COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8057, 19 September 1887, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office, Saturday afternoon. The Customs duties to-day amounted to £261 8. 3d. The Customs receipts for the week ending September 17 were: Duties ... „ _ .. £4457 10 0 Beer duty „ .. _ 117 4 6 Light (lues .. .. .. ~ 11 IS 4 Forms and fees ... ... .. 6 9 0 Other receipts .. .. _ J. 0 9 £4.691 12 4 Messrs. Arthur and Bl'pdls'S Wzkelt Ukpokt. —There has been a marked imurovament in business generally during the week. Auctions have b.e9 largely attended and competition brisk, resulting in far belter price* than hare lately been ootained. Produce (all local) has been cleared out. and there is a demand tor much more of Kood quality. Potatoes: The market is glutted with .-outhern ones ; low prices have to bo taken to clear out. Thy demand for seed potatoes is not great. Hutter cl good quality has sold well ; inferior is more difficult 10 sell than it was. Fruit: Still so3>e Auckland - grawu apples havo come to hand, and hay- said well. The llobsri, as a rule, are of inferior quality, and are difficult to sell at tho prices required. The demand for lemons is limiteJ, therefore prices hare ruled low, Poultry have sol i at an advance in pi lies ; supply not so larje as usual. No pigs entered. An improvement In the demand and price of furniture. > here lias been an unsatisfied demand for drapery, clothing, etc. There is an enquiry after properties. Monday: Hale of freehold and leasehold properties at the mart ; a large number were present great Interest wat manifested, but no sales took place. dome of the properties were withdrawn, %s bidding did not reach the reserve ; the sale of others was postponed. Tuesday : .--ale of household furniture and effects at the residence of Mr. Fred. Dye, Dalston Villa, Grafton Road. There was a good attendance ol buyers, bidding fairly brisk, and prices obtained .fere very satisfactory. Tne salo of drapery, etc.. at mart was also wall attended; good prices weie realised. There was a demand fr more. Wednesday: hale of piano, household furniture, artic.es vertu, and cow, pigs, harness, etc., at the residence of Mr. R. Arthur (he hiving determined to sell his residence, and return to the city), -icccombe's Koad, Mount Eden, was very largely attended, a ,d the bidding was brisk throughout, and good prices were obtained. Thursday: Sale of piano, household furniture, etc., at mart 1 here was a fair attendance, and business dane was satisfactory. Friday : Market-day iale of poultry, produce, fruit, etc., at mart Tne att:nd*nce was large, brisk competition, good business done at advanco prices in many lines. The supply generally was not equal to tho demand. Poultry of all kinds brought high prices. No pigs entered. Fowls, Is 5d to '2a 9J : pigeons, 01to Is 3d ; ducks, 2s to 29 2d ; f-panish fowls, 2s Id to 3s ; turkeys, small, 2s 9i to 3s 3d ; dressed rigs, 3d to 3}d ; geese, 3s Id ; black Kmtlisli carriers, 9s per pair. Produce, &c. : Carrots, Is 01; pumpkins, 2s 9d ; beetroot, 91 ; potatoes, new. 3d ; potatoes, old, 2s to 2s 91; onions, inferior, id, no good gnes entered ; chaff, 2s to 2s 31; sharps, 5s ; wheat, 3s lOd to 3s lid ; bran, 43 firl per sack ; oatmeal, 10s ; cheese. 2Jd to 3jd ; freah joints beef, Jd to 3jd ; mutton, lid to 3d ; ham, 3d to 7Jd ; bacon, 2*d to fijd ; fresh butter, 3Jd to Is per lb ; salt butter, kuea, 2d to 4d ; apples, local, ljd to 6Jd per lb ; apple', Hobart, 43 to 9j pel case ; lemons, lid to tijd per doz ; tt nger nuts, 4sd ; mixed biscuits, 4jd ; honey, ljd to 3 I ; conversation lollies. t>id : 8 :otch mixtures, tijd ; coflee. Is 2d. Msssi'.n Paokt and :;alxton report as follows of their Friday's market A fai' attendance present, and prices, taken all through, satisfactory to vendors. Poultry, Ac.: Kilt very little came to hand. Fowls brought Is 3d to 2s Id each ; ducks, Is 9d to 2s ; turkeys, 3s fid to 4s 3d ; geese, 3d to 3* 9.1. tigs: None to hand ; but frequent inquiries wore made For young well-bred IJerkßhlre. Pigeons. Is; wild rabbits, li 2d per couple; beef, killed and dressed, Id to 3jd per lb ; mutton, Id to 2Jd ; hens, with batches chicks, ss. Produce: Potatoes, £.2 12s fid to £'J per ton ; ditto, inferior, 5s per sack ; carrotr, £2 15s : oats, 2s 3d and 2s 4d per oushel ; wheat, 3a lid; butter, 3£d per lb ; bicon, 2J-1 to 4i ; hams, id to 7d ; cheese, ljd to 3d ; onions, Id to l}d ; lemons, 3d per dozen ; lard, ljil ; honey, 2d ; bran, £4 15s per ton ; sharps, £5 5s ; chaff, £3 lis; linseed meal, 2d per lb ; flour, £10 15s per ton ; oatmeal, 10s fid par lOOlbs ; sugar, 2Jd per lb ; biscuits, 3}l; j«us, 5s 2d per dozen. Wednesday's sale was well attended, and all the dressed meat found a rsady sale at good prices. Mr. Edward, i.ksdon reports :— Business for the week satisfactory. Furniture has improved somewhat. There w.s a good demand for produce. Potatoes were sold cheap. Good butter sold well. 'J'ho demand fir good hams and bacon was large ; not much inferior was entered. Tuesday's sale of furniture and effects was well attended, bidding was brisk, all the goods sold at very fair prices. _ Wednesday's ■ale of drapery, fancy goods, jewellery, ctc.: The attendance was large, tho bidding was rather slow,toe drapery and fancy goods sold very well, the jewellery went vf ry cheap, but as there was no reserve it had to be sold. Friday's sale of produce : Tho attendance was large, bidding spirited. Potatoes fetchcd £2 10* to £3 per ton ; onions, Id to ljd per Ib; haras, 4jd to 7id ; bacon, oil to Hid per it); cheese, 2Jd to id; bu'.ter, id to fid per lb; fowls, Is 7d to 2s each ; biscuits, 3Jd to 4Jd : tea, 15s per hoi. There was also a large lot of furniture sold at satisfactory prices. At the sale on Saturday of a coacbb.dlder'u plant in Chapel-street the attendance was very large. Ail the lots offered were sold at satisfactory prices to the vendor.

