COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8931, 15 July 1892, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office, Thursday evening. The Customs duties to-day amounted to £002 18s 7d. . . Everything under this heading is rather tame and flat. The recent inclement weather has retarded retail buying, and there is a consequent reflex action on wholesale business. It is understood that freights from London by sailing vessels are still further lowered, and deadweight stuff is being quoted by cable at extremely low freight rates. The battle between the rival lines that are fighting for some control of the splendid New Zealand carrying trade, is being fought out in the same way that the contest is going on in the Home elections. It is Conservatives versus Liberals, with the former well recognising the necessity for a new policy. Shipowners are exercised very much as to what to do with millions of sailing vessel property, now that steam is rapidly superseding canvas. It only tends to show how dependent all classes of investors and speculators are upon the unknowable issue of events. There is a dovetailing of many interests apparently very wide apart, and the links in the chain of association are endless. Overstock of imports in Australia is still exercising a weakening influence on New Zealand prices, and the general tendency here is towards lower quotations all round. Cutting prices are more frequent, but the control by agents and manufacturers saves a moiety of the general trade orders from the description of bad business. There is a very ready adaptation to circumstances, and a consequent looseness of all regular values. These general remarks make it needless to specify particular instances of the reference as regards market quotations. We take a late Sydney report anent Indian teas as under The Indian market has opened much higher than was anticipated in face of the late ruling prices in London and the strong competition from Ceylon. Samples of the new crop to hand show poor value for the money paid. Thin undesirable Pekoe Souchongs were selling at Sd to Sid ; c.f. and i., and Pekoes about Isd more. Our Calcutta correspondents cable, under date of 13th instant, that the "quality offering is improving, but that the market is advancing, and that Australian orders sent on a basis of last year's standards cannot be executed." First quality flax is wanted by the local buyers. There is a very flat market tor other descriptions. In the produce division matters are rather quiet, and a general consensus of opinion exists that the disturbers of legitimate prices based upon 20s in the £ payments, had better be wiped out if there is going to be any safe, sound, and fair trading. Oats are as last week, viz., from 2s 2d to 2s 3d off wharf, with a greater scarcity of prime samples. Old maize is worth '2s Id, ex store. The quality of new maize is very uneven. There is a very much stronger enquiry both locally and for shipment to Sydney, and the market is distinctly advancing. Potatoes : The market is as last reported, best Southerns being worth _ . Milling wheat, local and Southern : cry heavy arrivals into Auckland mills this week, and prices for all prime samples are well maintained.

Fowl wheat is difficult to sell

Seed wheat; An excellent demand exists for spring wheat, chiefly red and white Tuscan varieties. Bran and sharps are wanted, and each is 5s per ton dearer. Flour is selling freely, and big deliveries. In the local produce market the prices remain unchanged. Eggs are very plentiful, but good butter is rath-r scarce. Present prices re : Best dairy butter is Is 3d per lb, second quality Is, and third quality 10d per lb wholesale. Eggs are l()d jier dozen wholesale, and Is per dozen retail.

KAURI GUM MARKET. The following is the report of the gum market and ruling quotations, as furnished to us by the committee of gum merchants :— Ordinary ... £47 Poor ordinary £32 to £40 East Coast £76 to £77

Supplies from Ist instant to date, 280 tons. Superior lots, unpicked and extra cleaned, are worth from £50 and upwards, according to quality and degree of cleaning.

LIVE STOCK & PRODUCE MARKETS.

AUCKLAND.

