GRAIN AND PRODUCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22584, 24 November 1936, Page 5

GRAIN AND PRODUCE

TRADE ]N AUCKLAND ONIONS RISE SHARPLY AUSTRALIAN POLLARD DEARER Practically all linos in the grain and produce trade in Auckland arc firm. Prices for onions have again advanced sharply, moving up os a bag over the past week. Stocks ar<? now short. Australian pollard also has increased, being •Is a ton dearer. This has been caused by a drought in Australia, which has also firmed the market for barley. With the extra cost of fumigation for the recent shipment of maize from Java, quotations are expected to be high. POTATOES Practically the entire business in potatoes is beinz carried on in new stocks from Pukekohe, although several small orders are still coming in for old season's Southern supplies, which are selling at from His to i-1 a ton, through store, for repicked sorts. Values for new potatoes are practically unaltered at from 4s fid to os a bag, through auction. ONION'S Quotations for onions continue to advance sharply and rates have risen a further 5s during the past week, current values being a bac, through store. Only very small supplies are held locally and merchants are concerned, as present stocks will have to satisfy the demand for about another month, when the new season's onions will be available. Inquiry is still strong from the South Island. FOWL WHEAT The market for fowl wheat is exceptionally firm, but values are maintained at last week's level of Bs -Id a bushel, through store, for graded. Only limited quantities are offering and the position is particularly strong iu the South Island. MAIZE The necessary fumigation of the maize which arrived, from Java last week has delayed delivery, as the fumicrator in Auckland can only treat 'JOO sacks daily. Quotations for this shipment were high from the start, and with the additional expense of fumigation, which is estimated at about .'?d a bushel, the final rate will be expensive. Both the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne districts are almost cleared np and high prices arc expected to rule until the next season's crop is ready about July of next year. The market is firm at the unchanged value of tis lid a bushel, through store. BARLEY Values for barley are maintained at last week's increased level of -Is lid a bushel, through store, for clipped. The drought in Australia has forced the price up and opening rates for the new season's crop, which will be on the market about the end of next month, are very high. Local stocks are working down. OATS AND CHAFF The market for oats is firm and the price is unchanged at ts 8d a bushel, through store. Supplies are still short. The position of chaff is firmer, although values are steady at £S 7s 6d a ton, through store. BRAN AND POLLARD There has been a rise of 5s in the price of Australian pollard over the week, values now being £I) a ton, through store. Quotations for local supplies, as fixed by the Wheat Committee, are unchanged at Hi 10s a ton. With the high premium for Australian, the demand is turning to local. Th? demand for bran is steady, bnt with ample green feed, supplies are adequate. The price is unaltered at los a ton, through store. HEAVY POTATO SUPPLIES [from our ow.v correspondent] PUKEKOHE, Monday With supplies becoming very free, locally-grown new potatoes have receded* sharply in value since last Monday, and now sell at 7s 3d per cwt. f.o\r., Pukekohe, with ton lots at £6 10s. This is a drop of £1 10s a ton in seven days. The demand, however, is increasing and large quantities are selling, with the quality mostly prime. Cabbages sell at 4s a sack, cauliflowers, which are very scarce, at 8s 6d a sack, and. rhubarb at 3s 3d a dozen bundles.

TEXTILE TRADE LOSS TO LANCASHIRE MANUFACTURE ABROAD The Lancashire textile trade would never be as prosperous as formerly until the markets lost during the past 15 or 20 years were regained, said Mr. D. Wilshere, a director of a Manchester textile firm, who arrived by the Aorangi yesterday on a business visit to New Zealand. To regain those markets seemed to be impossible, he added. Lancashire could not have it both ways, however, Mr. Wilshere continued. One of the briskest trades in the county during recent years had been the export of cotton manufacturing machinery to former markets, such as Japan, China, Canada, Brazil and the Argentine. These countries were now making all, or a large part of, their cotton goods. Through the long depression in the industry, parents had put their children into other trades and the strange position now arose in certain districts that there was a shortage of skilled weavers. Employment had been assisted in Lancashire through the development of the rayon industry, and latterly through the manufacture of munitions and aircraft, but there were still many former cotton operatives unemployed. How serious had been the loss of trade since the war was indicated by the fact that ot an original total of between 500 and 600 cotton mills, between 300 and 400 had been closed, Mr. Wilshere said. Many of the remaining firms had not paid a dividend tor the past five years and the shares of many companies stood far below their par value. The depressed condition applied not only to the mills but also to the wholesale distribution trade. DOMINION PRODUCTS GOOD MARKET IN BRITAIN VALUE OF RIGHT QUALITY "The opportunity for Australian and New Zealand primary products on the British market has never been better than it is to-day," said Mr. It. It. Hankinson, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, who arrived by the Aorangi from Vancouver yester•day after a health trip to England. "I inquired into marketing gonerally and was in touch with wholesale and retail distributors, and I formed the opinion that provided the market is supplied with the right quality goods, tastefully displayed and backed up with continuity of supply, there is no need for quotas,'' he said. The Empire spirit was never stronger than at present. New Zealand was presenting her goods in a most acceptable way to the public of Great Britain. Her advertising compared more than favourably with many countries and her butter and" lamb trades seemed to have been developed until they occupied a very important position. He was most impressed by several New Zealand displays at the Grocers' Exhibition. He had heard neither condemnation nor high praise for the Dominion Government's new marketing proposals, the general attitude being one of "wait and see." Mr. Hankinson was amazed at the extent of the- housing schemes in Britain and said he was glad to see New Zealand was moving in a similar direction. The general view overseas was that the more people who could hn assistod to own houses the better, but it must be achieved at a price within their ability to pay. Compared with England, the amount of building in the United States and Canada was comparatively email,