COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6098, 3 June 1881, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Maw Zealand Herald Office. Thursday evening. The Customs duties to-day amounted to £751 15s lid. Business has exhibited a slight improvement during the past week. Money is still very plentiful, and lenders experience much difficulty in finding satisfactory securities. There has been but little business doing in the sharemarket. New Zealand and National Banks, and National Insurances, have been considerably inquired for, and at somewhat advanced rates for the latter two. Bank of New Zealands are worth £22 10s, and Colonials have been sold at 45s 6d and 469. Parcels of National Bank are wanted at 69a. New Zealand Insurances are rather weak at 73s j South British have been done at 525; there are buyers of Unions at 21s 6d; and sellers of Colonials at lls are numerous. There is a bnyer for a considerable line of Nationals at 283 6d ; and Standards could find purchasera at 13s, and possibly a shade over. The last quotation for New Zealand Loan Agencvs was £0 12s. Union Saah and Doors are firmer; sales have been effected at £5 12s 6d and £5 153, and there are buyera at the latter figure. Accident Insurance have been sold." at 33 9d. The sales of mining shares have been very few. Tokateas have weakened slightly, there being now sellers at 10s, and buyers at 9s. Sales of Bismarcks, at 9s, have been recorded. Small finds in, and cheering accounts from the Success have had the effect of bringing this mine into favour again, and shares have changed hands at 33 and 3* Id. All Thames stocks are very dull. Caledonians have been sold at 103, and Alburuias and Whaus are inquired for at 27s 6d and 7a respectively. There is but little alteration in kauri gum, but the tone of the market is not cheering. Rescraped is said to ba £4 to £5 lower. All dealers in gum report that the private advices from London and New York are of a gloomy character. Cable advices, we are informed, were received yea terday,- stating that the English market is without alteration ; also, that American cablegrams state buyers are holding off. ■ The receipts "-for-"May were 400 tons, as against 345 tons during the corresponding month in ISBO. : Up'to the 31st of May, the receipts have been 2123 tons, as against 2211 tons during the'corresponding five months in 1880, and 1316 tons in 1879.. ''- '• There is very little- • flax coming into the market. All sorts of produce indicate an > upward . tendency. Oats are now worth 2s Gd to 2s 9d wholesale, A sale of; 450' bags from the ship for 2a 4Jd cash, took place during the week. Another line was sold at 2s 6d, to; deliver ; also one, at 2s 74d, delivered, on terms. It will thus be seen" that -• the market is hardening, indeed southern advicee show that it has sprung fivepence per bushel since March last. (Quotations from Oamaru to-day,sho'.v that oats could not be brought to Auckland for less than 2s 6J, and that without importer's profit. Canterbury statistics alone show 3J million bushels less oats than last year. There is a rumour which finds credence that an engagement has been entered into to export 20,000 tons of oats from the South to Sydney. Oatmeal has been sold hero at £11 103. without sacks. Wheat is higher, and may bo quoted at 4s 3d to 43 9d. The millers have raised bran and sharps to £6 per tun. Flour is firm, and a rise is not improbable. Some extensive importers of wheat, have it ground here, and with satisfactory results. Maize is rather easier, as the Arawata brought 935 bags from Sydney. The last cargo of Fijian was an excellent sample, and almost equal to local or Sydney. Lines of Coast and Sydney maize have been done at 33 9d. Canterbury potatoes are worth about £3 15s, sacks included. Goods of various kinds in all branches of trade are scarce, owirjg to the non-arrival o£ English vessels. Two new projects are before the public—a coffee palace and a co-operative supply association. The favourable feeling towards tho coffee palace is growing stronger daily, both as a commercial undertaking and supplying a social want. The directorate is a very influential one. Thero is no reason why the supply association should prove not only remunerative, buk highly beneficial; but ita success would entirely depend upon honest and judicious management. The dried fruit report of Messrs. H. and J. Hart, of London, dated April S, reads : — Currants : Great attention both from Home and export has of late been paid to this articie. Stocks : 13,000 tons, as against 22,500 tons last year. A large trade has been done in this fruit both for Homo consumption and export, and thero is little coming forward from Greece. We quote : Fair shipping fruit, 23a 9d to 24s Gd. Raisins (Valencias) : Any shipped will require very careful inspection, as the crop was more or less rain-dauiaged. Stocks: 500 tons, as against 1200 tone last year. Elmes : The stocks are all bnt exhausted, and there are none to arrive. Sultanas : Very fow left in first hands ; stocks, 300 tons ngainst 1000 tons. Prices will be higher. Worth attention : Prices for fair shipping fruit, about 40s. Figs and muscatels : No small packages fit to ship. Almonds (Jordan): Present prices moderate; £7 to £12. Butter and Eggs : Good butter is worth Is 3d. Eggs are nTore plentiful, and a fall in price may be expected soon. At Mr. K. Arthur's sale, Sydney orangee brought Ss to 8a 3d per case, and mandarins 7s Gd to 7s 9d. Apples fetched l£d to 2id per lb., and carrots 3s 6d per owt.

