COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 214, 10 September 1896, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

1 -Evening Stab Office, f Auckland, Thursday Business was nob quite co brisk during tho past week amongabdistribufcers, the activity caused by the orders for the first of the month having passed. Increasing population ii creating better business amongst retailers, and there w now scarcely an empty Bhop to be found either in the city or suburbs. In various parts blocks of ehopa are being erected as well as many dwellings. Just ac presenb builders ore having -a good time of ib, bu» even they have their troubles, the most pressing one at the momenb being a Bcarcity of both bricks and timber. The former is due to fact tbab provision had nob been made tor the saddenly increased demand. With regard to timber, the difficulty ab present is to get logs. Freshen have not been nnmerous this season, bo thab logs were mob brought down to thß booms in large numbers, while fche bollocks ! cannot be set to work bringing logs along the country roads until about November, unless fche weather continues very fine for the next month. Timber mills meanwhile have orders coming in faster than they can be attended to, and ib is only the scarcity' of logs thab prevents running nigbb and day, ''"/:, ( Farmers have had excellent weather tots year for getting on with ploughing and pUntiog, 'consequently they are now well forward with their work. Much larger areas have been put down in crops this wiuter, In anticipation of an excellent demand tor the goldtiolda market, as some thousands more men should be working on the mines during bhe summer, Ab the present) moment) practical miners are hard to obtain, bub no doubt the deround will in due time came a supply to arrive from other parts of the colony. Spring is now well advanced, as may be eeoo by the budding of the English and imported trees, while our natural bush ia changing Its tints. Ploughing is now pretty well finished, and next month will see nil • farmers hard ab work with the sowera. and harrows. . It. is now pretty certain thab a large area is being pnb down tinder crop, and if pricos remain Steady a profitable year may ba looked for. Following on the revival in the mining industry has come quite a small boom in property, and bouse and land agents have had a good time of ib for the last couple «f months. Advanoing rents have caused many to purchase properties, «nd agents report a brisk demand for wall : situated, fair sized dwellings. Tea principal transaction in property this week was the purchase by Mr J. T. GarUok, cabinet maker and upholsterer, of Messrs J. and J. Dickey's premises in Queen-streeb for £9,750. The demand for Qfoeej near the. Exchange is great, and in coma Instances businesses hava been removed In order to convert the premises co as to supply the demand. Market movements have nob been numer. oqa during the past week. A brisk demand is reported for agency goods. Currants are ab the moment in rather short •apply, Reports of bbc new season's fmite Are, 80 far, favourable, and aparb from oontlogenoles ab present unforseen, we may hope to have fruit of satisfactory quality for bhe Christmas season. Dried apples are somewhat' ecaroe iust now. Apparently, the low prices ruling latb year Caused many orcharding to lessen their output, hence the present shortage. Rice ia reported in good demand with wholesale transactions at full prices this week. Vancouver salmon, A.B.C. pack, is getting. In short supply, and buyere do nab care to give the high prices ab present asked. . The BbdOK Exchange has seen a decided improvement/?i" business- during bhe past week, and-cable advices received from Xondon yesterday report that market to be steadily advancing again, «o that, as previously..anticipated, good business may be expected from now right through October, and buyers of well-sitnated cheap Htooka at the. present time will get hand' come interest on their investments later on. The Now Zealand Talisman Company has bow entered the ranks of the. gold'produoing mines, the. result of the 6rsb crushing which came to band this week being very satisfactory, as the average .value per ton of bbc ore was, about £5 2a 6d. This will do donbtj have the effecb of causing Obher Karangahake properties to be taken up by English companies. So far bhe investments made In thab diatricb by London companies have been very satisfactory, the Urown, Woodstock and Talisman all being excellent) propersifis. During bhe week Talismans advanced from 15s 6d bo 17a, Woodstocks from 46a 6d, buyers bo 50s, Moanataiaris from 14s 6d to 15s. Other advances were; Adelaide, Is 4d to Is fid ; Broken Hill, Is 3d to la sd; City of Auckland, Is 6dfco 2s Id ; Comeb, 7£d to 10|d; Golden Horn, Is to la 6d ; Golden Point, Is lOd to 2a 2d ; Hazelbank, 4s to 48 6d ; May Queen Extended, 10d to Is ; Monowai, 5a 6d to 69 ; Tararu Creek, 8a to 8a 6d ; Sheridan, 2s 6d bo 4s ; Aj«. 