TRADE OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19513, 17 December 1926, Page 11

TRADE OF THE WEEK.

WHOLESALE AND HbiAiL.. J BUSY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING. PRODUCE MARKETS REVIEW. The usual experience of the week before Christmas is reported again this year. In spite of all the suggestions to "shop early" and get in the requisite supplies for the festive season, retailers are now in the busiest time of the whole year, while the wholesale houses are working overtime every day this week in order to deal with the rush of work. Country and town orders have arrived in heavy volume, and although they are hardly likely to compensate for the slack period during the winter and early spring, the present opinion i.s that the Christmas trade will equal that of last year. In the country a much more hopeful tone has been introduced by the rise in butter, cheese and wool, after a long period o! depressing markets, and trade has improved accordingly, although the turnover on the whole will probably be below that of last year. City trade may indirectly depend on the state oi the primary markets, but the direct factor is the position of employment. As one prominent retailer put it: "As long as a man is in a good job he is a good buyer, whether wool is up or down." Everything is now pointing to a rush at the end, and the long day to-day, if fine, will introduce by far (he best week of the year. Tradespeople make no apology for the weather being an important factor in the counter-trade and hopes are centred on to-day introducing an even larger influx of visitors than the shopping areas received last week. Seasonal trade is brisk, but some departments claim that' the rush has hardly yet commenced, and they are depending on next week. This applies to clothing and mercery and all those departments where buyers can obtain all they want in one visit to a counter., The rain on Tuesday is claimed to have been of immense benefit to farmers, as it was much heavier in the suburbs and outlying districts than in the city. Reports from farmers in the Waikato state it will help the dairy output, as it is already bringing along the pastures, noticeably where a hay crop had been safely gathered, so that dairy farmers are assured of good returns for (several; weeks ahead. Heavy orders aro already coming in for top-dresing fertilisers, as these are offering at attractive prices.

