COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8705, 23 October 1891, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Nkw &EAT.AND Herald OHica, Thursday evening. The Customs duties to-day amounted to £923 Is sd. Island business has contributed to the trade of the week to a useful extent. Country 1 orders continue to exhibit a better demand, but quietness is the general all round report of rm 10 purely local trade. . I he belief is strong that by sternly application to the development of our various great resources, aided by fairly payable outside markets, wo shall master the difficulties that have besot us, and have the dearly bought lessons of erpcrieutia doctt for our future guidance. Playing with experiments is nearly as dangerous as playing with fire. This is equally true in business »3 in science or politics. - While Europe is generally lamenting a wretched season with immense) losses, Nature has in the South been more beneficent, and Austrulasia is fairly revelling in bright anticipations of one of the finest seasons known for a decade. The Australian wool clip promises to be a wonderful one. In Now j Zealand clip , and growing crops promise everything that can be reasonably desired. The puzzle with the wisest is to reconcile the fact that production is increasing by leaps and bounds, with the equally clear fact that in all the chief centres business men report slowness and that population is lessening. Yet any economist looking at the Customs and shipping returns would bo struck with their eloquent tale in the beautiful simplicity of figures. The great shipping companies have done a splendid service in providing the facilities of transport demanded by modern exigencies, and it is little less than astounding to see the growth of the colony's trade with that" little village " called London. We have before us a return of the direct to London trade from July 1, 1890, to June SO, IS9I, prepared by the New Zealand Shipping Company, No less than 55 steamers with an aggregate tonnage of 140,820 net tons left various ports full of cargo ; also 133 sailing vessels with a tonnage of 151, net tons left various ports with cargoes of wool, flax, wheat, oats, butter, cheese, gum, fruit, pelts, tallow, skins, cotton, pearl si ell, &c , even including ostrich feathers. We give a few interesting statistics as under:— [ Carcases of frozen me it exported .. », l,S"S,r>23 I Weight of mutton (lbs) exported .. • .. 101,198.004 ! Woifiht of beef (lbs) exported .. .. 11,233,897 Bales of woo! exported 516.513 Kilos of flax exported .. .. .. 47,359 Sacks of wheat exported 005,025 Sacks of oats exported 331), IoS Tons of butter exported 1,323 Tons of cheese exported 1,329 Cases of gum exported .. .. 4 , 10,290 , All this is to London only. Large exports have been made toNewVork; timber has cone to Glasgow, Hull, and Liverpool, while the Island and Australian trade has been very large. /We say nothing of gold or coal, but it is clear that the income is a fine one, and it is absolutely deplorable that with all this men's hearts are failing them, and glum looks are so freely met. The thing is a contradiction that defies intelligent explanation, unless at the expense of our common sense. We gladly turn to market reports. * _ Sugar is apparently hardening, more particularly in whites and light grainy yellows. Whether this market will follow the Australian one depends entirely on the Colonial Sugar Company, but there is a state of semiexcitement ruling on the mainland, with two Queensland refineries putting up prices £1 per ton. Kerosene -'remains. very dull. Afloat lots are heavy, and the season is against lar£e sales. It is well understood that the fall in America only covers some ulterior policy on the part of the Standard Oil Company. There are two great oil kings in Mr. Rockfeller, of this company, and the head of the firm of Rothschild, who are at the back of the Russian management of the Baku wells. A coalition, or what is perhaps more understood in the States as a " pool," has for some time been regarded as likely. Rockfeller is apparently " bearing" oil to make better terms with Rothschild, in the same way that the latter is " bearing" quicksilver to make terms with the Spanish Government in renewal of the control of the output. It is a poor rule that does not work both ways. Diplomacy is not left altogether with Salisbury and Co. In dried fruits, sultanas show further weakness. 1» " '

