TO-DAY'S PRICES.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1920, Page 6

TO-DAY'S PRICES.

MORE WHEAT SOWN. | TEA MABKET CHANGES. With the frequent changes in prices of everyday articles which the housewife lias to buy, the following brief summary of the market conditions reported in New Plymouth yesterday will interest every woman who shops for the home:—

Ulaxo. —The manufacturers report that they are unable to supply for six weeks. It is then their intention to reduce the present large size by eight ounces and the price by Gd a tin retail.

Kerosene.—A further advance of Cd acase is reporteU this week. Onions.—A shipment of Melbourne onions reached New Plymouth by the Flora, after being delayed in transhipment about a fortnight. Some lines opened up fairly well, but others were in a very bad condition. iAs supplies are extremely scarce, retailers will be compelled to charge a profit to compensate them for their loss. Ee-picked samples are selling in Auckland at 40s and the Americans at 45s a crate. Jam—Leading lines are difficult to get, and 21b glass jars are practically unprocurable.

Oats.—The recent improvement in the market has not continued, and prices have slumped badly again. Good feed can be bought at 4s 3d f.0.b., but there is little inquiry and local holders are finding it difficult to quit. Southern merchants have been sending up consign'ith a little wheat to tempt ;iu.,er.\ nut have not met with much fiucuesgi Canterbury reports that there will te less oats sown this year, but in Southland it is expected there will be a large increase in the area. Chaff.—The Blenheim market is easier, but there is no direct shipment to New Plymouth. Bran.—There is an unsatisfied demand, due, no doubt, to the scarcity of feed, but this line is most difficult to obtain from the milk.. An inspection of some of the pollard gives a hint of the "reason for the bran shortage. Wheat.—According to the "-egg reports it is estimated that the rill be 250,000 acres more under lv .. this Veai than last. As we po ■( 1 out Ins -cek, the price is and even if we have an exportable surplus it xnJ! not mean any saving in the local price to the consumer. A recently published report that the price of flour in New Zealand may be chc-aper next year on account of export from Russia was obviously made without knowledge of the position, and need not bo treated seriouslv.

Seed potatoes.—Tile demand is much less than might be expected, in view of the expected rise in the price of bread next year. A leadjng local expert declares that Taranaki can still produce crops equal to anything in New Zealand, but conditions are different to years ago, and the subject requires knowledge, 'but this in easily acquired with a little study. Householders should plant more freely, as Auckland crops will bo late this year, and Taranaki will be drawing more Umn usual on local crops.

Comly's Crystals.—Perhaps this little linn, much used by housewives as a lloor stain before the war, has shown the biggest drop, in the market. It took a most sensational rise of from Id lb to over 30s lb wholesale, due, it is said, to its being an essential in khaki dye. It has now dropped back to practically its old price, and will probably again become popular. Tea.—Some confusion is caused to the public bv the conflicting reports. The position is that a very heavy fall took place in certain cheap teas, and was reflected more or less in other grades. Advices from both Ceylon and India show that there has been a remarkably rapid recovery from the depression, but this does not mean that tea will go back to the high prices that were recently ruling. Advices by this week's mail confirm the cable reports as above. Two auctions at the time of writing had shown advances of 4 to C cents a pound each. Some of the leading brands did not fall as much as othdYs not as well known, and consequently they are nqt likely to advance so readily as the sellers who reduced their prices more heavily. Soap.—An advance of £3 a toil was recently reported in the Mercantile Gazette, but no advice has been received by local dealers.