COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18722, 30 May 1924, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

t v'* . w.".i inn . mi* >:- ; v ■ 1; .; •;/; V \ •• WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. BAD ROADS CHECK BUSINESS TEE PRODUCE MARKETS. .' Business has .been a little quieter during the week, Retail has been affected • by the generally unfavourable weather, while wholesale has slackened off since the delivery of special city orders-booked fo& ; June account. .' " Country trade has been fairly 'good, . but farmers are holding 0/f their purchases of heavy goods as much as possible, hoping for a change in the weather again to improve the roads. ; In the meantime many orders are , held over, as many roads are impassable. A feature in the season is the continued production of butter and cheese, and this is stimulating business 1 with the dairying . districts. In spite of the heavy and continuous rain, the pastures are mostly looking Well, tut production will rapidly * . decline when colder weather comes in. .The High Com-* missjoner's ' quotations this week are :not very cheerful, a further slight decline being registered, but although cheese continues weak it is still a little higher than it was two months ago.

Building and Hardware. / Building.Great activity prevails,, so that conditions for the rest of the year will apparently remain aa at present. In residential Building there is no sign of any cessation, provided that finance can be arranged, ■ as the shortage has not yet been overtaken. In building material the only important change is a fall in the price of Oregon timber from Canada. This is attributed to a greatly reduced demand for shipment' to Australia, where the building boom appears to be nearing the end, and also to the failure .to secure the enormous trade with Japan that was ex. the earthquake. It § was anticipated that this would reach enormous? dimensions, and this kept up the price for a long time, but the demand failed to materialise, as the chief cities will be largely rebuilt in reinforced concrete. It is not' unlikely that the reduced demand for timber in Australia rwty result in lees coining: • down from Canada to New Zealand, as it may be more difficult to continue the convenient arrangement by which vessels > load' with part cargo for 1 New Zealand and part for Australia, and return with a ' part cargo of produce from .each..; In the meantime building material; is in fairly good supply locally, but it is pointed out - that there is < rather a scarcity of bricks of good Quality. In view of _ this fact, -an architect -'yesterday expressed ' hia surprise that valuable bricks of good quality have this faeek been dumped into the cellars of some of the buildingsnow being demolished in the civic, area. In the opinion of this expert they ; are, of a quality that would help to relieve the present shortage. ;■ • Hardvnre.—Outside' of building materials the ha-rdware trade is- on the. quiet side, and orders from the country are greatly restricts. American, prices 1 : are kept -up by an eaorraoua, domestic demand, and this will hav<> to fall .'off, very considerably before manufacturers will require to eagerly seek export trade. - This position is enabling Kntish manufacturers to cut in more successfully with jfavourable. quotations, and it is expected that during the , present year there l will be a relative increase in importations' of British goods in competitvo lines. Bakers' Goods.The bakers' ' exhibition, ■ which opened yesterday, attracts attention to tbeir various requirements. The largest item., v flour, calls for" no comment, as the priq/y is under Government regulation, and no great change is likely now that importation of wheat from Australia is ifigularly taking place. 1 Butter and Eggs,

•M U i", — ample supply for the winter will be kept back, ae' the requirements till the next season opens can be calculated to a small margin. , Eggs.— boisterous weather is' preventing any great increase in production, but a poor demand* keeps the prices" Weak at 8s 2d wholesale and Ss Cd retail. Bakers, however, are mostly well provided with sufficient: preserved or chilled 'eggs to last them over the present shortage. Dried _ Fruits.New_ season's prices are no out for Californian raisins, muscatels and figs. Quotations are about the same as last year for muscatels and figs, but seedless and seeded raisins are up a little. However, tie prices this year are still very favourable, ana are - well under the present rates for Australian. New . season's Australian currants and sultanas have been arrivlnßf a few weeks, and quotations show no rail resulting from the disappointment ovax the British preferential duties. ' Crystallised —Market has advanced a little on - indent. .

; Almonds.—Sioily are firm, and it is doubtful iif t sufficient : supplies r will be available to last until the now season's ax© to hand. Canned Australian quotations nave been withdrawn, but most < importers are covered for the season's requirements. 1 ■"/ Salmon.-—New season's. show a slight increase on last year's figures for 'pinks and chums, with no change oh cohoea. ■ Sockeyes, on the other hand, show a very f substantial fail, after being at -an . almost prohibitive pnee last year, and aia quoted at a. figure that will permit of being retailed' atfelfl per Jib. tin, or even possibly leas. j#' _ Forward quotation is a little lower than by the last direct steamer. . \ Tea.—, cablegram"; -this week reports a generally sustained market in Colombo, with advance of, Id ;to Id per- lb in ■> some ascriptions. , Local prices ' are unchanged, but blunders. are- giving the position serious consideration.. Bacon.—-Selling well, and "a greatly increased demand is expected when eggs become sufficiently plentiful to fall in price, Some very fine quality is now on the market.

Potatoes.Stocks are very heavy, as a result of shipments coming forward which were delayed by the railway strike. This pas brought the price down, and merchants are now quoting 8s 6d_to 9a ex store, which is really below the parity of Southern values. Now that the price has gone to the other extreme, after being very high for several wetfkn, buyers are operating very heavily, and - this may enable the surplus . to to Quickly worked off. The price ie very ' low in Australia, and this will allow of continued importation, in addition to drawing from Canterbury. , Onions.— .fairly heavy shipment arrived by the Kauri. These are of good. Quality, and are selling at 14s ex store.

Oats.— Southern price is prohibitive, and will not allow • for shipment 'to Auckland, so that supplies are limited to Canadian. These are quoted at 6s id to 5s lid, and fair sales are reported, as buyers have no expectation' of the .duty being , lifted. Chaff.—The demand keeps active. Southern iis arriving ; fairly regularly, and is quoted at 12s ex. store, the price being - kept down by large importations of Australian. Another shipment or the latter is due on Monday, and the price remains at 10s in sacks, which induces a , good demand, /as, the quality is satisfactory. > « , Wheat.—Stocks # are '.only moderate, but bookings are taking place for delivery ex arrival due on June 15. » , Maize.—The market keeps firm at the increase . established early m the week, the demand readily taking up all supplies that arrive from the Bay of Plenty. • Fertilisers.—A good general demand keeps up, but many farmers are unable to take delivery until the loads recover from . the recent wet weather. This is rather complicating the delivery of basio slag out of the King Howell, which was nearly all sold to arrive. . *