COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 151, 1 July 1897, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star Office, Auckland, Thursday. Trade haß nob s0 far recovorod Binoe tho holidays for the Record Reign eelebra- ■ , Retailers having laid in heavier Toe!" beforehand, orders for July delivery L rfl nob so good as uaual. A sharp advance in reported in the price of woolacks and cornsacks. Advices from Japan i B tbat rice conbinuea scares, with the lability of a shortage before the new Ccomes in. Prices on the local market h»ve consequently an upward tendency. Supplies of Derby tobacco ara once more .nnine down. Common brands of quarter "dine* are extremely scarce at present. S,n» S ne ie reported to be Belling very f c iv and stocks have boeu roduead to moderate proportions, with no immediate "ThJbreakfngVp of the drought in Aus.,Qiia has had tho effect t>f lessening the I'" A for produce for export, and in some .a nrices aro easier. Oats aro not quite TflJff and oatmeal has declined 10, per !° n Butter is still, however, being oxDotted freely, and prices have again advanced on the local market. As usual in the middle of winter, buildiJisnot so biiak, bub timber mills have LfflDle orders in hand to keop them busy for nos months to come, the demand for export continuing very good. Supplies of kauri gum during the month nf June were again light), and this fact "pled with the elightly improved tono ot the London market at tho last auction sale? h S 6 tended to keep business in this article nteadV At the same time prices in London must show a further advance bofore there is much margin for profitable export even at preßenb rates. _ On the Exchange business has shown <ome improvement since last report, and j u ly Bhould soe a better state of atlairs than Biisted in the month iueb ended. One feature of the week has been the steady demand for Waihi shares, buyers having advanced from £6 15s to £7 7a withont sales resulting, and even £/ 10s offered privately did nob dicloae any sellers under £8. Low priced shares in companies adjoining the Waihi have all received attention during theweeK and Waihi Extondeda advanced from 1? to Is 3d with very free sales. Consols also advanced a little, while Welcomes and Ohinemuri shares were also inquired for. In Karangahake stocks there has been a g teady demand for Crowns at 26s 61, Woodstocks at 355, and Talismans at 18-, with several transactions in the latter at 18s 3d. Adjoining mined also had attention as ah all round advance is oxpected in this district shortly. The return from the Hauraki mine this month was not equal bo former ases but this does not, appear to have preiudically affected adjacent mine?, as Hauraki North .shares firmed a little in price, and others maintained previous valuea. Thames stocks had a little more attention this week, Alburnia.-, Sheriduns, Moanataiarie, Monowafc, and May Queen shares being all a shade firmer iv pnea. Several option? have been granted over mining properties during the week, and others are being negotiated, so that the outlook for mining is as good as ever it wa?. Thora haa also been a batter enquiry for eeveral of the sbandard stocks, South ! British Insurance being wanted at 45s Gd, New Zealand ditto at 71s 6d, whilo buyera of Auckland Gas shares advanced their offers to £14 16s Gd for old, and £10 5s new, but no sales resulted. Wheat.—Largo quantities of wheat arrived from the South this week by the liawea and also by sailing vessels. The market is still cickly, having not yefc fully recovered the effects of the jubilee holidays. Tho English and American market are also reported dull, while those in Australia are not bo excited now that the drought has broken up. Fowr. Whkat is not soiling so freely aB it was a littlo while ago. Bran and Sharps.—The demand from Sydney having eased off, there is a corresponding decrease in sales both here and in the South. Flour.-Local millers are very busy delivering orders for the first of the month. Maize.—Close on 1,000 bags of maize came to hand during the week, all new, the old crop being now practically out of the market. Prices are easier, lines on the wharf changing hands at from 2s 4d to 2s sd. Tho domand for the South has fallen off entirely, buyers preferring to wait till the.maize is Bufßciontly dry to be shipped without risk.

Oats.—Locally more oabs changed hands during the week, bub in tha South prices seem to have touched top, and there is a lull in the demand. Although the rates asked are still tha Bame there is less aaeernesa manifested on the part of purchasers to secure line* for export.

Oatmeal has been reduced 10a per ton in price during the week. Onions are 'more plentiful thia week, price £8 10s to £9 per "ton. Potatoes.—Supplies sent; up from the South are now about equal to requirements. Be»t table are worth about £4 per ton. A little inquiry has been made for Derwent seed, which are worth £4 per ton. There 18 a fair demand for early aeed varieties.

Butter and Ehgs.—Butter continues to advance in price. This week the price of New Zealand Dairy and Anchor was risen tola 2d per lb wholesale. Dairy butter followed with an advance of 2ci per lb all round. Egge, on the other hand, havo had asharp drop of 6d per dozen. It was only the influx of visitors for the holiday season that prevented a fall of 3d per dozen last week.