TRADE IN AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19959, 30 May 1928, Page 9

TRADE IN AUCKLAND.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. HEALTHY TONE IN COUNTRY. PRODUCE MARKETS REVIEW. Good business, particularly from the country, has come to the wholesale houses during the pasu and travellers report that a healthy tone has developed in most districts, consequent upon too improved prices for many lines of produce. The farmers are now freed from all anxiety as to their pastures during the winter, the copious rainfall bringing on an abundant growth. The better prices for fat cattle and pigs aro bringing good returns, and the higher prices for butter and cheese have more than made up for the reduced r output during the dry weather. Drapers -eport an improved turnover, due partly to the preparations for the King's Birthday holiday, but chiefly to the fact that winter has at last definitely arrived. This is making all the drapery departments busy, there being a specially good demand for warmer and stronger dress materials, men's clothing and mercery, overcoats and waterproofs, and boots and shoes. It is also expected the influx of visitors toward the end of the week will bring the usual increase in trade. Provision houses have had a good week, hut wholesale and retail both report a pronounced tendency to buy only in small quantities, and buy often. In the aggregate a good output has been moved off. Hardware is now getting the benefit of the farming tendency to effect extensions arid improvements during the winter while dairying is at its lowest ebb, and a good turnover .is reported. IRON AND STEEL PRICES. The Iron Ago states that while heavy steel output in America is maintained, with gains in some districts, the upward trend of prices has been arrested, and irregularities are developing. Apparently the opportunity has been taken to accept additional contracts at lower prices, in order, to reduce costs by the larger output. Occasional pricereductions have also oeen made m certain descriptions of Continental material. Some British works havq rot been well of! for orders, and this lias resulted, in keen competition for any business passing. Cleveland ironmasters are in a more comfortable position than for a long time, for all the pigiron output has been passing promptly into consumption, and stocks have been heavily reduced to make up deliveries against contracts. New orders for ships at Belfast have entailed heavy buying in constructional material _ COPPER. The maintenance during recent months of a price-level higher than at any time last year, and about £lO a ton above the lowest price touched during that period, is having a natural effect on production. With the development of Canadian and African properties it seems more than likely there will bo more than can be absorbed. Already the world's production during February was substantially above last year's average monthly output, and was probably a new record. This seems to make it clear that consumption must remain at . its highest pitch if nil the metal produced is to find an outlet. The maintenance of the. price above its natural level cannot help in that result: on the contrary, it will continue to offer a stimulus to the further development of mining. LOCAL CANNED FRUITS. These are being prominently featured this year, as there is a nice selection at reasonable prices, the good fruit season having helped the cannera. Pears and apples nave been put up in dessert and fine grades, but. the dessert apples are already out of first hands. Dessert quality . are selling in peaches, apricots, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, greengages and passion fruit. CANNED VEGETABLES. Tomatoes are the only line canned locally to any great extent and a very good crop lias enabled canners to put up large quantities in all sizes. In the South, however, peas have been canned at a reasonable price, but importation will take pra.ee throughout the year, chiefly from Canada. CANNED SALMON SCARCE. British Columbia salmon promises to be in short supply during the year, for Vancouver returns show the total pack of trie provmc® last season was only 1,360,000 cases, as against 2,065,000 cases the previous season. On the other hand the demand for canned salmon in the past few years has steadily increased, and fishing operations have become more intensive. Investigations show there is something wrong with the salmon industry in British Columbia, for the. salmon are