COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 243, 13 October 1910, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

•'Auckland Star" Office, Thursday, lulh Oct., 1010. The hoiiday Interfered with buMiiess tn:s week, aua trade generally with clfcslriuutiug houses aas shown comparatively little worthy of special note since last report. One or two lines are getting in short supply, but vessels with replenishing cargoes air: now near at hand. Turpentine rules very iiriu iv America, having new touched the aighest point reached this year. With only a6O per cent crop any material decline iv price cannot be espected. The' condition of trade in the luitert Slates is, according to a trade circular to hand, likely to b e affected by political conditions. The circular siales: "It is much to be regretted that, having passed a tariff "111 last year, we cannot have a period of rest and recuperation iv trade generally, but certain individuals and interest*, -"large iy for their own purposes, are agitating the Question of a further revision ot the tariff, and this is causing a spirit of unrest, which ia having its effect iv nearly all business lines. A=i our wheat, hay, and oat crops have been harvested in good eonditiou aud in large volume, with the exception of spring wheat, and as corn has made fine progress, the promise at present being lor a record crop, and cotton also having improved quite materially during the past month, there is an improved feeling throughout the country, and businres interests are now hopeful that our usual activity will soon set in, and we win be exporting a large volume of staple and manufactured in our favour." Business on the Stock Exchange has been dull since last report. May Queen shares lirmed up to 4/8, but subsequently dropped threepence. Old Hauraki shares, arter touching 4/, were promptly forced down to 3/5. Other Coromandel Hues wore negotiated. Very free selling of CJrand .luuetion shares caused the price to drop to 36/, and Waihis, after firming a little, eased back to Jiß 12/6. Waihi Reefs Consolidated sold at 4/4. and Rxtendcds firmed slightly. New Zealand Crowns sold at ■1/7 and 4/6. and Talismans remained firm lat 54/. Thames lines are still neglected, i and will no doubi continue so until some progress is made witn the 1000 ft crosscut. Investment storks had comparatively tew sales. The selling by tender of shares by the Auckland (Jas Company absorbed about £27.000 tills wprk. The market for g;is shares having been forced down before tae dny the tenilors were opened! the price promptly jumped a shilling as soon as the allotment was made kuown. Bank shares had inquiry this week, and New Zealand insurance sold up to 83/, with still eteady buyers at sixpence under that figure. All coal shares were steady, and Northerns were a shade firmer. Marks Turbine stares , are inquired for at 12/6, but that price has not been accepted. Flax.—The outlook for the flax market is thus described iv an KngliKh trade circular: "Manila is still beiug sent forward on a heavy scale, fair current selling at £20 pur ton. New Zealand is almost neglected, and we see little prospect of the article interesting manufacturers to any extent nntil the price is at least on a par with Manila. A few 6mall saie-s have Irfon reported in "fair ' since our last circular, October-Decemb.-r £21 to £21 8/, and near at hand £20 10/. To-days values for October-December are: Fair £21, and common £20, whilst for good fair near, which is extremely scarce, £24 to £24 .">,' would probably be procurable for "bear" coveriug. Stocks, SaKtons."

Potatoes. —Arrivals of potatoes last week from Sydney totalled 4000 sacks, and. as the market was nor too well supplied, prices advanced to £10 per ton. Prices arc mncb limicr in Australia. Locally the consumption of potatoes has been well maintained, and the new crop cannot be ready in quantity for four or five weeks yet, so that present prices arc pretty well certain to be maintained, even if a further rise does not take place. As all supplies must now be drawn from Victoria, any advance there must be followed by this market. What potatoes are still left in the South will be required for consumption down there.

Onions. —The quotation for onions has advanced to 12/ per rwt. which X however, low for this season of the year, when stocks have to be imported. T'sually prices for onions have been much higher than 12/ in October, but the fact that Victoria hnd such a heavy yield has helped to keep quotations on a lower basis.

Maize.—Arrivals of maize have been exceedingly light since last report, and, in consequence, the market advanced 3d per bushel, at which figure all available lint's sold readily. The higher prii-e offering will probably cause more maize to be sent in. and, if supplies are too heavy, another decline will inevitably take place.

Oats.—The market for oats in the South is very much stronger, and au advance of Id pe-r bushel has already occurred. The improvement in the market is due to a small export to London. also the ftiet that the holdings are now getting into small compass. Farmers maintain a linn attitude, and refuse to accept the price now offering, as exceptionally dry weather is being experienced In Canterbury jind Ofaigo, which is greatly retarding the progress of the growing crops. The outlook for holders of oats is therefore bristlier just now? than it has been for litany months past. Quotations to-day are 2/5 "ex wharf, and 2/6 ex store, but there is a strong tendency in the market towards higher prices.

