock .. again, and, while it is true-thst thousands of people .have had their holidays more or le*a sroiled, the dairy? farmers are naturally delighted with the record season. Potatoes.— Quantities are in again .this week, and the market has an easier feeling at 7s ex store., , :< Onions.—Perfect weather is now rapidly ripening off the crop, and heavier supplies are.coming in daily. Quotation is about 12s ex store, with a tendency to fall. No export orders have been booked for America this, season. <-> ■ ■ ■'■'< :■■:'>'.'•''•';"- ■ , '—-'■:-• '/■'■''' Oats.— have run down *'■ somewhat, but there is no change in price, a fair quantity moving : off in small lots.; "■■'.."■•,■■'; Chaff.—Southern merchants are asking more,: but Blenheim .chaff is , still quoted here at 10s 6d ex store in small lots. Local stocks are very light. :?;■' , .. v. . ":' ;,■ .': , Wheat.— are rather low in fowl wheat, and market is slightly firmer at 7s "6d 'ex 'store. ■ ;, - ; -.:v:..-:-'. : .' ; .:• ■ .--. ■ ;'■,,•:; Bran and Pollard—Both are, m rather quiet demand, with ample stocks on hand. Maize.—Market is a little firmer at 5s ex store, and it is expected that sjuppcrs nt the Bay of Plenty will realise better prices for the next consignments. <'.:.«, ; -; ;/

v Business .in Kauri Gum. Kauri Gum.—During; the "whole of last year a moderate business has been going through, generally at slightly-reduced prices, especially for medium and low grades. Poor black chips were. in . strong demand all the year, but it is questionable rif the prices obtained were payable. ■'■ The lowrate of sterling exchange to dollars during , last year, while so severe to importers, was & very strong feature in maintaining the price of cum for export to America, and this factor must not be overlooked calculating that nearly -all that advantage has now gone, the exchange rate being now within about 5 per cent, of,.;par;. .There appear to be buyers in New xork willing to place a fair amount of business ; at the old rates, but these were based' on a. rate of exchange that often gave a margin; of 20 to 25 per cent, on the present rate, and the only way in which repeat -■' orders, of this nature could be. secured yon; a v ci.f. basis would be to bring down kauri;" gum by the amount represented by ]the difference in the exchange. ; Hence the email amount of business : now passing. .It .is impossible to forecast the future of kauri gum, but as ' competitive .gums from ' the : Congo : and elsewhere are obtainable almost at .pre-war rates, plus the extra freight, it is .hard to dp business in kauri gum ,at practically the *peak prices, and ■',it will, be interesting to see low lons- it -will be possible to keep those prices, when it is known that purchases are still being made in iust* sufficient quantity to maintain the . market. . -.•• ;

CANTERBURY MARKETS. [by: TELEGBAPH.-f-PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

CHBISTCHHECH, Tuesday. Business is still quiet, ; and so far no new season's stuff has ,made its appoarance. The cutting of wheat and oats is being carried out in various , parts of Canterbury, and the threshing 'of rye grass has -commenced.. The first offerings ■'■; of '■, the .latter are , expected -to be fairly poor as is ; usually the case. With regard to cocksfoot on the Peninsula, reports are that crops ' this season will be poor. One of the reasons for this is that fog and goose grass has become mixed with the cocksfoot to quis a considerable extent. :. So far very few potatoes have • come forward and only : , a little forward business has been. done. ; V

COCKSFOOT CROP./ [BT ■:',. TELEGRAPH. —OWN COBJEtESPONDENT.] CHBISTCHDRCH," Tuesday. /The recent heavy rain has. brought : : /on the cocksfoot crop and reaping has commenced ■ in: several parts of Bank's Peninsula. ..' It is estimated that there will be' a; considerable shortage of seed, this year as, apart from a lesser ; area being closed' > up, the yield in. many paddocks is quite 25 per cent, less than lftßt-year.: There appears to be : 'plenty of .labour available and . many small growers will assist each other in' harvesting; the crop. ■

PROPERTY SALES. ' > T. ; Mandeno Jackson 1 - will offer for I '!■ sale by public auction, \V under conduct of . the: Registrar of ..{ho, Suproiiib; Court,-at- their rcomj. Customs. Street East. at. 11 o'clock' to-day, 100 acres, at ' Mang&piko, ■:/• about ';;4 miles /from Te Awamutu, with house of ; 6 rooms, motor shed and cowshed,' with; 2-cow LJBW*. stent. f ■:■■■■■' -r-■':''- ■"■ '. ■'■ \''>'<i :'.'-/'.' : •>""■<