EGGS. A sharp rise has taken place, and retailers were asking 2s yesterday for best hen eggs. The advance is attributed to the combined influence of a smaller supply, due to the hot weather last week and r larger demand, owing to the advent of the Christmas season and all the extra baking. CRYSTALLISED CHERRIES. The demand from the bakers is now at its height and several small parcels have recently changed hands among merchants. Indent quotations show an increase of a halfpenny per lb. above previous prices. DESICCATED COCOANTJT. Following a period of fairly steady prices, a slight reduction in the quotation for both bulk and lead packets has been made. BRAZIL NUTS. A reduction of 2s per cwt. in bust Para Brazil nuts ia advised. On account of the small demand, after the Christmas trade is over, this reduction is of nominal value only. SICILY ALMONDS. Indent prices are again slightly easier, but the price-level is still much higher than that on which shipments now landing are based. Indications are. however, that local stocks will not be heavy after the Christmas trade has been done, so that the ■ prices will probably increase considerably. DATES. Loncf-ou shippers have cabled prices'. showing a reduction of 10s per ton on Soir and Knadrawi qualities for prompt shipment from London. London packed carton dates ar© ohort on the Bpot, and are in demand for January delivery. TEA. The. last Colombo sale of the year took place on Tuesday, when 2,375;0001b. were offered. The quality was good, the cable stating that common and low medium grades were easier, -while others were " e " iS - ALUM. English shippers have increased _ their prices by £1 per ton for prompt shipment. BLUESTONE. An advance of £2 per ton, has been '.notified by cable, effective immediately. Local stocks are not heavy and prices may therefore be expected to reflect this alteration almost at once POTATOES. The market is steady at "> Ms .to. £8 Iss, on trucks at Pukekoho and neighbouring stations merchants Quoting 4. ill to £lO Iss, ex store, Auckland. The quality is fairly good and digging continues fujjj' up to requirements, the ram, on Tuesday not lasting long enough to interfere with supplies. It will be of great benefit to the later crops, and it is now expected that they will give a good yield, like they did hist year.- ONIONS . Canadian are meeting present requirements, quoted at 17s 6d .to 18s a crate, but most of them require picking over. Stoolis seem almost sufficient to last until the ne crop is ready, but the price has induced ordering from Australia, and a few of the new season's Globe will be here in a day or two, to sell at £ls. These hardly seem likely to arrive to a good market. Ibe new' crop are doing well, the rain this week giving them the final growth b|f ore ripen* ,ng off, and good supplies should be corning on the market immediately after the .bohdwS - OATS. B grade are exceptionally weak in the South, but even the present low price is not stimulating business, and merchants are only buying from hand-to-mouth. Quotation is 4s 9d to 5s ex store, with very little dOmS " CHAFF. Business is alow, with ample stocks of Southern available at £ll 10'S os: store and Australian at £ll 10s, while full Quantities are arriving. Reports from Canternury are very hopeful of a good yield, many farmers stating that their wheat never looked better. As the area is greater than last year,, this is satisfactory as far as it goes, but importation will again have to take place. Merchants are taking advantage of the provision for importing fowl wheat free of duty up to February 23, and are giving a good deal of attention to heavier importations during January and February. The market appears to have touched bottom, and shipments from Melbourne during those months are t.ow being siold at 7s <ld to 7n 6d on. the wharf, to arrive. Judging by the samples of new wheat from Sydney which have already arrived, the Australian harvest is turning out well, and consumers seem inclined to buy fairly heavily at this cheaper i Quotation to last, them over the summer. The Svdney wheat ia costwe much more : than later importations from Melbourne and the present quotation is 7s lOd to 8s es St ° r,S ' FLOUR. Low quotations from Australia have been coming through, a:>d Southern millerst are endeavouring to meet this by bringing their quofiation to the old level, so that the advance in the early part of the season is now lost. .POLLARD. Stocks are very low, as the price is Australia is now bo high that it has not paid i merchants to import, arid the New .Zealand i millers are having some difficulty in meeting nil reouirements The demand is heavy for this time of the year, birfrol? as a result of the increased attention given to piss this seasdfc, aim it ia expected that this will continue. MAIZE. Exceptionally firm, so that the price is now tip to the same level as wheat* whereas . usually at this time of the year the demand has slackened off sufficiently for the shipf merits from the coast to meet all calls. It i ia not expected that the present _ demand ! will continue, but in the meantime any consignments are realisms "s Id on t..e wharf in wholesale lines. Most of the pontn i African maize which recently arrived has now been sold, and no more will be. imported. ; SEEDS. [ An exceptionally keen demand is reported in sswedfis and merchants state that tee , farmers are- determined to secure good supi plies of winter feed for next year., Uifaera i for millet are now slackening off. but otfeer root seeds have Bold exceptionally well, ana i some varieties are now -off the ,market. Grass seeds are inclined to be easier.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE. NEW ISSUE OVER-SUBSCRIBED. Australian and N..Z. Cable Association. (Recti. 10' p.m.), LONDON, Dec. 3 The new issue of 600.000 6-Jt cumuli live second preference £1 shares, at pa ji the New Zealand Loan and Mercar rile Agency Company, has been ovei subscribed. SALE OF TABLE POULTRY. GOOD PRICES IN DUNEDLN. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWK CORRESPONDENT. DUNE DIN. Thursday. What are believed to be record price for table poultry were realised ai, a Dun ;din auction sale yesterday. Four fcurke; gobblers brought Is llAd per lb., liv weight, and two hen turkeys realised 3,: 3d per lb., live weight. AUCKLAND COMPANIES. ONE NEW REGISTRATION. One new private company was registered in Auckland yesterday. Details are as follow : New Zealand National Creditmen's Association, Limited. Objects: To take over the business of the Traders' Pro tection Bureaux of Now Zealand, etc Capital: £IOO in £1 shares. Subscribers: A. J. Hutchinson and J J. I). Sullivan, company managers, 50 shares each. SYNTHETIC AMBER. DUNEDIN CHEMIST'S WORK. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] D DICE DIN. Thursday Information was published some weeks ago to the effect that a Dunedin research chemist, Mr. Robert Coghill, had found a way to remove tar and other stains from wool. Another subject of research has, in the meantime, occupied Mr. Coghill's attention, namely, the making of synthetic amber, and there has been exhibited a sample of what is claimed to be the first synthetic amber produced in New Zealand. The sample is very bright. MATAMATA STOCK SALE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] MATAMATA, Thursday. The Farmers' Auctioneering Company held its! usual stock sale at Matamata yesterday. Prices were:— Cattle.—Choice quality fat. steers, ,£lO 115s; fat heifers, £5 to £'! 10s; fat cows, £4 7s to £5 12a Gd; others, £3 5s to £4 ss; fresh conditioned stores, £2 I.Bs to £3; others, £2 s!s to £2 lis; potting bulls, £2 Ss to £4 2s ■Gd: dairy heifers, uf to £6. Pigs.—Slips, 29a to 355; best weaners, 19s to 255; others, ,15s to 19s.