AUCKLAND CATTLE MARKET. lia. ALFRED BnCKLAND'S WEEELT REPORT. At the Greyhound Yards on Friday, May 27, fodder was plentiful, oaten-hay bringing from 2s to 4s ; meadow. 33 3d to 4s 3d ; clover, 53 ; and chaff, 3s Gd per cwt. Carrots, 3a 9d, and turnips, Is Gd, per sack ; barley (damaged), Is 9J per bushel. A large number of horses were yarded at the Hayrnnrket, consisting of twenty-seven from Wnnganui and a large cargo from the Chatham Islands. The lattir, being light horaes and of an inferior sort, brought from £2 15s to £C 15s. The. Wanganui shipment, being all of a useful stamp, brought good prices, and for anything choice there was good competition, medium draughts selling for £10 10a to £20 heavy draughts, £20 to £31 10s ; light harness horses, £13 to £17 ; hacks, £9 to £15. At tho Haymarket on Tuesday last hides brought from 3d to 3gd per lb. ; sheepskins, Is 2<l to 4s 8d each ; greasy wool, s£d per lb. ; tallow, 193 to 23s per cwt. At Remuera, on Thursday, dairy cattle were without alteration in values from last week. Choice cattle fairly competed for, but middling animals shewing ;v downward tendency. Store cattlo scarcely represented, but several buyers requiring. Fat cattle in moderate supply, and Auckland fatted better worth; but ship cattle, unless prime, obtained no improvement. Prices ranged from 22a to 27a the lOOlbs. Sheep were yarded in full numbers, but the greater part of middling quality only, and those were bought by the grazier. "Well-fatted wethers were at 2Jdthelb.; store ewes, 8a to lie each. Store pigs of fair breeding were in brisk enquiry. MESSP.9. HUNTER AND NOI/AH'3 WEEKLY BEFOIIT. ' Horser.—Thero has been a marked improvement in tho mnrliofc, and an increase in tho number that have changed bands at prices in advance of the previova week. At the Durham Yards, on Eridny, an unusually large number was entered for disposal by auction. There was a good attendance of buyers, and those entered were disposed of at prices shewing an advance on last week's rates. We quote : Hacks, £5 10s to £17 103; light harness, £12 to £1S 15s ; I

medium draught, £2? 10a to £29 103 ; draught, £41.

Cattle.—There haa been a good deal doing, ' but little fluctuation in value. Dairy and , store stock have been moderately plentiful, bat there has been a short supply of well-fatted animals ; and at Newmarket, on Tuesday, a large proportion of those in the butohers , pens were purchased by the graziers. At Papakura, on Wednesday, there was an unusually large supply of dairy and stere stock. Buyers were in attendance, and prices had an upward tendency on prices ruling the previous week. Sheep.—There was about an average number penned at Newmarket, on Tuesday. Stores maintained previous values, and for best pens of fat wethers, an advance was obtained, but ewes indifferently fatted were relatively lower. Lambs were in moderate supply, and sold at from 8s to 13s Gil. Pigs.—There was but a, moderate supply, but owing to the arrival of a number of pigs from the coast, the competition was not keen, and 2hd. per lb., live woight, waa the ruling price. THAMES CATTLE MARKET. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] MESSRS. 84.NK3 AND CO.'S WEEKLY REPORT. Gbahasistown, Thursday. At Parawai to-day, it waa our pleasure to offer the primest lot of oxen that have yet been entered at our yards, being part of a consignment from Mr. R. C. Jordan, Tauranga. Being put up without reserve, animated bidding ensued, and the lot were speedily cleared at prices ranging from £8 to £13 7s Cβ, averaging 2Gs per lOOlbs.; two-year-old ateera brought £5 ss; two-year-old heifers, £4 10s; cows, in low condition, Si Da. A full market of sheep, mixed sexes and good quality, realized 16a 3d* to 19s 6d each, or 3Jd per lb.