COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 14186, 11 October 1909, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

WILDER AND RILEY. TRADE CREDITORS PAID UP. Mr Thomas Smethurst, chartered accountant, of Manchester, who is acting as liquidator of the business of Messrs Wilier and Riley, Ltd., butter and provision merchants, recently announced that he had posted to all trade creditors of that firm notice of a third and final dividend_ of 2s 6d in the pound. With this the creditors will be in the fortunate position—foretold by Mr Smethurst almost at the outset of the liquidation proceedings—of having secured their full twenty shillings in the pound. It will be remembered that the insolvency of Messrs Willerr and Riley, Ltd., was brought about by tlie heavy defalcations on the part of a* former Danish Minister of Agriculture. There are no better prospects for the holders of ordinary shares of the company, but Mr Smethurst repeats that the surplus of assets will probably be sufficient to pay a dividend of a few shillings in the pound to preference shareholders.—‘ Manchester Guardian.’ THE LEAD MARKET. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, October 10. (Received October 11, at 9.15 a.m.) Load ; Imports, 5,236 tons; Australian, 2,534 tons; exports, 4,007 tons. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, October 10. (Received October 11, at 9.15 a.m.) Frozen Meat : Sheep—North Island 3 7-16 d, best brands 3 9-16 d; lambs Canterbury light 3 13-16(1, medium 3 9-16 d, heavy 3gd, Southland 3-id, North Istaud 3 7-16 d, selected brands 3£d; beef —fores 2fd, hinds 3j|d. Australian— Sheep, heavy 3d, light 3£d; lambs, unch;urged; beef, fores 23d, hinds old. River Plate—Sheep, heavy 3id, Imht 3|d ; lambs, 3£d. ~ GRAIN AND PRODUCE REPORTS. Messrs Donald Reid and Co., Limited, report—iVe held our weekly auction sale of grain and produce- at our stores today. At this season of the year basin ess in connection with produce is not brisk, and the attendance ol buyers was therefore smaller than usual. For suitable lines of oats, fowl wheat, and potatoes there was fair competition up to quotations, but in nearly all classes of produce medium and inferior quality was not in request. Values ruled as under,: — t Oats.—Good to prime feed and nulling Cartons and sparrowbills have fair inquiry* but stocks are now much reduced, and there is little offering locally. We have placed several lines from samples for direct consignment to buyers, and have further inquiries in the same direction. Quotations are practically unchanged. We quote; Prime milling Cartons,"is 7£d to Is 8d ; sparrowbills, Is 7d to Is 7J)d ; -rood to best feed, Is 6d -to Is 7d : inferior to medium, Is scl to Is 5d per bushel (sacks extra), \Vncat.—The market is without much animation Millers are still open to take choice lots, but are not keen to operate in other Qualities. Consequently only moderate business is being done. Good whole fowl wheat is not so plentiful, and has more attention. Medium and inferior is still difficult to quit. We quote : Prime milling, 4s 4d to 4s 5d ; medium to-good, 4s Id to 4s 3d ; best whole fowl wheat, 3s ICd to 4s; medium, 3s 4d to 3s 8d ; broken and damaged, 2s 6d to 3s 3d per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes.—Really good sound table potatoes are not offering freely, and these find ready sale at £5 to £3 6s. Medium are not in strong demand at £2 5s to £2 15s. while inferior, smalt or those showing much growth are difficult to place at £1 to £2 per ton (bags included). Chaff.—The market *is over-supplied with medium quality, for which there is slow sale. Prime oaten sheaf finds ready buyers at £2 10s to £2 15s; medium to good is difficult to quit at £2 to £2 7s 6d ; inferior and discolored alniost unsaleable at £llos to £1 15s per ton (bags extra). Straw.—The market is bare. We quote : Oaten and wbeaten, 32s 6d to 35s per ton (pressed).

