TRADE OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20365, 20 September 1929, Page 9

TRADE OF THE WEEK.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

ACTIVE SHOPPING BUSINESS.

PRODUCE MARKETS REVIEW.

Bright spring weather is attracting a larger number of people to the shopping areas, so that retail business has a more active appearance. Drapery is still claiming first attention, as all the shops are making a most attractive display of all tho now season's apparel. Naturally the other departments are sharing in the attention of-the many buyers who like to go the round of the shops, so that altogether a good general business is passing.

A feature is the increasing numbor of shops in the main thoroughfare, as well as in tho suburban centres. For years it has been claimed that rents are too high, "particularly in Queen Street, but additional people are prepared to pay these rates, and almost every week sees a few more shops opened. In another few weeks there will roine about, in the vicinity of the Civic Square, what is probably the largest ad dition that has ever been made at one time to the shopping facilities. Another indication of . confidence, in the immediate filture is the fact that in one suburb, where building has been decidedly slack lately, a complete new street is being laid out for residential sites. Other owners declare that with more assured transport facilities a distinct impetus would be given at onco tu suburban building.

The wholesale houses are now very busy preparing all ■ their forward orders for ; delivery, on October, account, This commences next Monday with the general merchants, and'tho soft- goods housns are delivering to-day. The orders are mostly satisfactory, although there is n decided • tendency on the part of the tailers to let the wholesale carry their stocks for them, except where the markets point to higher prices. j " CANNED FRUITS. This particularly applies'to caused fruits for the position promises to be very acute before long. Following the sharp. advance in all Californian'fruits, consequent on the damage by frosts in the spring, none packers have now withdrawn, their auotntions altogether, and importers are anxiously turning their attention to the Australian pack. These have nominally responded to the American advance, but the difficulty is to get peaches at any price. Local holdings in halves-are-sufficient for the'present, | tut sliced aro almost exhausted, and no more are to be had-in Australia-.until the new pack is ready, about March. ' It is for- j tunate that just at present there is not ! such a pronounced preference for sliced. This has enabled many orderß.to be filled in halves, but several' bouses are. already ou-t and are therefore buying what they can from others. Inquiries have also been made in Australia, and although the packers are quite out it has been possiblo occasionally to pick up a small parcel from second hands. Apricots are much in the same position, and no more will be obtainable until the new season's pack ib qnoted. In pears thure is not the same anxiety, for there was a large pack ot this fruit locally, and this is fortunate for distributors and consumers. PRUNEB. ■ Very rately has such a change tcken placo in an important commodity aB in prunes this year'. It. is only a few months since Californian were making desperate, efforts, to. rid of their su-plus, and in Auckland, the retp.il price was as low as threepence. The low prices quoted everywhere have had the desired* effect, and present indications are that before the new pack is ready there will be the most complete clearance of old fruit. that has ever been known A few small* lots are still to come, but stocks in Auckland are so low that even with ttiese there will be none left when the new fruit arrives. The time of this is uncertain, but as the season is estimated to be ! three weeks lnte it is thought that they., may possibly >. not be hero in time for Christmas. All prices aro up nnd the question now is whether the public hns developed such a taste for prunes during the period of low prices that it will continue to demand normal qranfities, even at the greatly advanced prices. ' DATES. _ These. continue very cheap, .pr.d seem likely to meet much heavier business now that other fruits are so dear. Laree purchases to arrive are now being made, and as they will permit of being retailed at fourpence or under they will doubtless meet a very heavy demand Since the introduction of the loose pack dates have erer.tly increased in popularity as a dessert fruit, compared with the time when they were so sticky as to be anything but attractive. FIGS. These aro also being largely imported, us they are aeain cheap this year. Turkish fruit' is getting the preference again, being so much superior to Califo.rnian., RAISINS. Most descriptions are dearer, but local stocks have got into small compaSs. _so that : importers r "are compelled to indent full quantities. SALMON. Packers have a good hold of the market this year. A short time ago quotations for ! some descriptions were withdrawn, and mnv that these have been reinstated they ate at an advance-of 2s a caso. CANNED PEAS. Nelson canning aro no longer obtainable from the packers. However, quotations are to hand for the new season's pack as soon as it is ready, and they are on a level with last year's- prices. In the meantime limited quantities of Dunedin pack are available. Canadian have been imported in moderate quantities, but they aro dearer than local NORWEGIAN SARDINES. • : This fish, otherwise known .as .brisling and sild, is meeting a heavy sale, and importers aro anxiously keeping up their stccks. Thero has been somo doubt whether the ■ higher prices would stand, but it is understood from fairly authoritative sources that there is no chance of any packer breaking away, in the event of a large pack, as n powerful combine has beon formed undoi bank control. This has been definitely fixed for two years,. and the agreement "with the banks seems likely to eliminate all possibility of individual price-cutting on the pari of weak packers. EGGS. .

