BREAKFAST TABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17028, 30 April 1923, Page 7

BREAKFAST TABLE.

RETAIL PRICE REVIEW. VIEWPOINT OF HOUSEWIVES. Grocers' customers are not complaining of any unusual tendencies in prices at present. Not so long ago, with shortages ever occurring and prices continually mounting, there was cause" enough to rail against the increasing oost of living. That war disturbance has settled down nor." to a state of affairs where the househqlder can get most necessary commodities at moderate rates. There are a number of housewives who have held an enviable position all through these troubles: the one who never lets payments drop far behind. “If you get the name of being a good cash paying customer you can get practically everything you want,” said a householder this mornGENERAL GROCERIES. The retail price barometer, briefly, shows little movement. The preserving season closed, the demand lor jams in tins and jars will gradually increase from now on till the new fruit conies Supply and demand in the egg market just about balance each other, but preserved and chilled eggs are available and this relieves pressure on fresh eggs. A city retailer this morning did not favour the opinion that butter is selling at a rather excessive price. Of course the London market is still weak. The report has been published that some factories in New Zealand have sent instructions Home to hold butter until the present glut has eased off. However, the cost of storage and so on will not make it a payable proposition to hold stocks long. Latest quotations in London would moan about Is 3d per lb f.o.b. in New Zealand. A grocer this morning said that factories here had had to buy their winter supplies at a price which made it necessary to keep up the present rates if they were to make a reasonable business success of their sales. He did not think that butter would come down in the near future.

According to a northern writer, raisins are being made a prominent line with wholesalers. There seems to be no doubt that the low prices and the efforts of distributors are forcing general use to bigger business. Stocks of seedless are particularly heavy, and any old holdings are being realised at loss, as quality soon deteriorates after they have been in stock for a while. The higher cost of sultanas is in favour of a lot of sultana business being directed to the seedless, oil-bleached raisins. There is also improvement in calling for prunes; some of the sales are being made with very small margin of profit, no doubt being influenced by

possible reduction on new landings in the near future. Cooking figs are moving slowly, but dates, both in packets and bulk, continue in fair request. As to sago and tapiocoa, costs continue to pile up and’ the price now being asked by some merchants is about 100 per cent above the pi-ice ruling only a few months ago. An Auckland trade review states that sugar supplies continue short, although the position has improved compared with a month ago. The public no longer have the opportunity of proouring from the retail at under oost. this catch-trade method having disappeared. NO INCREASE IN MEAT RATES. A Christchurch butcher who is well versed in market conditions said that he could not- see meat prices hardening in the winter months. It is the general experience for rates to go up, but factors in the present situation would seem to make an increase improbable in the months immediately ahead. There is libtlo export business going on and a lot of stuff is coming down from the North Island to the southern markets. “ We pay about Ss a hundred pounds more than the ruling rates in the North,” said the butcher, whose opinion was obtained. “ The view is held that at preesnt Addington is the bestmarket in Australasia for prime beef.'’ This attraction of lines from the North will in all probability keep rates low. Ewe mutton has in price to the consumer, though wether mutton remains the same as exporters are wanting this more than the ewe. Beef and veal are being sold very cheaply retail. The New Zealand Meat Producers Board Wellington, is carrying out an extensive campaign and most shops in • he city now display placards advising the people to eat beef and encourage the farmers to produce prime beef. Tt is, however, prime quality beef (small stuff is favoured) which brings very high prices, but there is a lot cf poor , stuff offered. A large city butchery notifies a drop of one penny per lb in the price of brawn and pressed beef. FISH SUPPLIES UPSET. The bad weativer last week upset the supplies of fish in Ohristchurch shops. There have been no consignments of oysters since Thursday last, but the position \vill be relieved by supplies due to arrive on Wednesday. To-day groper was fairly scarce, but to-morrow it is hoped that plenty of this fish will he available. As a consequence of the weather prices have hardened on an average of lid to 2d per lb. Current rates are:—Groper Is in the piece, Is 3d jr. cutlets; ling, 7d and ?)d ; cod, 7s and 9d; gurnett. 7d and Is; yellow flounders, 2s 3d lb; deep sea flounders, Is lb: soles. Is lb. There are the usual smoked lines. FRUIT AND VEGETABES. Peaches are now almost done. Supplies of seasonal lines are fairly good, though there is a scarcity of bananas, last shipment laving nearly been disposed of. There is another shipment expected on Thursday. Rates at present are : Vegetables—Carrots. parsnips and turnips, 2d bundle ; cabbages, 6d each ; pie melons, 51b Is, 3d single lb; marrows from fid to Is 3d each ; onions, fid string ; cauliflowers, slightly dearer, 9d to Is 3d : pickHng cabbages, 4d and 6d ; swede turnips, slb 3s; potatoes, 101 b Is (a very good line of Arran Chief just in); pumpkins, 3d lb; celery, slightly cheaper, fid bundle ; cucumbers, 4rl and 6d each. Fruit—lsland oranges. 3, 4 and 5 Is; grapes, cheaper, from Is lh to 2s 6d lh (the Is line is for Australian muscnlettes) ; Cox’s Orange apples. 31b lo; Delicious, fid lb; Jonathans, 31b Is 3d; Persimmons from Sydney, 5 a Is; last of the peaches, &d lb; tomatoes, dearer now, best dessert 8d lb ; cooking tomatoes, 31b Is; first of eating chestnuts. Is lb ; mushrooms, 2s lh : grape fruit, fid each ; passion fruit, fi and 8 Is: bananas, slightly dearer, ’> to J 2 Js; lemons, 5 a Is; pears, -1d lb