TRADE IN AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19469, 27 October 1926, Page 11

TRADE IN AUCKLAND.

WHOLESALE AMD RETAIL. ; BRISK HOLIDAY BUSINESS. PRODUCE MARKETS REVIEW. Although the holiday cost retailers a day this week, it was largely balanced by quite a rush of business last Friday, and also on Saturday morning. A perfect evening oa Friday attracted more than the usual number into the city, and quite a good turnover resulted, including special purchases for the holiday, induced by the prospect of fine weather holding over the week-end. An interesting development ran in another direction, there being a remarkably heavy call on needsmen for plants and garden seeds. Up to closing time on Saturday the appearance of the seedsmen's shops conveyed the impression that most of the residents of Auckland were going to spend the week-end in the garden, taking full advantage of the pleasant change from the very unfavourable conditions prevailing for some weeks. With the exception of this sharp rush in all departments catering for holiday requirements, distributing trade is generally reportod quiet, although the much slacker wholesale trade with the country districts has not yet been reflected in the retail trade of the city. The wholesale houses appeared extra busy last week, through having to rush all their extra forward business through before the holiday, but it is estimated the final returns will not be very satisfactory. Too many country districts are buying sparingly for a good total turnover to be recorded, and this condition is not expected to change much until the position of the new season's dairy produce is clearer. The general report of the Imperial Economic Committee, published before the coal strike dislocated industry, laid stress on the necessity for proposing methods of turning the trend of commerce into channels which will most eSectively assist in the development of the Empire. "We are unanimous that attention should immediately be directed to the organisation of the British consumer with a view to his exercising a preference for Ilome and Empire products. The evidence of our witnesses leads us to believe that as between goods of the same quality and price the consumer would undoubtedly select Empire produce if he could recognise it." If this is correct, and the exceptionally heavy diSerence between New Zealand and Danish butter is merely a temporary result of the former being comparatively stale, this difference ought to be considerably reduced when the new season's make reaches London, and the early reports are therefore awaited with more than usual interest. The wool prospects are fortunately rather favourable, and stocks are such that a good demand is expocted to como in from Bradford when the supply of coal is up to normal. A good deal of interest to New Zealand therefore depends on the coal development of the next, few weeks, but in the meantime a fairly good Continental demand is keeping prices steady, and holding out good prospects for the New Zealand sales. EGGS The price is unchanged at Is lOd to 2s retail, with a good demand for immediate use and preserving. RAISINS. The San Francisco mail yesterday advises that the grape season in California is fully two weeks earlier than usual, and the grapes are maturing and ready for shipment before the buyers are ready for them, which is not good for the market. A factor in the situation, however, is the early over-estimate of the year's crop, so that a recovery in prices may be expected as soon as eastern buyers realise that their fears of a large crop are groundless. CALIFORNIAN FRUITS. All of the deciduous fruit crops have been moved except grapes, and these are well into their season. Pears, as usual, furnished the largest part of the tree fruits, and shipments amounted to something more than 2000 cars above the quantity of last vear. While prices were not as good as had been hoped for, and occasionally showed iosses to the shippers, the returns as a whole averaged enough net cash to the growers to recover cost of production. Where production was large to the acre, shipments showed real profits. POTATOES. The most striking alteration in the market is a fall in Pukekohe new potatoes, which are now quoted down to £l4 there. This is taken to confirm the earlier estimate that the early crop is going to turn out much better tnan it did iast year, and, with the continuation of fine weather, it is expected that digging will be engaged in more actively. This will steadily reduce the demand for old potatoes, but at present these are quoted at ±'7 ex store. The market is not very firm, and . merchants will very carefully regulate their supplies for the future, as the demand will drop right off if new potatoes of quality are available at a little less than to-day's price. / ONIONS. Market- is firm at 20a a crate for Canadian. aiv'i a steady demand is reported from the -inialler buyers, although most of the loiter buyers are fairly well supplied since re">?vWti,j their contracts out of the Hauraki. Another shipment will arrive in a fortnight. FODDER PRICES. Oats and chaff are unchanged in a dull market, merchants reporting a steady diminishing demand. Southern shippers of chaff are holding out for full rates, so that fairly regular importations of Australian continue, as these are selling at about £1 per ton less than the be«t Southern. WHEAT. Tho tendency of the market is still downward and merchants are only bnying fowl wheat as required. Tho now crop in Australia is promising to bo a very good one, and there may be no necessity to order any more Canadian wheat. A shipment of the latter is due about tho middle of November. MAIZE. The market is rather firm, and any coastal consignments are realising fis 3d on tho wharf in wholesale lines. A supply from South Africa should be here in about a fortnight. TUI BREWERY, LIMITED. DIVIDEND OF 12J PER CENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OW* COKR3SPCNDENT. ] WELINGTON. Tuesday. The balance-sheet of tho Tui Brewery, Ltd. (Mangatainoka), for the past year shows a gross revenue, of £15,939, against £13,484 for the previous year. The expenses, including £IB3O written off for depreciation, totalled £6647, s,gainst £5624, leaving the net profit at £9292, against £7861 for the previous year. There was brought into tho accounts £IBB2, making available £11,174. Out of this £4600 has ho on added to the reserve fund, and the dividend for the year has been raised 2£ per cent, to per cent. PUKEKOHE POTATOES. [t!Y TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT, 'j PTTKEKOUE, Tuesday. Inquiries to-day indicate that the market for new potatoes is well supplied, the demand being retarded by the fact that sound Southern potatoes appear to bo still plentiful. Last week 230 tons of new potatoes were despatched from Pukekohe railway station, and this week's output is expected to bo about 300 tons. To-day's" quotations arts from 13s to 14s per cwt. f.o.r. Pukekeho.