If anything, the market is a little weaker, retailers reducing duck oggs from la 3d to Is 2d yesterday. These are not being exported, and are not in such favour for preserving, whereas hen eggs keep thoir price at Is 3d as bofore TEA.. At the Balo in Colombo on Tuesday ovor 3,G10.0001b. were, offered, the extra quantity being duo to there not having been ft sale tho previous week. The market was very active for all grades, although quality' showed a slight fnlling-off. Common teas were inclined to be a little easier, but medium and good sorts were.very firm, and in somo instances wero dearer.. POTATOES. Substantial quantities are still hold here on behalf of Southern .shippers, but tho holdings of Auckland merchants are now down to very small dimensions. The former are evidently hoping that prices will improve, and this seems likely, for any more purchasos would havo to bo sold at £lO 10a. Merchants are .now askinp £lO. but very few are on the way. It is likely that the full parity- with Southern values must soon rule here, as there will be a scarcity in a few days,, so far as tho merchants are concerned.' , .... Seed potatoes have been m much better demand since tho improvement m tho weather, but fair stocks are held hero. ONIONS.' Local stocks are getting low, and orders aro being mostly filled in Canadian at 19s to 20s. Storks will apparently bo exhausted by the time tho Califorman arrive; these are due about September 27, and aro Belling to arrivo at 17s Gd. OATS AND CHAFF, Unchanged at is 9d and £lO 10s respectively, with demand only moderate. WHEAT. Considerable surprise has been caused by the intimation that a quantity is to bo exported, considering that a loss must necessarily be' incurred. It fs understood that tho real inducement is the offer, or. a freight' rate at 25s a ton. a remarkably low quotation, but at this time of tho year, when outward cargo, is at a minimum, shippers are almost prepared to fill up with ballast. Tho inconsistency of exporting while importing is taking place will naturally eauso some comment, but it is the usual thing for 'millers to import a little wheat or flour for mixing purposes, This iB done bconuso

5 -drier article than -the local is obtainable from abroad, and would. probably; pe continued regularly, even if. the; Dominion had a largo surplus for regular export. Fowl wheat is firm at. 7s 9d, ex store, with a rising tendency. _ The growers have the position practically-in their own hands, unless anything comes out of 'the inquiry now proceeding. r v BRAN. •

Unobtainable in quantity until arrival of an Australian shipment due next week. This will have' to sell at £lO, bht importers anticipate no difficulty in_ placing it all. However, only small, quantities will be imported, for tbe demand will fall o3 when pastures improve .with weather. What the pastures now want is a good soaking rain, followed by w&nnth without wind, and then the demand for bran would slacken off. POLLARD.

The active market continues in pigs, and this means a steady demand for pollard, so that, merchants are continuing their importations. MAIZE.

A steady demand cpntinues at 6a 6d, ex store, but growers are more eager to sell, and are now quoting 5s 3d to fid. 4d on truckß at Bay of Plenty, or f.0.b., Gisborno.

FERTILISERS. Heavy deliveries continue, with the weather most suitable for top-dressing.

LONDON WOOL SALES.

FAIR COMPETITION RULES.

GOOD MERINOS OFFERED.

Australian and N.Z. Press Association. LONDON, Sept. 18

At tho London wool sales to-day 9324 bales were offered, of. which 904 were from New Zealand.".' There iyas 'a' splendid selection of good style Merinos,-but a poor offering of other sorts. Fair competition ruled and there were many withdrawals of second-hand lots.

THE MARKET BASKET.

RETAIL FOOD. PRICES.

A GUIDE TO' HOUSEWIVES.

