COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 70, 21 March 1908, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

FRUIT AND PRODUCE MARKETS. Daring the past week the frtrit and produce markets have been rather quieter taan j during the previous week. In potatoes ■ there has been a great increase in the supply of imported Hues, but the samples have been unsatistaetory. Very few locatlyt grown potatoes came to hand, but :~u=c •)i thoei: in supply weie of good qualily. The market was left bare of local onions, although fair quantities arrived from the South. Higher prices were obtained than ruled last week. I'unipkina and other vegetables came forward in better suppiy, and satisfactory prices were obtained. Taere i≤ no change to report In grain or fodder; generally aJI sold at high rates. The butter market was again bare, and very littie farmers' was seat to auction. Eggs were very scarce, and sold under teen competition at an advance on last week's values. A fair supply of farmers' cheese came forj ward, but it was generally of an unsatisfactory quality. Bacon and hams have been very scarce, and only immediate orders were supplied with difficulty. Fruit sup- , pdes were heavier than last week, principal, y due to the late gales having brought d«v\a large quantities, more particularly .of pears. The result was that prices, especially for pears, were slightly easier . than last week. The Sydney boat did not , land any fruit on Monday. I'oultry was in better supply, and all kinds In condition soid at nn;h prices. A fair number of young pigs v. ?re penned, but owing to the j extreme scarcity of feed the demand was I only fair, and fair prices were obtained. The following were the ruling prices at the sales yesterday:—

Field Produce.—Potatoes: Local, prime, 0/ to 0/6 (wt; Southern. S/6 to 9/; Australian. 8,6 to 10/. Kumaras: Local, lid Ib. Onions: Local, 7/6 to S/ cwt; Southern, S/- Chan*: Local. £5 10/ to £6 ton; Southern, £6 to £ti 10/.

Dairy Produce.—Butter: Fanners' pats, 1/ to 1/2 lb; milled, ia bulk, for export, 1/1: pastry, lid to 1/. Eg;s: Fresh, 1/4 Aco Vβ dozen. Chee»e: Farmers', 3d to 5d lb; factory. 6£d; loai, 7d. Bacon: Factory, Od lb. Hams: Factory. Did to 10d lb. Fruit (quotations for standard cases and boxes only).—Apples: Local, dessert extra 13/ to 14/6. poor 0/ to 11/, medium 6/ to 8/; local, cooking, choice 7/6 to S/ti, others 4/ to 6/. Pears: Choicest dessert. 7/ to 10/; others, dessert. 6/ to 7/0; cooking, 3/S to T/6. Peaches: Good, S/ to 0/ case; small, 3/6 to 5/. Grapes: Hothouse, extra 1/ to 1/2 lb, good Gd to 10d; outdoor, small ljd to 2d, good 34d to 6d. Tomatoes: Outdoor, 1/ to 4/ box. Oranges: Island, 6/ to S/ case. Lemons: Local, prime. 8/ to 10/ casp; local, rough and coarse, 3/ to 4/. Cape gooseberries, 4d to 4id lb. Quinces, 4/ to 5/ case. Passion-fruit 1/ to 3/6 box. Watermelons. 3/ to 20/ dozen. *^J to 8/ dozen. Walnuts, 6d lb. Poultry.—Heas: Heavy. 1/6 to 1/10; poor, 1/ to 1/3. Table roosters: Heavy. 3,9 to 4/; others. 1/6 to 2/6. Ducks, 1/6 to 2/6. Cockerels, Od to 1/3; chicks, 4d to 1/. Turkeys: Gobblers. 10/ to 13/; hens, 7/ to S/. Miscellaneous.—Young pigs, 5/ to 8/S each, z SALE AT MATAMATA. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, Hamilton, re;port: On Monday, March 16. we held a clearing sale at ilatamata on account of Mr. P. Quintan. A very large -attendance of buyers came from Tauranga, Rotorua, Thames, Paeroa, Te Aroha. and neighbourhood, and we report a most sucessful sale. Of the 120 dairy cows, SO realised from £4 5/ to £9: aged cows. £3 3/ to £3 12/6. Three hundred and sixty store cattle were 6old. Eighteen-month steers, £3; rough two-year-olds. £3 10/; yearlings to 15-monta steers, £2 10/; fresh-conditioned cows, £2 10/ to £2 IS/; fresh-conditioned heifers, £2 5/; yearling to 18-month heifers, £1 15/ to £2; stags, £2 15/; bulls. £1 IS/; to £3; light wagon. £22 10/; harness. £4 10/; wagun«txe, £10; dray, £10 2/6; distributor, £12; double-furrow ploughs, £5 and £9 2/6; medium draught aorses. £12 to £24; hacks, £5 10/ to £7 15/; milk cans. £1 5/; fat pigs. £2 10/; store pigs, £1 14/. The balance of the farm implements and sundries all realised good prices. On behalf of other clients we sold a dogcart at £20; harness, £6; hack, £7 15/. WOOL, TALLOW, ETC Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd.. have received the following cable from their London office: "Tallow—Low and Inferior, prices have advanced 3d per cent; other descriptions hive advanced sti per cent. Wool —Sales more animated; slightly better demand." no change in price; present selling price of flue crossbred is Sd. Meat—Frozen, mntton has advanced Id per lb; lamb and beef are firm, but price is unchanged. LONDON CABLE. (By Cable.—Press Association Copyright.) LONDON, March 20. Money Market: Three months' hills are discounted at 2J per cent. New Zealand 4 per cents, £10S 15/; 31 per cents, fl.00; 3 per cents, £SS. Wheat: The wheat markets are dull, buyers holding aloof on account of the enormous Argentine shipments, but prices are fairly steady and cargoes firmly held. For Australian 36/ to 36/6 is asked fo- December shipment, and 37/ for March. Flour: Flour is dull, at about 6d decline. The Glasgow market is very depressed. Australian is freely offered at 38,', but vrith no buyers. Metals: Copper on spot, £58 10/; at three months, £5S 17/6- Tin on stjot, £13S 15/; at three months, £136 10/. Iron, 51/7. Sugar: German, IV, first marks, 12/7. Wool: Tae Bratiford wool market is weak, with no business. Common sixties sell at 24d; super., 25d. Preserved Meat: The War Office is fixing tenders for September 2 for 533,400 12oz tins of preserved meat, and 266,700 240z tins for delivery in January. Butter and Cheese: "Butter is quiet, the price of Danish being unchanged. There is moderate inquiry for Australian, the buife of wnich is below best quality owing to the heat when mude. Choicest saltt-d is quoted at 110/: nnsalted, 114/: secondary, 106/ to 10S/: Choicest New Zealand, H4/. New Zealand cheese is dnll, and tie quality unsatisfactory, 59/ to 60/ being the rates quoted, 33 against 64/ to 65/ for Canadian.

The evstexa is strengthened by the use of WOLFE'S SCHNAPPS.