FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1507, 1 August 1912, Page 8

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL.

NEWS AND NOTES.

FARMERS' UNION. - —; c— DOMINION CONFERENCE FiESUMED. LAND MATTERS DISCUSSED. . SETTLEMENT AND T.ENUEE. The annual Dominion conference of the New Zealand Pariners' Union was resumed yesterday, morning, when tho southern delegates, ivho had been delayed (ho previous duy, rook their seats. ■ Tlio chair was. occupied by Mr. G. W. Leadley, yicc-presidcut. A leUer was received from tho president, Jfr. J. G. Wilson, expressing appreciation of the messago. of synipatliy sent him by the conference. Mr. Wilson added that his medical adviser had counselled ilini not to travel at present. His illness, however, was not serious, anil he hoped soon"to be able to travel again. The chairman expressed the hope that J -Mr: Wilson would ettect a: speetiy recovery, ami that he would be al>ic io attend t lie coni'erence' before tile enci ol' tlie week. ' • The Delegates, Those present at the cont'ersnce are:— Messrs. vi. \V. Leadley, Ashbufton; J. 0; .Cooper, Maiterton; Ewan .CainpbeTi, augiiiiui; Kichards, Levin; W. , J. iSireh, Aiarteij iUajor Lusic and Captain .C'olbcck, Auckland; J. E. Loue and K'.i Chambers, Mawkc's Hay; 12, iiaxwell, . /i'aranaki; 1. Tiinnicliffe and Geo. Dodson, Nelson; H. A. Nevins, \V.-B„ Matheson, and IV Jfoss, Wellington; A..Mackay and H. D. Vavasour, Xi.ehheiui;. A. \V. -Vesliot and G. Anderson, Pelorus Sound; G. Slieat, W. Lill, H. Evans, and.J, Talbot, South Canterbury; J). il. Phillip and Jas. -Begg,' Otago; T. W. I'oster'and John ; .M'Oucen.-Southland.'' '•'JMie address pre|iare;l by the president, n precis of which'.was published yesterday, was' read to the conference by the - secretary. Jlr. M'Qucen'said he thought the farmers were, very fortunate.in having.a man. among them who could produce such an" excellent, address. . He" thought the.address should be circulated to" every member of'the union-throughout New Zea'lAnd. He would even go further,' and ask. that it should bo circulated' broadcast throughout New Zealand. It was the best reply possible to the query often .raised, "What has the union doner" Mr. G. She'at agreed with Mr. M'Qiieen. ■lie thought the address, was an education. . The chairman remarked .hat full copies, of the address had been foi warded to all the newspapers.' , • . It was dccide'd to thank the president forhis able address, and to hnye it print-ed-''-in tlio records of the conference. Union's' Land, Policy. The Wellington branch moved that the following planks of the union's platform be re-aflirined:— . . Ko.ll "That when rural Crown lands arc thrown-.opMi .for snttlement the provisions, of the' Land. Act should -be carried out, so that selectors may hu\ c a ehr-ice of ,temii;e, as provided 'for, viz.. purchase' for c-.ish, lease with option of purchase, lease'in nerpetuity. No. 3. "That nil holders of land in lease in perpotnity.or perpetual lease, or small "grazing- runs, have the right to purchase tho freehold at any time after the .improvement conditions have b;on complied with, either by immediate cash payment or payment extending ever an indefinite time, reduction . of rentoih). be lnado iii proportion to- such payments. No transfer to t:o registered unless such transfer has attached a declaration by the purchaser in terms of the Land Act and Land for Settlement Act. No. R. "That Crown tenants on tho "louse.in-perpetuity'tenure have the right to acf[tiire the freehold of their holding on payment, by the lessee, of the original .Value, and the, payment of the differcnco betiveep the 4-per ccnt. new ,charged on the lease in p'erpotiiitv and Uie-'5 per cent. • charged to - tenants with right, to purchase." - - ... Jlr... Birch (tho. mover) said it was 'thought by the Wellington. Provincial Coni'erence that it well that, this should be neilerated as one of. the main planks of the platform. The motion was carried, and