Messrs Dalgety and Co. report as fol-lows:—-We held our weekly auction sale of grain and produce at our stores to-day. The attendance was poo-, and the bidding Lacked animation. Wo cleared onr cat? loguo, however, as under: Oats.—Offerings are very fight, but are just sufficient to satisfy the demand, hence very little business is passing. Prime milling Gortons, Is 71d to Is 8d ; prime milling sparrowbills. Is 7d to la 7Jd ; good to best feed. Is 5d to Is 7d; inferior to medium, Is 2d to Is 4d per bushel (sacks extra).

Wheat —The wheat market is quiet, but holders are more disposed to ease their reserves a Httle, 60 several lines havechanged hands at quotations to millers. Fowl wheat -“. not quite so plentiful, and prices are inclined to firm. We quote: Prime milling, 4s 4d to 4s sd; medium to good, 4s to 4s 2d ; best whole fowl wheat, 3s lOd to 4s; inferior and smutted, 2s 6d to 3s 6d. '

Potatoes,—Good, sound, freshly-picked Up-to-Dates are scarce this week, and really prime samples are readily placed at full rates. Inferior and stale'are not in request. Prime, freshly-packed TJp-to-Datcs, £2 10s to £2 15s; extra, to £2 17s 6d; medium to good, £1 10s to £2 5e per ton (sacks in).

Chaff.—Blight, well-cut oaten sheaf, of which there is very little offering, is asked for. and is readily placed at quotations. Medium and discolored are plentiful, and do not meet with such ready sale. Best oaten sheaf, £2 12s 6d to £2 15s; medium to good, £2 5s to £2 10s; inferior and discolored, 50s to 40s per ton (sacks extra). Straw.—Tire market is bare. We quote : Oaten, 32s 6d to 355; wheaten, 32s 6d to 35s per ton, pressed (ex truck). HIGH COMMISSIONER’S CABLE. WELLINGTON, October 11. The High Commdseioner cabled from London on October 9 : Mutton.—Nlarket firm, with a hardening tendency on account of small shipments expected. Hie stocks on hand arc light and firmly held in a few hands. The average price to-day for Canterbury mutton is 3|d ; North Island, sjrd; River Plate, 3|d. Lamb.—Market firm. The low price is encouraging good demand for all descriptions. The market has been favorably affected by the advance in mutton. Average price to-day for Canterbury lamb, s|d ; North Island, 3j<l. Beef.—'Market steady, and fair business doing. Average price" to-day; New Zeahinds, 3gd; fores, 2|d. Butter.—Demand moderate. Buyers are holding back expecting prices to go lower when colonial shipments arrive. The price of choicest New Zealand batter to-day is ilSii (for bast quality only); Danish, 1275; Siberian, 107s; Australian, 104s. Cheese.—Market quiet but steady. New Zealand, 67s Hemp,—The market remains firm, and business is apparently improving. New ‘Zealand good fair, on spot, to-day is quoted at £27 15s; fair grade, oo spot, £25 15s; fair currant Manila, £26 15s; forward shipment. October-December, New Zealand good fair, per too, £27 10s; New Zealand fair grade, £26 Mb; fair current Manila, £26 10s. The Manila output is 27,000 bales.

Cocksfoot Seed.—Better demand. The market is firmer. A few inquiries are being made by speculative buyers for cocksfoot seed. The average price for bright clean New Zealand cocksfoot seed, weighing 171b fler bushel, on spot, is 67s 6d. Wheat.—-Market weakening, with sin-ns °- a decline. Large shipments arriving from Russia and America axe affecting the market. New Zealand long-berried wheat ■on spot, ex granary, per quarter of 4961b’ 38s; short-berried, 375. Oats.—Market quiet but steady, with a fair demand for better grades. Beans.—Market steady, and prices well maintained. New Zealand beans, f.a.q_, new crop, per 5041b, 365. . Beas.—The market is firm, with more inquiry. New Zealand pease, partridge, per 5044b, 465. b