COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 252, 23 October 1919, Page 10

COMMERCIAL.

THE MARKETS AT A GLANCE. FCBTHER BISE ANTICIPATED. "Auckland Star" Office, Thursday, Uctober 23. Marked activity is very apparent both in ■H-iolesale and retail trade, and from now on until tie end of the year the Christmas rosb. will be felt by both. Dispatch for November account is now in full swing, and is contributing largely to the rush of w?>rk in the wholesale. Money Is changing hands freely and this angurs well for Christmas trade. Conditions generally remain unchanged. Stocks, being mostly in small compass, are restricting sales, though no hardships have so far been caused. New Zealand has been particularly fortunate, new arrivals coming , to I;and in innumerable instances just as local erocie -were exhausted- Several interesting lines haTe arrived by the Niagara. Sugar.—This main article of diet is still conspicuous by short supplies, inquiries holding large numbers of orders pending acceptance by the Sugar Company, and retailers are compelled to allot out in very small quantities, which is causing no end of inoonvenience in country districts, where settlers are in the tiabit of getting bag lots. ICo definite Information is available regarding the position easing. Tea.— The advance recorded last week of 2d per ib on packings does not represent to- | day's -value, and can only be of a temporary nature. Latest advices from Colombo freport sensational advances on si>ot for high grade teas, with, excited bidding, advances in last sales showing increases varying from 6 to 2O cents per lb. Sixpence per H> would not cover the actual Taiues in advances now being paid liy New Zealand tea merchants, and it is only by I previous buyinss on a more favourable market that rhe advance was only 2d per Ib. This can only be of a temporary nature, and we look shortly for further rtses on local packings. Dried Fruits.—San (Francisco advices are not too favourable for arrivals before Christmas, though it Is not impossible to get deliveries previous. It is possible a Shipment znay arrive the second week in December, though labour troubles in "Frisco may oanse delay, which, if continued, would result in arrivals too late for Christmas trade. French Cream of Tartar.—Snpp-lies are in •very limited holdings, and in first hands is practically unprocurable. Sardines.—Higher prices are toeing named for Norwegian, caused principally by small matches. Sniinnents of American "are to band, but conversion rate has caused higher values than previous shipments. Sago and Tapioca.—Small advances are recorded in bora these lines, but conversion rates will reflect t>y causing heavy increases locally. Cooking Almonas.—Pending arrivals these ■re praericallv unprocurable. Hardware. — Business continues very ecrive. but shortage of supplies i 3 causing mnoh inconvenience in the building trade. Prices generally remain unchanged. A very »>risk demand exists for paints, lead and oifs In spite of the high, rates ruling. POTATOES. Arrivals of old potatoes have been small •ince last report, and this market has been kept going from stock?, in store. These, however, have to be repicked, which entails .heavy loss in weight, coupled with cost of labour, and the expense of carting the rejects to the destructor. Further shipments, due from the South by the Waihora in about ten days' time, should meet with ready sale. Repicied old potatoes are ■worth £14 15/ per ton ex store for booking lots. 