COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 80, 2 April 1908, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star Office, Thursday, April 2nd, 1003.

There lias been a slight Improvement in handled by the distributing , . - -md there are welcome indications -SaaCTrs; vi the deyrir-sslon which, has in evidence is now past. During tea SS bnvers hare been laying in stocks SfLse toes awm be aftwtsJ b ? rne Q -£.:J%zvs of duty nnder the prefereafrom AprU 1. The various trades > Victories have been busily engaged, ~ i, a -rtatli dearth or skilled labHut local industries. This has been remarked on before in this column, but the their being unable to cope with the orders l|£ --nipping has been busUy engaged The Abcrlour and Foreric, brought down American cargo, ?.^^:^e ln£ r^e ™£ S» S came down by the 3lokoia. '■',5;, vaauka froa the Sont!l - resumed Sti-e Jx iionday evening. The TαP 1 \rrilcd frnm iho Islands with a cargo *f *J .- vll •-■e Navua left yesterday for sVmoa Vessels shortly due are Si 1 wtto«n. Maori, and Aeon. Tapioca =eem to be steadier, sad prices arc hording up. rained Fruits.—ln view of the increased r -. fwliich this line will be subjected to SSr tie preTerential rates, importers have itvin- in -ood stocks, and there is no been LuJi= ,i = . sbOl . tasl . lv supplies Stheifew pack is marketed. Fv-rcraced Fruits.—The market is quiet i- tie present time, but prices now ruling , ,r ejected to continae for any length f upward is more tnan

Apples.—There is a very good de*g,g\gZr«22»~« a decline. g. tte'mijoritr of those coming in being lja coarse. "Irrowroot continues to show an mdma coming into force with the preferential duty will bring «S= line into increased cost. rrp-im oJ Tartar.—The price has again adrS. and the market shows a much %4 centime'to find a steady sale, and *-ocs trill soon need replenishing:. K ?S?o shipmencs will reach a J^maS^ the P continued good dehas made inroads upon stocks. Tirtaric acid is at present lower. Out a recovery to former prices is an early prota Sunon Birds.—Fresh shipments have arrived, and are moving off steadily. r\—-'.r t o the excessive rains and warm ■meatier, die pasture in the country has Siotto a marvellous recovery from tne effects of the drought, and as the turnip troTB are ab>o shaping satisfactorily, it i≤ exiTected now that ttta dairying industry will not suiler so seriously as was antieiiwiud mere beinir every prospect of plenty if ted now for nest winter. The danger xras that cold weather would follow tne Bins,-but such has, fortunately, not been the ease, and the ground is now showing the benefit of the rest it had during the oronsit. with the result that growth is ami and the country once more has a JSlthv sreen appearance, where a month ago very" little grass was to be seen. "lie flax market continues very dull, but it is sated that at length London buyers seem more inclined to operate, although at Prices still too low to be entertained. Many iais are shut down, but some are forced to conriane dealing with "the green flax §ent in for which contracts had been enterk into earlier on in the season. The supnlT Of aax sent in for March was about 560 tons, so the falling off is not so large ss was expected in face of the low prices oSering, as good fair is only worth about Si ncr ton. while common is very difficult a nkce. The kauri gum market is sail •>- iteid as ever and so far there are no 2es pointing to any early improvement in t£» present unsatisfactory state of Ec amber mills are still kept busy lulnlling orders. fc — 33» sensation of the week on the Exfetge has been the smart rise and fall in shares in the WWW. Grand Junction Company The advance was due to the discovery of a new lode about ten days ago, which caused shares to advance from 21/ to 40/ in a very short time. Then came the inevitable recoil, until yesterday 31,'fi was touched. It is probable that snares had been forced down by overselling, as at the late call 32/0 was again reached. Of course, if a man sells at 40/, and gets back at 31/6 fee makes a good profit for the risk he takes, although the honesty of the proceeding may be fairly questioned by sharehold-er;-whose property is depreciated by such kind of business. There have been one or two' cases lately where oversellers have been caught, and had to pay heavily for shares which they could not deliver, and it is to be hoped that more will be similarly treated, as this is a practice that tends to disgust those who only do legitimate business in shares. Talisman Consolidated Bhcres have had frequent sales at from 53/3 to 53/6. and Crowns, after ffdvaneing 7,1" to S/2 in a few days, fell back again to 7/S yesterday afternoon. Waihi shares continue very steady, sales being made at 189/6 and 159/. Investment stocks have steadily maintained late valnps. N.Z. Cement sold at 32/. and River Plates at 33/. Kinri Timber shares were much firmer, buyers of paid up issue advancing to 26/6. while contributing changed hands at 12/4 and 12/2. Insurance shares generally had fair inquiry. New Zealands selling at 77/ and 76/0. while South British changed bands at SS/6. All coal stocks had regular buyers at late rates, and Northern Steam improved a little in price. N.Z. Paper Mais were wanted at 23/6, but that price r«as not accepted.'

