TRADE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20930, 21 July 1931, Page 5

TRADE OF AUCKLAND.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

AUGUST ORDERS IN HAND.

PRODUCE MARKETS REVIEW. Merchants in the city are beginning to be busy this week with forward orders on August account, which are coming to hand in'fairly good volume. The demand is mainly in every-day, lines. Prices are very favourable for most commodities, but the operation of the high unfavourable rates of exchange is an important factor in creating higher landing costs. Shipping arrivals have been frequent in the last few days and a considerable amount of merchandise.is now being taken into store. The Waikawa, which arrived from Pacific Coast ports on Saturday, brought supplies of prunos and raisins, in addition to motor spirit, and the Otaio, which berthed from Liverpool and other West Coast of England ports on the same day, is unloading general merchandise, including spirits, paints and oils, hardware, heavy iron and steel, galvanised iron, apparel and a wide range of miscellaneous goods. The Waimarino reached port from the South Island yesterday with general cargo and produce, including about 12,000 sacks "of wheat and 6600 sacks of potatoes. The Hikurangi and Maui Pomare arrived with Island fruits, the former bringing 2200 cases of bananas and vegetables from Norfolk Island, and the latter 2000 cases of bananas from Apia and Niue. DATES. Quotations for new season's dates have been reduced by bd a cwt. for shipment from Basra in September-October. SICILY ALMONDS. Prices for the new crop have been advauced 2s 6d a cwt. for shipment from Sicily about October. RICE. The forward market for Rangoon rice has advanced £1 a ton. Stocks in Auckland are not large. DRIED FRUITS. Cablegrams just to hand from San Francisco shippers advise that the market for present and now crop raisins has Udvanced about 3s a cwt. No reason is given for the advances, which were Quite unexpected by merchants. Sales of Mildura fruits have been stimulated by the announcement of the tariff agreement between Australia and Canada and also the report that a shipment of •20u,00u cases o£ iruit is to be made from Australia in August. ,The Mildura Fruitgrowers' Association recently requested distributors to state their requirements for delivery up to the end of September, reporting that heavy orders wero being received from overseas and tliat some of the grades of old season's were becoming short. The firming in price of California!! fruits is likely to create renewed activity and it seems probable that stocks will be sold before the now season's crop is available. TURPENTINE AND RESINS. - ; ; Late quotations for turpentine show a reduction of 3d a gallon on previous, rates and offer the favourable prices that have been available for a number of years. The market for resins also has eased, PAINTS AND OILS. Business in painting 5 materials is fairly steady in spite of the lull in. building operations and the usual seasonable slackness.. A good deal of renovation work'has been coming forward and costs are considerably lower than they were sis months ago. White lead, oils and other leading lines have shown substantial reductions, but, as in many- other businesses, the full benefit of lower prices is not being felt, owing to the high rates of exchange, POTATOES.

Weak conditions presist in the potato market. The Wingatui's shipment at the end of last week was followed by a further 6600 sacks by the Waimarino, which arrived yesterday, and a smaller shipment of about 1500 sacks is due by the Waipahi to-day. The demand is restricted and prices are a shade weaker from around £4 to £5 a ton. Whites are quoted at Lyttelton at 40s a ton f.0.b., e.i„ and Dakotas at up to 42s 6d, which returns,to the farmers about 25s a ton. • ' „ • , T , , Shipments of potatoes to the North Island have shown a remarkable decline m recent years. About four or Ave years ago shipments up to 13,000 sacks were common, but at present the average shipment is nearer 6000 to 8000 sacks. Total shipments this season, from about March up to the present time, amount to about 65,000 sacks, whereas a Jew years ago the average shipment for July alone worked out at about 38,000 sacks. ONIONS. Stocks of onion 3 are not plentiful at present and the market remains firm at around lie to lis 6d a cwt. South Island are now practically cleaned up and the. shipment due from Melbourne by the Gabnella on Saturday is expected to be the last large shipment from that quarter. They ore selling to arrive at around lis to us 6d a cwt.: The first supply of Californiana is duo by the Sonoma on Friday. - ; - wheat! . No marked change has occurred in the wheat market. Fowlwheat is slightly firmer and is worth around 6s 9d a bushel through store in Auckland. ■ ' OATS. ' . , - The market for oats is fairly weak and the volume of business has shown no increase. Feed oats are worth around 8s 9d a bushel through store, and A Gartons around 3a lid a bußhcl through etore. CHAFF. Another shipment of chaff was brought from Picton by the Waimarino and with the quantity brought by the Wingatui at the end of last week the market is now fairly well stocked. Business is steady and prices remain at around £7 5s to £7 15s a ton. MAIZE, A better demand is being experienced for crushed mair.e and a shipment of African is expected shortly. The market for whole maize is quiet, buyers being inclined to hold off until new season's becomes available early next month. Prices are expected to bo easier. " BRAN AND POLLARD. There has been no alteration in the local price of bran and pollard as a result of the decision of the South Island millers to reduce the price of bran by 15s a ton and that of pollard by 10s a ton in order to meet Australian competition. Bran 1 is selling at around £5 5s a ton, and pollard at around jCG a ton. Australian pollard is an good demand and soils at from £5 15s to £t> a ton. SEEDS AND MANURES.

Seed merchants report a good demand for 86080118-1 requirements. One feature of tho times seems to bo an increase in gardenins activities among every class, as weli as p. fairly general effort on the part of primary producers to increase production in every possible direction.

VARYING BREjAD. CHARGES

CHRISTCH URGE PRICE-CUTTIN G.

Price-cutting among bakers and grocers has resulted in an extraordinary difference in the retail charges for bread in Christchurch at. present. Some of thr chain stores are selling the 41b. loaf at B£d, while the standard price is Is over the counter and Is Id delivered. The great difference in those prices is causing a., certain amount of confusion, in the mind of the public, and there seems a likelihood that if the price-cutting continues the largci bakers may be compelled to reduce their charges. A man in close touch with the business said ,on Saturday that it was impossible for anyone to make a profit on bread at B£d a 41b. loaf At such a price, he considered, the baker was barely able to make ordinary wages, and the retailor could not make any profit at all. It was possible, he added, that somo of the bakers who were cutting the price of the 41b. loaf were relying on the profit they made on the small loaves and fancy bread to equalise things. The. small loai. which was sold in the shops at 3d. clirl not have to be lib. in weight. Usually the weight was only about 120z., and as' there were a large number of these loaves sold a g°°d profit was made on them. The number of families who bought 41b. loaves was not as large as it was a few years ago. as less bread was now being eaten. _ There has always been some dissatisfacr (ion regarding the extra charge that the bakers make for delivering bread at the door, but it is contended that even With this additional charge they lose money on' delivery. ■