COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 180, 30 July 1903, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

"Auckland Star" Office, Thursday, July 30, 1903.

Business still continues rather quiet. The arrivals from London since our last have been the Mibiro and the Delphic. By the latter vessel shipments of Van Houten's cocoa were received, stocks of which were extremely low. Colman's starch, National caudles, and other ' standard lines are also to hand. Kerosene has been delivered during the week ex King George, but buyers show a tendency to hold off until they see what effect the introduction of the .Sumatra oil is likely to have oa prices. A large line of Anglo-Swiss milk was shipped to Wellington last week to relieve a shortage in that market. Nestle* milk is selling freely at the present time. Essence of coffee is still unprocurable. A Calcutta circular of the 29th June says regarding gunnies: "Our market has. ruled quiet, with only moderate business passing. Export orders are seaice, and prices for heavy goods have gone up. Tea —Offerings were about ll,OOo'"packages, and practically all of these passed tliu hammer. Quality, was satisfactory, though perhaps Darjeelings and Terais were scarcely so attractive. iCachers, on the other hand, showed improvement, and Assams well above average for lirst tlush teas. The market was strong and advancing. Continental and other outside markets were particularly busy. There is no change locally to report in rice. A circular from Kobe, under date of June 23, states that many influences have been at work to strengthen the rice market there, one being the strained relations with Itussia. Added to this, the weather has been unfavourable for planting out the rice sprouts owing to seasonable rains not having fallen. The Australlan steamer agents having failed to come to terms, the low basis is still ruling of 12/6 for rice to Sydney and Melbourne.

The demand for dwellings still continues strong, especially for live and six-roomed cottages. As many as 20 and 30 applications have been received by agents this week, the day after a house has been advertised. Meanwhile the building trade is fairly brisk, and timber mills report very brisk business. There is almost an unlimited demand at present for kauri for export to London, and inquiry has also set in stronger from Melbourne latterly. The Government subsidised steamer Essex took some 50,000 xeet of kauri as a trial shipment to South Africa, including five hundred picked planks, laige sizes, sent to order of the Depaitment of Industries and Commerce. A feeling is steadily growing, however, that it is a mistake to encourage the large export of kauri, as the bushes are rapidly disappearing, and it is thought that the day is not far distant when regret will be felt that the kauri was not conserved for local requirements. Business on the Exchange has not been quite so brisk during the last day or two, probably due to the fact that the end of the month is at hand. Bank and Insurance shares have had steady Inquiry, but few sales were reported this week. New Zealand Insurance, however, changed hands at 85/ and 84/G yesterday, and slightly better rates have been offeied for South British. Kauri Timber shares continue to advance in price. Contributing issue, that ,\ few months ago were offered at 1/8, soldi this week up to 4/8, but few transaction/ have been reported in paid up shares. Other lines had steady inquiry at late rates. Mining shares showed an upward tendency, especially Waihi lines. This is due to the very satisfactory reports regarding the results, of boring operations iv the Grand Junction mine, where apparently a reef has been penetrated 100 feet, and assays from the cores returned an average ■ of £8 10/ per ton. Waihi shares advanced to 115/, at which figure transactions took place Giand Junctions sold at 25/G and •>4/6 while low priced shares in adjoining : properties doubled in price. The Koniata | Reefs Company had an excellent return of over £3500 this month, being the largest since last January. As this company has about £10,000 to the good, a dividend is by no means unlikely in tne near future. At Coromandel, picked stone is occasionally ob tamed from the Hauraki, Hauraki l< reeholds and Bunker's Hill mines, and sales nave been made almost daily in consequence. The Royal Oak Company had a crushing this month, which yieWed £1018 f om 033 tons. At Tapu the Mahura Roy a Company is crushing, and 100 tons already put through the battery has y elded £300 from the plates alone, an evidence that ron enpks iud the market armed to 2/10, owing to 'the shortness of supplies. There °so demand at present from Sydney,and tne advance in price has nad the eltcct of checking inquiry from the South Oats -The local market is nnchrfuged. In the South, however, the better grades of oa?s are -eported firm at late prices, as SieTS'SaS MS 2&&Z |'%i d . r,rrr>r,s| Seed oats are meeting with good demand, b °Sa: ra and r Shit^easier, ,ith no improvement in sales. This is due to the fact that there is absolutely no demand lor export to Australia from the South, with the exception of small shipments to Western A ChSffte easier this week. Sales of prime local have been made at £4 per ton ex rail, but it Is difficult to clear lines at that ttgure. 'lay stiJl meets with ready sale. Onions have been arriving in better condition, and are worth £5 per ton Fowl Wheat: Owing to the scarcity or maize, fowl wheat has been in better demand during the last few df^s Milling Wheat.—At present practically no transactions of importance are taking place in milliuy wheat, neither hoideis nor buyers appearing anxious to operate. The Farmers' Union iv Canterbury express decided doubts as to the accuracy of the Government statistics regarding the colony s wheat yield contending that an average of US bushels per acre has never yet been reached in any country. The Union is therefore going to collate its own statistics, taking its average from the threshing machines. Ihe president has written to the Government asking that returns be taken from the threshing machines as a check on the estim ßouedust.—The price of Australian bonedust has advanced 5/ per ton. Stocks in the colony appear to be light, as inquiries for bouedust are being received here right through from the Bluff. Orde:s from Calcutta for bonedust for this colony are much smaller than they were last year; therefore the chances are that stocks here will be unn<3inllv lisht this season. Potatoes. - Good inquiry still exists for kidney seed potatoes, the demand having lasted later than usual this season. Supplies of table Derweuts will be short this week owing to the difficulty in making shipments fit Chr'lstchurch in consequence of bad weather The Te Anau has only 220 sacks on board, which will necessitate drawing onstocks in store. Table potatoes are quoted at £4 5/ ex wharf, and £4 10/ ex store can be readily obtained for good samples. Bacon continues firm at .recent quotations. Cheese is very firm in price, ana is rather dl ßutter and Egg's.—The price of butter was not altered this week, but eggs declined 2d per dozen, being now sold at 1/ retail.

AUCKLAND PRODUCE MARKETS,

Farm and Dairy Produce.—Butter: New Zealand Dairy Association, lid lb; factory, 10d to lid lb; farmers' separator or dairy butter 8d; second quality 7d; * resh e esa 10d per dozen, wholesale; cheese, farmers 3Jd to 4id lb; factory, large, s£d, medium sizr;. loaf, 6Jd. Flour Market. — Flour, local, wholesale, £11 5/: wheatmeal, £11 5/; bran, ICOlb £3 15/: 1001b, £3 17/6; sharps, 20001 D sacks, £5 15/; oatmeal, £12 5/ per ton, ORta Grain — Oats, B grade, 2/81 ex store; feed, dun, 2/5; fowl wheat, 3/11, ex store, sacks Included. Southern milling wheat, 5/, c.i.f., sacks extra; white Tuscan seed, 5/5, ex store; maize, 2/10 wholesale lines on wharf. Potatoes—Southern, £4 10/, est store; kidney seed, £7 10/. Chaff—Southern, £4 15/, ex- wharf. Onions—Southern, £4 10/ to £5 ex store. Hay—Meadow, £4; clover £5 ton. Kempthorne, Prosser and Co.'s manure price list remain unchanged.