Evening Star Office.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 303, 20 December 1894, Page 2

Evening Star Office.

Auckland, Thursday, ferred VW^m.^^g^ f a ° thab disBliig taS *bo ObedßKter which left lor Hot *001. The Indra took a shipment of 3,037 iales of wool, and also a consignment> pf kauri sum. The Sydney "Trade KeS" speaking oE the proposed alterations in the tariff, states :-" It is generally supJose* thab'the duty on "heat and flour *M be abolished in June next. Should this prove to be the case, ib may be pos----jiblo to export flour from this colony at a profit. The closing: down of the imtchering and preserved meat departSent of the Auckland Freezing Company will throw some men pub of employment, bub the produce export trade will.perhaps cain by the Works being gazetted as Govornmonb cool afcores for the reception ot dairy produce prior to shipment. On the Stock Exchange VVaihis continue to advance, to the great aabonishmenr of those who sold a .month ago ab whab they thought an excellonb price. Yesterday 92s was offored, but) there were no sellers under tho even £5. This is no doubt due to the fact thab private advice had been received of the sale in London on Tuesday of 500 ■Waihi shares at £5 each. The lucky recipient) of £2,500 bought the ■parcel in 1889 for £50. Woodsbocks after easing a little have firmed again, buyers yesterday offering 15s. Talisman shares also sold at higher figures, 1,4110z of bullion having been secured from 140 tons of ore. At Kuaobunu, the Kapai-Vermonbs are'firming in price, while ab the Lower Tha'p&s a move has taken place in Victorias owing'to some heavily mineralised stone havji?g been secured. ■' '• ''~ BANK HATES.

Buying-Discount. SELLiNG-Premium On dqmand J% » }sj« 30 days 47. >» I|/'. .60 days 4% » !„',<• I 90days ,IJ7. ~ i.U ■ Interest Allowed on Deposits. •by national and colonial banks. rued fpr'3 months, 2°/ 8 per annum .',.-■ ..BY, BANK OF NEW ZKALAKD. Fixed for 3 months, 2% per annum ~6 „ 3% ~ r:,, -J2 „ 4% „ : „ 24 „ 4J% „ Interest payable half-yearly. BY AUSTHALIAN BANKS. Fixed for 6'months, V/ o psr annum % : jt 12 ~ 3g /„ ~ LiquoK&^Agood demand is reported for ease spirits and other liquors for the Cbriabmaß trade. Bottled ales are selling much batter, and Bull Dos* -old-quarto -are more ecarce. Hennessey's XXX Brandy is still out of ..the market. Limejuice, cordials, and Australian wines are also selling freely. Thg usual steady demand continues for leading brands of whisky. Tobacocu—A trial shipmenb of an old favpuribe black tobacco, Venue, has just come to hand to compete for public favour. Years ago this, brand was all the rage, bub whether it can make a footing again on this mapßett: remains to ba seen, ,as Derby is appafentjly. as popular as ever. In Hghb tobacco? Victory, Welcome Nugget, and Golden. Eagle are selling more freely. The market is quite baro of Old Judge cigarettes buth ; ahip.Eoents are expected by the OboraojaV j.iEbe American Company's Old General, cigarettes are commanding a fair Bhare.of patronage. Three Ca3tles is also Belling well. A little better demand is reported. aj .existing for good cigars. ■RIPB ia '" Wl> demand, and is now quoted ah £20 to £21, duty paid. TAfK>9A,is firmer, holders asking £12 10i?. ;•!.;■>■. Stabch.—Sfcooks of Coleman's are abill lowi

JJustarp,—Keen's quarters are scarce. Keen's Spices are in good demand, with Bhqrt supply. . H; o pg;_ZSale3 of Nelson's are reported ab lOd.' 'Owing to the excellent crop^in England, there is poor chance of exporting hops to piofib this season in London. In fact, ib is by ha means unlikely that the Engliah surplus ufiay find its way to the colonies. Fungus.— The demand for highly-dried is well sustained ab 3d per Ib. Dried Fruits.—Although fresh fruib is coming in early this year, BbiU.an excellenb demand exists for most kinds of dried

irujba, Dried apples are in great requeab, tut, supplies are ab present practically unprocurable! Stocks of new ' ele'mea and sultanas are ab tho moment very lighb, feub the Otarama is expected daily with

ample supplies which will, however, bo almoat) too: late to meet the Christmas demand.' Spanish Muscatels ara selling fraejyj being of excellent quality this year. American Uannkb Fruits fir© now in very short supply, and the small quantities available aro being readily brought) up. Advica3 from America point to higher prices, aS the low rata3 heretofore ruling resulted in such large parcels being purehasedthab the balance loft in now is by no weans largo. Kerosene ia now being offered at low X&lea, stocks being fairly heavy considering. th.Q season of the year. JpE.T-rTho' Calcutta market ha? eased, and the. tendency is towards still lower prices for jute fabrics. Fruit.—The exceptionally warm weather La 9 resulted in ripening some fruitß earlier tjh}% year. Already locally grown peaches are offered retail at 3d per dozen, sarly p^ums ab 8d and lOd per lb and cherries from 6d to lOd per lb retail. Oranges are now very scarce, Sydney ones realising 11s per case this week. Most of the Island oranges thai) came to band thia wee^ wero *n Poor condition. Walnuta are much inquired for, but few are to be obtained,. Barcelona and soft shelled n«ts are selling well. The wanb of rai¥ iarnow. seriously affecting the strawberry crop. Although really fine fruit ia beinV cento in, the output has been coneiderably reduced latterly. Hothouse grapes of very fino quality are now ottered, and command high prices. Wheat.— The market for milling wheab has been quieb this week", influenced mosji probably by the low prices at prosenb ruling "I^Wheat ia soiling remarkably well, andVt bbe. moment is rather acarce on the d&Wforthe Christmas season. .. .

Maize sold ab auction this week ab Is lOd and in lines on the wharf at 2s. .During the week 797 sacks arrived by bbc Chelmsford, Waiotahi and Elinor. Ibia nob unlikely that maize will command bebter prices shortly, as atocka ab Tauranga are nearly run out, and ab Wbakatarie they are getting into small compass. Ib mnsb.nob be forgotten that large quantities of maize have this season been sent direct irom the coas,bbo Napier, Gisborne and the South. The area sown in maize this season is said to bo aboub equal bo lasb year's. * _ Oats ore a libble firmer, although the quotation still remains ab Is Sd c.Lf. Potatoes.—The market is glutted wibh both old and new. First-class samplej of hew kidneys are quoted ab £3. Under such circumstances it hardly needs stating thab old potatoes are practically onaaler able. ■ . , . Butter and Eggs remain unaltered in price. Supplies of butter continue heavy, while the market is really overstocked with eggs, a rather novel feature for Christmas time. In fact, eggs aro coming forward so freely that some buyers decline to pay more than sixpence per dozen.