WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19349, 9 June 1926, Page 11

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

LOCAL TRADE CONDITIONS. THE PRODUCE MARKETS. All the extra wholesale business booked forward is now over, and most houses are looking for a quiet month, but quite a good retail trade is passing. Conditions could not very well be better for the drapers, the cold weather bringing in a keen inquiry for warm clothing of all kinds, in which locally manufactured woollens hold a prominent share. Prices are about equal to those ruling last year, and some very attractive styles and colours are offering. The building trade has been somewhat upset by the bad weather, as this has particularly interfered with the preparation of the foundations for some large buildings projected. Several more warehouses are to be erected in Anzac Avenue, and the new Grammar School at Takapuna will also call for large quantities of constructional material. Bricks are selling well at the new price of £5 5s a thousand, at the works, and cement is moving off well. The basis price of the latter is unchanged at £5 8s ex yard. The sharp turn in the weather has brought in a much ; larger demand for household coal, but merchants have been laying in a gooa stock, and are quite equal to all demands. Very little Westport or imported coal is being taken, as the present extra demand is for open fireplaces, for which local coal is more suited. The local miners are also looking forward to a better demand if the railways take the extra quantity which is anticipated as a result of the trials made.

Hardware merchants report a 'fair demand for farming requirements, for improvements and extensions to be carried out during the slackness of dairying during the winter. There is grave doubt about supplies of heavy goods arriving with regularity, if the coal strike at Home continues, but in the meantime all local calls have been met with stocks in hand. The dairying season is almost over, so far as the farmers are concerned, but large quantities are still held in cold store, and these will continue to be shipped throughout the winter. THE PRICE OF BUTTER. A very- satisfactory feature in the selling of New Zealand butter in London during recent monthr has been the small difference between the price realised and the price rulir,,, for IXtush. The High Commissioner's cablegram last week showed a difference of only 2a per cwt between Danish am. New Zealand salted, while .uanish and Now Zealand unsalted were exactly on tho same level. This is a, very remarkable record, especially when it is borne in mind that if at any time of the yea. - th. Danish article should get an advantage it in during the flush of the Northen spring when the fresh butter, can be lande- in London within a few hours after it is made, there to compete with New Zealand butter which has been in cold storag-.. for a couple of months. ; In Bpite of the very large, quantities shipped from New Zealand during November and December, largely owing to the unfortunai? shipping strike during September and October, the London market reamined very favourable in the matter of price, for during the whole five months of this year th-re nas only been one occasion On which the difference in, price below Danish has reached 26s while the average difference ovt r the whole period has been about 12® or 18s. During the corresponding'period of last year the fluctuations were most violent, New Zealand butter being sometimes as much as 58s below Danish, while there was only one occasion during the whole of February and March when the difference was less than 50s. It is also most noticeable that during the first five months of thn year the price of New Zealand butte: hp been practically stationary, the lowest price for salted being 168s, and the highest 1765, whereas during the corresponding period of last year it fluctuated between 156sf and 186s, the average price this year being about 6s above last year's average. . Vario-iB reasons' have contributed to this very, notable success, in competition, with Danish. From the very high compliments which have been paid to- New Zealand butter by visitins experts, it is thought that improved methods are steadily having the desired effect on the quality of the local article, nided as the producers are in this matter by the fact .that dairy cows are grazed in the open fields all the year round m New Zealand, whereas in Europe they have to, be housed for a certain portion of each winter. Reduced competition from other Southern countries is also advanced as a reason for moro favourable prices. Thus Australia shipped only 34.500 tons of butter to the United Kingdom during . the first ninn months of the present season, compared with 54,000 tons during the corresponding period of last year. The export from Australia has .apparently almost stopped for this, season, only 244 tons being shipped during the first half of May, not much more than a third of the rate at which butter, was being shipped at the same time last year. On thi other hand New Zealand shinped about 8000 tons during the month of May, and it is expected thfit 2500 tons will be shipped in June, and abont the same quantitv in July. These larare Quantities, as well,as the 4000 tons shipped in April, meeting practically no competition from Australia, should catch the better market, which has ruled in London from June onwards during recept years, nunplying their requirements 'during the months when the domestio suppi* is facing off. as well as supplies 'rom the Continent, ARGENTINE COMPETITION.