An increase of one penny a pound in the priced of all classes of butter is the outstanding change in the foodstuffs price list this week. A penny a dozen decrease is shown in the price of duck eggs, hen eggs remaining unchanged. In the fruit < section Cole pears and tree -tomatoes are I slightly dearer. A small rise in the prices for rhubarb and kumara is the only alteration in the vegetable class. Spring ; lamb is now in season. The other food supplies remain unchanged. | Following are the piices:— • j MEAT. ■ ; ' Beef.—Sirloin. lOd per lbj~ rump steak. Is 2d: beef steak. 8d; rolled chuck rib. 7d: prime rib. 7d; wing rib. 9d; corned round. ;8d: tripe, 7d; dripping. 6d; sue l and saus- ; ages, 6d; sausage'meat. sd;.gra»y beef and i shin meat, 6d; topside and flank. 7d. ■ I Mutton.—Leg", 3d; ehank end, 10d;-hind-quarters, 9d; "forequartere, 7d; foreauarter ehank end,.Bd; shoulder. 7|d: neck. 7id: loin, lOd; neck and . breast.'6d; leg and loin chops, lid: neck chops. 8d; flap, 4d; cutlets. trimmed. Is" Id. . . •. • . , ] Spring 9d;.loin" ana hindi quarters. Is 7d; forequartera. Is 6d. Veal.—Loin.; 9d: shoulder, 7d: cutlets and veal eteak, Is: forequarters, 6d.~Pork.—Leg, Is: loin. Is Id; pprk chopß, Is-2d; pork, sausages, Bd. FISH. Fresh fish, fillets, terakihi, 7}d per lb: schnapper. lOd; John Dory. 8d: kingfish. 8d: kippered fillets. Is 2df lemon fish, 6d; gurnard. 3d: mussels. Is 6d a dozen. Schnapper, whole. Gd per lb;* terakihi, 4d; trevalli, 3d; mullet. Gd: flounder. Is 3drhapuku steaks. Is 2d; fins, 6d. Terakihi. emoked, Sd; schnapper, lOd; mullet. 9d; trevalli. Pd; j silver strip. 8d; crayfish, over. 6lb, Gd: rabbits, 1b each. _ FRUIT. Apples.—Delicious, Gd: Sturmey, Bd to 6d; Grannie Smith. 6d. • . ... 1 Lemons.—Local, 6 to 8 for lfl; Sunkist, 2s 6d to 3s 6d a dozen. Tomatoes,—Hothouse, 2a per lb: Island, 6d to lOd. to 5d per lb. , Oranges.—lsland. 2s to 2s 6d; Sydney Navels. 2s to 3s. ' Pears.—Nellie, 6d: Coles, 6d; cookmc. Vicars, 3d to 4d. .. - I • Passion Fruit, 2s tQ 2a 6d a dozen. Tree Tomatoes.—Bd per lb. Mandarines.—ls 6d to 2s ,6d. • Pineapples.—2s to 2s 6cT each. New Zealand Grape Fruit.—B for Ib. Grapes.—Californian. Is to 1b- -6d per lb. 2b. '.-* ' Loquats.—ls to Is 3d. ' ■ • . • VEGETABLES. Potatoes, Sib for Is. Onions.—2d to 3d per lb. Lettuce.—2d to 3d each. Cabbage.—3d to 6d each. , Rhubnrb.—Sd per bundle. Celery.—sd to Is a bundle. Kumaras.—2!d per lb. ' Cauliflowers.—4d to 9d each. Cucumbers. —Hothouse. Is to Is 6d each. New Potatoes.—ld to 6d per lb. BACON. AND HAM. Bacon.—Shoulder rashers, la Id per lb: best rib rashers, Is 6d; by pieces, Is sa; shoulder - cuts, 9d to is 2d. I Hani?.—Whole, Is 3d per lb; in rashers. I Is 8d: cooked, 2s 3d: shoulders, cooked. Is I 9d. | BUTTER AND CHEESE.- ' Butter.—Factory, first grade, Is 9d, per lb: second grade. Is 7d: farmers'. Is sd: bulk butter, Is' 8d per lb. ' _ i Cheese.— Ordinary, Is 3d per lb: more matured. Is Gd. • EGGS. ♦j Hen.—ls 3d a dozen. Duck.—ls 2d a dozen. STOCK SALES. > ; VALUES AT PUKEKOHE. i . • ' I [BY 1 TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. J : PUKEKOHE, "■ Thursday. There was a large yarding of cattle and a good yarding of pigs at the stock sale I at Pukekohe to-day. conducted by Alfred i Buckland and Soils, Limited. All ■ lines ' sold well." Prices were:—Dairy cattle: Best j heifers.' to £l6; good heifers, £lO 10s to - £ls 10s; backward heifers, £6 10s to £9 10s; t best cows, to £l3 ss: good cows, £lO 10s > to £l2; medium quality, £9 to £lO ss; poor i .and backward, £6 5s to £8 10a; 18-monihs to r 2-yenr-old heifers, £6 5s to £7 12s. 6d: ycarl--1 .ing - heifers, £4 IBs to £6: yearling pedis grce Shorthorn bulls from Mr. John Mc- * Gowani £lO 10a to £25 4s, and pedigree t yearling Jersey bullF, £lO 10s to £ls 15a. I Beef Cattle: Fat steers brought £l2 17s 6d to £l4 17s Gd; Btore steers, £9 15s; best I fat cows, £ll 10a to £l3 2a Gd; lighter fat ; cowa, £9 10s to £lO 2s 6d; store cows. £3 6a to £6 15s. Pigs: Heavy baconers. £4 to £4 lis: light and medium baconers. £3 , 10a to £4; heavy choppers, £3 15s to £4 | 10s: lighter choppers. £2 2s to £3 ss: heavy porkers, £2 15s to £3 ss; light and medium porkers, £2 3s to £2 13s; large stores. £1 15s to £2; slips, £1 9s to £1 12s: ,eood r 'weaners, £1 to £1 6s: emallor weaners, 13a >' to 18s. '