Coarse salt is offering at lower figures. Latge business has beon put through in raw and boiled oil, the Varnish Company's requirements largely increasing. Hops are held for more money, with reported large sales at Nelson. Starch is in good request. There i.9 a strong demand for Huemmau's brand. Indian teas are a point easier from latest Calcutta reports. Ceylons are in decidedly more general inquiry. Figs, prunes, and dried apples are asked

for. ■ * , ■ , ' Onions are scarcer, and Californian are picked up quiCkly at improving prices. Maize is worth from Is lid to 2s off wharf, with the market fully supplied. Oats are without quotable change, hut the advices from the Bluff are towards a stiffer

feeling. There is a rumour about that the Russian Government have prohibited the export of this cereal, or have imposed an export duty, which 13 the same thing in effect. This has made the London market appear more favourable, and may to some extent influence local prices. . Old potatoes are scarce, and inquired for at £3 10s to i"4, the supply in the Te Kapo unexpectedly short, but bearing in mind the lateness of the season buyers are acting very cautiously. Milling wheat, local and Southern : There have been comparatively few deliveries of local wheat into the mills lately, but considerable quantities of Southern are coming up here by almost every steamer, and occasional sailing vessel. Although the Australasian and English markets arelquiet and yielding there is some excitement both here and in the South, the belief increasing as the day lengthens, that the quantity of old wheat in the colony will be tremendously reduced before next year's wheat is millfreo and matured sufficiently for grinding. For fowl wheat there is fair inquiry. Bran and sharps, _ owing to green feed getting plentiful, are in rather less demand. Flour is selling freely at the recent advance.

In the local produce market prices remain unchanged. There is not quite such a glut as was experienced a" few weeks ago, but there are no indications of an advancing market. Prices are : Best dairy butter. Gd; second quality, 5d ; and third quality, -Id per lb wholesale, Eggs are 7d per dozen wholesale, and 9d per dozen retail.

KAURI GUM MARKET. The following is the report of the kauri gum market, and ruling quotations, a3 furnished to us by the committee of gum merchants Good ordinary £12 Poor £25 to £35 Hast Cp.ist .. .. .. .. £71 to £72 Supplies from the Ist instant to date, 49'J tons, Superior unpicked iota of ordinary, extra well cleaned, are fetching from £4 to £00; but the supply of this quality is very limited, and only in small lota, and for this rea*on is not regularly quoted, as every diguor is aware that for special lots higher prices are given, according to quality and value, and it is dliticult to give any decide.! quotation. For really good well cleaned there is a brisk demand ; poor ordinary is almost unsaleable ; there is a great deal offering, and bush gum also is in over supply. At the last London sales there was a good market for all good gums, No. 1 quality arid upwards, and this market has experienced the full advance of the increased value. There are large stocks of poor kuiu, No. 2 quality, downward-, hold in London, and at present prices here it would leave a loss to shippers, and the only remedy is for diggers to clean these qualities better, and the, would find a moro ready sale. The supply for the month bids fair to be rather larger than the average.

LIVE STOCK & PRODUCE MARKETS. AUCKLAND. Messrs. Hunter and Nolan's Report. —Horse feed, grain, seeds, etc.: The demand has been steady for a good supply. We quote : Oats, Is 8d to 2a Gd per bushel; maize, 2s Id : bran, £4 f>s to £4 10s per ton ; chaff, £2 10s to £2 12s Gd. Horses : The supply lias been an increased one, and the demand good for all descriptions, at the previous week's values. There was again a good muster at the Durham Yards, on Friday, and bidding was brisk throughout the sale. We quote: Hacks, £4 10s to £9 10s; light harness, £5 10s to £15 ; medium draughts, £7 10s to £16 10s. Wool, hides, skins, etc. : Moderate quantities were pitched at the Durham Yards, on Friday. , We quote: Extra stout, 5u to 5Jd; stout, 4d to 44 ! d ; medium, 3d to 31 d ; steers and cows, 2|d to 2M ; damaged, Id to ljd ; calf skins, 4d to fi^d; tallow, 15s to 18s Gd ; sheep skins, local, 3s lOd to Gs 9d; skins, country, 2s "Gd to 4s 8d; pelts, Gd to lOd ; lamb skins, lid to Is 4d. Cattle : Rather a large number of stores have been brought forward. Fresh wellgrown steers have maintained their value, but for smaller and poorly bred cattle, prices were in favour of the purchaser. Dairy and fat stock were in usual numbers, without noteworthy alteration in value. The Newmarket yards were fairly filled, and competition was steady throughout. Some averages of fat steers were £8 13s 9d, £8 3s, £7 Gs uc], £7 4s, £6 16s 6d, £6 10s 3d, £5 15s ; cows, £5 15s, £5 8s 9d, £5 2s Gd, £4 15s, £4 7s Gd, £4 Cs. Sheep were in rather limited supply, and sold readily ; at the previous week's values. Wethers, at from 16s Gd to 21s ; shorn wethers, 14s Gd to 15s 6d ; ewes, 14s to 163 Gd ; lambs, Bs, 9d to 133 9d. Pigs: Few were yarded, and there remained an unsatisfied demand for porkers, at 2id per lb; live weight. Messrs. Alfred Bctckland and Soys Weekly Rki'Oßt.—At the Haymarket during the past week small loads of wheaten straw brought from 10s to 12s each; oaten