LONDON (JuIIM'SKOIAL J-2CWS. [FROM OUR OWS CORRESPONDENT ]

LonDj.S', August 10. The continuance of warm weather ami the holiday season combined have affo te l the moat market considerably. The stocks of frozen mutton and lamb were reilucod to moderate dimension* until the Coptic arrived on Monday last with some 30,000 carcases from Wellington, and the Itimutaxa, on Tuesday, with 20,000 from Lyttelton, both reported in good condition Though there is iUtlo buoyancy in mutton, there is an irregular but better demand far lamb, though the closing rates ate weaker than they have been lately. Tho Tafnui, from Lyttelton, with 20,033 sheep and 12,313 lambs has been cleared, the sheep at 3Jd to 4|d and the lambs at 3d to 6d. The Doric, from Lyttelton, with 20,887 sheep and 10,626 lambs, has been cleared at 3d to 4id for mutton and 3d to sjd for lamb. Tho Kaikoura brought 16,355 sheep and lambs from Wellington, of which 16,00u have ! eon marketed, mutton bringing 3jd to 4Jd anil lamb 3}d to &id. The 045 pieces of beef ex Kaikour* have realised 4d to 4*d. The Wellington's cargo of 2420 sheep and 11.0e7 lambs from Lyttelton has been cleared, the shsep at SJd to 4id and the iambi a 4d to 6d. The Mataura's cargo of 4308 sheep and lambs, from Oamaru, has not yet been offered. Of tlia rnvercargill's cargo of 7059 sheep from Napier, and 3877 lambs, 15u0 of each have been sold, tho former realising Zl-l and the Utter 4Jd to 6d. The Arawa, frjm Lyttelton, with 25,109 sheep and 9317 lambs, is nearly cleared, 23,500 sheep having been sold at 3d to 4jil and 8009 lambs at 81 to sid. The Tongariro's consignment, from Wellington is similarly placed, 8500 out of 9762 sheep having been sold at Sid to4il, and 4000 out of 5269 lambs at 3*d to bid. ') lie 734 pieces of beef shipped have realised 3id to 6d. The condition of the 9162 sheep brought by the Dunediti from Oamaru U irregular; 1700 have been

