THE BREAKFAST TABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16292, 6 December 1920, Page 7

THE BREAKFAST TABLE.

NEWS FROM THE SHOPS. LINES FOR CHRISTMAS. EGGS RISE SUDDENLY. Hundreds of people bought Christmas delicacies to-day. As far us grocers aro concerned, the season is in full swing, and the provision trade lias seldom been busier. The only drawback is the continued shortage of sugar. Here is a brief price-list:— .Eating almonds, pound, -Is Od; cooking almonds, pound, Us; candied pool, pound, 2s; preserved ginger, pound, Us; seedless raisins, packet, Is id; Milduraraisins, packet, Ig-ld; loose dates, pound, Sd; choice '.sultanas, pound. Is Id; slowing prunes, pound, lid; now currants,- pound, IsUd; jelly crystals, packet, Gd; ham, pound, 2s; dried apricots, pound, 2s; figs, pound, 10(1.

Plum puddings in basins arc a popular lino in all stores. To-days price is 2s Od ami Us Gd.

A sudden nso in the price of eggs caused surprise in many quarters. They now cost Is lt)cl a dozen retail, instead of Is Gd a week ago. The change is reported to bo duo to the fact that the flush ot tho laying season is over, and also to the increased demand. Lack ol variety is tho chief complaint of Christmas shoppers searching lor dried fruits, in former years the November and December imports from tho Pacific Slope were enormous, but with tho exchange rate at U dollars U0 cents, there is not very much doing. Shipments of dried and preserved fruits arc' a subject of keen inquiry among merchants at the present time. New season’s dates should arrive before December 24, and there is bound to be a big demand. .Since the war. snipping facilities between Australia and Asia Minor have been far fro;n satisfactory. Now, however, there are signs that trade is becoming more stable- “ Another sugar shortage,” said a grocer this morning, “it is getting monotonous. Wo have not an ounce, and other stores are in a similar position. This comes just at a time when people Want extra sugar for Christmas cooking, and I think we have a righv to be > indignant. The Government has promised all sorts of things. It has accomplished nothing but a rise in price, accompanied by frequent holdups in supply. Tho sugar we got last week was insignificant.” Even under a very low distribution rale, supplies that came to hand during November were much below the amount stipulated. Complaints’; were made to Board of Trade officials, and the - result was a promise that the allotment would bo increased by one-third so as to allow retailers to meet tho heavy summer demand.

, A shipment of sugar from Auckland is expected at Lyttelton on Friday. The total amount is 450 tons, of which’ a proportion is for manufacturers. Fuither pressure is being brought to bear on tho Board of 'lrado with a view to grocers securing supplies of icing sugar for the Christmas trade. Retailers find the demand growing. "Java sugar is finding its way on the Xew Zealand market, but tho present price makes it almost prohibitive to consumers.” says a merchant. “ A argo shipment came to tho South Island during November, hut it was for manufacturing purposes only.” Discussing ordinary) trade lino s ! a merchant says that, ‘ during the past tow weeks there have oivlV been slight alterations m price. At the same time there is no doubt, he says, that many commodities have reached their'highest point. Any reduction in price must ho gradual, and customers must hear in mind that the majority of our markets are a considerable distance from New Zealand. In many cases it will ho months before supplies at any reduced prices come to hand.

Alterations announced by the retail in Christchurch to-day wore ; . Advances in pickles and English tinned hsly a, reduction in one brand of cocoa. Aext to Christmas delicacies, tho Vegetable and fruit markets arc attracting greatest attention. Latest retail prices are;— Broad beans, Gd a pound; peas, from 2s 6d a peck; new potatoes, Auckland-grown, 31b for ]s• new potatoes, grown at Bcdcliffs. Sd a pound best quality; spring onions 3d a hunch; lettuce, from' Gd'a dozen to Gd each; cauliflowers, Tory scarce Is Gd each; French beans to bo ready soon; cherries, Is Gd to 3s a pound; tomatoes, best, 8s a pound; gooseberries, 4d a pound; rhubarb, Pd a bundle; strawberries, Is Gd to 2s 3d a. small box: American armies, Is a pound; Canterbury .apples, ex cool store, Gd to Bd.