'With regard to the new crop in the Auckland district, there does not appear much ciance of any quantities of potatoes feeing on tixe market until towards the end of December. What new ones are being *ent in at present are in many instances cot really good samples for this "time of the year- Sales nnder the hammer are, however, made up to 3d and 3*d per lb for fair quality, at which figure they are a luxury. Indications. Therefore, are that old Southern potatoes wi 1 find good sale in Auckland for a few weeks longsr. Seed potatoes are not now meeting with much inquiry, as the planting season is drawing to a close. ONIONS. A further consignment of 700 cases of Japanese onions came to hand by the Moeraki since last report. Owing to the lateness of the season these will require repacking before being; delivered to purchaser? at this end. This, of course, adds considerably to the landed cost, and as the market ha 3 eased in Auckland, merchants axe hit hard on this iine. for which high tisnres were paid. Some onions sent across Save been sold at considerable loss on the landed cost here. Owing to the condition the onions were in they had to be sold quickly, and only low prices were offered, which were perforce accepted. As no further lots of onions are expected from California this season, there is a probability that before the Auckland crop will be ready for market prices will rule very high again. It is not likely that further shipments of Japanese onions will be made so late in the eeason. MAIZE. Arrivals since last report have been very email, but at the same time the demand for maize has fallen off considerably. The last chipznents from the East Coast proved In better condition, and lines sold ex wharf at from 7/3 to 7/6. For soft lots 6d per biisnel less -was accepted. OATS. The oat market is reported exceptionally Sra in the South, but business in this line is very dull locally. Stocks in stores in che Soatii are reported to be small, and very few lines are now being offered. Apart from this the fact that inquiry has set in from Ansrralla for oate for OctoberNoveniber shipment has tended to firm The attitude of nolders in the South. Local A Cartons .are firm at 5/10 to 5/11 per bushel ex store. SEED OATS. The 'season is now practically over, the on!j- inquiry now being for a f&vr small lotsA good arra has been put under oats In the Auckland district this year. GRASS AND CLOT.EB SEEDS. Tt = aiarket for all grass and clover seeds b reported to be exceptionally Srm throughout New Zealand, and indicationa point to «tU2 higher prices ruling in the autumn, as only limited axe Taeld by local merchants, and the stocks cannot be replaced at the same fignres. A big Inquiry is reported for the fintcmn requirements in Auckland eietrict. azzd farmers are acting wisely in jjtaclng their orders early, for there is not the slightest hope ot prices easing. ■\V3E£EAT. The .market for fhte grain shows a finning tendency, dne no doubt to the fact that Australia is not likely to have a surplus toi eiport this year as the weather pre- " Jndicaliy affected the harvest. On the Jbcal market fowl wheat is firm, at S/6 per trashel. FLOUR. The fact that the price of flour has adTanced in Australia has resulted In -more of that article being dispatched' from. New Zealand to the Islands. CHAFF. Supplies of charff are very short at the monrent on the Auckland market, but the Poherna is now loading at licton for OneEuaga. Her shipments are, however, already cold for delivery on arrival. It has tranepired that there is nothing lite the quan- • tity of chaff held in Blenheim which had been calculated upon, and it Iβ (hard to get '. ■uppUes from Rangitikel, while Hawke's I«y holders gold out some time ago. Very true local chaff is being sold just now. Ln! 'he Probability Iβ that prices will go VV T °^ ay " 8 qUOtatio,l ls £ » BEAK AND SHARPS. «u?dTt for t)ran srUl exceeds the •upply. bat sharps are now more plentiful. I WHOLESALE CCEEEST PRICES tef *£? tS-V Factory but- '