sold, at about 3|d for sound. Tho lonic from Lyttelton, brought 30,471 sheep, of which 12.0(K) have been sold at BJd to 4jd. Of the 8262 lambs' shinned 2000 have been ma.koted at 4Jrl to SJJ. The beef is fetching 4il to 6d. 70 out of 109 pieces having been sold. The Aorangl's cartro from Wellington is fetchlno 3J.1 to 4jd ; 7800 out of 12,086 shoep have been parted with ; 1000 lambs out of 3983 hiive realised 4id to fii<l. The Lady Jocelyn's cargo from Napier is reported In good condition, but has not yet been offered. The wool market. is Inactive. The Antwerp sale* commence on the 17th instant, and about 37,000 bales will be brought forward, of which 10,000 are Anntrallan. The arrivals to date for the fourth series of London wool saloi are 249000 bales, namelv New Zealand, 87,884; New South Wales, 43.133 : Queensland, 14,411 ; Victoria, 40,647 ; South Australia 7644 ; West Australia, 75; Tasmania, 5113; Capo of Good Hope, 65,300. The annual report of the Central Meat Market of London, shows that last year 14,711 tons of Australian and New Zealand meat was received and sold, as against 11,620 tons In 1885. The two cold-air stores in the market have b?en so extensively used during the year for storing frozen meat that on several occasions they were insufficient to afford all the temporarr accommodation required by the tenants of tlia market. Tho delivery of Australian and New Zealand moat h«s Increased from 565 tons in 1881 to 14,711 tons in 1886.

The wheat harvest is now general, except In the North, and a more than average yiold is expected. An Australian cargo has been reportod as sold oft coast at 33s 3d. The Thomas Bell, with about 6839 quarters of New Zoalaud wheat has been ordered to Dublin, her cargo being roported "cool a d good.' ' The Aiksliaw, likewise (root New Zealand, awaits orders. Her cargo is reported In sood condition Today's quotations, ox granary, nre:—New Zealand, long-berried, flue, nora.. 35s ; medium, 34s to 84« 6d ; short-berried, fino, 83' 6d to 34* Od : medium, 32' to 335. New Zealand flour, fine, nom„ 21a to 225; Barley, No. 1, 34s to 86s; No. 2, 25s to 80s. Oats, heavy, 22s Cd to 28s; ordinary, 17s to 21s.

Our date* from London are to the 10th August. From the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's circular of that dato we take the follow. ing:— Wooi..— market has bsen inactive since the due of our last issue. There has beeu no improvement in the tone of the reports from the manufacturing districts either here or on the 'eminent, but tho most recent advices from the United Stites are more cheerful in their character. At the Antwerp sales, which will commence on the 17th instant and will probably last until the Ist proximo, it is stated that about 37,500 bales will be brought forward. Of this quantity 10,900 bales are Australian, 1200 bales Cape of Good Hope, and the balance South American produce. Information lately received from the River Plate district states that owing to t' e long-continued drought considerable ruorta'itr has occurred among the lambs, and that production in the immrdiate future »as likely thereby to be appreciably affected. The arrival* to date for the fourth series are as follow:—From New Zealand, 67,864 bales, there bolng in all a total of 219,099 bales. 'I'a.i --For the two public auctions hold since the date of our last circular, 3957 casks Australian and New Zealand were catalogued, and 2778 sold under the hammer, a further limited quantity being disposed of by private treaty, >he enquiry for the finer qualities has been very much restricted, and only moderate sail's have been practicable at a reduction, in the case of mutton of fully 6d per cwt. from the level of values last reported. Medium, common, and low sorts of both beef and mutton have, however, bsen in fairly good demand, chirflr on Continent .1 account, and have, as a rule, realised prions about equal to those recently current. Considerable deliveries from warehouse having been effected .luring the p*>t fortnight, stocks of Australasian produce have beeu materially reduced ; but the supply of home melt has continued c>> be abundant, and h >me buyers have supplied th» bulk of their requirements from that source. "I ho market closes rather quiet. We qn to : Australasian mutton, fine, 23s to 23s 6.1 per cwt.; do., medium, 2!sio22s9d; Australasian bojf, tine, 2is to 23s per cwt.; do, medium, 20s to 21t>. Importations into Loudon during the fortnight ended 6th instant amounted to 43C6 casks. The estimated mock in warehouse Is 16,600 casks, of which •:60 are Russian.

Lkathkr — At tho -public auctions which took placo on 29th ultimo a goad demand w»i again experienced, and of 43 9 hldos offered 4271 wore disposed of under the hummer at fully last sales' rates. Stocks are now in moderate compass, and the market clo«»s steady at our quotation', viz. : —Fair to good sides : Heavy, IS J to 17Jll» average, 9 j 1 to 10|d per lb ; light, !)J to lilt) average, 9Jd to lujd ; extra heavy, 19J to 21Jlb uverajo, Oid to 10Jd ; seconds, 14$ to 1721b average, Sjd to 9Jd. B*.*il*.—At th« public sales which were held on 29Sh ultimo 78,245 skins were brought forward. There was a marked Improvement in the demand, the homo trade being the chief operators, and 54,563 skins were cleared at prices which wero not obtainable at the preceding auctions. We quota : Best strained skim, averaging 6} to *24 Jib per dozen, 8d to 11 Jd per lb; seconds, avaraijln* 7 to 23^1• er dozen, 5d to7d; unstrained, averaging "I to 25Jlb per dozen, 4J 1 to CJd. Importations of leather and bail's for the fortnight ended 6Ui Instant amounted to 541 bales. Cotton.—'l lie market continues bare of Fiji descriptions. hi Tahiti there are no sales to report. Copra.only a limited business has been carried thrcu.h during the past two weeks, and values remain m la t quoted, viz. —Sydney sun-dried. £14 10s to £14 15a per ton. Sydney kiln-dried, £13 5»; Singapore £15 to £15 5». Importations during July amounted to 131 tons from Sydney and 48 tons from Auckland.

