In the Market Place

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1039, 1 August 1930, Page 11

In the Market Place

BANANAS SCARCE AGAIN NEW NORTHERN POTATOES The overheating of the banana cargo carried by the Tahiti, which arrived in Wellington yesterday from the Islands with little of the fruit in a good condition, may be the cause of the present shortage in Auckland remaining for some days. The Mirrabooka brought a small supply from Niue Island this morning, but a portion will have to go South. The Tofua is due next week with short supplies which cannot meet all demands. Apples and nears were still slow of sale at the City Markets this morning. The mandarins which arrived early in the week in excellent condition were still selling: freely. There was a fair demand for Island oranges, but poorman’s oranges met with a small sale. Other lines were unchanged. The first supply of new potatoes had come to hand from the North. Regular shipments will be made by the growers around Tota-ra North. The market was heavily supplied with cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and celery, and there were good supplies of other vegetables in season. The demand was fair. Good class pumpkins sold at higher rates. A further decrease in the price of eggs was made yesterday, special grade hen and duck eggs now selling at Is 8d a dozen. Although certain grades were sold this morning at the same prices as on August 1 of last year, the average quotations were fully one pennv a dozen higher than in 1929. Farmers’ butter showed no change short supplies meeting with a good demand.

Recent unsettled weather has kept the supply of fish scarce, but no alteration in prices has been made of late Whitebait is now being offered In unlimited quantities at 9d a glass. Supplies of poultry were good and a keen demand existed for all lines. Cockerels were forwarded in increase© numbers and held their values wed. Hens of all breeds commanded the attention of buyers with prices firm. Ducks were In heavy supply and values were easier. Quotations * FRUIT Apples.—Delicious, 4s 6d to 8s: Bailor - ats, 6s to 8s 6d: Sturmers, 6s to 8s; Grannie Smith, 7s Gd to Us; Dougherty, 4s to 7s: Munroes, 4s to Gs Gd. Pears.—Coles. 5s to 8s Gd; Nellis. 6s to Us; P. Barrj\ 4s to 6s. Tomatoes.—Hothouse. 4d to Is o£d a lb. Passions.—Local, 4s to Bs. Lemons.—Choice, good counts, 11s to 17s; others. 6s to 9s. Grapefruit.—Local, special counts, ns to 10s; small, 6s to 7s. Poor man Oranges.-—Large, 7s Gd to Bsmedium and small, "s to l»s. Tree Tomatoes.—3s to 65;; dark variety. 7s to 8s Gd. Oranges.—lsland, Its to 14s; Navels 9s 6d to 13s. Mandarins.—Us to 3 4s. Pines.—l4s to 18n. Bananas. —Repacked No. l's, 16s to -’ls* others, 30s to 12s. FIELD PRODUCE Potatoes.—Southern, 6s 6ci to* 7s 3d a cwt: new, 2d to 31d a lb. Onions. —Good sound, 4s to 6s a bag or Ss to a cwt. Kumeras.—Local. 4s to 5s Gd a bag. Tauranga, 9s to 10s Gd a cwt.. Cabbage.—3s 6d to 9s a sack. Cauliflower.—2s fid to 6s a sack. Swedes.—2s to 2s 9d a bag. Pumpkins.—4s to 10s a cwt. Beans.—Hothouse, Is to Is 4d a. lb. Lettuce.—ls to 7s a caso. Uiicumbers.—Hothouse, 7s to 10s a dozen. Vegetable Marrows. —Is Gd to 2s a dozen. Cabbage.