Potatoes.—Southern, £12 10/ to £14 per ton. ex store. - Onions-Japanese, 20/ per crate; Californian, 30/ per crate. MANURES. Latest cable ad*ice is that the s.s. Neuroark should arrive here with a shipment liT 11 P nos P hat es aDout November 12, wnicu will come in nicely for the turnip sowing Ihe prohibition of the export of I superphosphates from Australia still con- ■ tmu«N w lt h the result that the shortage in Aucklanu is somewhat acute, aud a»- ---: parently is likely to remain so. J • ON 'CHANGE. •! n . U ™ b w , of inv estment stocks are w. . at Ulguer r:U e_ than these offering a I 1.., '~ . a= ?" Commercial Bauks could now '}*--$/ 1T/ ' wh ereas at last report ,'t. „ n ", as F e ba - vin X quotation. Old i ttird . :\, °J ") c "' Zealand sold at the ™w«."?, yesterday at £14 17/, and fully •uv-noe a "\ ot Ans ottered _. : o_, an i_nd VV" , l . went> " " ui -"uss- N-Z. Loan ' Plated af^f- 6 - h orrti,lai - v **>?_ could be ''_~!,. U '' wher eas at last report £116 - .".titi neo; >fler ', 'durance shares are ■It 1 ■*■ A I'uuiber of transactions «V"^ ta Au <* J «"<i «as paid issue at ni«..25' ? d ,_ C i ntriblulu S issue could be : hive i,_2i I " 3 ', "uddart-l'arker steam ici-vs hn? qU H ted aow " <lurin S the last few , uajs, but when a buyer came iv at the I £•>«*,* _.?, c _ te " ,a y> th e wte rose from ; Noiiherl" ST S/ before a sal * w <» effected. -Nortnern steam shares tinned during tne wee__ p a i d lssue wanted at 17/ Timber cou-rVbuMot a l Tanceti *>/• Kauri being at lf 9 ISSU L 0 ? B° £S_?™? r - on the 25_£_'& good" a _v ance -die- "J""" 6 * UaVe lla,i a Ulnar* _s__° f, f _> U . te - last report. Or- « over £0. r shares% r _l./1 'l-^pathv' 1 6 -,, l "r ferem - e ie i_ for SdL^ y . rs at ~ s lr> '- Bn ye« Other H_" that iV SO,l f- SZ - Ceme ii t is a "- bedug made fi 8a! « I teution has been n-i',l tf J ■ ■' more at> this week. Several Ll T m " S ares New \Vai;-,iis - , -f- 7L? rfere m;< de of nuis- are now 4", U , aii tbe " L Kura - at 14 V wm,- 1,- a M d Graiul Junctions sold AUCKLAND STOCK SALES. heifers S tfa In r» COWS and £1- to £14 111/ ,- ' > ouu S sound cows, bulls V-ns t« A « aerS 15 lv/ t0 ai 10/ n" ters £»• / n ° i, 3s ?? : , cm ' r|t - v cows and V_ o : / 'I e o lf % s I S uital>,e ~° r ro IS months hirers .4 £ S'M""" 11 ? « 10/ to f 7: bestcafve.. _2 Wto'dlf/l* 3 %Mo r .l^. :^er^^| e-rXi ? aturd ay. at Waluku, we had an keen entry ' wlth Te r. of fr , lU Masses, prices for all classes hiifeS'' k £i ,a ' r r>ru ;;.i"S-., I{ est dairy cowTand f i . • " 0 to *-- w 15. othe-s £11 to £14 -111/ - inienor sorts. £7 to £10 10/ : b ul ls 74s to -igns: empty cows, £t; 10/ to £9 1."./- heifers I£er e?lv-. °- n ' ths lifers, £6 to £7 10/; !■?" .4 ll \ es : ff -J to £4 5/; heifer c alves |= to -4 yearling to ls-months steers, £3 to £7 17/f- Wo^. 0 , t ,."