This appears to be steadily increasing, rising from 4600 tons exported in 1915, to 80,000 tons in 1923, which compares with about 66,000 tons from New Zealand. Apparently, however, the exportable surplus has reaohad its limit for the present, for it has not varied very much during the past five seasons, gradually falling to 26,000 tons last year, which is down to the 1921 level. It is stated that production during the latter half of the present season will be affected by drought, following abnormally hot weather, so that although the export during the first nine months of this season amounted to 22,600 tons, compared with 20,000 tons to the same date last year, it is not likely that a_ proportionate increase will continue until the end of the season. In fact, the latest cable messages indicate that the factories are now more inclined to ate .re a larger proportion of their production, as the reduced output is expected to cause higher prices to rule locally during the winter. Altogether, therefore, the later shipments of butter from New Zealand appear likely to meet rather favourable conditions in London, so far as the competition from our greatest competitors is' concerned. ' SIBERIAN COMPETITION. This seeniß to be an unknown quantity, but is apparently increasing in importance, and it may quite conceivably restore the preponderance of the .Northern Hemisphere supplies of butter which was destroyed for the first time by the great increase from New Zealand, Australia and the Argentine, coinciding as that did with the dislocation of production in Europe during the war. Mr. G. S. Thomson, a well-known dairy expert and chemist, who recently reorganised the dairy industry in South Australia and Queensland, has just returned from Siberia, where he had gone on a visit, in response to an invitation to advise the great co-operative dairy concerns in that country. It is affiliated with 5916 co-operative creameries, drawing supplies of milk from over 1,000.000 small peasant farmers, owning between them over 2,000.000 cows. He states that over 90 per cent, of the butter produced in Russia last year came through these cooperative creameries. While in Moscow he lectured to dairy experts on the grading of butter and the prevention of defects. He visited their great milk depot, which is one of tie largest and best equipped in Europe. Scientific methods are used, and much enterprise is shown in the supply of pure milk. Throughout Moscow order prevailed. Everybody appeared to be at work, and there was much to be seen which entirely dispelled reports previously circulated from Moscow. Mr Thomson travelled beyond the Ural Mountains, wl?ere he visited dairy schools of instruction and addressed the farmers, one of whom asked to have his blessing conveyed to " the noble British people." At Kurgan, a centre of the dairy industry, he found a thriving town with a well-equipped bacon factory under the control of an English company. He . states that the inspection of bacon is very stringent, and the quality of Siberian ham is much above that of the _ English product. New creameries are being established, and development is only held up for want of capital. Even winter dairying is progressing Mr. Thomson also visited Leningrad, where he inspected the huge State cold storage works, which are ta be opened this month, and which he describes as among the finest in the world. Every provision is made

for the grading of butter and other produce, and in this department Russia may lead all other competitors. Laboratories will be a feature of the stores, and full provision will be made for cold storage research. Mr. Thomson does not commit himself to an estimate of the competition which is ay be expected from Russia and Siberia in the near future. But he states that rapid development is taking place- It is expected that 3000 miles will do added to their railway system each year, and that great benefits will accrue to the dairying industry when that vast, undeveloped country is better supplied with the necessary