WANGANUI MARKET REPORT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19443, 31 October 1925, Page 11

WANGANUI MARKET REPORT

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL REVIEW OF THE WEEK Retail business has brightened up considerably, as a result of the improved weather conditions. Drapers have hardly had time to feel the full effects of the arrival of spring, but the past few days has been quite in keeping with what most houses anticipated as soon as the cold weather disappeared. Several of the local drapers made quick clearances of damaged goods ex “Kent” and wet stocks did not remain long. Summer fabrics of attractive design are offering in bewildering variety, and the drapers report an inclina tion on the part of the public to make their purchases while the selection is good. GROCERIES Tea At the usual weekly sale held in Ceylon on the 21st inst., Ij million pounds was offered. Quality was considered useful, and heavy supplies were drawn on for Australian requirements. There was strong competition during the whole of the sale, with the market dearer on all kinds except the common grades. The result of the sale showed that commons were slightly irregular in price. Broken Orange Pekoes advanced |d per lb, medium 8.0.P.’s id, fine broken Pekoes 4d, and finest N/ywera Eliyas |d. Exchange was quoted at Is 6 15-32 d. Peppers This market is still showing a steady increase, and the present prices over a four wacks’ period show the following {Singapore white, 2 l-Bd, Sarawak white 2 l-Bd. Muntok white 2 l-8d per lb. Mail advices received last week from Singapore state that further sharp advances have taken place, and that during the. week prior to writing 132 tons black and 211 white were reported sold. The general opinion of shippers seems to be that the demand is so heavy it is likely to exceed present production, which will be certain to make further substantial advances a certainty. Cheese Small quantities of the first new season’s cheese in both loaf and forties are now available. Prices, owing to the export value, are very firm, and represent approximately Id per lb increase over last year’s opening rates. Supplies are inclined to be small, and as yet only a few of the factories have commenced deliveries.

Bulk Dates Bulk dates are appreciating in value on the London market, latest quotations advising an increase of 3s 6d per cwt in both Siar and Khedrawi qualities. Quaker Oats The manufacturers cabled their Now Zealand principals during the last week reducing the selling rate of Quaker Oats 2s per case of three dozen packets. GENERAL DRAPERY Business this week has been much better on the whole than for some time past and evidences of spring fashions can now be seen in the streets even though the weather has not been very seasonable.

Several of the local drapers made quick clearances of damaged goods ex

“Kent” and wet stocks did not last long. The whole district is now in possession of many belated spring lines and should the weather improve after next week’s elections are completed, business should again look up and get back to normal. The Woollen Market Matters in this market seem to bo firming up to previous estimates and current wool sales bear out the contention that fairly good prices will continue to operate. At such figures manufacturers will bo able to cut costs sufficiently to get down to definite price quotations, and, as if in support of this we have this week seen New i Zealand-made blankets of quality at a lower figure than heretofore. New’ Zealand makers are invariably quicker to adjust costs than Home manufacturers as the wool is almost immediately put into work as soon as bought. At Home the hosiery trade is meeting with more success in mixture lines although the silk and artificial weaves are as popular as ever. The Cotton Trade Our London budget this week shows what a troublous time manufacturers have been going through of late and with the new material prices moving up and down both buyers and sellers have been operating with caution. A surprising feature of the September operations was a sharp advance in raw cotton—4he direct result of taking the estimated crop output as correct, whereas it actually fell short of those figures. On top of this consumption increased solidly and over a million bales were used against the 850,000 taken over the corresponding period of last year. These Emitters have made manufacturers act with caution and forward quotations at low rates are impossible just now. i Much was expected from the new peace terms and the cotton trade was anticipating a return to normal conditions almost immediately. Hardware Business generally is much brighter, the last few weeks showing a considerable increase in trade. Prices for oversea goods have remained fairly even during the past few months, there being no alteration of particular moment to report. Mart Report. Messrs Williams and Harper report on their mart sale held yesterday as follows:—Light fowls sold from 6s 8s pair, heavy up to 10s, turkeys

6d, ducks 7s to 10s, pigeons 3s to 3s 9d pair, pigs 15s fid to 18s fid. Fruit. —Apples, half case 4s to 4s 6d, per bushel Ils to 12s. Produce.—New potatoes 3d lb, South Island potatoes 21s sack. Local Prices Prices are quoted locally tor the nuierinentioned lines as follows: Feed barley, 6s fid per bushel. Algerian oats (machine dressed) 6s per bushel. Garton oats, 6s per bushel. Fowl wheat, 9s 6d to 10s per bushoL Tares, 12s per bushel. Feed maize, 9s per bushel. Cocksfoot (Danish) Is Id. Standard Akaroa, Is 2d. Perennial ryegrass, 8s per bushel. Italian ryegrass, 7s 6d per bushel. Western wolths, 7s 6d. Alsyke, Is 3d per lb. Dauthonia pilosa, 2s 3d per lb. Red clover (imported), Is 4d. White clover, 2s 6d. Trefoil, lOd per lb. Timothy, Is per lb. Crested dogstail, Is fid per lb. Poa Pratcnsis, 2b 3d per lb. Blenheim £lO per ton.