° and a " half - y ear steers, to -5 . f - 3/6: cows aaU calves, £7 15/ to .10 lo : fat cows. £10 to £15 5/ Pi.s keonlv so",'" 56 uumb e") were not so nrfces IUShZl UShZ a - fter as at lat e sales, and ! prices were easier. YVeaners. £1 5/ to £• £3 10? W -™ m S iSisns: slips, £2 10/ co snecr„ P h kekohe ', OD TQ esday. we held a KmtS Sale \, horses bein S yarded in rn?,?nv_^ ers ' an , rt we re P° Tt a eood sale. broke^ e^,h^ aY - V £26 to £40; unbroken medium draughts. £17 to £»• unbroken light sorts, £ G c to £13 10/. Broken.; Heavy draught horses. £35 to£sS for a seven-year-old mare, sold on account of Mr. ;,£„»?• Douglas. Pukekohe: medium draughts £2. to £39; aged and worn heaVy ffo,„ m «r,t rai L £1 - to c *: hacksilO to __4; light harness sorts. £12 to £25: pomes, ±4 to £13; weeds, 10/ upwards He had a full yarding at Wbitford on Monday, and report a good clearance at prices a shade better thau late sales . big entry of dairy cows aud heifers sold freely, the best of the former making from £12 10/ to £10. others £7 5/ to £12 5/; best heifers iWose). _10 10/ to £13 2/C, others £6 7/6 to rib 5/; good yearling bulls, Sgns to lOSgns: empty cows (iresh) £7 5/ to £S 12/6, others i- 5/ for poor to £7 2/0; heifers suitable tor dairy purposes. IS-months to two-year, £ti _./-to £7 7/6; .yearling to 10-months heifers, fit 1!|/ to £6 5 : ditto steers, £3 IS,' to £t. 13/ for good colours: calves, best </6 to £::. weedy and others- £1 5/ to £2 *: -': f.m. ewes with lambs at foot, £1 19/3: horse. £5. Alfred Buckland and Sons. Ltd., report:— At Westfield on Thursday we again had an extra large entry of both dairy and store cattle. Good dairy cows continue to be iv strong demand, best selling at from ±1S to £2ii; second grade cows. £14 to £10 lv/: others £lo to £_3 10/; aged and Inferior, £5 to £Si; best springing heifers, £14 to £ls; others, £10 10/ to £13: small aud backward. t.l 10/ to £8 10/; empty cows, £« 10/ to £10 10/; two to three-year-old steers, £6 11/ to £10; yearling to two-year-old steers, £4 to £0 13/; heifers, same age, £3 15/ to £1 10/, according to quality: good calves Ci 10/ to £4 4 ': smaller calves, £2 10/ to £-'J 7,': small aud weedy calves. £1 3 to £2 2/; full-mouth ewes, with lambs, £1 17/; woolly hogzers. £1 13/6. The advertised bull's made from £11 11/ to 25gns. On Saturday at Tuni we held a clearing sale on account of Mr. 1". Mouldy. Buyers were numerous, competition keen."and high prices ruled. Tho cows, which were all in milk, sold at from £_4 to £30 10/ for best: others, £10 to £_:'.. The whole herd of 43 averaged from £.1 17/0. Horses, £_U to £33 10/: wagon, £39. We held a special sale on account of Messrs. .1. Massey and Son. Puketutu Island. Mangere, on Monday. There was a large attendance of keen buyers, the sale being a most successful one. Cows recenrlv calved. £24 to £30 10/: those in milk several months. £16 to £23: springers. £15 10/ to £26; dry cows, due December, Jannarv, and February. £14 10/ to £21, the whole herd averaging £1S 19/. We held our monthly sales at Pokeno on Monday, and at Runciman the day following. There were full yarding.-; at both places, and a good demand for all classes, practically everything changing handsGrown steers £13 15/ to £14 16/. three to' four-year-old steers £10 10/ to £13 two ! to three-year-old ii 3/ to £1(1 ."./, yearling to i two-year-oltl £4 10/ to £7: empty cows, £6 15/ to £9 18/; fat cows and heifers. £10 10/ to £14 _/6: IS-inontbs to two-year-old dairy J heifers, S> 15/ to £S: calves, good £3 3/ to 1 £4 10/. small £2 8/ to £3. 3/, smaller £1 8/ j to £2 5/; dairy cows aud heifers, £8 10/ to I £18 10': bulls. £3 10/ to £5 15/. At Ttiakau, on Thursday, October 16, we held our monthly sale. There was a fair i' yarding, and everything sold well at ruling I rates. ~