becoming depleted. The position seems to be that too many are being caught and too few are allowed to get up trie streams to the spawning grounds. Sar too many men are engaged in catching theni. the number of' licences having increased from 7760 in 1924 to 12,891 last year.. Government restrictions were accordingly imposed, reducing very considerably the total fishing time. This interruption occurred in the middle of what is normally the season of the heavy "pink" salmon Tun. heavily curtailing the season's pack of that grade. Longer regular closed periods were also inaugurated throughput the season,. but packers admit that in the long run this will be for the benefit of the industry. OLIVE OIL. Although the market has held steady, it is expected that lower prices will rule later, as a good crop from Spain will have to bo placed. DESSICATED COCOANUT. Prices are low this year on all grades, with full quantities offering. SPICES. Peppera are so high that importers have cut down their indents, in the hope that prices will decline later on. Consequently local stocks are very low at present. Cloves are also higher, but good stocks are on hand. TEA. The re-entry of Russia into the market is considered of very great importance, and is no doubt responsible to a large extent for the steady rise in prices which took place during last year, and has since been maintained. In 1927 Russia took 24,149,0001b, as against 4,289,0001b in the previous year. COFFEE. The market maintains its firmness and sometimes a little m°re. .This is due to the Brazilian Government being apparently able to go through its marketing restriction plans, and because of the prospective smaller crop this srear.5 r ear. It has also been reported recently that the crops in some of t*ie other countries are going to be less than was previously thought. SUGAR. Full supplies are available at a low price, so distributors and consumers are well satisfied. In the Northern Hemisphere, how-' ever, there is considerable speculation as to what will happen during the rest of the year. Cuba has definitely restricted the crop on that island to 4,000.000 tons, but it is felt that unless there are similar restrictions elsewhere other countries will endeavour to make more money, at the expense of Cuba, by producing more sugar. There has not yet been any really definite announcement to the effect that any of . the countries would fall into line, to help out the world's situation. In spite of the announcement of the president of Cuba, that the crop would be restricted, the market on raw sugar subsequently eased off. On the other hand Britain purchased a large quantity of sugar at a little below the New York price, and this is generally taken to mean that in their opinion the market has touched bottom. EGGS DOWN AGAIN. Larger quantities aro arriving, and the seasonal fall in price is taking place. Best hen eggs are quoted at 2s lOd wholesale, and duck eggs at 2s sd. If fairly mild weather 'prevails it is expected the increased quantities will ease down the price still further. Retailers are asking 3s for full-size hen, and 2a lOd for duck, with chilled at 2s 6d- • POTATOES ARRIVED. Stocks are plentiful again this week, as the Kurow and Wnikouuiti have been discharging. and the Wingatui and Waipiata should be landing further quantities during the week. Quotation is i' 7 10s on the wharf, and as the quality is good most buyers are taking advantage of the lower price to get in a fair stock direct from ship's side. Seed potatoes are already meeting a fair inquiry, and stocks of mqst of the early varieties should be here next week. ONIONS. Stocks of Southern are low, and very few are oSering at the shipping ports. The local prico has advanced to 12s ex store, and as these will soon be exhausted, as well as any small stocks held'by local growers, fair sales to arrivo_ are being made in Japanese. due early in August. Growers at Pukekohe are asking about £ll 10s there, for any balance still. unsold. OATS. , Selling quietly at 5s ex store for B grade and 5s 3d for A. Although the market has risen to a parity with Southern values this i» only on account of the export sales, local business still being only meagre. CHAFF. I Rather bare of supplies at the beginning of the weok, but a Picton shipment by Wingatui will be distributed during the next few days. The price remains at £lO ex WHEAT. t* Fowl wheat is selling well at 7* 8d to 7s 9d ex store ( and good quality ,is regularly arriving from 'the South.