railways. The type of refrigerated cars now in use he described as the best he has, seen in any part of the world, but capital is needed to really develop the country s great resources. EGGS. Very limited supplies are coming in, and the retail _ market is unchanged at 3s 6d to 3s 8d for best hen eggs, with the usual reduction of about fourpence for undersized hen eggs. POTATOES The Southern market has been fluctuating a good deal during the past few days, but a heavy fall has since been followed by a steady recovery, and the market now seems fairly .firm at an advance of about £1 a ton. This is owing to an unexpected revival in the inquiry from Australia, and actual business. has resulted. Shippers are now asking a still further advance for forward, delivery in August and September, and it is expected that the local price will have to advance before long to meet this. In the meantime local stocks are good, and the general auotation is £8 15a ex store. ONIONS. Market stands at about £l6 10s ex store, but it is not expected that it will be possible to draw much more from the South. Australia is bare of supplies, so that apparently no more can be had until the new season s Japanese arrive, most likely towards the end of next month. OATS. . A distinct novelty in the Auckland market is on view this week in the form of Algerian and white oats imported from Chili by the Vidovdan The samples have turned out a good full-bodied grain, and they are selling at a little under .the rate for local or Canadian. The Algerian seem suitable for cleaning for seed, for which they will no doubt . receive the usual call for seed produced m a different climate. Southern are selling at 5s 4d to 5s 6d ex store, so that there is no longer any attraction in importing from Canada. CHAFF. The market must tend upwards for the rest of the year if the advanced rate of freight from Australia holds good as announced, Australian chaff is at present selling at ±lO 15s ex store, and best Southern at £l2, but these prices cannot last long, as Southern shippers have . already taken advantage of tha higher freight from Australia by announcing an advance. Local is selling on the basis of £8 15s at country stations for be/it Quality. WHEAT. Fowl wheat is still auoted at 8s 9d. and it is not yet known whether the fall in Chicago will prevent the depleted stocks in Australia from making the advance in price that was previously expected. BRAN AND POLLARD. Selling well at the advanced prices, which enable. regular importations for the winter to take place. MAIZE. South African is selling at 7s 9d ex store, with stocks almoßt exhausted, and it is expected that growers in the Bay of Plenty will send along their new grain as early as possible this year, as they will be competing with further supplies from South Africa about September. Large quantities have been ordered, as the price is low on account of a bumper harvest. MARKET REPORTS. FRUIT AND-PRODUCE. In spite of the fact that fruit is now getting short in the orchards the offering at the Auckland City Markets yesterday "was good. Prices for most lines were satisfactory, some sharp rises being recorded. The demand was keen for good samples of fruit. Most varieties of apples showed a tendency to rise slightly. Neiliss and Cole pears are still attracting good prices, bringing up to 12s 6d a case. Outdoor tomatoes are nearly finished, and there was keen competition for the few offered, a few choice samples fetching 'lßs a box. Passion fruit were also very short and brought up to 15s a box. The offering of Poorman's oranges was not large as the season for fruit has not yet properly started. A new shipment of pineapples from Sydney opened up. well and ' attracted soma good bids. A line ot peanuts was sold at 41 d per lb. The vegetable market was again well stocked and most of the produce met with a fair demand. Southern potatoes were in heavy supply and the prices dropped a little. Kumaras were again too plentiful and were selling cheaply. Good pumpkins found a ready market and brought good prices. Celery was cheap and the best samples offered brought only 3s 3d for a bundle of half a dozen. There was moderate supplies of eggs and competition was medium. Full-size hens' eggs sold tip to 3s 5d a dozen and ducks' eggs from 2s 9d to 2s lOd. Prices for farmers' butter, which have been good for some months, dropped a little, this being due to a falling off in the demand. The following prices were realised:— FRUIT. Apples.