—On benches: Is Gd to 4s Gd *i dozen. Cauliflower. —On benches: Is 6d to 7s a dozen Celery.—Gd to 3s a bundle. Rhubarb.—3s to 4s 6d a dozen. Spinach.—9d to Is 3d a dozen. Pumpkins.—On benches: fid to 2s each Spring Onions.—3d to Is a bundle Carrots, Parsnips, Beet and Turnips.— Is to Is 6d a dozen. Leeks.—2d to 6d a bundle. POULTRY Cock Chicks.—Heavy breed. 2s 6d to 3b Gd: light breed, 2s to 3s. Heavy Hens.—3s 6d to 4s 6d. light Hens.—2s 9d to 3s 9d. Pullets.—White Leghorn, 6s to Ss: Black Orpington, 4s 9d to 7s. Roosters.—2s 9d to 4s. Prime Heavy Cockerels.—6s 3d to 7s Gd Prime Light Cockerels.—3s 9d to ss. Ducks.—2s 6d to 3s 3d. Drakes.—2s lOd to 3s 6d. Muscovy Drakes.—3s 6d to 4s. Muscovy Ducks.—3s to 3s Gd Gobblers.—los to 17s. Turkey Hens.—6s to Ss. BRITISH INVESTMENTS BIG INTERESTS IN ARGENTINA “SHOULD BE FOSTERED” LONDON, July 2 3. Sir Malcolm Robertson, who was recently British Ambassador at Buenos Aires, contributes a striking article to “Th© Times,” in which he argues that the extent of Great Britain’s interests in Argentina would justify th© granting of an exceptional position to that country under the terms of any Empire economic scheme. He says intensive development of Empire resources, preferential tariffs and special consideration of British interests in the placing of public works contracts, appeal very strongly to him; but he sees special reasons why Aigentina, though not in the Empire, should be regarded as of it in relation to trade agreements. CAPITAL INVESTMENTS He points out that between £500,000,000 and £600,000,000 of British capital is invested in the Republic. No less than 16,000 miles of its railways are British-owned and managed, and this applies also to tramways, water and gasworks. British companies own millions of acres of land in Argentina, and millions of cattle and sheep. These concerns order goods from Britain, even when they are not the cheapest available, and employ many thousands of British workers. Half of the total of 11,000,000 tons of shipping entering Argentina ports yearly is also British. “To put duties blindly on foreign foodstuffs,” fc?ir Malcolm Robertson states, “would gravely injure these gigantic British interests, reduce British dividends, and throw British workers out of employment.” The produce of Argentina is purely agricultural and pastoral—beef, mutton, cereals, butter, fruit and sugar. By reducing our imports of such Argentine commodities we would deal ourselves a severe blow.” NEW TREATY SUGGESTED He strongly deprecates Lord Beaverbrook’s epithets and phrases about friendly Argentinos and his talk about “gipsy labour” in reference to Argentina as a purely foreign country. Lord Beaverbrook forgets, he says, that £50,000,000 of the adverse British trade balance is largely made up by the £25,000,000 of interest on British; capital invested in the Argentine and by the earnings of the carrying trade with that country. Finally, Sir Malcolm Robertson asks Lord Beaverbrook to show any part of the British Empire which can compete with Argentina in the quantity, quality and price of chilled beef. He wants to see a new commercial treaty negotiated with Argentina, the tariff being used as a bargaining weapon.

