BREAKFAST TABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17382, 10 November 1924, Page 8

BREAKFAST TABLE.

j RETAIL PRICE REVIEW. MUTTON AND LAMB VALUES. ' At the weekly stock sale at Adding--1 ton on Wednesday fat sheep were dear j This w as due to the fact that the numIber forward was not sufficient to meet tlie requirements of butchers who need . ed a fortnight’s supply on account ot the fact that there will be no market J il. is week On Wednesday fat sheep • advanced by 2s to 3s a head or. late I rates, so it is not unlikely that some butchers have advanced their prices I for mutton. Other butchers, however, | have not made much ot an alteration 1 in prices because they are expecting I that the price of fat sheep will decline I soon. At the present time many farm - ers are holding their fat sheep in order to get wool off them, and this, no doubt, accounts for the comparatively small entries at Addington recently. The rain last month interfered with shearing operations but once the bulk of tin shearing is done larger numbers of fat sheep will probably come forward to Addington and then lower prices can be looked for. However, the decline may not be so very marked as it is reported that when the freezing buyers start operating they will pay from 7d to < Id a pound for wether mutton. The prices paid by the exporters of course has an effect on the prices paid by the butchers and therefore on the retail figures. Tlie indications are that fat lambs will also bo dear this year. Latest quotations from London are high and it is reported that the freezing buyers will open the season at lid a. lb and perhaps more. Tt looks as if lamb is going to be an expensive item for the Christmas dinner this year and no doubt, as was the case last year, a good demand will be experienced for poultry. Ponltrymen should remember, however, that prime quality birds are the ones that are wanted and the ones that will bring payable prices. This week lamb is a biV cheaper than last week. At Addington on Wednesday there were too many spring lambs forward for this time of the year with the result that they cost butchers, from 2s to 3s a head less that was the case at previous sales. Fat cattle maintained their values at Addington last week. Beef are therefore, still comparatively high. FISH PRICES. A few days ago it was thought there would not be sufficient supplies of fresh fish available to meet the extra demand occasioned by Carnival Week. However, ample supplies were available today. Following are some prices a lb for fresh fish :—Groper 10(1 (in the piece. Is cutlets), ling 7d and 9d. terakihi fid and lOd. soles Is, flounders Is 3d. Whiting cost 3d, 4d and fid eachWhitebait is more plentiful this week and is therefore cheaper. the retail price being Is 3d a half pint compared with Is 9d last week. ONIONS AGAIN DEARER. Another rise has taken place in the price of table onions. Canadian onions are now being retailed at 6d a lb compared with 5d last week and 4d a fortnight ago. Supplies are very, short. There are no locally grown onions available now and the market is dependent on supplies from Canada. Referring to the onion market the Auckland ” Star ” of Thursday last states: — “Supplies of onions on this market are not very short; in fact, are not enough to meet normal requirements. A similar shortage exists all over New Zealand. A small shipment of Canadian onions is due to arrive by the Makura on Monday next, and the Hauraki w ill also only bring a similar small quantity, so onions are likely to rule high in price until the new local crop is ready for sending in.” VEGETABLES AND FRUIT. Cauliflowers are very cheap at present. They are being retailed at 2s and 2s fid each. On the other hand cabbages are cheap at Id, 2d and 3d each compared with 3d, 5d and fid last week. Lettuces are also cheaper than a week ago. Three large ones ran be purchased for fid and small ones cost Id each. Last week the prices were four small ones for fid and large ones 3d each. Two bunches of radishes or spring onions can now be had for 3d, compared with 2d a bunch’ last week. Rhubarb is being retailed at scl a large bundle, compared with (kl and 8d a week ago. New potatoes from Wellington cost 31b for Is. whilst locally-grown are selling at 8d a lb. Broad beans (tlie first of the season) were on sale to-day at Gd a lb. Locallygrown green peas also cost fid a lb or 3s a peck. Asparagus is getting dear--r. 1 lie latest retail quotations being Is and Is 3d a bunch. Outdoor-grown cucumbers, from Sydney, cost 4d, fid and 8d each and locally-grown hothouse Is 9d a lb. White turnips, carrots and parsnips cost 2d a bunch and spinach 3d a bunch. Small fruits, such as gooseberries, cherries and strawberries are now on sale in the shops. Gooseberries cost fid a lb. cherries 3s fid a lb and strawberries 2s fid and 3s fid a box. First grade tomatoes (locally grown) are being retailed at 3s fid a lb and Cook Island tomatoes at 2s a lb. Bananas are plentiful at from fi to 24 for Is. Sydney oranges cost 3 and 4 for Is, Island oranges 3 for Is 3d, South Australian navel oranges 3 for Is 3d, Sydney passion fruit 5 for Is, Auckland lemons fi for Is, mushrooms 2s and 2s fid a lb. Stunner apples (locally grown) 8d a lb. Jonathan apples from Canada 5 and G for Is. cooking apples fid a lb. TH E 1317 TT E R MAI < K ET. There are no further changes to report with regard to butter prices locally. Advice from Australia is to the effect that the season there has opened well, and the Commonwealth will be shipping large quantities of dairy produce to Britain this year. This fact has not been lost sight of by buyers on this market for London. Values today are equivalent to practically Is s)d per lb f.o.b. Auckland, but November shipments could be purchased, if buyers were about, at Is 7d per lb, an indication that the market for butter in London is not nearly as strong as it wus. The output of butter in New Zealand to the end of September showed an increase of about 19 per cent un that of hist year. The price of eggs remains unchanged. Eggs are still coming forward to tho market in large quantities. One brand of locally packed tea has been advanced b} T 2d a lb. The largest packers have not yet advanced their prices, but it is anticipated that they will bo doing so shortly as latest indications are for still higher prices for all the better grades of tea.