BRAN AND POLLARD. Both are selling well, but the available pollard in the South and locally is so limited that importation from Australia, has to be mad© regularly. A reduction of 20s a ton has taken place in Adelaide, but this will enable it to be landed at only 10s a ton less than previous importations from Sydney and Melbourne, as the freight is 10s a ton more from the South Australian port. Large quantities are now being used for feeding pigs, to take advantage of the good prices ruling. 'The Suffur Company isi ing such a heavy call for molasses for tbe same purpose that its stocks are running abnormally low. Although permanent- pastures are doinsr so well that some farmers are looking for more cattle to eat down the grass, swedes did badly in those districts where the rain came late. As much as £9 ail acre has recently been paid for a fair crop, to be eaten off in tjje field. MAIZE. Larger quantities have been arriving lately, and the quality is somewhat variable. The best consignments are realising 6# on the wharf in wholesale lines. The new crop, particularly in Gisborne, is reported to be good, but it may be a little later than usual in the Bay of Plenty, on account of the dry summer. Merchants are already arranging for supplies from Gisborne. fr«m July onwards. FLAX. No change i:a the market overseas, and merchants are quietly taking up the present . small output at late rates. Most mills will remain closed during the winter. KAUBI GUM. Merchants are experiencing difficulty m effecting export sales, except in the low grades. This is keeping very low the total value of sales abroad, although a fair tonnage is going away. The chief trouble seems to be the marked preference of overseas manufacturers for the cheaper substitutes which they can buy in other countries, and immense quantities of these are arriving in London and New York every month. STOCK SALES. RATES AT HAMILTON. BETTER PRICES FOR MUTTON. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON, Tuesday. The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, reports:—At the Hamilton stock sale to-day, there was a. full y* lt y ins, principally of cow and heifer beet. Values were easier than in the previous week. Prime steers made up to £lo; lighter, ill; young. £8 8s: prime heavy cows, £9 Hs; medium weights, £7 las to £Bunfinished and rough, £4 to Aa. A fair entrv of mutton sold at advanced rates. Extra prime heavy sheep brought up to 40s 6d; medium wethers, 345; stores, 30s lOd; prime ewes, 31s; medium, 2<s; light, 25s 3d; woolly hoggets, 26s to 26s 10d. A full yarding of fat pigs sold £ late rates. Heavy baconersi made £4I Bai to r» a ifiq. Tjorkprs £2 15s; stores, 14s to 365. 'New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Comnany, Limited, report-Prices were. Prime fat bullocks, to £l4 12s; cows'heavy fat, £lO Is to £ll ss; lighter, £5 7s Gd to £6 ss; fat heifers. £8 12b to_ £9 7s6d. Prime fat wethers, to 37s 3d; prime fat ewes, to 31s 9d. Baconers, heavy, £4 10s to £4> lighter, to £2 15s; porkers, heavy, to ±4, lighter, 39s to £2 ss. , Dalgety and Company, L "™ted. re P or j ~ Good fat cows made from £9 2s 6d to ±lO, fat cows, £6 10s to £7 2s 6d; good fat heifers, £7 5s to £7 17s 6d. Prime fat ewes, 35s 6d to 375; prime fat lambs, to 28s 9d. PRICES AT CAMBRIDGE. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, Hamilton, report; At Cambridge on Monday we held our stock Bale before a good attendance, ine beef and store cattle pens were well filled, all classes meeting with good competition. Best dairy coWa and heifers met with a good demand. Pig prices were -he same as at late sales. Quotations are: Prime fat cows, £7 to £« 18s; medium and light cows. £5 5s to £6 16s; fat heifers, £ 5 4s to £5 12s; forward cows, £3 8s to ±4 ias, store cows. £1 15s to £3 2s; two-year steers, £5 4s; 20-month steers. £3 .l-S. best weaner Jersey heifers, £3 8s to £4 18s; others, £1 10s to £2 ss; Jersey-cross dairy cows. £8 to £l2; others, £6 10s to £7 15s; Shorthorn-cross dairy, cows, ±v to £10; Jersey-cross springing A ' to £l3; Shorthorn-cross springing heifers, £6 15s to £8 ss; cows in milk, £o ss. to £6 10s; dairy cows £2 10s to £6. P^B- - and light baconers £1 15s to £- 10s; store pigs. 15s Ho £ 1 Is; slips. 10s to 14s; weaners. Cs to 9s; otheTS, 4s to ss. | Sheep: Store lambs. £1 2s 6d; ewes in lamb, £1 Bs. GOOD DEMAND AT TAUMARUNUI. