COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 12872, 23 July 1906, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

At Sydney on July 11 Mr Justice Cohen and a jury tried a case in which Mr Robert Lee, a local produce merchant, sought to recover- from Bowden and Co. compensation for alleged breach of contract for the delivery of certain consignments of onions. His Honor ruled as a matter of law that Little was entitled to delivery in good order and condition at Sydney, and therefore, prima fade, he cordd recover compensation amounting to the d-if-fCTcnco between the prices which he had consented to pay and the market quotation when the onions reached Sydney. 'The jurv gave plaintiff a verdict far £3,729. * VICTORIAN BUTTERLNE. Press Assockition—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE. July 21. The_ Board _of Health seized 3,0001b of buttorine, wbich was manufactured in this city. The grounds of the seizure- were that, the regulations had not been observed. THE PRICE OF COAL. Press Association—By Talegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, July 22. The coal importers will -reduce the price of coal by 2s 6d per ton from Monday next. The price was recently raised by a similar amount. THE WOOL SALES. Press Association.—By TeJegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July 22. (Received July 25, at.8.40 ajn.) The quantity of wool catalogued to date is 114,410 bales : sold for home consumption 58,000 bales, for the Continent 36,000 bales, America 4,000 bales; held, 18,000 bales. Compared with opening piices, greasy cross-breds were unchanged, scoured slipes were fully 10 per cent, cheaper, greasy merinoes 5 per cent, cheaper, secured faultier were to 10 per cent, below May rates. Trade prospects seem good, but buyers have lost confideace.

The New Zeala.nd Loan and Mercantile Ageucv Company have received the following advice by cable, dated 21st July, from their London office, regarding the closing of the July series of wool sales:—"As compared with last safes' closing rates, unices a.re lower for greasy merino super and scoured merino super by about 5 per cent., for medium merino and inferior by about 71 to 10 per cent., for cross-bred slipe and scoured cross-bred by about 10 per cent. to_ 15 per cent. Since close of last sales prices are lower by £d to Id for greasy merino lambs, and by Id to l-£d for greasy cross-bred lambs. The market for greasy cross-bred inferior is weaker. The sales closed fairly well this day." THE MARKETS. Press Association—By Tclegtapli—Copyright LONDON, July 22. (Received July 25, at 8.40 a.m.) Frozen meat: Canterbury lambs—Light, sd; medium., 4J<l; heavy, "4|d ; Southland and North Island, 4|<l. No business in rabbits. Herat) : Rather irregular. April and June, £54 15s. Copra : Very firm. £2O 15s is asked for a South Sea steamer shipment. Wheat : Shipments are quoted at 50s 7£d_and 51s I^l. Silver, 50 5-16 d per ounce. Copper-: Spot. £BO ss; three monOis. £79 17s 6d. ' Tin : Spot, £167 15s; three months. £167. Lead, £l6 12s 6d. Hides : Neglected. Heavy dry salted Sydney, 7§d. Leather is a farthing dearer. Wellington firsts, 12id; basils, id dearer; first Wellingtons, 19i<L " . THE r'" T T COMMIBSIONER'S-CABLE. WELLINGTON, Julv 25. The Deputment of Industries and Commerce has received the following caihle from the High &>mmissio'ner, dated London, July 21:—The mutton market is qniet, with no alteration in prices to report. The kanib market is steady, and shipments at present arriving are heavy. Stocks are distributed among agents, who are pushing sales, and large business has been done. Average price: Chtnterbury brands, sd; other lamb than Canterbury is quoted at 4-gd. The beef marlcet is depressed. Average price rating, 5Jd aiid for hand nnd forequarters respectively. The butter market is strong, and stocks are advancing. Price- prospects for next season are encouraging. Choicest New Zealand brand is selling at 107s. The stock is lower and smalL Danish is quoted at 115s, Canadiain at 105s per cwt. The cheese market is steady. The New Zealand supply is practically exhausted. White cheese is quoted at 64s and colored at 60s per cwt. Canadian makes are seHing at 58s per cwt. The hemp market is firm, owing to speculative demand. There have been, some heavy transactions. Price to-day. £55 per tan*. .£•£&•*«; Weninitoa jacatfe. "The cocJjs-