Chair. —Supplies of chaff continue to come forward from the South m quantities equal to the requirements of this market. There is no quotable change in price, but the feeling Ls stronger in sympathy with the tone at the oat market. Prime Southern is quoted at £."> 15/ ex wharf, and £G ex store. Stocks of compressed chaff are now cleared, and the next shipment will not be here for three or four weeks, yet. Compressed chaff has found more favour this season, on account of the quality being superior to what H was on previous years. Fowl Wheat. —The demand for fowl wheat has slackened off considerably. The quotation remains at 3/C ex wharf and 3/7 ex store.

Milling wheat is now not nearly so scarce as it was, and as the wool will shortly be coming in to the stores in the South, the wheat in stock will require to be marketed.

Bran and sharps are not meeting with snch strong dem-and. now that there is ample green feed available.

Agricultural Seeds. — A good demand still exis-ts for seed potatoes for late planting. In sympathy with table potatoes, seods have advanced In price. £10 10/ being now the figure auked. for Northern Stars, and £9 10/ for ttp-to-Dates. So far no blight has been reported this season. A little inquiry still continues for Algerian seed oats at 3/H, •while -white varieties are qnoted 3d per bushel lower. Manures.- -Steady sales are reported of special manures. BotiediK=>t and superphosphates are beta In good demand. WEEKLI MABKET3. Farm ana Dniry Proance. —Butter, inetory, 1/0* per lb; fresh eggs, 8d per dozen wholesale; cheese, fanners', from 5d to 6Jd per lb; factory, 6Jd to 7d; bacon, sides, SJd. rolls S^α; name, 9Jd. Flour. —£11 5/ per ton (less discounts*; wheatmeal. £11 5/ per ton (less discounts); sharps, £5 15/ per ton; bran, £4; oatmeal, £13 per ten for 25's, wholesale. Grain.—oats, 2/0, ex store; Algerian seed oats, 3/3; southern milling wheat. ■*/, f.0.b.. sacks extra; fowl wheat, 3/7 to 3/8, ex store, sacks in; maize, 2/7 per bushel. Chaff. — £G pc rton. Potatoes. — Table. £10 10/ per ton: I7o-to-date seed, £0 10/ per ton; Northern Star, £10. Onioits. — Victorian .£l2 per ton. Tlmner. —Ordinary building tlmncr, undressed, up to 24ft long, Jin to lin or more in thickness, and from 3in to 12dn wide, flrst-class 22/, medium 17/6, second-class 12/ per lOOtt; undressed boards, up to 24ft long, not exceeding 12in wide and *in thick, IS/, 15/, !)/; rough heart palings, sft x 6in x £in, 28/ per li/ palings; rough heart palings, 6ft x 6in x Jin, 31/ per 100 palings; rough lining boards, 9in x gin, S/(i----wide boards, Cd per 100 ft superficial, extra for every inch in width over 12iu and up to 18in; over lSin up to 24ia. 9d; over 24iu to 30iu, 1/; 3oiu to 42in, 1/6; over 42in, by arrangement; rough heart, 17/6 per 100 ft superficial: super, planing, 1/ per 100 ft extra; planed both sides, 1/li per 100 ft extra; three and four sides. 2/ ditto. I-'loor ing boards: Planed, tu::gued and grooved 24/6, 20/, 14/6. Lining boards: Planed, tongued, grooved, beaded or V-jointed, 24/, 14/6. Feather-edge weatherboards, planed and shot: Out of l£in material, face measurement, 22/, 17/6 12/; out of l;in mnteilal, face measurement, 23/, 18/6, 13/. S. U « "5i eil and special weatherboardiua, -4/6, 20/, 14/6. Ordinary building totara, scantling, 17/; boards, 4Jin to 121n, 16/; eeccud-class totara. scantling, 13/6, boards l-i/; clean heart of totnra for Joinery, scantling '£i/\ rougli heart of totara, ecantlitig. 18/; rough heart of totara scantling, 6x2 and under, 16/; heart matai scantling, 20/6; rough heart matai, scant/"iff, 13/; ordinary buiiuiug rimu, boards, neart rimu, scantling, la/; heart rimu trrammg and bridge qnalitv), scauiling, 17/j clean, 15/6; second-clase rimu, boards, 12/; Eh av? art rlmu (are^lll K «ualit7J, scant-