—Delicious, 5s to 9s a case; excooler, 9a to lis 6d; Jonathans, 4s to 10s; Munroes, 4s to 5b 6d; Ballarats, 6s to 7s; Pride of Autralia, 4s to 5s 6d: Rome Beauties, 5s to 6s; Stunners, 6s to 7s 6d; Docbertys, 4s 6d to 7s 6d; Yates, 4s to 5s 6d; Jupp Russets, 5? 6d to 7s; pears—Winter Neifiss and Winter Coles, 10s to 12s Gd; cookers, 6s to 8s; tomatoes, hothouse, 9d to Is 3d per lb; outdoor, choice, 12s to 18s a box; others, 4s to 10s; passionfruit, 9s to 15s a box; tree tomatoes, 8s to 14s; Poorman's oranges, 5h to 9s a case; oranges, Rarotongft, 10s 6d to 12a 6d; Aitutaki, 14s; ripe bananas, 22s to 24b; grapes, hothouse, 2s 6d to 3s per lb; Sydney, average price, Is 2d per lb; lemons, Association, ex-pool, graded, best, 16l to 18s a case; second grade, ,10s to 12s; other lemons, 9s to lis; oversize and rough, 4s to 6s; pineapples, Sydney, 15s to 225; mandarins, Sydney, 21s to 23s 6d; peanuts, 4id per lb, FIELD PRODUCE. Potatoes, Southern, 7s 6d to 8s 3d per cwt; onions. Southern, 12s to 14s 6d; local, prime, 14s 6d to 18s 6d; kumaras, lid to ljd per lb: ewedes, 3s to 4s per cwt; cabbages, 3s to 8s a naok; cauliflowers, 5s to 15s; pumpkin?, prime grades, Crown and Triumble, 10s to 13s per cwt; others, 4s to 7s 6d; lettuce, Is 6d to 4s a case; celery, Is to 8s 3d a bundle; rhubarb, 3s to 5a a dozen bundles; leeks, 4d to 7d a bundle; cauliflowers on benches, 3d to Is each; cabbages on benches, 3s to 6s a dozen; citron melons, 9s to 10s per cwt; carrots, parsnipß, beet and turnips, 6d to lOd a dozen bundles. , DAIRY PRODUCE. Eggs.—Hens, full size, 3s 3d to 3s 5d a dozen; intermediate sizes, 2s ll|d to 3s lid; ducks, 2s 9d to 2s lOd; pullets, 2s 8d to 2s 9d. Farmers' butter in one pound pats, Is 2d to Is 6d. HIDES AND SKINS. AUCKLAND MARKET PRICES. There was a better tone in the market for hides at the Auckland hide and skin sal® yesterday. Prices for sheepskins remained- firm The following prices were realised:— Hides.—Cow; Best, light and medium, s|d to 5 7-8 d per lb; heavy, sfd; cut, 4d to 4§d- Ox: Best, light. 5d to s|d'; medium, 8 5-8 dto 91d; country butchers', 4d to 4|d; cut, 5d to 51d; yearlings, best butchers, 7d to 7sd; second , grade, ssd to 6d, Calfskins.—Beat light-weights. B|d to 9id; best medium. lll*' to 12d; heavy, 7id to Sd; cut and meaty light-weights, 7|d to Sd; slippy sd, to s|d. Sheepskins.—Dried, three-quarter to full wool, fine crossbred, llid to llld: medium crossbred, 10id to lid; coarse crossbred, Sid to 10id- faulty pelted, 7id to Bid; damaged, G?d to 7ld half-wools, medium to fine crossbred, 9d to lOd; half-wool, coarse crossbred 3d to 9Jd j damaged, Sid to 6d; pelts and quartei wools, sound, B|d to 9d: faulty. s£d to 6d; damaged, 4d to HA. Salted.—Best half-wool to three-quarter wool, 6s 3d to 7s 6d each; half-wool, best, 5s 3d to 5s 9d: second grades. 3s 9d to 4s 9d; quarter to half wools, best. 3s 9d to 4s 4d; second grade, quarter to bolf wools, 2s 6d to 3s 6d each: halfbreds, up to Is. Lambskins. —Large, sound, 4s 9d to Ss 6d each; medium sound, 4s to 4s 3d; faulty and stale, 2a 4d to 3s 3d. PROPERTY SALES. A five-roomed bungalow and section, 50ft. by 150 ft,, situated at 11, jSoian Road, Green Lane, was offered for sale at »uetion yesterday by J. B. Robertson, Ltd. The bidding failed to reach tie reserve and the property was passed in at £1650. William A. Horns. .Ltd., will offer at auction at the premises, 6, _ Derry Street off Green. Lane Road, at 10.30 a.m. to-day, without reserve, furniture and elects in 5-roomed bungalow; also at 1? o'clock, tho 5-roomed bungalow with motet garage, etc., on section 50ft. by 135 ft.