" Messrs. A. Brckland and Sons' Weekly Report.—At the llaymarket during the past week hand-bound fodder has brought from 2s fid to 3s; machine-pressed, 3s to 3s 9d ; chaff, 3s 3d to 3a 9d the cwt; carrots, 25s the toil ; damaged maize, Is Sd ; old maize, Is lid to 2s Id ; oats, Is lOd to 2s 3d ; station ryegrass, os ; cocksfoot. Gs the bushel; manures, from £5 5s to £7 10s the ton. Oil Friday, horse stock, in usual number, kept their late values : Useful horses, of medium strength, brought from £8 to £12 each ; a hooded buggy, £10; harness, £3. On Tuesday, hides sold freely : Best ox brought from 4}d to 5d ; medium. 3d to 3/d ; light ox and cow, l; ! d to 2Jd ; calfskins, 4kl to s.}d the lb ; tallow, 16s (kl to 19s 61; bones, 4s 9rl the cwt; sheepskins, mostly from 2s to 4s 3d; an exceptionally heavy lot of eight fleeces, 6s 7d each ; locks and pieces, from2£d to 4d the lb. At Remuera on Thursday, dairy cows near calving were plentiful, and lower in price, about each ; prices ranged from £3 10s to £515.3. Store cattle in limited number were better worth, well-bred two-year-old steers brought £4 each ; dry cows, £2 to £3 each ; calves, 30s. Young calves, in usual supply, sold freely, and brought from 5s to 8s: month old calves, 25s to 40s each. Fat cattle in full numbers, 256 sold, kept last week's advance, prices were from 21s to 23s the 1001b. Slice)) in usual supply, 1010 sold, for good quality there was keen competition, and slightly higher values obtained, but medium quality were no better worth. Store sheep were in better demand, crossbred ewes at lambing brought 14s ; forward in lamb, 10s 3d; long-wooiled wethers, 12s 6d ; fat wethers from I.'is 9<i to IDs 9d ; ewes, lis to 16s 6d ; hoggetts, 8s 6d each. Well fatted pigs sold better, large pigs brought from 30s to 40 s; porkers, 29s to 295; coarse pigs, 2s to 9s each.

Messrs. Hunter and NOLANS Weekly Rki'okt. — Home teed, grain, seeds, Sic. : A brisk demand has existed, and there lias been ail upward tendency in value, particularly for oats. We quote Feed oats, '2s 4d per bushel; Tartarian, "is (id; maize, old, Is lid to 2s : new, Is .Sd to Is 10.1; bran, £4 10. per ton ; chaff, £- lO.s to 'J.'!. Horses have continued scarce, but a demand has existed, particularly for those of a good stamp, at values showing an upward tendency. '1 here was a fair muster at the Durham Yards on Friday, and steady bidding throughout. We quote -Medium draught from £G to £13 10s each ; heavy draught, £9 to £10 10s ; hacks, £4 to £S ]')H. Wool, hides, skins, etc. : Moderate quantities changed hands without much alteration in value. We quote Stout ox hides, 4d to 4? d ; light to medium, 3d to3.Jd; steer and cow, l.j'd to 2.', d ; calfskins, 3£d tosu; tallow, l"s Gd to 18s (id per cv. t.; bones, £4 5s to £.") per ton ; sheep:-kins, Is 2d to 4s 3d each ; wool, lid to (i.',d per lb. Cattle : Activity has characterised the fat stock market. Dairy stock hud a slightly downward tendency. Stores in moderate numbers at previous values. At Newmarket, below the average number wan yarded; competition for dairy cows was less brisk than has been the case for some time, and prices recedcd slightly. Stores without alteration. Fat beasts were keenly competed for at from 19s to 22s per 1001b. At Pukekohe, on Wednesday, there was a good muster, and spirited competition, and fully Newmarket values were obtained. Some averages of fat steers were : £S Is '2d, £8, £7 lis 3d ; £7 10s, £7 7s 5(1; cows, £."> .Is, £5, £4 17s Gd, £1 10s, £4 ]0a 3d, £4 2s Gd, £•). Sheep: A small number were penned at Newmarket, on Tuesday, and there remained an unsatisfied demand. Wethers sold at from 10s to 17s Gd ; ewes, 8s Gil to lis Gd. Figs in moderate numbers; medium weights sold at from 15s Gd to £1 Gs each. Bacon pigs. £2 7s Gd to £3 10s each.

Messrs. G. W. Br v .vky and Sons' Report.—On Tuesday v.e cleared an extra large catalogue of hides, sheepskins, etc. Competition was brisk throughout, and late quotations maintained. Heavy stout ox soid from 4;\d to 4yd (picked ad), .stout 3M to 4.} d. medium stout 3d to 3£d, steer 2d to '2{<l. Cow sold at an average of ~2s<\ for good lines ; heavy picked, 2fd to 3d ; calfskins from ikl to 53 d per lb; stags and damaged at nominal figures only. Sheepskins met ready sale at last week's rates. Our principal lines were : 14 longwools at 4s 9.1 ; 55 crossbred,s, 4s ; SO crossbreds, 3s 7d ; 36 small, 2s 5d ; country salted, from 4s to 4s 9d for large and 2s fid to 33 fid for medium. Tallow and bones: No change to report.