the land policy reaffirmed.. : Vigorous Land Settlement. On behalf of Auckland, Mnjor Lnsk moved,that the Government bo urged to adopt a vigorous land'settlement policy, so that any suitable land, wholly or partially unused or unoccupied, whether held by_ Natives, by the Crown, or by . private- individuals, may be made available . under _ the optional system for close sett.l.?mont in "sufficient areas to meet the requirements of all genuine settlers. Tim mover said a vigorous land policy was the. thing abxve all others needed to increase tlio 'prosperity of Now Zealand. ■At ;ill the recent land sales in .Auckland Uibr? , had been all average of 30 applicants. 'J'liis' showed that sufficient land had not been ottered for thoss wishing to go on the land. In his opinion the' time . bail arrived;when the Government should .lie urged; to open up the Native lands. Tho Natives were riot using one-twentieth of tiifir land, and-were not only paying lio rate, but were'holding the. country back: This was not the fault of tho .Natives, but of the legislation of the country. . . Captain Colbeck seconded, the motion. The remit asked that all unused land should bo used.' lie would like to see the position obtaining that there would always lie more land ofi'cring than there' were applicants fo'r. Mr. M'Qiieen "said he was in sympathy iwith .tha motion,' but" it was.-a little tco vague when it referred to unused lands. He would also like to see endowment lands brought in. Some of theso lands were fit far agriculture, but only ran a few miserable cattle. He held that this was unused land. Unused land was land that was-not put -tij proper, use;. The tenure of " these lands,, was. not 'such that (they could be improved. The remit was carried. . Acquisition of Small. Farms, The Hawkc's Bay Union (Mr. Chambers) moved: "That the attention of the Mini-ter for Lands be drawn to_ tho ne-c'e.-Aih- of .giving the best facilities for acquiring farms 'in small areas, and that owners of large estates be encouraged to" 1 cut up their-land into suitable areas for small farming." The' mover said laud settlement was the best safeguard ..against, any legislation that was inimical to the fanning inters-ls and the interests of the community as a whole. When a man fot on the land ho became a thinking man mut it was to the interests of farmers to get . as.,many of _ these thinking men ouf tho,land a*; possible. They wanted more' fanners and as many as they could get. Mr. .T. E. Lane seconded the motion. Mr. M'Quren suggested that, the remit v. as Unnecessary. Owners of land hnd enough inducement to cut up their land at pre-ent in the high taxalbn, high nrieos for land, nnd the scarcity of la- ( l)our. The money was worth move to tlio oivnor.s than the land. Tie did not , think the remit had been fully thought. Olll". ' | Mr. Campbell remarked that a jood deal was snid by politicians about'en(■enraging the town man to go on the land,- but tliov 1 lien put a residential clause in the Land Act. If. they wanted to induce people to leave the town and ' "go~on ,'t.hc laud the residential clause should be done a\vay"'with. They could nut a slilV improvement clause in so that the land must be improved by the man on it or his employee!-, but the rosi- J dentin' clause kept men off. : - Tho motion was earned after a long ( ; discussion.. . i System of Purchase Condemned. j The North Canterbury Union moved: J "That this conference recommend the J Government to discontinue the practice of buying comparatively small iiighl.v-im-proyed farms with large steiidini-'s instead of large unimproved properties." Mr. Sheaf, the mover, said they did not want .to settle farmers ill mansions,