foot'seed market is quiet. If is reported that an American crop is expected, and good buyers are consequently keen to do business. Average price bright, clean Now Zealand seed, 171b bushel, 46s per cwt. Tlw wool market.is irregular, but it closed firm. Estimated value of different classics: Fine c/ross-bredss, all grades. Is 2d to Is 4d per lb; medium croes-breds, all grades,.. Is to Is 2d per lb; coarse cross-breds. all grades, to Is per lb; superior meaino, Is Id to Is 3d per lb; medium merino, lid to Is .Id per lb; inferior merino, 8d to per lb. There is general active demand, and trade is good. GRAIN AND PRODUCE REPORT. Donald Rcid and Co. report:—We held our weekly auction sale of grain and produce at oar stores to-day, when there was again a full attendance of local buyers. Our catalogue, which comprised nearly all tie lines in demand locally, was well competed for, and in most cases bidding reached our valuations or owners' reserves. Values ruled as under : Oats.-—With the exception of seed lines, for which a. few inquiries are being made, the demand for all classes is unchanged. Shippers are securing only small orders, and these are being filled *on the lxisia of late quotations. We quote : Prime milling, 2s 3J,d to 2s 4d; good to best feed, 2s 2£d to 2? 3d; inferior to medium, 2s to 2s 2d i per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat.—For all wheat of prime quality the market is a shade firmer, although prices are practically unchanged. Medium quality is not in favor, but fowl wheat continues to move off locally and in small lots for shipment at late rates. We quote: Prime milling, 5s 5d to 3s 6d; choice Tuscan, 3s 7d to 3s_Bd ; medium, 3s 3d to 3s 4£d ; whole fowl wheat, 3s Id to 3s 2d; broken and damaged, 2s 9d to 3s per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes.—Prime seed lines are in most demand a.t prices fully equal to or somewhat in advance of late values. Next in favor come prime table Dcnvents, which are not offering freely. Medium qualities cannot be so readily dealt with, and lines in doubtful condition are difficult to place. We quote : Good seed, £ll 10s to £l2 10s; choice, to £l3; best table sorts, £lO 15s to £ll 10s; medium to good, £9 5s to £lO 10s ; inferior and faulty, £7 to £9 per ton (sacks included). Chaff.—The-market ha 3 been more roily supplied, and although medium to good qualities have suffered slightly, prices for prime bright oaten sheaf show little variation. Inferior and discolored lots have no I inquiry. Wc quote : Best oaten sheaf, £3 17s 6d to £4; choice lots, £4 2s 6d to £4 ss; medium to good, £3 10s to £3 15s; light and inferior, £3 to £3 5s ; straw chaff, £2 10s to £2 15s per ton (bags extra-). Turnips.—These met slightly better demand to-day, and several trucks of good swedes sold at 19s to 20s per ton (loose, ex •brack). Straw.—Bright oaten straw is in' fair demand at £2 5s to £2 7s 6*l. Wheaten is fairly plentiful at 30s to 32s 6d per ton pressed. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. The following table shows the value of the exports of produce of the colony (compiled from Customs returns) for the years ended 31st March, 1905 and 1906: 1905. 1906. Beef £ 192,404 £ 181,519 Mutton 1,323.800 1,094,107 Lamb 1,123,112 1,158,591 Butter _. ._ 1.514.156 1,443.284 Cheese _. _ ... 180.874 265.034 Wool ... „. ... 5,380,193 6,028,095 Hemp ._ 730.803 690,577 Potatoes 9.72-2 2,268 Wheat 84,955 148,248 Oats 184,953 88.942 Barky 12.142 11.263 The total value of exports of New Zealand produce and manufactures for 1905 was £15,381.330, and for 1906 £16,109,735. '["ho following table gives the total area, and the area in occupation in the North, South, and Stewart Islands in October, 1905 : Total Area iu Toh.il Area. Occupation. .Veres. Acres. North Island ... 28,459,520 14.607,972 South Island ... 37,456,000 22,527.392 Stewart Island 425,600 32.096 Totals ... 66,341,120 37.167.460' On the 31st October, 1905. there were 326,966 horses, mules. ;ind asses in the colony, 1.810,936 cattle (including 517.720 dairy cows) and 249.727 swine. On the previous October the numbers were: Horse,-, etc, 314,770; cattle, 1,736,850 (498,241 dairy cows); swine. 255,320. At the end of April 30. 1905, the sheep totalled 19,130,875, as against 18.280,806 on the previous xVpriT. The actual yields of corn crops, grasses, etc, for the' years 1904-05 and 1905-06 were:— 1904-05. 1905-06 Wheat (bushels) 35.36 30.60 Oats (bushels) ... „ _. 42.53 35.86 Barley (bushels) 38.26 54.54 Rye (bushels) 28.00 38.00 ' Maize' (bushels) ._-... 48.63 60.39 Peas {bushels) 33.09 29.89 Beans (bushels) 35.34 33.21 Ryegrass (bushels of 201b) 23.95 52.23 Cocksfoot (in pounds) ... 223.90 237.14 Potatoes (tons) ... 5.1.1 4.59 The wheat, oats, barley, rye, maize, peas, and beans given are for threshing only.