TRADE OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21099, 5 February 1932, Page 5

TRADE OF THE WEEK.

RETAIL AND WHOLESALE. POSITION LITTLE CHANGED. PRODUCE MARKET REVIEW. No great change has taken place in business conditions in the city daring the week. Turnover is reported by most houses to be quite satisfactory, although some diminution is expected from now until the end of the financial yeear. The announcement of the Associated Banks of their policy toward exchange rates has been received with universal satisfaction, but the Government's decision is still awaited. Shipping arrivals have been few, the principal cargoes having been landed by the Remnera from London and the Ulimaroa from Sydney. The Brisbane Maru arrived yesterday with a small cargo from the East. DATES. A small quantity of stoned dates was landed by the Ulimaroa early this -week ex the Port Gisborne, which lifted a transhipment at Aden. Further supplies are also near at hand. The spot demand has continued strongly for dates owing to the advances in other dried fruits. Late quotations from London are •Sowing a firmer tendency. CANNED FRUITS. Prices have been named for New Zealand canned fruits. Assorted (15 peaches, two apricots, seven pears) ore quoted a case of two dozen dearer than last year. Apricots are Is a dozen higher than peaches this year, whbh is regarded as an indication that the apricot crop is short. Cases of 2J dozen IGoz. tins of pears are Gd a dozen higher, WALNUT MEAT. A shipment of walnut meat ha 3 arrived by the Brisbane Maru, but- merchants are anxious about future deliveries as a result of the situation ia China. Prices are expected .to harden. DRIED APRICOTS. The prices named recently for South African apricots were about 2d a lb. lower than most merchants expected, and as a result considerable business followed in this line. Some of it has been done at the expense of Californian fruits, especially ' prunes. TEA. This week's tea auction at Colombo comI prised 2,000,0001b. For common kinds the ! market declined a farthing a pound. Mediums advanced three farthings a pound. 1 For fine kinds, owing to an improvement i m (juality, the market advanced as much as id a lb. Supplies are moderate and mxt week's auction will comprise about !2,000,0001b. Exchange is quoted at Is 6 5«32d to the rupee for 90 days' usance. No mailed .reports have come to hand owing 1o the fact that there was no Eastern mail connection with the Ulimaroa this week. POTATOES. The market for potatoes is well supplied. The wholesale value is £4 10s a ton on trucks at Pukekote. Through store they are worth JEG a ton. ONIONS. Practically all the business is being done in local onions and the market is weak. They are worth Gs 6d a cwt. through store. It is fairly certain that both onions and potatoes will remain in full supply and low prices are expected to prevail for some little time to come. A quotation for Canterbury onions has been sought by a Sydney firm for March. April and May delivery. It is considered that this inquiry indicates a possible revival in trade, as onions are at a high price in Sydney, the latest quotation being £ll a ton. as compared with £4 a ton which merchants are offering in Christchurch. Some years ago very large quantities were sent to Sydney and realised up to £l3 a toil to the grower. FOWL WHEAT. The market for fowl wheat is easier and the value is around 6a 4d a bushel for graded through There is a likelihood of further reductions in price when additional supplies of new season's become available in the South. MAIZE. The market for maize is quietly firm at 5s 9d a bushel through store. A slight reduction in consumption has been noticeable during the past few weeks owing to the ' warm weather and the reduction in the price of wheat. AUSTRALIAN BARLEY. Prices of_ new season's Australian barley are advancing owing to the firmness of the market in Australia. The value of clipped is now 4s 6d a bushel through store. POLLARD. The Australian market for pollard continues firm nt late rates, but weekly quantities are being imported, and sold at Gs Gd a cwt. through store. The local price is unchanged. BRAN. The demand for bran is slow and local production ia sufficient to meet it. The price through merchants' store remains at £5 15s a ton. , , CHAFF. There is little animation in the local market for chaff, but the price is firming in the South as a result of the email crops. In Auckland it. is worth £8 10s a ton through store. OATS. Spot stocks of oats are extremely light. Trouble is being experienced in securing further parcels in the Soutl#. Feed oats are firm at 4s a bushel and A G&rtons at is 3d. GRASS AND CLOVER SEEDS. Inquiries are now being made for seasonal, requirements in grass and clover seeds." Owing to the dry weather, crops in a num- ( ber of lines in the South Island are light, with a consequent firming in price. The actual demand will determine to a large extent whether' present markets will retain their strength. FERTILISERS. The first of the new season's shipment of basic slag is due to arrive this month and it is generally believed that the quantitycoming forward will be scarcely sufficient to meet the demand. Practically all arriving has been sold for delivery from the ship's side. It is also expected that heavy deliveries in superphosphate and other lines from local manufacturers will be made this month. BAGS. The market for sacks and bags in Sydney is considerably firmer. Sugar bags are now costinjr about Gd a dozen more to land than they did two or three months ago. CAS COMPANY TAXATION. PROTEST AT CHRISTCHURCH. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday. At the annual meeting of the Christchurch Gas Company to-day the shareholders instructed the board of directors to convey to the Government its strong protest* against tbe injustice of being levied large sums fcr income ax, while the company's competitor, being publicly owned, was exempt from assessment. KAURI CUM MARKET. LITTLE MORE BUSINESS. A little more business is being done in the kauri gum market. Stocky of medium linoleum chips and nubs, ' for which the demand is keenest, are very bare. Some business is also reported in re-scraped bush gum, the first for a considerable time. Current quotations are as follows, those for the better class gums being mainly nominal: — WHITE GUM. £ s. d. £ a. d. Rescraped . .. 180 0 oto 200 0 0 Good {-scraped . . 140 0 0 IGO 0 0 Good i-scraped . . 112 0 0 120 00 ' Ordinary, No. 2 GO 0 0 80 0 0 Nuts .. .. 50 0 0 65 0 0 Good swamp . . . . 28 0 0 30 0 0 Poor swamp . . 20 0 0 Chips and dust . . 28 0 0 35 0 0 BLACK GUM. Good unscraped, steel 50 0 0 65 0 0 Do., i-B<craped . . 100 0 0 112 0 0 Do., rescraped . . 110 0 0 J6O 0 0 Ordinary, good colour 3,> 0 § Medium AO 0 6 Chips, hard and sifted 18 0 0 II 0 0 Do., medium .. 14 0 • WOO Do., poor . . 1M • ' II 0 0