• woolly hoggets, £1 9/ to £1 19/0. One small pen extra choice hoggets realised £2 ■ 10/; snorn hoggets, £1 4/ to £1 0/9. Spring lambs "were penned in large numbers, aud *okl raider keen competition at late rates. Rest sold at from £1 »/ to £1 13/; medium, £1 to £1 S/0: small, 16/ to £1 3/9; inferior, 10/ upwards. Pigs were penned in smaller numbers, prices being on a par with late rates. No choppers or extra heavy baconexs penned. Medium to heavy trnooners. £6 to £6 IS/: heavy porkers, £i 5/ to £S IS/; medium., £3 15/ to £4 4/; aight, £3 8/ to £3 14/; slips, £2 S/ to £3 1/; weaners £2 to £2 10/. . Alfred Buck-land and Sons, .Ltd., report:— iieau, \.\jiix^n j.i 2 .SLeeua, to covva ami jioaerb, «uu v uujis. 'J.iie &ieaier poitivni n/i uue BietiS were or eiceireiu quauiy, a.iuiuu s u lioL JieavywtjlgAus. lußie was v ucen ueimiud tiu-miyuuuu, ami ia»t wees s i-iioiee t>i **>iti to A*a ay per ioujo, o.\ xa ■*/ u> £3 7/ injr luoab, rough uuu urahiuiy XS 10/ to £3 per loolb; cow and never ueti, £2 10/ to £3. taeers ranged in pnaue iruui iia lv/ to £31. xue ia-Uer piite wus ooumied tor a rising uiree-> uaroiu iiii*»ruit>l-u xroiii Jti*. n. -UaujjciX-. Cows aikl netfers, £i) to j.iu.' The highest averages lor steers were- S u-oni iveieoue lis-uie, .viorxuisviUe, asas U/ly; 2»i vMi act-ouut of a ciieiit, J-ISS lt>/o; 6 irom Air. k<l. Alien, Cuini>iiu c c, tJXJ la/X; - from ilr. 'H. iliilett, Lh-umutit, Alaujjt'ie, £25 5/; iZ from Ale. A. iLLayiuck, Ie W«itere, £:M i/e> ; « iruni Mr. lieu, llasiit;, l-'apaloetoe, £23 18,0; 11 locui, £22 111,3; 32 irjiu 'ilr. J. jr. .Stevenson, Muuaia £22 14,4; s from Mr. W. W. M-eLautoiliu, £22 ll>, 7; 1 cow from same vendor, £iy; 7 from Mr. Alex. On; ilauigjJiura. £22 7/lu- S from Mr. R. Li. Findlay, Miranda, £20 17/«; s iroin the Tiaipara, £2O 12/ti; v> Irum Mx! W. -Gardner, Walton, £19 5,7; 12 Lrom .Messrs. Death Bros., Weitakiiruru, £19 7/0; 3 from Mr. A. S. TJlkHup&uu, I'akuranga, £1S; l heifer from same vendor, £1«: 7 cows from Mr. It. J. Bell l'apatoeDoe. £14 11/!>; i> from I'aiimure £14 0/ The sheep inms were well tilled with a f:iir class of mutton. Prime wether mutton aud extra prime ewes maintained last week's values; other Wasses -were easier. Extra lie.ivy pdiue wetliers. XJ M/fl to Ki. l>. for a pen from ilr. R. .1. ■Hell. Papatuetoe; heavy prime wethers £2 10/ to ii'l 14,, mediiuu to heavy prime wethers. £-_• 4/ to £2 9/; light prime wethers £2 1/ to £2 3/6. unfinished -wethers £1 12/ Cto £1 19/. prime heavy shorn wethers £2 1/ to £2 4/, for sheep from Mr. R. J. Be-11. Papatoeroe; lighter prime shorn ■wethers £1 IS/ to £2. other shorn wethers £1 t>/ to £1 14/0; extra heavy prime ewes £2 10/ to £2 liV, for ewes from ilr. K. 11. Bailey. Momona .Estate, Tirau. 4r> avem,£\n,<* £2 l."> G; heavy prime ewes £•■ 4, n> £2 8/6, lighter fat ewes £1 IS/ to £2 I', other ewes 16/ to £1 13/, heavy prime shorn ewes £1 11/ to £1 14/, other shorn ewes £1 1/e to £1 7/6 (1.53S sold). Spring lambs came forward Jn large numbers, and in consequence Talups eased Rest heavy I£l 11/ to £113/. lighter prime £1 7/ to £1 10/. liirht prime £1 1/ to £1 0/ a4l I sold). Fat young calves came forward in average iraniSion-s. Good quality vealers maintained late rates; other <inssp* were lower. Runners made from £fi S/ to £lo 10/. heavy vealers £4 1' to £." fl/. medi-u-m £3 to £3 IS/, lighter £° lo £2 16. smaH fat oah-ps lo' to £1 14/ fresh dropped 8/ to 14/ f!4R soldt. Therp -was an avprnce yardinc of fat pomi>etitl<>n was less keen, and