but ou tho laud. The peaple should get quantity and not highly-improved land. Tho remit was carried. j Limitation of Area. Tn regard to limitation of area Mr. Richards. Wellington, moved: "That this conference is in favour of the limitation of area, but before this could be given eftect to the lands of the Icminion should be caretVJy and practically classified." The mover said the union had always been in favour of limitation of area but some of the land had been cut. up witiia out due regard to classification as to what tho larnis could produce " An amendment was moved bv Jlr. Lane 1 that the conference is in favour of limi- - lation of area for all Crown lauds thrown open tor settlement, and that such land Mioiild be carefully classified prior to disposal. This was seconded by Mr. Mathesou, - and carried. • • ; The Optional Tenure. Two motions were moved by Major 1 Luslc on behalf of Auckland, bearing on ■ the optional, tenure. Tliov were- "That ; rural Endowment lands wliich have failed , to hnd occupiers be thrown open for selection under tho optional tenure, proceeds tioni same to bo re-invested for endow- : mout purposes." "That this meeting is in tavonr of all Crown lands being ofcrcd on the optional tenure, and that all Crown tenants bo granted the option of puicnasing at tho original value, plus 1 1 >C ?" c ® n t- per annum, compound interest." liotli motions were carried. Native Lands. Lusk moved that the disposal ot all Crown and Native lands lie under the optional tenure. Ml". Campbell remarked that if the lands were sold the -money should be invested by the Put,lie Trustee otherwise they would eventually have to keep a large number, of the Natives. An amendment moved, by Jlr. Maxwell as under was accepted by Major Lusk and passed: That Native lauds when acquired by the Crown or brought under the administration of la nil boards, be offered under tho optional tenure, and that twothirds of the proceeds (when such lands are sold), be invested bv the Public Trustee for the benefit of tho Native owners. Crown Leases. - M''- WH. North' Canterburv, moved: 'that in. all districts where' existing Crown land leases aro about lo expire, the local body in whoso district such lands are, be represented on the board appointed to adjust tho system of tenure and the rents of such lands.'.' The motion was seconded bv Mr. Sheat and carried. " Unsatisfactory Valuation. Mr. Sheat, for the North Canterbury I' moil, moved: "That this conference is of opinion that the Government system of land valuation is not satisfactory, and considers that a local body should have power to appoint a suitable man to act with the Government Land, Valuer." The mover said ,that unless the local bodies had the right to put a valuer to work with tho Government valuer, the farmer was penalised. This would get rid of objections, and lead to a fairer and more satisfactory valuation. Very often the Government valuation was excessive through no local man being with the valuer. The land should bo valued on its producing value, and not on tho valuations of contiguous lands. Mr. Talbot thought they should be very careful before they urged any alteration in the present system. Tlio "valuer had plenty to guide hiin in assessing the value. Mr. Maxwell remarked that there had been a great improvement ill valuations ol late, and tilings were now in a fairly satisfactory 'state. If the number of .valuers was doubled, l the expense would be doubled. The matter wa l ; discus.-ed at considerable length, and tho motion was eventually carried. Improvements and Rating. _Mr. Jlaxwoll, on behalf of the Taranaki Union, moved: "That the Valuation of Lands Act he so altered as to permit of all improvements of whatever nature made .to land', and also capita] value, on a 5 ,per cent, basis, of any special rates paid on suca land for ronding, drainage, river protection, and water supply, being reckoned as improvements." Mr. Maxwell said that in Taranaki the farmers did. not think they, were getling . the credit they should for improvements. Things had improved of late, but there was room for further improvement. The motion referred only to farm iands. The motion was seconded by Mr. Eichards, and carried after some discussion. ' V ' 1 ' The Land Tax Sufficient. The