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TAUMARUNUI, Tuesday. There was a large attendance of farmers at the Taumarunui stock sale to-day, and buyers from Taihape, Hunterville, Marton, Wanganui and Wairarapa and Waikato towns operated. The yarding of sheep comprised mainly ewes and lambs, and these sold readily. The yarding of cattle included some fine quality animals, and bidding was brisk. Over 650 cattle were penned, anct most of the amimals reflected credit on the district. Prices were:—Sheep: Fat ewes, 29s to 30s 6d; old empty ewes. 12s 9d, wether lambs, 21s 9d to 22s edj mixed sex lambs. 22s 6d;. small miredsex lambs. 15s cull lambs, mixed sexes, 13s Cattle. Fat heifers. £7 10s; forward cows, £4 4s, best fat bullocks. £l2 lis: good fat buhocks, £8 •)„ + 0 £io 8s; fat steers, £7 las to ±iu, forward heifers. £5 128 ; fo r ward buUocks £6 to £7 18s; a line of forward steers, £9 I'?s- steers from Tarmgamotu, £8 Is to £lO 10s; "ore cattle, £5 Is to £7 10s; two-year-old store cattle, £3 to £o ss. HIDES AND SKINS. AUCKLAND SALE PRICES. Prices for best-quality hides remained very much the same lit the fortnightly sale of hides and skins held in Auckland yesterday. The lower grades of both cow and ox hides eased slightly, but yearlings and kips remained firm at the level of the last sale. They; was a good market for sheepskins, both dried and salted and prices remained firm under the steady demand. Tallow remained unchanged at the same level as at the previous sale. The following prices were realised;— Cowhides.—Best grade, light, to 12* d per lb; medium, Hid to lMd; heavy, llid to Hid; second grade, light, lOd to lOld. medium and heavy, lOd to t ' 101 dto 10id; ox, best grade, light, lid to llid: medium, llid to 12d; heavy. 12d to 12Jd; heavy with substance, 121 d to 12id; kip, best grade, 12id to 12jd, second grade and cut, 10d to lid; yearlings, best grade, heavy 124 dto ldid: second grade, lOd to llid; calfskins, heavy, 13d to medium, 16»d to 17d; light. 15* d to 16d; cut and meaty, 12] d to lod; slippy, 9d to 10} d. Sheepskins.—Dried. three-quarter to full-wool, medium crossbred, 14d to 15d per lb: Sne. 15d to laid; ciarse, 10{d to 13d; damaged and faulty, lid to 12|d; badly damaged and broken, 10id to llid; half-wool, medium to fine crossbred, 13d to 14d; coarse. 12* dto 13d; dama&ed, and faulty. 10Jd to lid; pelts, sound, lid _to 12d; faulty, 9*d to 10d; salted sheepskins, half to three-quarter wool, extra large, lis ! to lis 9d each; large, 10s 3d to 10s 9d; light to medium, 8s 4d to 9s 6d; half-wool. ! large, 10s 6d to 8s 3d; medium, <3s 3d to 6s lOd; light, 5s to 5s Bdr bare to quarter-wool, 2s 9d to 3s 6d; lamb, medium, 5s to 5s 9d: light. s!s 9d to 3s 9d. Tallow. —In barrels, best mix. 26s 6d to 27s per cwt: second grade. 24s to 255: inferior and gut-stained. 17s to 19s; in tins, good mix, 24s to 25s 6d; inferior, 18s to . 225. CANTERBURY MARKETS. LITTLE CHANGE IN PRICES. [BX TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. There has been practically uo change iD the markets since the week-end, aud very little business has been done. Potatoes continue to attract most attention, but as so many have recently been sent to Auckland the demand has naturally fallen off, although the Waipiata took away some 6000 sacks. The position is that the northern port must dispose of what it has on hand before it can take a further largo shipment. Farmers are not displaying any great eagerness to sell at the moment, and it is reported that there is a shortage in the Timaru district through overselling, which will no doubt result in buyers having to come to Christchurch to get out of their difficulties, while Dunedin merchants will probably be glad to do the same. Potatoes are quoted at £5 f.0.b., June delivery, and at £4 15s, May delivery. The onion trade i« now nearly over, and the quality offering is on the poor side. It is probable that Victorian onions will be offered before long. For that reason last week from 200 to 250 tons of onions were sent to South' America in crates and centals from Lyttel ton, and probably another lot will be sent away next month. With regard to wheat the position is unaltered, although there is rather more offering at, present., especially of poorer qualitv. which is selling at less than is being paid for better quality. No change has taken place in other lines since the week-end.