COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7514, 18 December 1885, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office. Thursday evening. fHE Custom* receipts to-day were £1321 lfis 4d. The volume of town business has not htien as great as miuht have been expected, except in goods always in demand at this particular season. These have met with quick sale at payable rates. Considerable orders of hotej requirements are coming in from the country districts, but this has led 10 no wholesale transactionn. Stocks of all kinds are plentiful. Id fruits, figs have been in small supply—in fact, there are none now in first hands. New elemes of excellent quality have been placed satisfactorily in considerable quantity. Canned fruits are in good supply here, but the mail advices report a much firmer market in California. These advices also confirm previous reports that salmon must advance, stocks of this year's pack being almost out, and the fishermen have absolutely refused to contract for supplies of the salmon in its natural state at the prices the canned article opened at this year. Stocks in New Zealand aro light, but the deraanfl has decreased to a marvellous extent, and it will be some time ere the advanoe here will correspond with the rise at the shipping ports. Sugar is rather firmer. China sorts and American granulated are finding good sales. Tho Melbourne and Sydney markets have been receiving heavy supplies, particularly from Queensland ; and although the yields aro undoubtedly short, wo suspeot financial considerations are at the bottom of so much of tho crop being offered on the market so early in the season. This has had a tendency to weaken prices that would otherwise have been ruling higher. A largely speculative feeling in sugar is now operating in the Australian centres, and the market is sustained from this. On all ordinary calculation thore should he some pounds per ton advance before vory long. The enormous quantity of Mauritius qualities going to Bombay must, later on, largely influence the pricos at Port Louis, while in the colonies a heavy demand is now setting in for preserving. Locally the trade are waiting some information from the N.Z.3. Co. as to their future course; but we have seen samples of their new standards, and are sure they will find ready acceptance as suitable to the market.

Salt is lower. We have heard of a sale of Weston and Westall's coarse as low as £tt. Heavy shipments are afloat in the Hermione and Vanduara. The consumption is rapidly increasing. A glance at the export lists will show that our salt meats are now being shipped largely to various parts of the world. The meat trade of Auckland is capable of great expansion, and wo are pleased to see the energies of the Frozen Meat Company and other ourera bent ou working up such a valuable addition to business.

During the week, we understand, a representative of various manufacturers in Germany has opened up relations with several importers in a variety of goods with the view of establishing direct trade between Auckland and Hamburg, and we are glad to learn the project is meeting with r.onsiderable success. We should like to see a direct exchange of commodities between this port and Hamburg ; and a commencement once made, we are sure our meats and gum, particularly, would gain an immense market in Germany after being well introduced. The harvest prospects of South Australia are deplorable. Tho northern fields have never before presented such a disastrous appearanco, crops of 1£ bushel per aero beinir spoken of, and hay yields of 3owt or 4cwf. The wheat is described as " pinched to fair," and the average yield for the season will be very low, probably from 3 to 5 bushels; and as the other mainland colonies are all suffering from a long continuance of dry weather v the farmers'

outlook is very cheerless. It would not be at all surprising if before the winter, imports of flour and wheat wore received from the Pacific States of America. Cement is very dull of sale, and in the metal market littlo is doing but filling the ordinary trade orders. Even at that;, the business is far from brisk. A fair business is being done in rice. The woolpaok season is practically over, and a little attention is now being given to cornsacks. In the produce market, an unusually heavy business has been done in butter. The s.s. Waihora took one of tho largest shipments of this article that ever left New Zealand. A telegram from .Sydney states that the market is largely overstocked, but thore is no quotablo change in prices. A decline may, however, bo looked for, as although the Sydney market distributes to all Queensland ports, and there is an immense loonl consumption, it o.in scarcely take the great quantities now arriving from this colony without feeling it. For the last month or six weeks, some 400 kegs a-week have gone from Now Plymouth alono direct to Sydney, at 9*l f.o.b. . Thore is considerable disposition hero to trade with Brisbane direct, but for geographical reasons the calling at Auckland by the Union Company's boats in the newly inaugurated direct service from Southern porta the advantages of the service are practically wholly lost to this port. If the company would carry from Auckland via Wellington, on through receipts, on same terms as Lyttelton rates, we believe a valuable help to a now trade would be seourod. Milling wheat is worth 3d Bri ; fowl, very soatce at 3a 3d to St 4d, Oats remain at 2s 4d to 2s 7d. Maize has again advanced, and is now worth from ;ii 8d to 3s 10J ; a very line sample would fetch the latter. Cheese is worth from o"i'l to 7Jd, and scarce. Farmers' parcels of butter may be quoted at BJ. if good sample, In flour we have to note a decline of 10s per ton upon last week's quotations for both local and Southern brands. A fair consumptive demand has been felt, though little business has been doing for export. Continuous depressing news from London results in keeping the kauri gum market here quiet and dull. Supplies from the Ist to 17th instant, about 220 tons. Wo quote : —Poor ordinary, nominal; fair ordinary, 34s to 35s ; good ordinary, 35s to 37s ; and Kant Coast, 46s to 525. Mr. G. W. Binnoy held a sale of wheat (seconds), ex Ensign, and gooseberries yesterday, the former realising 3s per bushel, and the latter from 2d to 2|d per lb.