generally tiUuph wortensier thmi Ihr| week's nuntati-n-ns (no stores -were ynnied). L?ree choppers and iheorj- T>nrv>ners £7 to £S 0/. H s ht to me.M,rm £5 15/ to £n lfl/ heftTy porkers £4 12 « to £5 12 r, mpdlum <•'■> 16/ to £4 10/. Ugit to £3 10/ 087 sold). Dalcety and r O mT«ny. TJmlted. repo-t naviiic neld their weeklr sale of fnt stock at Wprtfleld on Wednesday, as-under:— ~B ee,f — A PO°<i yarding. Prices ivero Bllehtly better than last week Extra SXSk pe J l l s ot P rim e beef fetcied £3 9/ per 1001b. ordinary prime ox £3 to £3 ."./, prime cow and heifer beef to £3 3/, ordinary £2 Veal.—A big yarding Prices were the . same as last week. Good heavy runners made up to £5 to £11. t ood suokers £2 10/ Jto £4 10/, youtiß calves l/■ v. 15/. Mutton.—A big yarding, and prices werp about the same as last -week. Prime wethers in the wool made -£2 17/0, shorn £2 to £2 •>/ I good shorn 35/, in the -wool £2 5/: ewes shorn 00/ to £2, in Hie wool £2 .to £2 0/. Pork.—Good yarding, and prices were about the same. Baconrrs made £3 to *T ?A'/ & to £!). porkers £3 10/ to £o 10/, -weaners 10/ to 20/. Lambs.—A good yardiuir. Best made 30' to 6i/,- prune 22/ to 2S/. ordinary 10/ to IV-ADJDTX-GTON (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHUUCH, Wednesday. At Addlngtou market to-day the rardlues were smaller, particularly of fat" stock. There -were only four races of sheep compared with six last week, and 103 cattle, compared with 334. Prices jumped for fa: sheep from 5/ to 7/ for exceptionally prime sorts, and more fhan that for store Mieep. The range of prices was as follows: Store SheeD.. —Two ana four-tooth ewes. 31/4 to 82/: four-tooth ewes, with lambs, 23/7 (all counted); two and feur-tootli wethers, 36/ to 30/!); four and six-tooth wethers, 37/2 to 3SA; four and six-tooth Merino wethers, 30/; ewe -hoggets 20/ to 20/ l: mixed hoggets, 21/4 to 37/6; wether hoggets, to 27/4. Fat Lambs.—lo3 were penned an<l the demand was keen. -Good lambs brought up to 39/9. medium to 34/ li. Fat Cattle.—Prime steers £22 10/ to £37. ordinary £14 to £2O; prime heifers £17 to £io 12/<>. extra prime cows to £24 0/ prime £14 to £30, ordluary £!) 15/ to £13. Fab Sheep.—Extra prime ivetfirs to Stf/. prime 64/ C*o 73/0, medium 52/ to GO/, lighter :-!5/ to 49/0; extra prime ewes to e>/, prime j4/ to 63/, medium 43/ to 52/, lighter 32/ to 41/; prime hoggets oi/ to 03/, lighter to 40/6. Store Cattle.—Three-year steere £6 *>/<> to £10 5/: two-year steers. £7 to £S 17/0----two-year lieifers, £5 15/ to £7 13/; mixed yearlings, £4 4/ to £C; dry cows, £2 17/0 to £S 13/6; vealers, runners, to £a 10/; gooil vealers £3 5/ to £4 13/, fair 45/ to 50 /; dairy cows, second mid third calvers, £10 5/ to £17 10/: cows, in milk, to £12 10/; heifers, £4 to £12 I*/. Pigs.—E-xtra heavy bac-oners to £S 15/, heavy £7 to £7 10/. medium £5 10/ to £6 10/. eqnal to 9}d To 10d a lb; heavy porkers £4 1(1/ to £7,. mediinn £3 13/ to £4 ">/, equal to l~Hd to 1/ .1 lb; choppers, £7 to £11- best .stores (IS/ to 77/6, medium 50/ to 62/ small 44/ to m/\ weaners, 30/ to SO/; extra goo 1 weaners to 43/; sows in pig, £7 2/B to £S HIDES, SKrXS, AXD TALLOW. Abraham and "Williams, Ltd., report having held thpir weekly sales of hiiies, skins. :ind tallow, ou Tuesday, as follows: —• ■Hides.—Cow. best 10* d to 10} d, medium MM to Klld, rough M xo !)ja, scored lid 10 SJ'I. cut Sd to .Sid. daniiigeil Cd to-, «*d'; ox, extra heavy 12Jd to 13d, heavy 12d to 12jd, medium ll.d to 12d, light lid lo'llid, cut OJd to 10d, daiiiagotl ttjd to 7d; yearling loAfl to Hid. cut 7*d to Sd, damaged 5Jd Jo Hid; cair, pood 20d to 22d, medium ISd to 2<>a, heaxT ll*d to 12d, damaged 7*d to 9+d, cut Did to 12d. iHorse, 0/ to 10/, medium 8/ to S/0. small 5/ to G/0, cut 4/ to 4/6. Tallc/w.