HOUSEWIVES' COLUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 236, 5 October 1928, Page 10

HOUSEWIVES' COLUMN.

WEEK-END PRICES IN SHOPS.

SHARP RISE IN POTATOES. EGGS VERY CHEAP. BUTTER DOWN ONE PENNY. A sharp advance of about £4 per ton took place since last report in the wholesale price of old potatoes. This is stated to be due in the first place to stocks in the South being smaller than usual for this time of the year, and secondly to what lots were available having been cornered in the South. There are plenty of potatoes available in Australia, but the restrictions regarding importation from that quarter are so severe that merchants are not inclined to face the risk of bringing supplies across. Already the retail price of old potatoes has advanced, but not equal to the rise in the wholesale cost. Fortunately, the locally-grown new potatoes will soon be coming forward in larger quantities. Butter eased a penny per pound in price this week, and eggs are still being offered as low as 1/3 per dozen, which means a loss to the men who keep poultry. Supplies of fish are fairly good this week, as the weather has been finer. The whitebait season started late, but now the market for that line is glutted. Fruit is still very plentiful, and apples continue to rule low in price. Some very fine plums from California are showing in the shops, but naturally a high price is asked for them. Oranges and mandarins are in big supply. Prices are lower than usual for this season of the year. Lemons are coming forward more freely and further supplies of loquats have been sent in. Keen competition between curers of bacon keeps the price of that line low, considering the high rates ruling for porkers towards the end of last season.

Quotations to-day are:— Butter and Cheese. First grade factory butter. 1/8 per lb; second, 1/7 per lb, cash across the counter and one penny per pound extra when booked; farmers' butter, 1/3 to 1/4 per lb; cheese. 1/2 to 1/4 per lb; extra matured, 1/6 per lb; old port, 1/8 per lb. Eggs. Hen eggs, 1/3 per dozen; duck, 1/2 per dozen. » Bacon and Hams. Bacon, In cuts, Bjd to 1/2 per lb; prime cuts, 1/3 to 1/5; in rashers, 1/1 to 1/6; whole hams, 1/4 per lb; rashers, 1/8 per lb. Meat. Beef—Rump steak, 1/2; undercut, 1/4; all beef steak, Sd; skirt steak, 8d; sirloin, lOd; prime ribs, 7d; wing ribs (three chine bones), 9d; topside (41b and over), 7d; thick flank, 7d; bolars, 7d; double top rib, 6d; chuck rib, sd; rolled chuck rib, 7d; corned round, 8d; corned brisket (boned), 7d; brisket and flat rib, sd; thin flank, 3d; gravy beef or shin meat, 6d; minced /beef, 6d; tripe, 7d; dripping, 7d; suet, 6d; sausages, <kl; sausage meat, sd; whol£ shins or legs, 3d; half shins or legs (thick end), 4d; half shins or legs (kmiclsJe end), 3d; ox kidneys, 1/; ox 8d; ox tails, 8d; whole loins, 9Ad; whole rumps. Hid. Mutton. —Leg, fid per lb; leg (shank end, 61b or under), lOd; hindquarter, fid; forequarter, 7d; shoulder, 7jd; shank end of forequarter, 7d; necks, 7M; loin, lOd; neck and breast, 6d; leg and loin chops, lid; neck chops, 8d; flaps, 4d; cutlets (trimmed), 1/1; side, 8d; kidneys,' 2d each; tongues, 3d; sheep's head (dressed), 6d; sheep's fry, 8d; sheep's brains,. 3d. Veal. —Fillets, lOd per lb;- loins, 8d; shoulders, 6d; cutlets and veal steak, lid; chops, fid; forequarters, sd; rolled veal, Bd. Pork.—Leg, lOd per lb; loin, lid; foreloin, with blade, 9d; pork chops, 1/; corned hand, 8d; corned belly, 10d; pork sausages, 7d. Fish. Retail prices at Auckland: Fresh fillets tarakihi, 4d each; schnapper, 4d; trevalli, 3d; John Dory, 6d; kingfisb, 8d per lb; kippered fillets, 1/ per lb; lemon fish, 8d per lb; gurnet, 3d each; cream fish, 3d each; mussels, 1/6 per dozen; fresh schnapper, 6d each; fresh tarakihi, 6d each; trevalli, 4d each; mullet, 6d each; flounder, 4d to 1/ each; hapuka steaks, lid per lb; hapuka fins, 5d per lb; kingfish steaks, 8d per lb; smoked, best tarakihi, 6d each; best schnapper, 8d each; mullet, 7d each; whitebait, 1/3 per carton or 6d glass; trevalli, 6d each; silver strip, 4d; crayfish, 9d to 2/; oysters, 2/6 per carton; cockles, 3d per dozen; rabbits, 1/ each. Fruit. Apples: Dessert, 2d to 4d per .lb; cooking, 3d per lb. Pears: Dessert, 4a to 5d per lb; cooking, 3d per lb. Tomatoes, 6d to 8d per lb; bananas, 4d to 5d per lb; lemons, 1/ to 1/6 per dozen; navel oranges, 1/ per dozen, large 1/6 per dozen; marmalade oranges, 1/ per dozen; Island oranges, 1/ to 1/6 per dozen, large do., 2/6; Sydney oranges, 1/ to 1/6 per dozen; mandarins, 1/ per dozen, small 15 for 1/; grapes, 1/ to 1/4 per lb; passion fruit, 1/6 per dozen; rhubarb, 4d per bunch.

Vegetables. New potatoes, small 4d per lb, larger od to 6d; old potatoes, 81b for 1/; swedes, 121b for 1/; onions, 31b for 1/; pumpkin, 2d to 3d per lb; taro, 2d per lb; Island kumaras, 61b for 1/; Tauranga kumaras, 41b for 1/; green peas, 1/ to 1/2 per lb; asparagus, 1/ to 1/8 per bundle; cooking celery, 2d per head, dessert 3d to 6d per head; Island cucumbers, 2d to 6d each; cabbage, 2d to 6d each; cauliflowers, 4d to 1/ each; lettuce, 2d to 3d each; carrots, parsnips, beet, spinnach, watercress, radish, and spring onions, lid per bunch; turnips, Id per bunch.