COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9161, 17 September 1888, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office. 'Saturday evening. The Customs duties to day amounted to £844 13s Kid. The following are the Customs receipts for the week ending September 15, 1888 : — Duties £0,221 r. 2 Beer duty 175 10 8 Light clues—Auckland .. 32 7 I Onahnnga .. 4 7 11 „ Whangarei .. 0 13 ft Forms and fees (S. and S. Ac« 4 10 0 „ (Merchant Shipping) 013 0 Port Charges— Whangarei .. 6 ti « „ Onehunga .. 412 6 Other receipts 9 ie o 19,455 G 3

LONDON. [FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.] London, August 11. HARVEST prospects. The unpromising outlook of the harvest in Europe seems likely to afford an opportunity for a spurt in the grain exportation from New Zealand and .Australia. In London, after having had daily rains from June 4th to August 4th, with the exception of 14 days, the weather seems to have cleared up and summer, after having been postponed to the autumn, is at length in a fair way of being with us. From other parts of the country we hear that the line weather has commenced, and it is possible, if we have a months brilliant sunshine, that the English harvest may be a fair one, but a good one it can hardly be. In ' France, 'however, where for fifty days previous to August. Ist, they had continuous rain throughout the country, the crops arc almost ruined. The French harvest is gathered in .July, so that it is now too late for a burst of sunshine to do good. _ In England the price of wheat; has risen upwards of ."is per quarter in anticipation of the demands of France, for it is the opinion of some authorities that that country will need to import not less than 10,000,000 quarters of wheat within the next twelve months to make good the deficiency of the harvest this year. Nor are other countries in Europe much better situated. In some parts of Spain the wheat crop has been almost destroyed by locusts ; in Germany the rye crop lias suffered very considerably, and grave apprehensions are entertained as to the wheat. In Belgium the harvest is suffering from the wet; from Russia we have similar accounts, and the wheat crop in the east of Europe is said to be below the average. A writer, in one of lie French trade journals estimates the quantity of grain which the seven principal countries of Europe will require to import during the coming year at. 34.500.000 quarters, distributed as follows France, 7,000,000 : Great Britain, 17,000,000; Belgium, 2,400,000; Holland. 1,700,000; German 2,000,000; Switzerland, 1,700,000; and Italy, 2,700,000. The probable surplus of the seven great grain-exporting countries of the world is estimated at 30,500.000, distributed as follows :—Hungary, 1.000.000: Rouinania and Turkey, 2,700.000; Russia. 10.300.000 ; United States', 10.300,000; Chili, 1,400,000; Australasia, 1,400,000; and East Indies, 4,100,000, thus leaving a deficiency of about 4,000.000 quarters to be made up. It is therefore apparent that there ought to bo a good demand for Australian and Now Zealand wheat during the next twelve months. As might be expected, a considerable business has been done during the last month in Australian and New Zealand wheat, both of which have shared in the recent advance in price. To-day's quotations, ex granary, are : —South Australian wheat, 30s fid to l>7s per 40611): Victorian, 30s to 30s fid; New Zealand, long-berried tine, 30s (id to 37s fid; medium. 35s to ."ids ; short-berried line, 36s to 37s ; medium, 34s to .'Wis.

rnooccE. The third series of wool sales, which opened on June 'i9th. closed on the 18th of last month. It occupied 26 sittings, during which 331,300 bales were catalogued, giving a daily average of 12,742 bales, as compared with 10,949 hales at the corresponding period in ISS7. The quantities catalogued out of an available total of 367.097 bales, were made up as follows :—Now Zealand, 104,589: New South Wales. 71i,1)74: Queensland, 18,155; Victoria, 57,053: South Australia, 18,027 ; Western Australia. SS3S: Tasmania, 9559; and (."ape of Good Hope, 38,105. There was no material change in values during the closing hours of the sales. Good combing merinoes maintained the advance secured" earlier in the series, but medium and inferior sorts, for which there was a less active demand, exhibited no improvement, and closed barely on a par with the opening rates. Crossbred* sold steadilv at the level of values quoted a month ago. The variations of price, as compared with the closing rates of the second series, are briefly as follows : —Good combing merino, greasy and washed, id told per lb advance. Good combing and clothing merino, -d to Id : cross-bred medium, Jul ; cross-bred coarse, fd to Id per lb decline. Since the termination of the series, the market has remained quiet. The third series of Antwerp sales, which commenced on July 25, closed on the 3rd instant. About 19,000 hales of River Plate, and '2600 bales of Australasian wool were brought forward, ami of th« former about 12,000, and of the latter, 1600 bales were disposed of. The Australasian wool was sold on the last day of the series, and prices ruled quite on a par with the London July values.