Marlborough Union moved that a strong protest should be forwarded to the Government against any increase in the , . land tax. The mover. Mr. Vavasour, said the fanning community had ns much burden in taxation as they could stand. If the taxation continued to be heaped on, the gocso that produced the golden egg would be killed. It was time tho farmers said that taxation had gone far enough, as the burden was becoming unbearable. Mr. Mackay seconded the motion. Practically, the one industry in New Zealand was farming, and it -was a cruel thing to single the farmer out aud tax him. Tho farmers were levied on up to tho hilt, and 'f the producing community was' wiped out the country-would be bankrupt m six month?. ' -Mr. Matheson moved that the words any increase in" should be deleted. TV land tax, in his opinion, was thoroughly undeinocratic; statesmen were afixiid to tackle this big question. We must, he added, have a tax on every .man's in'come, howHv *r small it was, without inception. Those who had accumulated wealth shou.d pay a second tax, but not on then; lauo. Town and country .should be rated not un their acreage, bufon their wealth. Mr. M'Qneen thought the motion should be withdra-vn. They should give the Government in poiver a free hand. He thought they would nirely trust; the lieform party. Jt they could not, they would put them out—(lalighter)—but lie,had not the least doubt that tnc Government would do .justice to the farmer as regards, taxation." Major Lusk said the "motion simply suggested that the burden should not 1-e increased, and this, he thought, would stmigtlvsn tho hands of the? Government". Jlr. vavasour, in reply, said -everybody recognised that there must be taxes, but tlio position vvas that they considered that the land tax had gon? far enough Tho amendment .was Inst, only the mo\er \olinvj tor it, and the original uio* tion was carried. Several members asked that their votes ; should be .recorded as they considered the : motion should have hecn withdrawn. i Taxing Native Lands, . 1 . "That all Native lands, shall be placed i ou the same tooting for taxation purposes i bath local and general, as lauds held by ■ Europeans, and all lands not required for 1 I 10 Natives' own use be purchased by ! the Government, and offered under the op- ' tiount system." j Such was tho wording of a motion for- 1 warded by laranaki. and moved bv Mr. I .Maxwell. . ' 1 The mover said his experience wasibat. ' it was almost impossible <to collect rates . on Native lands. I'requeutiv the Natives 1 were simply squatters on tiio land, and ( did nothing to improve it. j Major Luslc pointed out that the "of. I tiers in his district felt, it hard that the ; Natives used all the conveniences, and I paid nothing for tlieui, and not only this 1 but the value of their lands was increased by the improvements lor which they paid nothing. The motion was carried. , j The Mortgage"Tax. J A remit from North Canterbury asked 1 .that the Government be requested (o { amend the mortgage tnx sa Unit the iueoi'.ie derived from mortgages, and not tile principal, be subject lo taxation. \ Jlr. Vavasour moved au amendment '' that the Government be requested to abolish the tax on mortgages, and that mortgages on land should not be included in the graduated tax. ' The original motion was curried. Composition of Land Boards. d It was decided on the motion of the 1 .Wellington Union that all land boards 1 i

