COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 135, 9 June 1910, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star Office, Thursday, June 9, 1910. Activity in general trade has been well maintained dnring the past -week. Wholesale merchants report satisfactory business ex warehouse, and large orders have been placed on forward account for canned and. evaporated .fruits. Apples (evaporated).—Good Inquiry. Market steady at late rates. Apricots.—Market very bare. New season's, arriving September, are ruling higher. Arrowroot.—Quotations continue to rule high. Barley (pearl).—An advance on late rates is adviser]. Beeswax Is more plentiful, and 1/6 per lb is now about the ruling figure. Cream of Tartar.—Market continnes to rale firm. Currants.—Quotations remain steady. C/Dcoanut.—Market firm at late rates. Good inquiry exists. Corn Sacks.—Market steady. Camphor.—Satisfactory business has been done at the present favourable rates. Dates continue in good demand. New season's to arrive December are firmer. Figs are in good demand, and present stocks are limited. Fruits (canned). —As usual at this time of I the year good sales are reported of canned' fruits, and, with stocks in small compass, Haricot Beans.—Good demand. Price steady at late rates. Linseed OlL—Maxfcet very firm. Pepper.—Market has shown a firmer tone. Rice continnes to rule low. Salmon. —Spot stocks of Red Alaska-very small. Enhanced rates are now ruling. Tapiocas.—The market continnes to fluctuate. Latest cables report an easier tone. Business has not been quite so good during the past week on the Exchange as far as mimug shares were concerned. Talisman Consolidated shares, however, maintained their price, frequent sales being made up to 53/. The return this month was £15,042, and brings the 'total output to date up to £1,286,170, out of - which, dividends amounting to £101,250 have been paid. Waihi shares have changed hands pretty freely since last report at prices ranging from 167/ to 165/, and then at sixpence advance upon the latter figure. Yesterday several hundred shares chanced hands at from 165/ to 165/6. Cable quotations from London gave Waihis at higher rates, but the fact must be remembered that shares are quoted cum div. until settling day, whereas in Auckland they are ex div. as soon as the warrants are issued. Waihi Grand Junction shares sold steadily at from 32/ to 31/6, and are ruling lower here than in London at the present time. Thames stocks were easier all ronnd this week, and there Iβ no doubt that the various delays in getting the low level crosscut pushed ahead have had a depressing effect in respect to lines most affected. Sylvias have eased in price, owing to the reef not looking quite so well as it did. At Corotnandcl there has been inquiry for Union Hauniki shares, with sales at Dd, and repeated transactions in Hauraki Reefs at lid to IOJd for contributing shares and 1/6 to l/o for paJd-up issue. Old Hauraki shares sold up to 4/7, but eased back to 4/4 yesterday, owing to a report that the reef bad narrowed in again, as it has frequently done before but made again. In Southern mining stocks, Ross Goldfields sold np to l«/ 6 and 17/, and Consolidated Goldfielde at 21/ and 21/3. Investment stocks had more attention, during the past week. Up to 78/ was offered for N.Z. Insurance, and 69/ for Auckland Gas £1 shares. Buyers of pref. Tramway shares also advanced their offers to 23/, but no business eventuated at that ligure. Devonport Ferry shares were sold as high as 33/9. lilver Plate shares firmed up to 41/6, at which figure sales were made. Hikurangi Coal also advanced, transactions taking place at 20/T), while Taupiri Coal changed hands at 10/0. Wilson's Cement, ordinary issue, found buyers at 40/6.

Maize.—Since last report the total arrivals have been 2300 sacks, which, with the present demand, was in excess of requirements, and in consequence the price came back a little, wholesale lines being quoted at IV6, ex wharf. There is still a good deal of maize to come forward, but according to recent reports it is problematical whether much will be sent in at the present low rates, as holders are disposed to wait for better prices. It must, liowever, be recognised that in face of the weakness of both oat-s and wheat, maize cannot be expected to rule much in excess of the present rates. Oats.—The Warnaka brought a fairly heavy shipment of oats since last report, therefore all immediate requirements have •been filled. The tendency of the market in the South is still rather weak, itnd any new business is of a hand to mouth description. The future of the oats market depends entirely upon demands from outside the Dominion.

Fowl Wheat—This market is weaker, and it is now qnite evident that those who held back their wheat have missed the market. Apparently they did not realise the actual position of the market for fowl whent. Prime whole is now quoted at 3/6 to 3/7; whi'e for sprouted and broken wheat lower figures are accepted.

Bran and Sharps.—The latter Is meeting with keen demand jnst now, and merchants are not able to fill all requirements. In consequence of thi3 state of affairs the recent advance has been firmly maintained, as there are practically no stocks held in store at the present time. Bran is also meeting with fair demand at late rates.

Potatoes.—A-rrivals latterly have been fairly heavy; in fact, a little In excess of immediate requirements, with the result that stocks have accumulated in store. Prices are, however, very firm, and the position In the South is such that they are unable to quote under £6 10/ per ton. It appears .that many farmers have pitted their potatoes, being disposed to hold back supplies because they do not consider that the market has yet touched the top in prices for this season. Forward business for July delivery is impossible at the present juncture, and it would seem certain that higher prices must rule during the next few months. The quotation to-day is £7 10/ per 'ton, ex store. Onions.—Prices for onions still rule very low, as supplies continue in excess of the demand for local consumption, and there is no outlet for export. Another difficulty has now to be faced in the fact that the quality of the onions is now rapidly deteriorating, which is causing merchants considerable loss throngh overhauling. Chaff.—'Business is quiet in chaff, as -there is only a demand for ordinary consumption, and an entire absence of speculative buying; due, no doubt, to the weakness of the oat market. This is bad for the merchants, as forward nurchases were fairly heavy a little wnile ago. It is not likely, therefore, that much recovery wili take place in the market for chaff until tbe winter is further advanced. There is still a considerable quantity of chaff to come in from this province, and it would seem as if farmers mrssed the market 'by holding- too long. Should there be an early spring, there may be a further dectine In the price of chaff. Seed Oats. —Algerian seed oats nave been in strong demand, and prices were fully maintained. G. W. BINNBY AND SONS , B.EPORT. On Tuesday we again offered and cleared extra large catalogues of hides, skins, tallows, etc. Hides is an eighth to a farthing easier. Ox: Extra stout, 7Jd. to Bd.; stout, 7id. to 7-} d; rnedinm, 6 7-Sd. to 7d.; Jigihi, 6id. to G3d. Cows: Best lines. 6}d. to 6 5-Sd.; good, 6id. to 6*d.; seconds, 5Jd. to 6d.; stags, 4Ad, to 5Jd."; kips, oj-d. to 6d.; yearlings, s*d. to 6d.; calfskins, best, Bd. to OJd.; good, 6d. to 7d.; seconds,"sd. to 5Jd.; cut and damaged hides, 3id- to 4Jd. per lb. Sheepskins.—Market continues very firm. ■Butchers' pelts, best, to 4/5; ogdo, 2/0 to 3/3; small, 1/6 to 2/3. Lambskins, best to 4/3; good, 2/3 to 3/; small, 1/4 to 2/. Country pelts and lambs, large, to 3/2; good, 2/1 to 2/S: small, 1/3 to 1/10; damaged, 6d. to 1/ each. Tallow. —Market remains the same. Best mixed. 26/ to 26/6; (rood, 24/ to 25/6; medium, 20/6 to 23/; inferior, 15/ to IS/6 per cwt.