The fourth series of sales will commence in London on September IS. The arrivals up to date are 19/,4(51 bales, made up as follows :—New Zealand, 151,879: New South Wales, 42,944; Queensland, 12.65S ; Victoria, 19,92.5: South Australia. 0.974; Western Australia. 160; Tasmania, 4683; and Cape of Good Hope. 48.238. The frozen meat market has shown a tendency to increased firmness, and an improvement in prices has been manifested, winch, however, in part, is owing to the shortness of the supplies. The Bayley, from Napier, with 30,000 sneep, 500 lambs, and 73 pieces of beef, has cleared at 4.jd to rdd for the sheep, sid to fifd for the lambs, and 3W to for the beef. The Tainui, from Wellington, with an irregular cargo of 23.941 sheep, 1447 lambs, and 1913 pieces of beef, has cleared at 4d to 4|d for the sheep, 5d to GM for the lambs, and Sid to 5d for the beef. The Ruapehu, from Lyttelton, with a fair cargo of 15,716 sheep, 7925 lambs, and 4-80 pieces of beef, has cleared at -Id to 5d for the sheep, 5.v.l to GUI for the lambs, and 4d to yd for t!ie beef. The Canterbury, from Oamaru, with 5939 sheep, 2136 lambs, and 196 pieces of beef, lias cleared at 4b 1 to .3d for the sheep, sid to 6id for the lambs, and 3.fd to 4 ; d tor the beef. The Doric, from Wellington, with 23,376 sheep, 5308 lambs, and 1485 pieces of beef, has sold 22,000 sheep at 4sd to oi>l, all the lambs at 54d to 6id, and 1400 pieces of beef at 4d to sfd. The Kaikoura, irom Lyttelton, with 13.619 sheep, 2670 lambs, and t>S4 pieces of beef, has cleared, with the exception of a few quarters of beef, at. 4id to .Vd tor the sheep, 3Ad to (P.d for the tamos, and 4d to s\d for the beef. The Dunedin, from Oamaru, with 10,93") sheep, has sold 3000 at od to sid. The Arawa, from Lyttelton, and the Tongariro, from Port Chalmers, are only just breaking bulk. During the past month there have been two sales of Kauri gum. At the first, held on July 19. 2359 cases were offered, but only about half of them were sold. The bidding was dull, and the. prices realised for the portion sold marked in most instances an irregular decline of from '2s to IDs per cwt. Subsequently 600 cases were sold by private treaty at firmer prices. On the 2nd of this month 759 cases were brought forward, but only 215 were disposed of, though 150 were subsequently sold privately.

From the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.'s report of August 11th we make the following extracts :— TALLOW.—In the four sales held during the past month the demand throughout lias been steady, prices showing a decided improvement as compared with June currencies. Arrivals have been heavy, but with a steadily increasing demand ; deliveries have been large, so that stocks have not been allowed to accumulate. Values have at each succeeding sale advanced to a material extent—leaving off quite Is 6d to '2s 6d per cwt. better than they were a month ago. All descriptions have benefited by the more active inquiry, and the market closes steady at our quotations : — Australasian mutton : Fine, 25s 6d to 26s per cwt; medium, 24s fid to 25s ; common, 22s to 23s (3d. Australasian beef : Fine, 23s Oil to 23s 9d per cwt: medium, 22s fjd to 23s : common, 2Us (Id to 21s 6cl. LEATHER. —The weaker tendency to which reference was made last month has resulted in the establishment of a somewhat lower range of values. At the public auctions held on the 20th ultimo, the demand was moderate at from last sales' rates to £d per lb decline. On the 3rd instant a, smaller quantity was submitted, but with a limited inquiry, only about half was disposed of at somewhat easier rates.