consist of live lnciiilu-rs— I wo be elected by I lie Crown tenants, the Uovernment to appoint- two, and the Coinmisdonoi- of Crown I,anils in each district Ui lie tiie chairman; jin-l ineiiibeis to be elected for three years. The Fcncing Act. .An amendment of the Fencing Act was asked by Captain Colbeck, Auckland, >11 L at to give landowners power to compel adjoining owners to keep dividing-fences clear of jcriib and other noxious growths for a distance at least of twenty-two feet, such law to lie brought into elTeot by the request of local bodies in their owii dis- '• triefs. s The conference adjourned at f>.3o, and 1 spent the evening in committer. I'ro- [ feeding* will be continued et 9.30 this ' morning. ij BUTTER IN COOL STORE. 1 THE TOTAL TO DATE. The butter in cool store?, according " to figures compiled np to yesterday bv I the Agricultural Department, show a'total of 2",1!)0 boxes, as against 1717 at the same date Ja.-t year. At the end of April the stock was 31,8.'12 boxes, and at May HI 1 it. had risen to 01,103, dropping again by the end of .Time to 51,035 boxes. The details of the .stocks at June 30 and July 31 are as under:— Boxes Boxes .Tune 30,1012. July 31,1912. Auckland 1S,03I! ]0,7G2 New Plymouth ...- 8.03(1 1,127 Pa tea 3,71:8 1,fi83 Wellington 13,0 M 0,&8G Lyttelton 4,0511 1,1)28 Dunedin 3,142 2,704 Total 51,035 27,190 There is big money in dairying, but it fakes a combination of good management and up-to-dato equipment to secure the largest profits. The farmer who continues to milk his herd by Iwjkl cannot hope to succeed as well ns % his neighbour who uses a Milking Machine, driven by an "An- ] derson" Oil Engine. These are" the thingsthat make dairying highly profitable. Tf you decide to instal a Milking' Plant this season—anil,it will, pay you handsomely to do,so—stipulate that an "Anderson 1 ' Oil Engine be supplied to provide, tho driving power. The "Anderson" is a powerful and thoroughly reliable engine that is built in New Zealand specially for farm work, in the .Dominion. It is simple, strongly, constructed, and very economical. Full particulars will be sent 011 application to the manufacturers, Anderson Ltd., Christchureh and Wellington—Advt. Success is quite an easy thing to obtain v.'hen you go after it in the right way. Mangatoki, Eltham, and other Dairy Factories have gone in for greater success b.v installing "Victor" Vats.. If you want to niako tho coming season the best yet, place your order for "Victor" Vats now. No time should bo lost as a large Lumber of Vats has been ordered for early delivery. Albert J. Tarton, manufacturer, Carterton.—Advt. A WINNER OF COMPETITIONS. The Egg-laying Competitions for 1910-11 and 1911-12 were both won by pens reared 011 ''A. and. P." Chick Raiser. 'The firstessential for profitable poultry keeping, Obtaihable from all Storekeepers.' LIVE STOCK SALES. Messrs.:' Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report on their Johnsonvillo sale, hoid yesterday, a» follows:—A full yarding of both sheep and cattle of good quality came forward. Bullocks were' rather' slow' at sale, but sheen met with good demand. Prime heavy bullocks, JS9 17s. Cd. to £10 55.: lighter. £9 lCs. to £9 l®s. 6d.: light, £8 155.: veal'crs, 2&5.; extra-prime heavy ewes, 21s. 7d. to 21s. 8d..: medium ewes, 17s. 6d. to 18s. 7d.: plain, 15s. 2d. to 165.; prime heavy wethers. 235. 6d.: prime wethers, 22?. to 22,5, 7d. Messrs. James Macintosh and Co. report having; held their weekly sale in their Waipoua Yards (Masterton) yesterday, when they offered a very good yarding. well above advertised numbers. These met with a ready sale, and tho whale (with the exception of two pens of olieep-60 in all) were sold under tho hammer at prices well in advance ,of late rates. Sheep: Fat ewes, 16s. 7d.; forward ewes, 12s. lGd.; 2 and ■'-tooth wethers, 17st: f.m. ewes in lamb, Ks. 2d.: 4-tooth to f.m. ewes in lamb,- 14s. f.m.'ewes in lamb (poor condition), 9s. 9d„ :lCs. 4d. to lis, 6d.; lambs, 9s. 9d., 10s. 2d. to 10s. 6d. Cattle: Station heifers in calf. £4 17s.' 6d.; cows in calf, £4 10s. ITorses and sundries at good prices. COMMERCIAL ITEMS. INVESTMENT SHAKES. A sale of Wellington Woollen preference shares at 58s. was the only transaction recorded in investment shares yesterday. .The buying and selling quotations were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Metropolitan Building-... 12 8 0 — N.Z. Loan, and Mercantile 0 9 0 — N.Z. and liiver Plate ... 