TRADE OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20969, 4 September 1931, Page 5

TRADE OF THE WEEK.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. * BOOKINGS IN BASIC SLAG. PRODUCE MARKET REVIEW. Judged • by to-day's standards, trade in Auckland in the past week has been fairly satisfactory. Steady business has been reported among provision- houses, and there has been an improvement in some quarters of the retail trade. Produce prices remain at a low level, but farmers are taking advantage of the favourable quotations named for basic slag for autumn delivery, merchants having been kept busy dealing with orders which have come in throughout the week. Two important overseas cargoes arrived -yesterday, the Hauraki bringing Californian dried fruits, motor spirit and general cargo, and the Tongariro arriving in the afternoon with cargo from West Coast ports of England. Eastern goods are due by the Narbada to-day. CREAM OF TARTAR. Shippers advise a further reduction, the 3econd this week, in quotations for cream of tartar. EASTERN GOODS. The Narbada. with an eagerly-awaited cargo of Eastern goods, is expected to reach Auckland this morning. She is bringing an average cargo, some lines of which, particularly sago, will come on a very receptive market. A little tapioca is still held and fair stocks of pineapples are available, although the Narbada's pineapples will como in at a lower price. Apart from a slight easing in sago, there is little movement in the forward market. RAISINS AND SULTANAS. Cablegrams received on Wednesday advised the withdrawal by some packers of all quotations for Californian bleached raisins, only unbleached, varieties remaining on offer. No explanation is forthcoming at the moment as to the reason for the withdrawal. The majority of merchants, however, have already covered for new season's requirements, which will become available about the end of this month. The shipment of Australian 6ultanas and currants from Melbourne at the end of September will be the last this season. At present stocks of 2 crown sultanas are very ehort locally. In prunes only limited supplies are now available, some sizes being completely exhausted. The Commonwealth Dried Fruits Export Control Board, reporting up to August 20. stated that sales in Britain this season now totalled 10,179 tons, compared with 5557 tons of last season's deliveries at the corresponding date. The board added that the demand was steady and the outlook generally satisfactory, and unless unexpected -circumstances intervened the seasonal demand should be felt in September and October, more particularly as Australian shipments were now practically complete for the present season. TEA. The offering at the Colombo tea auction on Tuesday was 2,000,0001b. The quality showed a slight falling off. The market generally was irregular with an easier tendency. Common grades were irregular and medium teas showed a drop of id to id? a pound. Good teas, owing to inferior' quality, declined id to Id a pound. The easing of the market has been expected by the trade in general as teas showing quality had been realising extreme rates.

At Calcutta there was a very strong market for common teas. The market was slightly irregular for medium grades. CANNED GOODS.

Although one of the main purposes in creating definite standards of auality for Canadian canned fruits and vegetables was for the guidance of the housewife in buy-$ ing, comparatively few housewives and not all grocers are yeo aware of their existence. Ail factories engaged in inter-provincial or export trade, and this includes practically all Canadian plants, must' obtain licences from the Federal Department of Agriculture. They must observe and maintain certain sanitary conditions in their factories. The products, unless otherwise provided for, are graded as fancy, choice, standard or second Quality, corresponding to first, second, third or fourth grade and the labels, which must be a true representation of the quality, quantity and weight of the contents of the container, must be submitted to the department for approval. Inspectors visit the various plants from time to -time to see that the regulations are complied with. Goods imported into Canada are subject to similar label requirements. POTATOES. The market for potatoes remains weak. At the moment it is heavily supplied and stocks are being sold off at from £3 15s to £4 sa. A further shipment is due next week and prices will depend largely upon the quantity arriving. The demand for 6eed potatoes continues and is bcinq met from ample stocks of the main varieties. ONIONS. Merchants are still carrying stocks of Victorian onions, picking over where necessary. The price is around 9b 6d a cwt. Californians are selling at around 16s 6d * bag, but a rise of five dollars a ion waa noted last week in the Californian mar"ket and this will necessitate an advance in Auckland of about Is a bag. • OATS. No change has taken_'.plnce in the market for oats. Business is very quiet. Feed oats are worth aroCind 3s 8d a bushel through store. > CHAFF.'; The market for chaff is also very quiet and values remain unaltered. A shipment is due from Blenheim nest week and is beinc sold around £7 5s a ton off wharf to £7 15s a ton through store. MAIZE. An improvement in business in the maize market has been noted now that more confidence is held in the quality of the new Benson's grain. There is no alteration in prices The wholesale buying rate in the Bay of Plenty remains at around 4s a bushel. In Auckland it is being dealt in through store at around 5s Sd a bushel. BRAN AND POLLARD. Tho demand has eased somewhat for bran. Prices are unchanged, local millers quoting £5 a ton. The merchants' prico through store is around £5 15s. There is no alteration in the local price of pollard. Australian is easing slightly and is selling to arrive at £5 15s a ton.

STOCK SALES. PUKEKOHE VALUES. [from our own correspondent.] PUKEKOHE, Thursday. Dairy heifers closo to profit and store pigs solrir particularly well at to-day's stock sale at Pukekohe, conducted by Messrs. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited. Best cows and heifers brought up to £lO 10s; other good sorts, close to profit, £7 10s to £9 10s; poor and backward, •£3 to £6 10s; pedigree Shorthorn bulls, to •£7 7s: yearling Jersey heifers, £2 5s to £3 6s. In beef, heaviest fat cows and heifers brought £6 to £6 7s 6d; lighter. £4 15s to £5 10s; well-grown store steers, £4 15s to £5 10s; boner cows. 15s to £1 10s; bulls for potting. £1 53 to £2 3Cs. In fat pigs, heavy prime baconers realised £3 4a to £3 9s : medium, £2 14b to £3; light, £2 8s to £2 lis; porkers, £1 12s to £2 6s. The supply of store pigs was large and the demand keen. Best stores made £1 8s to £1 19s; good slips, £1 2s to £1 7s; weanere. 15s to £1 la; 60ws duo to farrow, £3 15s to £4 2s 6d. % MATAMATA PRICES. The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, report:—At the Matamata stock sale a good Raiding of all classes of cattle came forward, including some good duality fat cows Beef was firm at slightly better than late auotations, with a good demand al&o for fresh conditioned empty cows. A small yarding of sheep sold at late rates. A large yarding of store and weaner pigs camo forward, and prices all round wero easier than last sale. A small yarding of dairy heifers sold readily at ruling prices. Quotations Fat wethers, 22s 9d; fat eweß, 17s; fat hoggets, 10s 5d to 12s 6d; forward conditioned ewes, 9r ; ewes and lambs, 12s; heavy fat cows, £7 12s lid to £9; heavy fat heifers, £5 15s to £6 19s: medium fat cows. £5 Hs to £6 10s; lighter fat cows, £4 2s 6d to £5; fresh conditioned cows,' £2 8s to £3 9s; store cows, 20s to £2: boners. 10s to 21s; Jersey heifer calves, £3 Is to £3 15s; Jersey-cross Heifer calves. £1 12s 6d to £2 14s. Pigs: Heavy baconers, £2 14s to £2 18s: light baconers, £2 8s to £2 325: heavy porkers. £2 3s to £2 8s: light porkers, £1 33s to £2; stores. 27s to 325: slips. 19s to 255: good weaners £3 to 04s; smaller, 32s 6d to 38s 6d. Dairies: Best Jersey heifers, close 1 to profit, £7 10s to £9; other heifers, close to profit, £5 5s to £6 10s: small and backward heifers, £3 30s to £i 15s; dairy cows, in milk, £5 to £6,