PRICES ' AT MATAMATA

[BI TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 3

MATAMATA, Thursday. The Farmers' Auctioneering Company. Ltd., reports that at the Mnt&mftta sale yesterdav good yardiiigs of fat and storo beef Bold readily at the highest pnees s.nce the boom. There was a mednim yai-d ng of fat pigs and a goodoneofstores. Quo tntions:—Beef: Heavy fat cows. £l3 7s to £ls 15si medium fut cows. £ll 1-s 6d to £l3' light fat cows, £lO to £ll 10s; forwardconditioned cows, £7 es to £9 16s;- freshconditioned cows, £5 10s to £7. stores, £8 n a ■ r. ( i to £4 10s. Dairy cows, £8 to £l3 os. forward dairy heifers. £ll to £l3 ss; others, i' 7 10s to £lO ss. Sheep: Mixed sex hoggets. 22s to 23s sd. Pigs": Heavy baconers, £4 (is to £4 10s: medium baconers, £3 lis to £4 Qs; light baconers, £8 7s to £3 12s; heavy porkers. £3 to £3 ss; medium porkers, £2 12s to £2 17s: light porkers, £2 2s to £2 8s- stores, £1 15s to £2 3s: sows in pig, £2 10s to £4; slips, 25s to 335; Weaners, 15s to 2Gs.

LATE RATES AT KAUROA

The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company. Limited, report having held their Kauroa stock sale on Wednesday, when a good yarding of cattle was. penned. Competition was keen for' all olasses of stock and late rates easily maintained.,. Quotations:—Fat steers. £l3 15s: medium fat cows. £7 18s to £8 10s: light fat cows. £6 to £6 17s; forward-conditioned cows, £5 5s to £5 17s Gd; store cows. £3 17s to £1 15s: good quality Shorthorn fat and forward 3-year steers. £lO 10s to £ll 4s; good oualr itv Shorthorn fat and forward 21-vear steers. £8 15s to £9 19s: 21-year storo steers. £7 14s' tc £8 8s; cows with calves, £7 8s: bulls. £5 5s to £6-2s 6d- Jersey-cross yearling heifers. £0 13s; small yearling steers. £3 4s. Dairy cattle: Cows, close to, orofit. £ll to £ls ss; later calvers. £7 to £lO 6b. heifers, closo to profit. £lO 10s-to £l4 oa: bnckward. £7 6s to £9 10s.