I THE EXPORT EGG MARKET CAN NEW ZEALAND COMPETE? Those with visions of a profitable export trade in eggs are woefully deceived if led to believe that duty free wheat is the key to success. An absolute negative to this suggestion is contained in "A Survey of the Poultry Industry in New Zealand,” issued by the Farm Economics Section of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture. The survey states:—“lt would not be to the advantage of poultry-farmers to be forced to rely on outside sources for the total food supply. Although a saving might be effected on wheat, the supply of bran and pollard, (both are duty free) would be difficult to maintain. Any action which is calculated to upset the supply of these byproducts would seriously affect the poultry industry.” After reviewing the trend of Australian prices for bran and pollard over six years, the report continues: “It will be seen that bran and pollard prjces, f.o.b. Australian ports, range from 10s to 35s a ton lower than Christchurch quotations. When freight, wharfage, exchange, marine insurance and primage, (since repealed) are added, Australian offal cannot be landed at a cost appreciably low'er than South Island supplies, unless bought in bulk at the right time. Supplies are not always available and bran and pollard do not keep well for protracted periods.” In order to assure the poultry industry supplies of bran and pollard it is necessary, therefore, that wheat shall continue to be grown in New Zealand. The facts regarding the cost of egg production in relation to the price of wheat are also iluminating. Mr. E. J. Fawcett, M.A., Farm Economist of the Department of Agriculture, gave the following evidence before the Wheat Industry Committee which was appointed last year by the Government. Mr. Fawcett, in the course of a comprehensive survey of "the poultry industry, mentioned that a reduction of Is a bushel in the price of wheat would reduce the cost of eggs by less than lid a dozen. This was in the case of the poultry specialist only who was compelled to purchase all food requirements. In cases where fowls ran in the open and were fed on scraps the reduction would be less. Reverting to the Survey of the Poultry Industry in New Zealand, the average food costs a dozen eggs produced are given as f0110w:—12.79d for flocks of under 200, up to 14.35 d for flocks of over 2,000. The approximate freight on eggs to London is 3ld a dozen. Wastage and other charges bring the cost to over Gd a dozen. Last year's average London price realised was from Is 3d to Is 4d. The reason for the potiltry industry asking for a Government subsidy for their export trade is therefore apparent. The competition to be faced is most formidable. Denmark, for instance, sells eggs at from lOd a dozen in spring up to Is SJd in winter. The average price, according to this year's February issue of the Danish Foreign Office Journal. wa3 Is 2.14 d for 1928 and Is 2.375 d for 1929. Quite obviously the outlook for our egg export trade does in no wise warrant the withdrawal of the protection vital to the very necessary existence of our wheat industry.—l 6.

CUSTOMS DECLINE BUT PETROL, TYRE DUTIES SHOW INCREASE FIGURES AT AUCKLAND Though Customs revenue collected in Auckland in July was £10,470 less than the amount in the corresponding month last year, duty from petrol and from tyres increases £8,359 and £BO7 respectively. From the three sources, the amounts were £200,214 last month and £201,488 in July, 1929. This decline is also apparent in the Customs returns for the seven months of this year in comparison with those in the similar period in 1929. These have been £1,243,307 this year and £1,259,731 last year- With petrol and tyre duties, however, the seven months of 1930 have yielded returns in advance of those last year. The 1930 figure so far is £1,488,915 and that of last vear £1.477,169. Duty collected in July in the past two years has been: 1929. 1930. Customs .. .. £175,005 £161,595 Motor Spirit . . 23,966 32,365 Motor Tyres .. 2,457 3,264 £201,48S £200,214 Duty collected in the seven-month periods ended July is: 1929. 1930. Customs .. .. £1,259,731 £1,243,307 Motor Spirit .. 193,404 226,980 Motor Tyres . . 24,034 18,628 £1,477,169 £1,488,915 The greatest sums collected in single months were £211,056 in January and £195,663 in April last year, and £196,057 in March and £187,830 in January this year. January was the heaviest collecting month for petrol and tyre duties in 1930, and March in 1929. Excise duty on beer amounted to £8,973 last month and £9,936 in July, 3 929. For seven months this yfear the amount was £66,197 and last year PEDIGREE SALE BROADCAST RECORD PRICE FOR JERSEY A novel broadcast was arranged through IYA yesterday when practically the whole of the proceedings of a pedigree stock sale were put “on the air.” Mr. A. E. Watkins annual draft of pedigree Jerseys was put under the hammer before a large ring of buyers at Takanini and the whole of the proceedings were broadcast, allowing farmers in all parts to listen-in to what were some of the best prices paid for quality Jerseys this season. One yearling bulKmade 308 guineas gomg to Mr. F. Cullen, Maungataroto. Another two-year-old Jersey went to , r * • *** Murphy, Pukekohe, One yearlIns bull went to Mr. R. Hicks. Hawera. for 104 guineas: another yearling went to Mr. Balfour Irvine, Papakura, for 100 sruineas. Messrs Wright Stephenson Limited, controlled the sale, Mr. Jack Broad weildtng the hammer. Buyers were present from all parts of the North Island. ■ price paid for the yearling bull is claimed to be a record for the class for this season In the North Island."