TRADE REVIEW.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 787, 18 August 1916, Page 5

TRADE REVIEW.

A BUSY WEEK. As a result of the influx of people j from the country and other parts of • New Zealand to the race meeting, rci tailers have reaped the usual harvest of I the season. In conversation with sevj oral of the heads of leading firms, our | representative learned that, taking the week as a whole, business has been I well up to that of previous years for the various trades, and, in some instances, an improvement has been j shown. i The more satisfactory position of the j wheat market to-day, compared with that of a week or two back, when it was feared that we would be in competition with cheap Australian wheat, has served to encourage more speculation, and at present, although there is not I much offering' by farmers, wheat is firm and in a fair way to remain so. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. The wheat market has quite regained its old footing, and is even firmer than before. The races appear to have taken the attention of farmers this week, and not much wheat has been offered by ' them, although the amount of business j transacted between millers and mcr- | chants has been larger than for some I time past. The best Tuscan is worth I from 4/4 to 4/6 on trucks; Hunters 4/7 |to 4/9; Pearl 5/-. The following, are the prices paid to farmers at country stations, free of commission:—■ Flour £l2 10/-, 1001b bags £l3, 501b .bags £l3 5/-, 251b bags £l3 10/-. Bran, £4 10/- per ton for shipping. 1 Pollard, £7 10/- per ton for shipping. Oatmeal, 251b bags, £l7. Kvegrass, 4/- to 5/-. Cocksfoot, 121b seed 9d, 131b seed 9}d, 141b seed lOd. Peas, Pari ridge, 5/-. OATS AND CHAFF. The supply of oats in Canterbury is very short, and good samples are being bought freelv at last week's quotations. Gartons 2/8' to 2/9, Duns 2/8 to 2/10, I Danish 2/4 to 2/6. Feeding oats are | bringing from 2/6 to 2/9. The chaff market is disturbed just now, owing to the large quantity that is being brought on to the market by j farmers. The bulk of it is of inferior j quality, and in many cases badly disI coloured, very little really prime qualI ity being offered. For the best lots I from £4 to £4 5/- is being paid, but the samples arc so poor that little business ' is being done. POTATOES. This week there has been a fairly good demand for potatoes from Auckland, but trouble has been experienced in obtaining shipping space to the north. The price remains firm at from £6 5/- to £6 10/-, according to the distance of the station. In the North Island there is a strong demand for the potato known as Dakota Bed, probably on account of its superior keeping qualities, and buyers are willing to pay an extra 5/- per ton for them. Small lots have been bought locally by merchants for shipment at £6 15/-. The supplies | of potatoes coining from farmers are mostly in small lots. DAIRY PRODUCE. Eggs have suffered a sudden drop in price of 3d per dozen this week, and they are still on the decline. Stamped eggs are now worth 1/3, and others 1/2 per dozen, and in all probability next week they will be down to 1/-. Eggs are coming in very freely just •now, and it is only a matter of a few days when the season \Vill be in full swing and summer prices ruling. Butter has risen a penny per lb for factory, in sympathy with.- the Home market, which has firmed up considerably during the last week or so. Owing to there being a surplus of dairy butter at present, the price has eased a halfpenny. Best factory is now quoted at 1/6 net, wholesale, and 1/8 retail, second grade factory 1/54 net wholesale, and 1/7 retail, farmers' separator 1/2 to 1/2 J wholesale, dairy 1/1. Bacon prices are unchanged from last week:—Hams 1/-, sides lid, rolls 1/-, ham rolls 1/1, lard pats ]/-. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. A shipment of Fiji bananas is due to arrive next Wednesday, ex Talune, aud the usual shipment of fruit from Sydney is also due the same day. A small consignment of Mildura lemons will be to hand next week from Melbourne. This week there has been, besides a heavy local demand, a big inquiry from Wellington for vegetables such as cabbages, onions, swedes, and parsnips, and this has helped to advance the price on the local market. The. following were the ruling prices in to-day's markets: — Apples, dessert, 2h\ to 3d per lb. Apples, cooking, 2M per lb. Island oranges, 12/6 to 13/- per case. Sydnev oranges, 10/- to 11/- per ease. Sydney Scvillcs, 17/6 to 18/- per case. Mandarins, 16/- to 17/6 per case. Cook Island bananas, 9/- to 9/6 per case. Pineapples, 14/- to 15/- per case. Cook Island tomatoes, 6/- per 221b ease. Potatoes, 13/- to 14/- per sack. Cabbages, 4/- to 4/0 per dozen. Cauliflowers, 5/6 to 6/6" per dozen. Carrots, 7d to 8d per dozen bunches. White turnips, 7d to 8d per dozen bunches. Swedes, 2/- per sugar bag. Rhubarb, 8/- to 9/- per dozen bundles. Parsnips, 7d to 8d per dozen bunches. Onions, 6/- per cwt. or from 2/- to 2/6 per sugar bag. Beet, 4d to 5d per dozen bundles. Marrows, 2/3 to 2/6 per dozen. AUCKLAND MARKETS. [Special to The Sun.J AUCKLAND, August 17. Arrivals by the Monowai and Westralia were not so large as usual this time, with the result that the local market is now getting bare, and store stocks will be cleaned up before the next arrivals' by the Te Anau, towards the middle of next week. This market is in consequence a little bare, and quotations for prime potatoes are from £9 10/- to £lO 10/- per ton. Store stocks of oats arc still amide for all requirements, and the Warrimoo is expected towards the latter part of next week with further shipments from the south. The quotation is 3/7 per bushel. Stocks of chalf in store have worked down considerably, but a further shipment is duo to leave Pietou for Oneliunga this week, and another steamer will follow next week. Prime southern is quoted at from £7 15/- to £3.