—Caslrs. best 56/ to 00/. medium 50/ to 55/, ordinary 45/ to 50/ per cwt; tins, best 42/ to 45/, ordinary 40/ to 45/, dreggy and burnt 35/ pet cwt. Rones.— Good dry, £8 to £S 5/ per ton. Ualgety and Company, Limited, report having held their, weekly sale o£ hides, etc.. !on Tuesday, as under:— Hides. —Hest butchers', ox, stout 12d to 13Jd, medium Md to 12d. light 10id; cow, best 10d to IOJd. light lOtl to 10id; yearlings, llid to Xi; calfskins, best ISd to 22d, heavy and meaty 14d to lod; cut, damaged, and dirty hides, 2d to 4d per lb below above rates. Horse hides, 5/ to 1-/ each. Tallow. —Best, in shipment casks, to £55 per ton: broken packages, £45 to £."i(). Horsehair.—Tail 1/5 to 1/6*, mane 10»d. Bones.— Dry, fi* per ton. Rabbit Skins.—There is a good demand at prices ranging from 2/ to 4/ per Jb for well saved lots. HIKUTAIA STOCK SALES. PAEROA, Wednesday. The 'Farmers' Auctioneering Company held their fortnightly stock sales at Hikiitaia yesterday. With the exception of •sheep, it was one of the largest yardingsheld in the district for years. This was probably due to the openiug of the new pig yards, Fat beef realised from £17 10/ to £21 10/, dairy cows and heifer 3 from £12 10/ to £21 10/. There was an unusually large entry of store cattle, for which there was very keen competition, and in almost every instance changed hands at late rates/ Sheep were al3o in good demand, but the supplies of prime fat mutton were limited. Of this class a pen of choice hog-gets, after spirited bidding, was knocked down to ilr. offered for this class, also there was very keen competition, tine average prices Jieinj: about lP4d per m. Slips wpre xoM nt from £2 5/ jo £3 5/, weavers from 35/ to £-J 2.'.

ISLAND PRODUCE. (From Our Special Correspondent.) SUVA, October IS. Copra.—The Antlope was towed out this morning by the s.s. Klwarra. and took a little over 1750 tons of copra, the largest shipment sent from Fiji tor many years. She goes by the Horn to London. The American schooner Caroline started loadj ing from the. stores of Morris Hedstrom, , Ltd., and Brown and Josko, ou Wednesday. She will take 500 tons of copra, and will I I fluish loading on Monday. I The American schooner Amy Turner is to haul alongside King's wharf on Monday, I and will load copra for Morris Hedstrom, Ltd., and Browu and Joske". She will carry 1200 tons. j j The Mindoro, schooner, is loading at Levuka for .Morris Hedstrom, Ltd.. and is •expected to carry 750 tons. -She will com-! iplete loading on 25th Inst.' The Wm. G.• Irwin is loading at Savu Savu for the Savu Savu Planters' Association. She goes to San Francisco. Advices from .San Francisco state that the market is strong, with good demand. Co-operation.—our planters have at last awakened to the fact that the big fortunes mnde in Suva by the middleman represented n good deal of money which might well have beeu in their own pockets. They have therefore decided to form a co-opera-tive company of £15.000 to buy. sell, and ileal in copra and other produce, and generally curry on all business associated with I the planting Industry. Such au association [ already exists at Savu Savu, where the I Vnnua Levu planters ship their copra direct I from Savu Suvu, aud the results have been surprising In the greater return received.