1 19 9 2 0 3 Well. Investment 0 11 9 — Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 15 0 — Christchureh Gas» 8 12 6 . 8 15 0 Feilding Gas 10 0 ' — Gisborne Gas 2 12 0 . — Well. Gas (£10) IB 5 0 18 10 0 'Gisborne Ga>s (£10) 18 5 0 18 10 0 Well. Gas (pref.) 10 3 10 9 National Insurance 119 0 — N.Z. Insurance — 4 17 0 Standard Insurance 111 0 — Meat Export (525.. Gd.) ... — 3 3 6 Union Steam ....: 2 3 0 — Well. Ferry (IBs.) 0 12 0 0 16 0 Mosgiel Woollen — 3 8 0 Well. Woollen (ord.) 3 10 0 3 16 0 Well. Woollen (pref.) — 2 18 3 Hikurangi Coal 0 16 3 0 19 3 Tauniri Coal 12 6 13 0 Leyiand-O'Brien — 17 0 N.Z. Powell Wood — 110 Tiwingamutu Totara — 2 '7 9 Donagliy Rope and Twine 15 0 — Golden Bay Cement — 110 Manning and Co 4 0 0 4 3 0 N.Z. Drug ill I — Sliarland's ordinary — 13 0 The courso of sales during tho past month was as under:— National Bank, £6 2s. 6d. National Mortgage, B2s„ 81^; Wellington Investment, lis. 6d., lis. edits. 6d. National Insurance. 395.. 395„ 395., 395., 395. Standard Insurance. 31s. Ohristnhurch Meat, £15 7s. 6d. Meat Export (.£5), ..£5 ss. Meat, Exnort (525. 6d.).' 605., 605., 605.. 60b.. 605.. 62?. 6d.. 635. Fcilding Gas.' 20s. 3d. Mc-triel Woollen. 68s. Wellington Woollen (ordinary), 68s. Wellington Woollen {preference), 58s„ 58s. Westnort Coal, 28s. Tauniri Coal, 225. 6d. I.evland-O'Brien Timber. 275., 275. N.Z. Paper Mills. 21s. 9d. N.Z. Drug, 515., 51s. Sharland's ordinary, 235., 23?. WELLINGTON MARKETS. Messrs. Laery and .Co.. Ltd., wholesale produce merchants, Allen Street, report prices ru.ling on the Wellington marketFowls wheat., best, 4s. 2d. to 4s. 4d per bushel; fowls' barley, best 3s. 6d. to 3s 9d pet- bushel: Cape barley seed, 3s. 9d. per bushel: oats, short feed 2s. 9d. to 3 S . per bushel: oats, seed Algerians 3s. 4d. to 3s. 6d. per bushel; oats, Duns fe. lOd. to 3s. per bushel: maize, 63. 4d. per bushel: Prussian bine peas. 6s. 9d. to 7s. per bushel • partridge peas, 3s. 9d. to 4s. pel- bushelhorse beans, 4s. 2d. to 4s. 4d. per bushel : sucroscne. £7 10s. per ton; 1 flour. Atlas brand, £9 Us. 6d. per ton: oatmeal £13 10s. to £14 per ton; pollard, £7 5s per t s, n: » barley mcal ' £1 6s - " cr ton: pea meal. £7 10s. per ton; bran. £5 15s. to £6 per tonchatf, prime oatensheaf, £5 15s. per ton : chaff, medium quality oatensheaf. £4 5s to £4 iss. per toll; ehatr, straw, £3 10= "peltoil: straw, baled, £3 to £3 10s. per tonfactory baeon, shoulders, Bd. per Hi • =id<v' 9Jd. per lb.; lnuis. 9|d. per lb.; rollVioid'. per lb.: factory cheese, medium sized, 71J per lb.;.factory cheese, la;ir sized. 73d. per lb.; honey, bulk, m 561b. tins, 4J.d per lb ■ margarine, in 28lli. tins. B.UI. per lb.; whole linseed, 18s. per cwt.: linseed, ground, 225. per cwt.; lin.-ecd. cake. 14s. per cwt.- linseed. nuts, 13s. 6d. per cwt.: basic stag. £4 ss. per ton: £4 to £5 per ton; rolled oats; 9s. per dozen; roll- 1 cd oats, bulk, 16s. wr 100; ii"tatis«. prime tabic, £610s. to £7 per ton: teed potatoes,TJn-to-Dates £6. Heauty of ileliron £9 10s., Ear- 1 ly liotc £9 10s.. Gamekec|ier.s £8. l!uhic<<ud £6 pel- I 011; Early Puritan. £8; White Elepliant, £7: Early Vermont. £9 10s.; onions. , prime, £13 lCs. 10d. per ton. ' ' - I LAND SALE. - The Ifawke'ii Day Farmers' Cooperative ' Association, Ltd., report:—Competition for' ' the sections offered by auction at Matamau S on Tuesday was rather disappointing and < Hie .pricc* offered did not come up to ', vendors' ideas of value. We expect, how- , ever, to dispose of the bulk 01 Leighton's property, in tile course of a few flays. 1 v.Cnstoms duties collected at the port or 1 41 011 i' c '-tel'<Kiy amounted to £1225 f men COJUIISSIOXEIt'S CABLEnitAM. r 'Ilic Department of Agriculture. Com- ( mercc, and Tourists has received tho fat- ' lowing cablegram from the High Commissioner tor New Zealand, dated London July 50. 1912. (Note.—Ouotalions.'; unle-.; otherwise specified, are average market : jjrires Oil ppot.);-~ 1 htfes.--Flic markK is firoi. ifr>oa fj<». I inand for all descriptuiis, J?cr ISO; flomua.'