sheaves, Is to Is 9d; meadow hay, Is to 3s Gel the cwt; maize, '23 Id; oats, Is 9d to 2s the bushel; chaff, £2 10s to £'3 10s the ton. On Friday, horse stock in full supply sold briskly, with scarcely an exception. Strong draught from £12 10s to £18 15s; medium draught, £8 to £12 each; ahorse, spring cart, and harness, £24 10s; saddle and bridle, 60a. " At the hide and skin sale on Tuesday better values were obtained, Ticked heavy .ox brought from s£d to Cid; stout niedium.JLd to 4sd; light ox and cowhides, 24a to3.a; calf skins, 5d to Ci'cl tho 11); tallovv. 14a Cd to 19s 3d the cwt: rough fat, lid the b ; bones, £4 17s Gd and £5 the ton ; tresh skins, 3s 6d to 5s 9d; lamb skins, lid to 2s 3d; dry skins, 2s to 5s Gd ; pelts, 7d to Is each : long wool, G.\d and 62d; crossbred. 7d the lb. At the cattle fair held at Remuera on Tuesday above 1000 head were sold. Grown cows kept their values; all other descriptions of cattle were lower from os to 7s (id each, the fall being more marked in calves and yearlings han in the larger cattle. Four-year steers ranged from £4 to £5 12s Gd; three-year steers, £2 15s to £3"l2sGd; two-year steers, £2 10s ; yearlings, 27s to 325; cows, £3 10s to £2; two to three year heifers, 30s to 455; calves, 23s each. At Pokeno on Monday the sale was held in the new yards near the station. There was a "moderate muster of cattle, but all sold freely at late values. At Drury on Wednesday there was a very full muster of cattle, and prices were higher than those ruling at Koauera. Dairy cows were in demand at improved values. The small farm at Paparata brought £180, and privately Mr. VVooclfield's farm at Fapatoitoi was sold for £15 au acre. At Remuera, on Thursday, dairy cows were penned in less numbers than usual —good animals brought from £4 103 to £5 each. Fat cattle, in full number, 270 bold; late prices were fully sustained throughout tlie sale : Steers were from 17s to 18s; cows, 13s to 15s the 1001b. Sheep, in short supply, 750 yarded,. were slightly better worth: Longwoolled wethers, in their wool, brought front 17s to 21s; ewes, 13s to 15s ; shorn wethers, 153 each; lambs, short of requirements, 190 sold, kept their late values—those of fair quality, from 7s to 8s; prime, 103 to 13s each, rigs, in limited number, were 110 better worth. essrs. Q. W. Binney and Sons' Report. —On Tuesday hides, etc., sold freely at late quotations. Stout picked ox are scarce, and realised up to Gd per lb ; heavy stout, 4Jd to 5d ; heavy, 3Jd to 4d ; steer and heavy cow, 2id to 3d ; wet and sloppy, 2d to 2sd ; heavy kip, 2. J ,d to 3d ; calf, 5d to sid ; stag, Id to 2Jd; damaged, Id to ljd per lb. _At each, local ox hides sold from 18s to 355; steer, from 14s to 16s : cow, from 10s to 14s. Sheepskins': Best local green, from 5s Gd to Gs Gd ; crossbrcds, 3s Gd to 5s ; country dry, 5d per lb for well preserved ; damaged, 2d to 3d per lb. Wool : Small lots, GJd to 7d per lb. Bones : £4 15s to £5 per ton. Tallow : Medium quality, lGs Gd to ISs ; inferior, 10s to 15s ; rough fat, lsd per lb.

