TRADE OF THE WEEK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21757, 23 March 1934, Page 5

TRADE OF THE WEEK

RETAIL AND WHOLESALE STEADY CONDITIONS RULE PRODUCE MARKET REVIEW No change has taken place in trade conditions in the city this week. Orders have been in good volume. Interest in a number of new season's overseas commodities is increasing, but the full weight of this business is not likely to be felt until stocktaking is com- j pleted and the new financial year commenced. SALMON Small parcels of Sockeye salmon are reported to be cleared and prices have been withdrawn. BRAZIL NUTS { Quotations for new season's Brazil nuts in shell have been increased £1 10s a top for July-August shipment from Liverpool. RICE Latest information from San Francisco shippers of fancy lons gram Mexican rice indicates that the market is usain firmer and prices have been advanced £1 10s a ton for prompt, shipment PEANUT KERNELS A firming in the Eastern market for Java peanut kernels has attracted attention to local stocks, which are inclined to be short. As a remit,, increased interest is' heine displayed in the forward market. TEA The quantity of tea. offered ct this week's Colombo auction was 1,950,0001b. Quality was inferior to last sale. There was a much better demand, especially for common grades, which advanced }d per lb. Medium and good declined id to Id per lb., owing to inferior Quality. Next week's sale will comprise 2.100.0001b. The following sale will be held on April 10, MUTTON BIRDS Somo very favourable Quotations have been made for a quantity •of old season's pack of Tasmanian mutton birds. Most buyers are preferring to await the new season's birds, which should be ready for shipment from Launceston next month. The opening prices for the new pack remain unchanged. ALMONDS The announcement of prices for . new season's Sicily almonds has been accompanied by a fair amount of forward buying for September-October shipment. The former despatch, as already pointed out, ensures the arrival of the almonds in time _ for the Christmas trado. and, although a slight premium is required for this delivery, most buyers prefer to pay this rather than risk the later shipment not arriving in time. Interest has also been shown in quotations for new season's Jordan almonds for arrival in New Zealand in time for the Christmas trade, buyers are not operating heavily owing to the possibility of lower prices later. Current quotations are attractive, however, especially in comparison with those named for prompt and forward delivery of the 1933 crop. SING-APORE PINEAPPLES The market for Singapore pineapples i 6 a little firmer, but price movements in this commodity have not been of very wide extent recently. Buyers are now covering requirements for shipment by the April direct steamer. Some interest is also being shown in shipment by the _ direct steamer, which lands the fruit on this market in good timo for the summer trade. In previous years the tendency has been for pineapple prices to advance with the approach of warmer weather in the Northern Hemisphere, and the consequent demand, and some buyers are taking advantage of to-day's prices to cover themselves for this probable advance. * SACKS A distinct shortage of second-hand sacks exists in the local market. The position arises out of the reduced importations of new sacks and the more restricted use of fertilisers. ■ POTATOES General offerings of potatoes are sufficient) to meet the demand. Prices remain fairly steady. Pukekohe potatoes being worth around £7 a ton through store. Southern potatoes will be arriving on this market in substantial quantities early next month. ONIONS There has been no alteration in the onion market. Supplies are plentiful and values rule around £7 a ton through store. Owing to heavy supplies from Melbourne and the forthcoming shipment of about 2000 tons from the South Island, to the. Canadian market, export in that direction is not now so attractive. In any case, exporters have been advised by the Minister of Industries and Commerce that the Government guarantee is available only on onions shipped direct to the East Coast _of Canada, and not on exports shipped via Vancouver. WHEAT The market for wheat is quietly firm in the South and there have been no price alterations of any extent. Through store Auckland it is worth 4s 9d to 4s lOd a bushel. . MAIZE Qtiiet conditions exist in maize, which is selling through store around 4s 6d a bushel. BARLEY *' ' ' Australian barley is meeting with a steady sale. Clipped is being done up to 3s lid a bushel through store. OATS AND CHAFF There is very little doing in the market for oats and chaff. The demand is quiet, with prices steady at 3s Sd a bushel for feed oats and £7 10s a ton for chaff through store.' " ' "WHEATMEAL Fair business is being done in wheatmeal. A recent reduction .of 5s a ton has brought the price down to £7 a ton through store. BRAN AND POLLARD A quiet demand continues for both bran and pollard. The former is selling at £5 15s a ton through store and the latter at £6 15s for both Australian and New Zealand. PRICES OF METALS TIN STILL RISING (Received March 22, 7.35 p.m.) LONDON, March 21 Following are to-day's quotations on the London metal market, compared with those of March 20:— March 21 March 20 Per ton Per ton £sd £ s d Copper, stan., spot , . 32 4 32 3 1} Copper, stan., 3 moo, . 32 9 4J 32 6 101 •Copper, electrolytic . 35 5 0 35 0 0 to to 35 15 0 35 10 0 Copper, <?lec., wire bars 35 15 0 35 10 0 X/cad, soft, spot . . 11 7 6 11 7 6 Lend, soft, forward . . 11 13 9 11 13 9 Spelter, spot . . . . 14 13 9 14 12 6 Spelter, forward . . 14 18 9 14 17 6 Tin, stan., spot . . 234 17 6 234 8 9 Tin, stan., 3 mos. . . 233 7 6 232 16 3 'American, 8 cents a lb. NEW COMPANY REGISTRATION IN . AUCKLAND The following private company has been registered in Auckland:— Prime Meat Company, Limited, butchers. Capital: £550, in £1 shares. Subscribers: A. R. Buchanan, 475 shares; N. M. S. Buchanan, 75 shares.

POSITION OF INDUSTRIES ' FALL IN VALUES A correspondent writes: —Considering only the true "secondary" manufacturing industries, we find in the statistical report of Factory production, 193.3: — Value of output (manufacturing industries): 1930, £43,896,000; 1932, £30,946,000. \ _ The decline "of £12,900,000 haß been due almost wholly to a, decline in prices, though it is true'that a portion of the fa 11—£5,200,00 offset by a reduction in the cost of materials. ' The point is, however, that the volume of output has been maintained; in.fact, in most manufacturing industries to-day the quantity of goods produced is greater than it was before the slump. The decline of output-return shown above for the manufacturing industries may bo compared with the official Year Book figures in regard to dairying:— Value of production (dairying, poultry and bees): 1930, £29,600,000; 1932, £23,200,000.