COLONIAL MARKETS.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 June 1919, Page 5

COLONIAL MARKETS.

EASTERN GOODS FIRMER. ._ CLOTHING DEARER. p ______, 1 ' some OTHER -LINES EASIER. . The advance in exchaiige in the East, to which reference was made some few weeks ago, is being reflectecl in tho‘ quotations at this end. All purchases have to carry the increased exchange cost, but contracts are being made sub-. ject. to fluctuations of exchange for the future. Tea is one of the articles affected, and two Southern importers raised the price to retailers twopence per pound yesterday, while a similar advance is being seriously consitdere-:1 locally. All goods from India and Ceylon will carry the increased cost. This will not only add to the price of such.lines as tea, coffee, rice, and cocoa. beans, but also oflect. the farming" community in respect of bonedust, corn. Stl.(:l{f~‘, -and wool packs. Other lines for which higher prices must be paid are‘ linsecrl oil, castor oilfancl candles imported from the East? One result of the extra Acost. of goods from the East has been free business between whole« sale firms on lines already in steel: in the Dominion.

Recent advice from Colombo i:.-6 to the <:ffcc,t that althnugll the qualitv of the tea. is poorer this year, The 1n‘:::-k<)'i; is very strong, and d0I113?1(1 spirifc-d for all lines.

Under muse ci:'c.unl.=t::llco.< it is of

interest to note that iron, wire. 5:11;‘, and matches are lower in pl~ic~..- on then local nlal'l{et[| Very heavy 511ipmCI1'fS of Japallesof wooden niatches brought. down thé price of that line to sunnthing near prc~wa.r rates. While cutlery and tools generally have maintained the high prices ruling during the Wm‘, such lines as roofing iron and wire are lr>*:.'v3r, fhough still mucll above prewar prices. Roofing iron from the United Stafcs is selling on the local mal'l<ol', as shipments of the Britishmanufacturcd article are ‘_ulco‘l"t:3iu.

Raw linseed oil, which is in good demand owing to so many houses not being paintcd‘dnl-ing the last three years, has advanced to 10/6 per gallon. about double the prc—war rate." White lead, which rvachcd fancy prices during‘ ithe wan.-, -after droppixig from £llO per torn to £9O, has now risen another £lO :1. ton.

The advance in cotton recenfl_\r cnlélml. will, in due course, mean an increase in those goods on the local market. The c.zlllse of the rise is due to the fact that Central Europe is bujving enormous quantities of cotton goods. .-"-_ large sum of money was deposited ‘by the Balkan States with London firms to ensure prompt delivery for big Ordnpg for cotton. '_ Fort-unafoly the denranrl for cotton goods is not so strong‘ in New Zealond during" the winter months, and by.l;he spring prices may lmve eased a lif.tle':’f; ifltltho "present tinw it is the high prices ruling for \\'o:~.‘-19,, groods. to which reference was made last week. that is'one of the most serious mattlcrs to be fa.ced this winter.