LIVE STOCK AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

AUfIKLA N D. Mr. At.rnnD Buuklanp'h Report.—At »he Haymakot on Friday, December 11, fodder was bettor worth, and sold from 'i- Oil to »s por cwt; oats, 'la 4<l to '.M f»l; maize, 3< 6.1 per bmhel. Horse stock wt-rn yarded In full numbers. Useful draught ranged from £12 to £20 ; riding horses. £2 to £10. At the hide and skin sale onTuosiluy, broken balon, dumps and bags of wool wero plentiful, l'tiens ranged from 4d to til 1 per lb. Ihe creator part brought s}'!. Locks anil pieces, from M to 3d ; Miles, In li-s« number than usual, from 2Jd to Hj.i par lb; tallow, lis M to 13s (dl por cwt : stttlon .skins. 7rt t" 2s lid each. At the wool sale on Wednesday. 330 hales w,,re sold. Prices for host lonrwnol, 5\A : crjssbred, njd to Gil : merino, (Id to Pjd per lb. At I'okeuo ou Monday, thore was a larger mooter of cattb, than at any time (or a twelventh. I'ricos wore fair throughout, and at Drury on W6dno3day, thero was als.i a fill! mutter of cattle, with ii large attendance of buyers Late piicei for store cattle wrro fully sustained. IHiry cattl \at their profit, better worth. At Koiuucrt. on Thursday, dairy cattle W"re in usual supply only, but dull of sale. Store cattle maintained tin ir late valiifß Fat cattle lltintiful. and a', lower iat-s. (i oil cows sold relatively better, but steers were much low-r. From 17s to 18s lor Auckland fatted cattle and Ids for shlpborne were the rulitijj prices obtained, .-diuon, in moderate number, were at last week's values. Lamb* wero no better wirth, and pigs of a'l classes l*w in price. MtMSKM. HIINTMI ASP Ni'J.AN'.S WftKKLY KKI'OIIT.— Hi raes : There was an improved demand and over an av-'rape supply, and » vood many chanced hands at fully the previous woek'a values. There was cuite »n sverage muster at the Durham Yards on Friday. Competition was good throughout tho sale, notwithstanding that most of the hntset. wero local ones, and that It was known a larre lot were owine forward from the West Coast. We quote lucks from £f, 10s to £1?; draught horses, from £20 to *'2S Wool, hides and skins : There wero some 3f>o bales and bags pitched at the Durham wool loft on Tlmr.day. The utual buyers were in attendance, and prices were a shade higher, longwool, greasy, selling at from 5d lo 61 per lb; merino, tid to fij 1 per lb. Cattle: The supply of all descriptions has been adequate for requirements, and prlees generally have been In favour of the vondor. lhe Newmarket Yards ware well supplied on Tuesday. C',,mpetoion was sternly, but there was no upssrd tendency in value, only a few prime animals reaching '20s per IOOIbs. Stores were a shade lower in value, but dairy tows wero without alteration. Sheep : Ignite an average number have been brought forward, ami prices varied considerably wltlicnt Improving the position of vendors, A very lar.ro number if lambs were yarded on Tuesday, and a decline In vslue was the cousrqtitncp, prices ringing from <s ti Ito 10.*. Tigs wore plentiful, and coarse tired animals were choap, but good porkers maintained the previous week's valncs. STOCK AND MINING ASSOCIATION. Auckland, Dice.Mnp.it 17,1885. Company. j Uusluoss. [ cl osing Prices. |«uyer*. rollers. Banks- |£ s d £ „ <) New Zealand. .. — — 21 0 0 Color .... _ ! —230 INSUKASo'tfI— ' Unv ZoaUi d .. — _ 3 17 0 South British ... — —200 MrMOILI.ANao, ■•■- Union Sash and Poor — —400 Auckland limber.. — — 4 5 0 N.Z. Timber .. _ — 4 IS 0 N.Z Lan and Mer. — — 4 17 6 Kompthoruo I'rosser — 0 17 0 0 17 6 Worcury bay .. — 011 6: — UININU— j Cambria .. .. 17,9 11', 6 17. 010 3,0 17 0 Darwin .. .. — —070 iloanataiari .. _ —080 a. feauniters, (J. Alexander, S. Victors, J. K. Clarke, K. Prater, John .Mowbray, J. U. Morpeth. J. M. Lennox, I). 11. McDonald, D. G. MacDonnoll, Aitken Carrlek. K. Spratt. Francis Hull, James Raid, K. G. Maoliy. Joseph Newman. Chairman. CALL AND DIVIDKND LIST. "ai.mi, a; s. it. Date. Saxon O.M. Co 0 0 3 — Dec. If) Gladys!..M.o 0 0 1 — Jm. 13 Argentine CM. Co 0 O 2 — Jan. 13 Caledonian i.ow Level M Co. 0 0 2 — Jan. 13 Diamond G. M Co 0 0 1 — Jan. 13 Oriental CM Ci 0 0 3 — Jan. 13 N.Z. .iugar Co & 0 0 — Jan. 25