COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1892, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Evening Stah Office,

Auckland, Thursday. Business during the past- week has been neither brisk nor slack. Orders are received by distributors to meet ordinary trade requirements, bub no demand for large lines is reported. There have been a couple of bankruptcies during the week, but trade generally appears pretty sound. The conservative trade which has been restricting credit during _ the past iew months ia beginning to have beneficial effects, and the result will no doubt be still more felt later on. On the Exchange business has been very dull during the past few days, notwithstanding the fact that two of the mines reported getting picked stone. Bank and insurance stock are still neglected. Bank Rates. — Exchange on London. Buying: Demand, i per cent discount; 30 days, § per cent, discount; 60 clays, § per cent, discount; 90 days, IJ-per cent, discount. Selling : Demand, lg per cent, premium; 30 days, 1£ percent, premium; 60 days. § per cent, premium ; 90 days, § per cent, premium. Fixed deposits : Three months, 3 per cent. ; six months, 4 per cent. ; twelve months, 5 per cent. Liquors. — Very little business is reported in spirits, but the usual consumption of Australian wines goes on. Tennant's pale alo at 10s per dozen for quarts, duty paid. A good demand exists for cordials, while limejuice is selling very freely. _ Fruit. — Heavy supplies of fruit are coming in, and plums are realising fair prices! Apples on the other hand are very cheap, due, no doubb, to tha fact that the samples coming to hand are not, generally speaking, very good. Windfalls and apples affected by the codlin moth spoil the sale of better fruit. Peaches still realise prices that would astonish old identities, 9d to Is 6d per dozen being abouc the figure* Good deseert pears are selling at from 3d to 4d. Samples of Japanese plums shown by various growers shovv that this fruit is worthy the attention of fruit-growers, but care must be exercised in selecting varieties, as some kinds are not particularly well flavoured. Tobacco.—A consienment of Derby brand has arrived, but is going into consumption so rapidly that supplies will again be short. A'manufacturers'rise of Id per pound ha 3 taken place with regard to the Derby. The maker, in notifying.that fact, writes:—"l only use the very best Virginia leaf, and have buyers in five or six markets in that State, selecting the best leaf that comes to those markets, bub of late years the growth Of light aromatic sorts of leaf has taken the place to a large extent of dark tobacco, such as I need "for"Derby, and such as the foreign markets require. I have such strong competition for it, that I am run to the throat catch all the time." It also stated that from 3d to 4d per lb more has to be paid for the leaf than was the price a few years ego. Such being the case, the present advince may be considered permanent, Irade in other brands is nob brisk.

Castor Oil.—Sale3 at very low figures are reported.

Cornflour.—A line of Brown's cornflour has been placed ad current rates during the week, also another of Leaghey's arrowroot. Bentwood Chairs.—Stocks of Austrian and American bentwood chairs are somewhat low, and a brisker demand is reported. Timber.—Local trade continues dull. Export to the. Islands is reported fairly brisk.

Flax.—Matters are in aboub the same state as last reported, with this difference, that a considerable quantity of flax is being shipped per Flora and Lottie Moore. It is to bo regretted, however, that these parcels going off the market will not hava the effect of hardening prices, inasmuch as after January and February there is very little, if any, inquiry tor flax for the United States.

Butter.—An advance has taken place in the price of prime fresh butter, 8d per lb being readily paid wholesale. This time last year farmers were only getting 6d per lb for prime butter. Tha steady export from the factories is beginning to have a beneficial effect on the local market as far as the oroducer is concerned.

Eggs have advanced 2d per dozen, the hob weather having caused so many hens to commence sitting, v and thus lessoned the supply of eggs.

Wheat.—The harvest is virtually over for this cereal in the immediate neighbourhood of Auckland, and growers are well satisfied with the result. The threshing out ia giving nearly double the number of bushels per acre that it did last season, and the quality is comparatively finer. The Waikabo harvest is not quite so well forward, consequently cutting is still proceeding in that district. The crop is an excellenb one. Very favourable accounts are received from the South, where the large area sown under wheat this year is yielding magnificent results. Another week or two of sunshine will secure the whole wheat harvest throughout the colony. • No price has yet been actually established for the new crop. R.usb is, unfortunately, found in a good deal of the Waikato crops. Oats.—Local crops are now offering, but tho quantity will nob likely be large. Southern quotations for best grades remain firm. We learn by telegraph from Dunedin thab only a very moderate business is passing. The de.mand does nob seem to be increasing, but rather the reverse. The only quality in request is the thin skinned plump bright milling sorts, bub even for these buyers decline to give the prices lately ruling. Feed sorts have less attention, and can only bo placed at a reduction on late prices, but considering the very fow that are now offering, also the present prospecb of the incoming harvest, which unless the weather takee up is not likely to be very early, holders are nob anxious to press sales except at prices on the basis of those lately being paid, and which are as follows, say, for best milling, Is to Is B?,d ; best short bright feed, Is 7£d to Is 8d ; medium, Is 6d to Is 7£d ; inferior, Is 5d to Is 6d (ex store sacks extra); gd per bushel more f.o.b. Dunedin. Maize.—Advices from Sydney are to the effect that maize is coming in very freely from the river districts, and the best is selling at from 2s to 2s 2d per bushe). The new crop promises to be very large, and early maize will arrive in February. As throughout this season, as last, maize ha 3 been the staple grain food, it will prevent any large importation of oats from New Zealand in the new year, irrespective of tariff.

Potatoes.—The early crops of kidneys are now about exhausted. The later-sown main crop of Derwents has suffered severely from the long drought, and many growers report less than half a crop. Prices are consequently firmer and £4 is current value.

Bkas and Sharps.—The demand has slackened eomewhab, which may be attributed to the littlo rain having somewhat refreshed the pastures, so that tho cattle had green feed again. There have also been considerable arrivals of bran and sharps from the South during the week. The local millers are also busier and producing more. Flour.—During the weok there has not been quite so large a demand for flour. There have been several arrivals from the South, and local millers have loaded a schooner with flour for export to Brisbane.

IIEEosKNE. — A parcel of 500 eases of kerosene has been quitted during the week at in bond.