There lias been a shortage of onions but a shipment is now in hand from \ ictona. Tlio price is Gd a pound, as against 8d a pound for American onions.

, The dispute between ihe Canterbury iruit growers and retailers over the charge for cases has not been settled. In tho meantime, sales of loose fruit continue, and tho public is not threatened with a shortage. sfoat prices Ihare ichanged slightly Within the past seven days. Lamb is being retailed at from Is to Is 4d a pound. Mutton sells from Gd a pound for a forequarter and from Sd a pound for a hindquarter. “ There was a rise at last Mednesday’s Addington market.” said a butcher. “ otherwise we might hare Wade further alterations. Our expenses arc over double what they were twelve months ago. and bides arc worth next to nothing, so we hare to go slowly. Next year it will bo harderCbo hours arc to bn cut down from fifty-two hours to forty-eight hours. If that will affect, our Saturday trade. 1 don’t know. Tho association 'has not decided.

Cost, of linns figures in Hie combined iooif groups are over 77 per cent abort) tbcso lor the pre-war period, according to official slatemnnts supplied to Mr J. M’Combs,■ the member for Lyttelton. The reason lies mainly iri tho advance, on dairy produce lines, Tim increase in the groceries group is 4 points and in Iho meat group o points. Lakers and grain merchants are paving particular attention to the wheat situation, and trying to secure information that will give a lead to future bread prices. Optimists say that there is going to bo a drop. According to some reports the Dominion will -just about pull through with enough wheat, to last MU the good harvest that is pected in the autumn. In Australia it is generally predicted that good weather and light rains will mean a phenomenal crop. Localise tho slnppnm position is such an important factor it is encoring to know that- ample will be available to transport the enormous surplus. It must be moved for two sum reasons—to get the European market before the northern harvest is ready and to restore Australian credit in London. “As a matter of fact, !f says a trade authority. “ it will' probably to help in restoring New Zealand finances also, for our balances in Loudon appear to have almost gone, and very little will accrue from the earlier shipments of produce.'’ A Dunedin message says that British distillers are sending cut spirits in quantity faster than the > supplies can be absorbed in the Dominion. This applies particularly to gin and rum. As a result the distillers are accepting a lover price for gin, and in Dunedin during tho week it dropped in pnee by 3s per two gallon cases, by 8s for three gallon cases, and hy lbs for four gallon cases. Whisky remains firm, notwithstanding tjie free supplies, and there is no im media.** Aclihood of a reduc-

tion. Indeed, there has been some talk during the week of an advance. SOARING PRICES. Under the heading “The Load We Lariw ’ a North Island paper prints ho following comparison, remarking at the sumo time that the turn of Urn tide in prices has still to come:—

1915. 19-20. 1A Sugar, 61b . Sago, 61h .... I’ico, ,)!b .... Gleaned currants, 'lib . Bcsaert apricots, tin a. d. 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 10 s 0 0 0 1 o d. 61 per lb 6 ppr lb 0 per lb 2 per lb ■Unking powder, tin Candles, packet Wax. vestas, Brvant and 0 10 0 6 1 0 tin ■1 packet ( May’s, gross . Vino salt, cwt Galina, bag . Oatmeal, 251b bag . " Cube sugar, lb Brown’s cornflour, ,'i nl.-ts Amber Tips tea, lib Is 3 1 9 0 11 i! 6 0 1! 1 0 12 It >j 0 1 0 gross 0 cwt 0 bag 9 baij 9 per lb 4 packet 8d and . Bell tea, lb S 0 2 0 8 2 per lb 6 per lb 3 per lb 10 per ib Factory butter , Bacon, lb , White china cups and 1 2 1 0 2 1 saucers, dozen 3 11 20 6 dozen Pink and gold breakfast cups and saucers, dozen 4 11 24 White dinner plates, doz. 3 6 16 0 dozen