«'oco*vdt Oil. — The market continues quiet. Cochin iB quoted at £31 to £3'? per ton on the spot, and £28 per ton c.l.f. spiiug shipment, whilst Ceylon rules at £23 15s per ton on the spot, and £22 10s per ton c i f. to arrive.

Mother O'Purl Shells.—At yesterday's auction* the 1263 cities Australasian offered met a good demum!, aDd were nearly all diipossd of. Sydney descriptions, bold suas, ruled, cm average, 10s per cwt dearer, whilst medium and chicken were steady at about late rate*. Western Australian bold descriptions brought recent values to an advance of 5a pjr «wt, but thin, medium and chicken, were Irregular and generally about 5s no cwt lower. New ZtinNi" Hemp.—Manila rules on tho spot at £34 lOi per ton, an advance of £4 per ton from the lowest point rncently touched, and tlio market closes with 'U npwa'd tendency. Sisal in tlrm at £30 to £30 10i per'.on. consequence of tho rise in Manila above alluded to. there has been some speculative inquiry for New Zealand, of which there have been no lirst h.»nd pircela offering, and i' 26 10s per ton has been refused for a parcel of Auckland in stcond hands. At to-day's auc ion* 408 bales h»mp and 622 bales of tow recently arrived will be offered. Wo quote : — Superior soft, bright hetip, £26 10s to £27 10s per ton ; good quality and well cleaned, £26 to £ 6 10s; medium. fair to good, £25 to £25 10* ; comm n— Ci arse and strawy, £23 10s to . 2110.v We annex a comparative statement of stocks, landings, and deliveries to SUt ultimo, and to a corresponding date in 18SS :— ISB7. 18815. Stocks on 3lst July .. 173 toes. ... 165 tans. Landed January/July .. 448 „ .. 347 „ Delivered <v, .. 801 ~ .. 322 „ Kiuri Ohm.—At the public auctions held on 4th instant of 1103 cases catalogued. 731 cues, consisting of fresh Imports, >und purchasers under the hammer at an averse decline of from 2s to 3s per cwt on last sales'rates. Black and brown kinds, however, were fairly steady, while the better descriptions of chips ruled in seller;,' favour. The demand was inactive, and for previously offered parcels t .ere wa* little or 1.0 inquiry. Transactions by private treaty during the fortnight have been unimportant. We quote : Fine pale, selected, £-i los to £11 oer cwt ; clean, hard, good to fine, chiefly amber, £4 15s to £5 15s ; good to fine, clean, hard, scraped, 70s to 90s ; hard, three parts scraped, fair to fine, 69s t075»; hard, halt*scraped, fair to tine, 59s to 635; rough * irts, ordinary to good, 50s to 54s : black and brown hard scraped, No. 1, fine to sup., 60s to 645; black and brown hard, chiefly scraped, No. 1, 49.i to 68s ; pickings, ordinary to fine, 40s to 53s : chips, luw and ordinary to flue and superior, 20s to 67s ; (Just, low to fine, pile, chippy, 12s to 3f>B. We annex a comparative ststemsnt of stacks. Landing and deliveries to 31«t ultimo, and to a corresponding date in 1386 : — 1887. 1686. Stocks on 31st July .. 711 tons .. 1313 tons Landed January/July .. 1,110 .. 955 Del vered do .. 1,217 .. 1,676 TIMBRE. Messrs. Churchill and Sims' wood circular of tho sth August reports as follows of that market, at London :—This market has had a good deal in Its favour during July. The continuous fine weather, giving great promise of a better harvest than of lata years, has somewhat raised tho spirits of the trade at the English coast ports, and they have taken the hulk of what there was any pressure to sell, foreign markets having also aided in this respect. London has therefore to some extent been left a'oue by sellers ; but notwithstanding thU, the demand ha* been so poor that we have to record still another general, though slight, falling away of price, and the stocks do not now compare so favourably with thole of pre. vious years as they did at the end of June. Of kauri timber the firm report two fresh cargoes, consisting chiefly of planks, have recently arrived, and there is now a large stock of all descriptions ; sales are not made freely, and some logs forced off by unreserved sal* went very low, but this was partly, and in no small degree, due to their exceptionally waney condition. The current prices ruling on the date given were :—For logs, Is 6d to 2s ; planks, 2s to 2s 6d per foot cube.