JOHNSON MESSRS. Freeman R. Jackson' and Co.'s Stock Report (by telegraph on Wednesday). —The quality, of the frit cattle entered ranged from prime to good. The bidding was somewhat irregular, and prices varied accordingly, yielding an average of 15s the 1001b. A very small entry of sheep was penned. There were moderate sorts of ewes and wethers mixed, that made from 14s lOd to 15s. No pigs came to hand. Cattle : Prime bullocks, £7 to £7 12s (3d; other, £6 7s (3d to £G 17s Cd ; lighter weights, £5 17s Gd to £G ss. HAW ERA. Messrs. Nolan*, Tonks, and Co.'s .Stock Report.—Our Hawera Yards, on Thursday, were well filled with both cattle and sheep. The quality of the former not being very good, caused bidding to be rather slack, although, with two exceptions, every pen was quitted. Competition for the latter was not particularly keen, yet it resulted in most lines being placed. Cattle:—We quote: Yearling steers, 37s to £2 ss: eighteen-months'-old steers. £2 12s Gd to £2 17s Gd ; two-year steers, £3 2s Gd; two-and-a-half-year steers, £3 lis to £3 13s ; three-year-old bullocks, £4 13s6d ; three* and-a-luilf-year-old bullocks, £5 ; fat cows, £3 lis to £4 0s ; store cows, £2 17s Gd to £3 2s Gd : cows in calf, £3 Gs to £3 15s ; cows and calves, £3 ISs Gd to £4 : springers, £4 '2s Gd to £4 15s. Sheep: Cull hoggets, lis; cull ewes, 9s 9d ; four-tooth wethers, los 4d to 15s 7d; four-tooth, mixed sexes, 15s 4d.

MANAIA. The Egmont Farmers' Union* (Limited) Report.—On Saturday, the 10th October, at the request of many of our clients, we held our first horse fair at Mamiia. The entries were very large, more coming forward than were advertised, and a good number of the stock were a very useful class. The attendance was small and bidding was slow, and a great number of horses left the yards unsold. We quote: Hacks, £55a to £11 2s Ikl: buggy horses, £8 to £10; draughts, £9 7s Gd to £17 10s; weeds, 30s and upwards. On Wednesday, the 14th instant, we held our usual sale at Manaia. The yards were filled with useful cattle. The attendance was smaller than usual, and bidding was not so brisk, resulting in several lines not reachin" the reserves. We quote: Three-and-a-half to four-year-old bullocks (forward), i's to £5 10s ; two-and-a-half-year-old steers, £8 17s to £4 us: two-year-old steers, £3 6s to £3 15: i; yearlings and eighteen-months' steers, £1 17s to £353 ; cows and heifers (fat), £3 10s to £3 19s; springers and milkers, £3 Gs Gd to £G; heifers (two-year), £2 14s to £2 17s Gd. .Sheep : Ewes and wethers (four and sixtooth), 14s 7£d. Messrs. Budoeand Good's Report.—Our yards were crowded with cattle on the 13th instant, 100 steers more coming forward than wore advertised. The cattle were of first quality, and consequently bidding was spirited ; with the exception of two pons all selling under the hammer. 1100 sheep came forward, but competition for them was not so keen us usual. The following prices were realised :— 3-year-old steers, £4 10s to £4 17s Gd ; 2 to 2h year-old steers, £3 15s to £4 ss; 18 months old, £2 7s Gd to £2135; yearlings (mixed), 34s to 33s Gil; store cows, £3 to £3 12s Gd ; 2-year-old heifers, £2 IDs to £2 16? ; dairy cows, £3 10s to to; fat bullocks (light weights), £5 to £5 7s Cd ; fat cows, £3 10s to £3 17s Gd ; bull, £6 Gs ; hoggets, 13s 7d.

j LONDON COMMERCIAL. ! Prett Association.—Electric Tflfiravh.—Copyright. London, October 21. Tlia visible supply of wheat in America is estimated at 41,900,000 bushels. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 1.828,000 quarters, _ and for the Continent 2,112,000 quarters. Owing to the expected large arrivals of gold, money is declining. Open market for throe months bills, 2J per cent. Shares in the New Zealand Trust and Loan are quoted at £(! 10s; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, £2 las ; Dalgety and Co., £7. Per Sew Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. London*, October 20. Wheat: The mavkot is steady. There is a good demand and enquiries for new crop. Spot quotations have advanced Gd per 4961 us since last report. Other quotations are unchanged since last telegram. BROKEN lIILL SHAREMARIvET. Press Association.—' Telegraph.— i;)ht. Sydney, October 22. The following are the latest quotations for the principal silver mining shares Proprietary, 18s Gs ; British, £1 14s; Centrals, £'G; South, A' 4 Is Gd ; Block No. 14, £5 14s ; Block 10, £14 2s 6d; Junctions, £1 0s Oil.