COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1899, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star Office, Thursday,

■ Trade has continued steady throughout jthe month with distributing houses, but Lere have not been any noteworthy Alterations in values. Advices by mail yesterday from America state that canned fruits are unusually scarce, in fact the feeason has started with nothing in stock, a state of affairs that has not previously Ehappenea in California. This will not, aiowever, cause much inconvenience, as the new crop is an unusually heavy one and buyers at this end will scarcely retonire to order before the canned article s Sn the market. Referring to canned goods it is interesting to note that the US Consul at Aix la Chapelle finds a (prohibitive tariff objectionable when used ■ Jn other countries. In a recent report on •the German tariff or. American canned goods he states he received a consignment 2281b in weight, value 12 dollars 10 cents, and had to pay 14 dollars 85 cents duty ■upon it, or at the rate of 7 cents, per lb, including packing. Advices were also received by mail of a sharp advance in the price of American chairs, and also a rise tof sixpence per gallon in turpentine. One of the latest examples of American (enterprise is the sale of a complete equipment for a native woollen mill plant in •Tientsin, China. The projector and organiser of this mill is His Excellency Wu SMow Ting, who is managing director of |the Imperial railways of North China, and is also known as Wu Jim Pah and Compradore of the Tientsin branch of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Frequent reference is made in commercial papers to the uncertainties of the South American trade. The nation which Bias the greatest cause for alarm in this I Jrespect is apparently France. With Chile its export trade has declined from $6,100,----€OO in 1888 to $2,800,000 in lis96; and with JAJgentina from $23,000,000 in 1888 to $11,200,----000 in 1896.

Locally Ussher's OVG case whisky is reported in short supply, and strong deanand exists for Cornsacks, of -which iline stocks are very low. There is a good inquiry for kerosene, as the Mary Hasfcrouck has been delayed owing to having 3>ut in at the Cape in a leaky condition. S3he has however resumed her voyage and comes here via- the South. The Tyser 3iner Hawke's Bay arrived from New York jSirect with a cargo of American goods, and the Star of England should arrive Sroin London on Tuesday. She will be fol"Jowed by the Mamari. Colman's starch is almost unprocurable. Sultanas are very Scarce and dear.'

A meeting of produce merchants and teuctioneers was called yesterday for the ipurpose of trying to arrange for fixing iquotations from week to week for grain and other produce, and also to settle the jfoag questions on a more satisfactory foasis. Nothing definite could be done as with the usual apathy manifested in [Auckland in trade conference there was ionly a small attendance. The 'bag' question was raised by the Chamber of Commerce, the idea being not to charge for Ibags at all during the summer and spring Twhen new potatoes and onions are sent 3n. At the producer demands, -to ifce paid for the bags, with the result that .tare is allowed so that they get no ad-, as the tare is the value of the (bag. Produce merchants and auctioneers, ton the other hand, have the trouble of calculating the tare and bags on ■ their

Kauri gum has shown little alteration teither In price or the supplies sent in Muring, thep ast month. The great bulk Shas been very low grade, owing to the aarge number of Austrians now on the ifields. A gigantic combination of varnish anakers in the United States is in contemtplatlon, having for Its object an arrangement by which there will only be one buyer for kauri gum, which1 of course means JoWer prices for the producers if the object aimed at can be attained. Fortunately liowever the London market will still «KJcist, so that the combination if carried lout will not have all its own. way in fixilng buying rates.

The timber frade though steady is not -•go brisk as it -was, as there are signs of a cessation of the great demand for buildSngs which has existed for some months .Jpast, and resulted-in many line blocks of twarehouses and handsome dwellings be&ng erected. Now that many of these have been completed the building trade Is beginning to get slack again.

The Exchange opened to better business jfefter the Easter vacation, the most notejworthy advance being in Waihl-Silvertons ■which shares advanced in seven' days Ifrom 7/6 to 15/, sales being made the the latter figure yesterday, with buyers left art 14/6, at which rate the last sale was taade. The sudden advance is due to the ■discovery of a new and payable reef in Tthe mine, added to which the crushing tthis month showed improvement. May jQueens also rose from 5/3 to 6/9, and Four in Hands from 2/7 to 3/3. In the latter case the advance is due to the fact that tthe battery is finished, and satisfactory {returns are expected. Standard stocks Shave not had such good inquiry this month, but prices all round have remain*«d steady. - .

Maize: Arrivals this week totalled -450 jsacks. There is no demand for export, and the market continues weak at 2/7. The new crop is reported to be shaping If or an enormous yield this year, and the first of it should be ready for the market 4n about five weeks' time.

Oats; The local market Is extremely toare as far as supplies of Southern oats «,re concerned at the present time, but the tendency in fhe South Is towards lower prices; but up till now any sold forward brought full rates.

Wheat:, This market continues quiet fcoth here and in the South.

Fowl Wheat is extremely scarce. Prime Twhole is offered at 2/3 c.Lf.

Bran and Sharps continue in strong Heinand. . \

Flour is unchanged In price and someiWhat dull of sale..

Potatoes had good demand throughout the week, but supplies were ample for all requirements, consequently the price remained unchanged, £2 per ton being asked for prime samples delivered from jthe station. • . '

Onions: Tn"ls market Is very unsettled towing to the faot that a large quantity Of the onions sent in showed signs of having ripened immaturely. Instead of the crowns being filled out, the majority show a depression which lets the damp in and tends to rot the onion. The cause of this seems to have been some kind of blight which stopped the growth just at the critical time when the onions were maturing. This blight has been widely 'distributed, and observant growers knowing it will not be safe to store onions in that condition have sent large quantities to auction, with the result that sales were' made as low as 1/6 per cwt, and ■up to 3/ where the onions were in better condition. Really, prime onions are worth «3 to £3 10/ per ton. The Southern ontoru how being sent up appear to have been similarly affected this season, so there is every possibility that later on stocks ttyit have kept will be so small that high rates will rule.

Grass Seeds: Very numerous small orders have-been sent in-for grasa seed Buring the past week.

Butter and Eggs: The conference between dealers and farmers for the purpose of regulating the market quotations for butter and eggs terminated without very much of a definite character being decided upon. Practically the whole matter was left in the hands of the Press, the suggestion being made that quotations should be gathered by the Press and an average made. No joint committee was set up to consult and arrange for market quotations, the difficulty in that direction being that there is no Grocers' Association at the present time. This week eggs are scarce and quoted at 1/3 wholesale and 1/6 retail. First-class limed eggs for bakers' use are obtainable at 1/1 per dozen. The butter market shows no alteration this week, but supplies have not been quite so heavy of really prime, good-conditioned dairies.

Leather and Skins: Messrs Park, Macfayden, and Co., of -London, report under date March 10th prices as follows:—Best leather, average weight, New Zealand, 9.1 dto Sid lb; light, 9}d; extra, 73d; best strained basils, Sydney, 9Jd lb; N.Z., 13d to 13id lb; light, Sydney, 8d lb; N.Z., 10} d lb; lamb, Sydney, 7|d to B}d lb; N.Z., 9id to lOJd; 1230 N.Z. sheep pelts sold, medium, 14/ per doz; No. 2, 8/6; No. 3, 4/6 per doz.