BREAKFAST TABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17159, 1 October 1923, Page 7

BREAKFAST TABLE.

RETAIL PRICE REVIEW. PRICE OF SUGAR. NO REDUCTION LIKELY. According to an announcement made by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. Ltd., the price of all grades of refined sugar except cartor has been reduced 10s a ton. Referring to this reduction a local grocer stated that it was so small that he did not see how grocers were going to pass it on to their customers. The rcductioVi amounted to about l-19d a lb. Therej fore he thought it could safely be said that there would be no reduction in the retail price of sugar, and he did not think for a moment that the reduction would have any effect on the price of biscuits or sweets. Eggs are still very plentiful and cheap. Another shipment of 60,000

dozen is being sent Home by the Rotorua, hut this export of eggs has made no appreciable difference to the number available for local consumptionGrocers are retailing fresh eggs at round about Is 2d a dozen. TABLE POTATOES SCARCE. Good table potatoes are not over plentiful at present and, although they are still being retailed at 81b for Is, there is a possibility of this price being increased before the end of the year because it is doubtful whether supplies will be sufficient to carry on until new potatoes are available at a reasonable price. Referring to the potato market an Auckland report states:—Jt would appear that earlier prognostications regarding a possible shortage of potatoes at the end of the season were correct. As it will yet be some time before the new local crop in Auckland will be on the market in any quantity, it is probable that still higher prices will rule* for old southern ones. The quantities coming up from the south have not been equal to filling the requirements of the Auckland market, as the consumption is larger than usual for this time of the year.” Last week local merchants who send potatoes to Auckland and other places in the North Island reduced their

offers to farmers by about 10s a ton. However, this reduction is regarded as of a temporary nature only. Auck-land-grown new potatoes are now available in Christchurch. The retail price is 31b for IsBACON AND HAMS. Referring to bacon and harm? a northern trade report states : ‘ ‘ The demand for these lines is good, and if anything the tendency is towards higher prices for the Christmas season. Some of the factories, however, still carry fairly heavy and the new cure will soon be starting. The outlook for pig farmers is satisfactory as there will be- more competiion. l>ecause there are buyers of pork for export at the present, time.” For several weeks now both pork and bacon have been commanding good prices at the Addington yards. MEAT PRICES INCREASED. Since last week most butchers have j increased their prices for beef and mutton Several weeks ago some of the smaller butchers made increases, hut tho larger butchers, amongst whom competition is rather keen, refraine 1 from doing so. However, owing to tho continued high prices for fat cattle anil fat sheep at the Addington yards they have now advanced their prices. A leading butcher stated this morning that even with the increased prices he doubted whether they were selling mutton at much above cost price. Bv cost price he meant the price of the sheep, plus the price of killing, overhead and other expenses. A week or two ago liis firm had to pay on an average 50s a head for fat wethers at Addington. A fat wether that would not bring 40s a head at auction to-day was not worth much and was hardly worth killing The position with regard to beef was not much better. At the sale at Addington before the last one the price of fat cattle had dropped, but at the sale last week this drop was fully recovered. Personally, ho thought that the public were getting a very fair deal from the butchers at present. The butcher supplied the following figures showing the prices of meat per lb today compared with those ruling in December. 1920, when meat prices wero high (the figures for 1920 are given in parentheses) : Mutton Fores 6sd (6d), legs chops 8.1 and 10d (6d, Rd and lOd). be«f—Sirloin 7*d <10d), rolls 7Jd (9ld). FISH PLENTIFUL. As the result of the fine weather that has been prevailing la. ’y fish supplies are now' more plentiful tlr^

they have been for some time past, j "Whitebait is coming in in increased , quantities and to-day the retail price is half a pound for 2s. The season for oysters closes at the end of this month. The following are prices of fish alb - Groper lOd fin the piece), Is (for outlets), ling 9d and Is, Is. gurnett Gd and Is, trumpeter Is and Is 3d, soles Is, flounders Is. 1/ake flounders Is 3d. Smoked fisli. poultry, rabbits and hares are in ample supply and are selling at standard rates. VEGETABLES AND FRUIT. Cauliflowers have cased in price and they are now being retailed at from Gd to Is Gd each according to size. Cabbages arc practically unobtainable at present. There are a few spring cabbages available at Gd each. Celery is row practically finished. Rhubarb is more plentiful and is being sold in the shops at Gd, 9d and Is a bundie. Other vegetable prices are :—Spinach 4d and 6d a bundle, parsnips and beetroot 3d a bundle, carrots 2d a bundle, lettuces 3d, 4d and od each, spring onions 2d a bundle, Australian onions 31b for Is. Theer is likely to be a scarcity of bananas in Christchurch as no further consignments are expected for several days. The price of bananas co-day was 8. 10 and 12 for Is. Marmalade oranges are now practically finished, but there are a few Sevilles obtainable at 8d n. lb. The first of the season local-grown tomatoes are nowon sale in the shops at 4s a lb. The orice about this time last year was 6s id a lb. Other fruit prices are :—Manlarins 6 and 8 for Is. Sydney oranges I and 5 for Is, South Australian lavels 4d and 6cl each. American emons 4 for Is, Australian lemons 6 or Is, passion fruit 6 for Is. Amerian grape fruit 8d each, pine apples roni Is to 3s, according to size, des- ] ert pears 6d a lb. Lord Wolseley pples 31b for Is, good Sturmers 31b or Is, Democrats Gd a lb. Delicious pples 8d a lb, coconuts 6d and 8d 2 ach.