340 lto 6d; Kjjpai-Veraonb, 9a 9d to 10a 94} Albert, Is 4d to la 6d; Byron Buy, Is id to la sd; Fiery Cross, is to Id Id j Harp of Tars, Is to 2a; Imperial, 2s <d to Ss 7d(; Grace Darling, 4a to 4s 8d ; Ivanhoe. Is 6d to 1« 8d; Talisman Extended, 2a 4d bo 2s 8d; Waihi Silverbon.SOa to 52s 6d ; Waihi South, la Sd to'ls Sd ; Waihi* Welcome, 6d to 9d ; Waverley, 2a bo 2a 3d ; Bay View, U lid to 2s 2d : Four-in-Hand, Ib lid to 2s 6d ; Hgmy, 6d to B£d ; Pride of Tokatea, 2s Id to 28 4d; Zealandia, 18 lid to 2a Id. Besides theee advances many cheap stocks hitherto neglected have found boyers, so that there ia every evidence that the market is advancing all round. The only Jm' tygrtant decline ia'pricei was in Banker's Hills and Hauraki Norths. Maize.—Suppliee have beauheavy during tiwDMt week, and the noarkeb is tbarefore well stocked R b present. The Chelmaford brought) 23!) gaolca and the. VYalotahi 323, while towards the end of the week the Aotea arrived with 527 Aacka of really excellent maize. Lines on' bhe wharf sold at2»6d, bub earlier in the week 2s7d was obtained for smaller parcels by auction. Wheat.—The Engliah and Australian markets are reported a libble quieter, and there has not heea much bußineas in this colony, dating, the paßt week. Despite this, pr!ce« show no alteration. So far shipments are nob being despatched to London as epeculatoro prefer to wait furbher developments before testing that market ab tho high prices ruling here. Millers are ealy purcbaging as necessity requires, and holders evince no disposition to sell at a eopceßsion, qoawquenbly transactions are noli numerous, There. appears to be a general feeling amoDgsb holders thab wheat will command a batter price as bhe season ♦dvapcej,. Fewi* Wheat ie nob selling so freely, probably on account of bhe cheapness of maize at the present time. Seed Whka* *fciU »eebß wibh %ood demand. ' „ , Bran akd Shaups are still dull of sale. JFI.OUR is nob meeting wich such good demand as it was UsSi week, Q ATg> fphe market continues weak locally, although a fair demand has seb in for export from bbc South. Some fair nhipmepba have beau sent to London lately, wfaiph has aasisbed m reducing stocks in the South, and there is also a fairly good enquiry from Australia. Should; any Iwca consignments find their way to the LowJon marks* wa may look for t sharp advance, bb stock* are nob exceptionally heavy, and those farmers .holding remain very firm in their demands. Up to the present supplies have been easily attained, «"* the generaUeelipg^ ia t.ba| Sw?S*»r«W fu" «« tba remainder of the kwm.' Apart fiom thw pOWftbihty, tbere^oes not eeem much chance of any

material advance. Australian and New Zealand buyers do not seem in the least in•lined to epeculate, preferring to buy from fid co month and risk the market. Potatoes.—The market remains steady . £3 15s per ton ex store. The market iv ;be South is reported to bo very firm and supplies scarce, with good inquiry. Best are worth £3 10a ; good, £3 sa, to £3 7s 6d {f f o.b., sacks in, net) at Donedia. Onions have firmed a little in price during the week, as the glut has been worked ofi some what. Ten shillings to 12s per cwfc is now asked for prime samples. Cheese.—The market is easier than it waß, notwithstanding the fact tbab stocks throughoub (be colony considering the season of the year wa below expectations. | Bjjiter and Eggs. —Supplies of both are heavy and pricos consequently low. The mildness of the season has resulted in tbair being so much feed in the country districts khab butter is being sent in very freely, and qhis week fche markeb baa been so glutted thab ib was fonnd necessary to reduce the price to 6d per lb wholesale, which is a very low rate for this time of the year. ...