COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 16911, 7 December 1918, Page 9

COMMERCIAL.

Applications for loans to tha amount of £7OO and l for 26 shares wore received during tho week by tho trustees of tho Money Club. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and IN .A. Cable Association. SYDNEY, December 6. Oats: Algerian feeding, 4s 6d to 4s 9d ; milling, 4s lOd; '.Tasmanian, 5s 3d to 5s 4d. Maize, 6s 4d to 6s sd. Potatoes: Tasmanian, £7 to £9. Onions, £l4. ADELAIDE, December 6. Oats, 3s lOd. CANADIAN CHEESE. Although tho manufacture of cheese in Western Canada is a more recent industry than the production of butter, it is steadily increasing. It is officially stated that 726,7251b was produced in Manitoba in 1915, 880,7281b in 1916, while last season over 1,000,0001b was made. The output of Alberta in 1915 was 531,6321b, in 1916 754,1221b, and last year in the neighborhood of one million pounds. Quality, which is a factor in tho butter produced, is also being given similar attention. It is considered that Alberta should be able to produce all the best kinds of cheese which are manufactured in Europe. The area is large and varieties of climate and soil aro in its favor. THE LEATHER INDUSTRY. After pointing out tho necessity for the control of leather in Great Britain, the ‘ Board oi Trade Journal ’ states that tho most important direct purchase is that of tunned kips and raw hides for upper leather from India. England had previously obtained large supplies of leather from enemy countries, although the Gorman and Austrian manufacturers drew the raw material for the leather to a large exten£ from the Indian Empire, and had captured an industry which formerly belonged to Great Britain. In addition, hides have also been purchased from New Zealand and from the occupied territory known as German East Africa. The most important, however, oi the hides imported dining the war have been tha heavy sorts required for military solo leather from Argentina. THE TEA TRADE. As one of the results of the cessation of hostilities, the effect on sonic commodities may bo very considerable, especially as regards tea at exporting centres. The position, however, is still a matter of tho release of freight for tea-carrying purposes. It is stated that Holland consumes some 40 million pounds of Java tea annually, and practically no shipments have been made to their markets in the past two years, owing to all steamers having been taken off the Java to Holland berth. Germany is also in want of tea, and it is expected that their trade will draw supplies from Java through Holland. When freight is available the demand for these two countries will probably absorb all tho Java production in a lew months following, throwing the weight of requirements for Russia and the building up of the United Kingdom stocks on to Ceylon and Calcutta. In Ceylon there aro no surplus stocks, and the crop lately having been very light supplies have been absorbed readily, without Russian buying. With the present curtailed shipping to the United Kingdom, should there bo an increased demand for England (and Russia wants 10 or 20 million pounds), the supply in the next few months (until Juno at the earliest) must bo much under needs, and prices in consequence may be well above tho present basis. In Calypitta it was calculated that shipments to the United Kingdom (at present curtailed), and trade with markets not including Russia, would absorb tire crop.