1 lC.s. to lis. 6i1.; JTalinn. 9s. 3d. to s<l, French, 10.-!. to 12*. 6d.; Auplrian, ti*. sii i» to 9».; Kussiun, 7s. to Bs. 6d.; Dutch, 9.- - to 12a.; Danish. 9*. 2d. to 10s. SO. Poultry.—The market is firm, owing t.t ( reduced supplies. Chickens: Homo, lid. i,t I.*. "fi- per lb. Diiolcllii<rs: Home, 7ad. t'. B*d. per lb. Turkeys: American, l«. poi lb. Hacon.—The record high prices have rc 5 slricted business, but now there is a firn , market, with a good demand on accoun , of thu holiday requirement*. Sides: Irish 1 70s. to 60s. per cwt.: Danish, 625. to 795. *5 635. to 765.: Nubian, 48*. to 625. * Canadian. 60s. to 71s. > Dutch. 725. to 745. Ham-'.—The market is ouiet, but steady * Irish. 925. to 108s. per cwt.: English, 84s to IC'-s.; Canadian, 68s. to 81s.; American 61?*. to 755. 1 LONDON WOOL SALES. " 13y Telcm'p.nh—Pices Association—Cop-Tris- ' London, July 30. At the wool sales there Mas a large otfer ins of New Zealand crossbreds. Prices showed some irregularity, but, generally were unchanged. The following are prices realised for the fleece portions of the clips named:—Ari ton ICd.. average 9Ad.: Taratalii. 14d. ami IOAd.; Glynn, lljd. and IOHd. ; (lice. July 31. 10.15 p.m.) I London, July 31. 1 The following arc the prices realised at ' the tfool sales for the fleece portions of the clips named:—Mapu, top pric<* 9d.; average price, 8&d. Mauza, 12d. and 9id. Cricklcwood, Ud. and 9£d. The- Vfolds, llid. and lO&d. . Messrs. Levin and Co., Ltd.. have received cable advice from their London agents that tin! following clips have been. sold at the sales now . current, on their behalf, the prices named being the average price real* ised for the flcece wool in each instance:— Paerau over Pukckak.i Ofoaivhanga), 8 13-16 d.; Pirinoa (Martinborough), 9 3-Ed.; Otauiri (Hunterville), ICd.; D 31 G (Wanganui), 8 U-16d.; Mapu (Marton\ BSd.; ICa-wa Kawa (East Coast). 8 15-16 d.; Richmond Brook, ecoured (Marlborough), 17 3-Bd. STOCK EXCHANGE PRICES. By Telegraph—Press Association—CoDyright London, July 30. The latest quotations arcDalgety and Co., £98; Goldsboroligh, Jlort and Co.. £98 ss. 'TALLOW. ' (Rcc. July 31, 10.15 p.m.) London, July 31. There were no tallow sales to-day. : "'' METALS. (Rcc. July 31, 10.15 p.m.) London, July 31. Copper—On spot, £77 12s. 6d. per ton; three months, £77 15s. Tin.—On spot, £204 ss. per ton; three months, £202.. Lead, £18 15s. per ton. SILVER. London," July 30. Bar silver is quoted at 27|d. per ounce standard. • " MINING NEWS. WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET. A sale of Waitangi at 2s. 4d. reported at the afternoon call was the only transaction recorded, in mining shares yesterday. The buying and selling yuotations were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Mountain Kins — 0 0 3 New Bis River 4 10 0 — New Sylvia 0 0 7 — Ross Reconstructed 0 5 6 0 5 10 Talisman 1 19 0 1 19 .6 Waihi Grand Junction ... 1 1 3 119 Waitangi 0. 2 2 0 ' 2 4 The course of .'ales during the past month was as under:— New Sylvia, £d. New Big River, 895., 90s. Ross RefoiKtructed, ss. 10d„ ss. 10d., 6s. Id.. ss. lid., ss. lid., Cs. 2d..' 6s. 3d. Talisman, 425. 6(1., 415.. 40s. 6d., 38s. 9d„ 3£s. 6d„ 375. 9d„ 375. 6d.. 335. 9d„ 395., 395„ 395. 6d., 395. 9d.. 395. 9d.. 395. 9d.. 395. 9d.. 39.'. 7}d.. 395., 395. 6d.. 395. 6d., ,395. 6d„ 395. 6d. Waihi, 365. £d., 365. 