IHllins Wheat.—The market for milling lfleat stiil continues very firm.

Bran and sharps both continue in good femmd. the latter being at present hard to get and still maintains ite high price.

Fotvl tVlieat.—Stocks of fowl wheat arc somewhat difficult to secure in the South now. This is no doubt due to the srade Mb?: so good this season that holders are !iopbs to sell it for milling purposes later on. Meanwhile the price is firm at 3/2 ex store.

Chaff..—The wet weather last week interfered considerably with deliveries of loca! cfcaff, and at present the market here is snsewliat bare" Business is mostly being nose with supplies of chaff drawn from the Strata. The qnotation for Southern chaff te store is £6 10/, and for local. £3 15/ to *B per ton.

Potatoes.—Owing to heavy importations Tasmania, and arrivals from the tenia, the local market lias been plentifully saipUed with potatoes, and further shinttenis are due by the Wanaka this week, la «as«ir,enee of this, the market is weaker. potatoes being quoted at £1 per '""• c* wharf, and white potatoes and UptM3ates to arrive by the Wanaka are jWerea at ±G 13/. Any local potatoes coin~S to hand are not meeting with Kineh de~nil, being only worth ST> to £0 per ton er J°re._ The strict enforcement of the iu£»MiO!i O f potatoes to see that they are pee.u-om pests commenced this we*, but. X i-T, none have been condemned. The Department notified importers »* weeks aso that the potatoe moth. i«a solanella/- had been found in shipments of Tasinanian potatoes on the 15th of and that in fntnre any potatoes so greeted would have to be destroyed, as they craiil not treat shipments from outside with ™re consideration than was shown to Btwers in this country. -uaize.—The weather on the East Coast «ras interfered with deliveries of maize with l 2 !/ 3nlt ais market is very bare at tsls P^ ent Juncture. There were no arri*L-,. r w <H-'k- and in consequence store Raphes have been quite eleuretl out and maize can be bought at the moment « price has advanced, the last sales being iL-iTI w!lar f- Some shipments of maize of 3 ~? ec , teli from the Islands, but the date nndifil s °niewhat uncertain, but it is &om ttat supplies can be obtained -onrt a? sour( -' e - There is, however, a rw Qeal of maise yet ungathered on the «fth athe^ , bat at present farmers are busy P'SSr^'F lo,lsl2 tte l0C!l1 market is at fenl « well supplied with oats, the tenthe colony is towards slf *tn , Qes - as advices from the South are Srm „ ,1 eff ect that the market is very Albm*- . ers anaci Pating a rise shortly, oots ' r ' "fairies hare beet: received for Oenrt 1 ilelbo "rne. and some small shipKikSt -I 0 soae t0 Sydney. This has in zhe tone ot market, fen p ™i et r 0, -* is bound to strengElwavJ ??" . cv, ' Zea! and short oats have "mparai ™ r , la^ favour ia Melbourne, as *Icto*\ t! ' the long Alserlan grown in Very P i -t Quotation for oats for delijter \*~ h c wanaka, this week, is 2/10 ■ fcTon ro£th e " n^ cU flsure rates are to

Onions.—This market is now well suppuea with Southern oniens, the ouality of which is very good. The quotation is now -a per ton, ex store. Quotations were made lor onions from Melbourne this week at rates which will allow importations to be made a shade under the above cost, so it is probable that shipments will follow in due course.