Basils.—For the auctions held on the 20th ultimo and 3rd instant, 118,311 skins were catalogued and 65,136 were cleared under the hammer. At both sales the same features were observable, the better descriptions were in fair demand at late rates, whilst secondary and inferior sorts were difficult of sale even at appreciably less money, say, quite a |d to id per lb. Salted Hides.—There has been a steady demand during the past month, and values have improved about &d per lb. The total offerings were only moderate, and were all sold. Supplies on hand or afloat are light, and the market.closes firm at the slight advance above quoted. Copra. There has been a somewhat better demand during the past month. At auction on the 3rd instant fair to line -dried realised £13 10s to £14 per ton. For kilndried £13 per ton was asked, but this price buyers were not disposed to pay. Chkksk. — The market during the past month has been somewhat irregular. The consignments per Doric (s) and Kaikoura (s) from New Zealand were promptly sold, their satisfactory quality and condition enabling consignees to secure prices 4s to 6s per cent, in advance of those current in the market for the best available American. There is a fair inquiry for colonial sorts, and the shipments per Arawa (s) and Tongariro (s) now in course of landing, if in good order, may be expected to sell readily. Messrs. Churchill and Sims, in their wood circular of August 8. say:—"Kauri pine: Logs move oil' very slowly even at current I low prices, but planks are more inquired for."

SAN FRANCISCO. ( Saturday, August 25. FLOUR.—City extra, 4 dollars 25 cents to 4 dollars 63 cents; city superfine, 3 dollars 12£ cents to 3 dollars 50 cents; inferior brands, 4 dollars 25 cents to 4 dollars 50 j cents for extra, and 3 dollars to 3 dollars 50 cents for superfine. 1 Wheat.—Advance checked. No. 1,1 dollar j 50 cents ; No. 2, 1 dollar 42£ cents to 1 dollar i 47 A cents : lower grades, 1 dollar 25 cents to j 1 dollar 40 cents ; extra choice, for milling, | 1 dollar 524 cents per cental. j Barley.—Receipts enormous. Standard ] Chevalier is selling at 1 dollar 30 cents to 1 ! dollar 32J cents. j Hops.— to 124 cents per lb for ISSB, and 3to 0 cents for 18S7. Buyers willing to contract for new crop at 12 cents. Brooms.—Good local and export demand at steady rates. Coal.—Sydney, 9 dollars 50 cents to 12 dollars 50 cents on the spot, and 9 dollars 25 cents to 11 dollars to arrive.

Quicksilver.—37 dollars 25 cents to 37 dollars 50 cents per flask. Canned Salmon.—l dollar 60 cents to 1 dollar 70 cents for Oregon, f.o.b. in river; 1 dollar 45 cents to 1 dollar 50 cents for British Columbia ; Alaska, 1 dollar -10 cents to 1 dollar 50 cents, f.o.b. in San Francisco. Freights.—Wheat to Cork for orders, rccharter, 32s fid ; Havre or Antwerp, 30s ; if to a direct port, 27s (id.

NEW YORK. From Messrs. 11. W. Peabody and Son's I circular, dated ISth August, we make the [ following extracts re trade at New York in ' articles of colonial export :— Kerosene.—Crude has fluctuated rather more than usual during tin past month, but refined has not in all cas' : acted in sympathy with it. Two advances and three declines of J- cent each in refined leave the case oil market ,i cent lower than last quoted, viz: 95 cents for Devoe's 110' low screw, 2-5 in cargo lots. Shipments have been : Melbourne, 49,125 cases: Sydney, 11,750 eases; Adelaide, 5150 cases; Dunedin, 1500 cases; Lvttelton, 250 eases; Auckland, 4578 cases, Nelson, 3200 cases. Naval Stores.—The low price of turpentine last quoted was only temporary, and the market immediately recovered and is now 41 cents. Rosins are even lower than last quoted. Sugar is unchanged and firm. B\kb-wikk is also unchanged. Wool.—Australians are in demand, and there has been a very large sale during the month, mostly to manufacturers. Freight.—Tho scarcity of vessels is unprecedented, and higher charter rates than tor many years are being paid for all deepsea voyage's. The few vessels offering are eagerly sought for Eastern oil business at prices which represent to owners more than the equivalent of present rates for the colonies. We quote present freight rates to colonial ports as follows : Melbourne, 20 cents ; Sydney, 20 cents ; Adelaide, 224 cents ; Brisbane, 24 cents ; New Zealand ports, 25 cents.

CALL AND DIVIDEND LIST.

CALLS. £. 8. d. Due. Adeline Amalgamated G.M. Co 002 — Supt. 25 Trenton G.M.Co 0 0 3 — Sept. 26 Archhill Brick ami Tile Co. 0 1 0 — Sept, 23 Brosran O.M. Co 0 0 2 — Wept. 28 Golilwater G.M. Co 0 0 2 — Oct. 1 DIVIDENDS. Bank of Australasia .. .. 12 p. cent— Oct. 4