6d., 365. 6d., 355. i Waihi Grand Junction, 225. 6d., 225. 6d. t 21s. 6d„ 215.. 3d., 225. 3d., 21s. 9d„ 21s. 9d„ 21.5. 9d. . . Waihi Reefs." lUrl. Waitangi, sd„ sd„-sd„ 75d„ 6Jd., 7d„ Is. 6d.. ls.i 8d„ 2s. 4d. The Wellington Stock Exchange received the following telegram yesterday from tho New Big River Co.:— "Fortv-sccond dividend. Is. 6d., declared last night, payable August 2; also £1500 carried reserve, making fund now £7500." TALISMAN' ORE RESERVES. . At the annual meeting of ' shareholders of the Talisman Consolidated, held in London. 'on June 18, Mr. George Wilson, one of. the directors, in dealing with the auestion: "What is the life of the Talisman mine?" said: "No man can tell what its life will be, but we believe that there are years of profitable work and dividends in front of u*. On February 28. 1907, tho manager estimated 69.GC0 tons of ore in sight, valued at £221.000. Well, lie took out during the following twolvo months 46,CCD tons, producing £197,000, and still left in the initio an estimate of 67.003 tons, valued at £257.CC0. ; In the following year he produced £208.C00. and left £274 XOO. out of which he extracted the following year and left £205.000. In 1910-11 lie took out £207.000, and, estimated in sight "£299 .CCS. out of which lie took £236.000 during 1911-12, and estimtaes now for 191213, £592,C0G.' So that each yoar lio has developed as miicli or more gold and silver as lie has taken out during the year. The highest estimate during the fivoj years was £299.250, and the average was £251,650; yet during that period we , have •. extracted £1,050,CC0, proving that,the estimates given are on the mpst conservative basis." BLUE CREEK. . The mine manager of Blue Crcok reports that the sawpi't has been erected, and a large amount of timber cut. Iluts for the men have been completed, as also have the rails and > sleepers for the tramway, from the main, tunnel to, the battery site. All is now ready to commence tunnelling, and the minors engaged for the work are expected vto start- this week, working two shifts. The erection of the battery' is now being got on with, and the Government are working on the formation of- a 1 dray road fnto the property. STOCK EXCHANGE. (By TelezraDh.—Press Association.) Auckland, July 31. Business done at first call:— May Queen, Is. 2d. Waitanyi, 2s. 6d. and SS. Id. . New Sylvia, 7d. and Bd. Victoria, 6d. Ross, ss. 7d. Waihi, £1 135,. New Waitaia, Is. Id. Auckland Trams (ord.), £1 4s. Business done at tho 3.15 p.m. call today was as follows:— I New Sylvia, 71d., BJd., 9d. Waitangi Consolidated, 2s. 2d., 2s. Waihi, £1 13s. Kuranui Caledonian, Is, 3d. Bonanza, ljd. Saxon, 9d. Kauri Timber Co., 17s. Dunedln, July 3L Tho following sales wero reported on tho Stock Exchango to-day:— : Waihi, £1 13s. (two parcels). I Waihi Grand Junction, £1 Is. 4d. GOLD RETURNS,' Auckland, July 31. Returns from various gold-producing properties in the Auckland districts during the past month amount to £34,582 18s. led., compared with the output for Juno of £30.039 13s. Id. This shows an increase of £4543 ss. 9d., but with the yield for the month "of July, 1911, when the'total rimount was £88.155 ss. 6d., the large decrease of £53,592 6s. Bd. is shown. The difference is accounted for by the absence of returns from the Waihi and Waihi Grand Junction mines owing to the strike, trouble.