Grass Seed?.—Seedsmen are still bnsy. although there has at length been a slight laxUng off. in the orders. All the same, the uemaua for gra.ss seedu this season has been aouunaal. owing to the large areas burned cE during the unusually dry summer. It is now getting difficult to supply some grass seeus, suet as meadow fescue, poa triviaiis, lotus major, lotus cornieulatU3. and cocksfoot. Bona fide reports from the -outh confirm statements that the supoly of cocistoot is likely to ran out before the •season fa over, and holders there are now j-snang 1/ per i b , or 20/ per bushel, which %»\ S , a record price - v ? to Present local market has not risen in proportion to tiie price ruling in the South, but if the aemand still continues, and stocks have lO De replenished, the price here must go JP. as supplies are now rather light. The S-rt V e e r . rn ™ enr haS been P laci °S a good many ™ es for se «d for settlers, who have Buffered severely by the recent nres. ' So far the principal demand for seed has been Wh - 6 i £ and other places ~r a f r t h| fd %*j ShL h " n m Jannai T and sow on the i ™£? >, not been successful. Now the ttttJrSn e K ia S l beavU - I* j s doubtful tLZ t™ , a Chance t0 burn off again to As a marter ot lact . °^S the S - Cnt fOr Seed b3 " setaecs & i-ne Aortn have oeen countermanded tio B n U tni r wfek ESSS - PriCeS Sh ™ n ° alte "- HIDES, SKIP'S, ETC. G. W. BtSSBI AND SOSS , REPORT We submitted, and cleared very lar-e =tm,V 11 Os, extra Sf. tO ,S& 1 to stags', 2d to -,d calfskins, 31d to 4d per lb. 1/1 toT,? 113 ;* Pel ? anti best %} ' ' otbers V to 1/4 each t ™ I ° w: Best niised, to 26/; s ood, "4/ to W'pTfZt ~ f W 23/6: inferior ' ™! Rough fat Ifd per Ib. Tow tails, l/s dozen Bones. £4 15/ per ton. NBTW ZEALASD IX)A>T AND MERCANTILE AGENCY CO.'S, LTD., REPORT. Horses: On Friday, at the Durham Yards horses were yardea in average numbers', but were duu of sale. Heavy draughts sold at trom to £±0; medium do., *IIS 10/ to_£2li; light harness horses £7 10/ to iflo li>/; hacjis, £B 10/ to £10; spring-cart, Nortuern Sales: At Tancowahine and Arcipohue c-artle came forward in moderate numbers, everything changing hands The Kaupo Yards were more t-imn f u u and young came sold well. Urown cattle were not sought after. At Maungaturoto and Kai-v.-aka we had good yarding's of both cixttle and sheep, everything changing hands at satisfactory prices. At Wellsford we had a small muster. Owing to the extremely wet day the yarding at W'arkworth, was only a moderate one, brrt nearly everything changed hands, either at the hammer, or immediately after. We quote for these sales:—Beef: Steers, £3 10/ to £7 10/; fat cows, £4 y/ to £5 7/; three to three and a-half-year-oid steers, £4 to £5 7/6; two to three-year-old do., £2 10/ to £4; yearlings, £14/ to £2 2/; calves, 15/ to £1 9/. Sheep: Store wethers, 13/ Cto 15/6; young ewes, 13/ to 16/6; aged ewes, 7/6 to 10/6; lambs, 6/ to 11/- Horses: Medium draughts, £2S; hacks, £10 10/ to £16; ponies, from £2 5/. On Saturday at the opening sale of the new Clevedon Yards mere was a large muster of cattle and sheep. Bidding was good, and almost without exception everything changed hands. Dairy cows sold at from £o lL'/S to £5 17/6; empty do., £2 10/ to £3 12/6; calves, 11/ to £1 10/. Beef sold at Newmarket rates. Wethers realised 15/3 to 16/6; ewes, 6/ to 12/; iambs, 6/6 to 0/.

Cattle: At the Newmarket Yards on Tuesday there was a full yarding of stock of all descriptions. Dairy cows sold at from £3 15/ to £7; empty do., £2 to £3 2/6; calves, la/ to £1 S/: grown steers, £4 5/ to £5 3/.

Beef was penned in full quantities on Tuesday" and mostly of good quality. Oxen sold to 23/ and cows IS/ to 21/ per 1001b. Steers sold at from £6 10/ to £11 10/; cows, £3 10/ to £7. A draft of 32 steers from Messrs. Reid Brothers (Wairangl) avera"vd -^11

Sheep were yarded in average numbers at Newmarket on Tuesday, and sold at scarcely last week's rates. Wethers realised from 13/0 to £1 4/3; ewes, 12/6 to IS/'J. Lambs, in full supply, sold at from 10/9 to 16/0 for well-fatted; other sorts, S/ to 10/3. Pigs: Porkers sold at from 18/6 to £1 11/; baconers, £2 2/6 to £3; weaners, 7/6 to 14/. We submitted a large catalogue of hides, skins, and tallow on Tuesday, all lines meeting with good competition at late rates. Hides: Market firmer. We quote —Extra stout 7d to Tid; stout do., 6id to 6=d; medium do., 53d to 3Jd; light do., 43& to s£d; cows', >est lines 41<1 to 4|d, good 4id to 43, scored iSJd to 4d; stags', 2Sd to 3d; calfskins, 3id to od; damaged hides, Id to 3d. Sheepskins: Market firm. Best butchers' pelts and lambs', 1/S to 2/; good, 1/4 to 1/6; inferior, 9d to 1/. Tallow: ilarket firm. Best mixed, to 28/6; =ood, 23/6 to 24/6; inferior, 20/ to 21/6; rough fat, l}d per lb. Bones. £4 15/. Cowtails. 1/S dozen. Horsehair: Tail, 1/1 to 1/G; mane, 9d to 1/. ilaize: The town is quite cleared of all stocks now, and very little is on the coast. To-day's quotations are nominally 5/2 ex store. Wheat: Stocks are very light owing to an advance in the price in the South. It is selling freely here at 5/3. Oats: Market firm at 2/10 ci.f. Butter is selling freely at HJd for choice separator and IOAd to lid for medium to good. ~ Cheese is very slow of sale. Factory is worth 61d: farmers", 3d to 5Jd, up to 3!Jd for well-made loaf. Fungus is selling at 43d.