COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10036, 24 January 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office.

Thursday evening. A trade report this month must primarily deal with the general state of uncerta inty consequent on the several serious questions cabled out from day to day in which the British Empire is concerned. »

To a largo extent the Transvaal difficulty has overshadowed the commercial position, and colonists have at once recognised that the war clouds have assumed an ominous influence ou the state of general business. Few in business have seen clearly how to act under the exceptional uncertainty that prevails, for with Venezuela, Armenia, and the Transvaal entanglements, none could know when the thunderbolt of of war would change all the commercial circumstances of the world.

The Christinas and New Year's holidays, since our last monthly report, have made the month a somewhat broken one, but we gladly report that distributors have been generally well satisfied with the turnover, and the general soundness of the financial position. The chief industries of the province are prosecuted with vigour, and with a fair amount of success. The gold mining industry has felt the collapse in prices in London, due to the losses on the London Stock Exchange from recent South African events, but New Zealand mines are regarded with favour by outside investors, and in a wide field of mineral country labour is abundantly supplied with work. There is every indication of a good harvest, and this is causing a general feeling of confidence.

The demand for timber has continued good, and all the mills are running full time. Financially the position is unaltered, remaining still satisfactory. Values of property have not sprung so much as was expected on the outbreak of the mining boom, but there aro numerous buyers of property that a few years ago was practically unsaleable. Prices have not materially changed. Tho market lor flax is woak at subjoined prices. Sharps and pollard have been scarce. Sugar has advanced 10s ton. Boiled and raw linseed oil has met with a strong demand. Dried fruit have remained steady, with a fair all round demand. In hotel liquors, Bales have been heavy through the numerous holiday functions, clarets, light wines, and bottled ale coming in for a large share of attention. Indian teas have arrived, ex Mount Sirion, from Calcutta in large lots, and the quality report has been very satisfactory. Kerosene is held for a point more money than last month, but at this season the demand is rather slow, although of course with such a necessity there is always- some trade orders. In oilman's stores there has been no alteration, a steady month's trade going through. Whiting has been more wanted by the aerated water manufacturers.

KAURI GUM. The market during the past month, to short supplies, has been a good one, with firm prices. The demand for superior ordinary still remains unsatisfied, and the same may be said of East Coast. Superior re-scraped gum is also in active enquiry. The whole of the demand is for the American market, and the prices for all good gum aro firm. The inferior qualities are still somewhat neglected, but are saleable at a price. The barque Prins Valdemar is loading for London, and tho barque Tillie Baker is expected from Wellington in about a fortnight to load for New York. The following are the quotations :— Poor Ordinary, which comprises weak and rough-coated pieces, pickings, and washed nuts, £28 to £34. Ordinary, meaning hard rough - scraped gum, varying in price according to the quantity of washed nuts, ranges from £38 to £44. Good ordinary, meaning hard, unpicked range gum, price varying according to size, scraping,' and freedom from weak pieces, from £48 and upward. East Coast, £70 to £72. The supplies from mail to mail amount to -142 tons.

WOOL SALES. Tho second wool sale of the season under the auspices of the Auckland Wool Brokers' Association was held at the. Wool Exchange Rooms, Queen-street, on January- 22. On the whole, the wool brought forward was somewhat inferior to that submitted in December, on account of a large number of the superior clips being included on that occasion. There was a slight falling away in the prices realised for the best clips (the highest price being BJd), this being especially notioeable in heavy longwools, which showed a decline ot a farthing, but the inferior classes seemed a trifle firmer, showing occasional advances equal to about a farthing, this being particularly noticeable on inferior crossbreds and merinos. The highest prices were paid for Lincoln aud Leioester wools. The prices realised throughout the sales were, longwools, 6d to 8d; crossbreds, 6fd to BJd; lambs, 6id to 7jd; pieces, 4d to (id. Tho- catalogues of the four auctioneers totalled something like 3000 bales, of which about 2638 were sold, the number passed in and not offered, being 365 bales. Several . private sales subsequently reduced this number substantially.

c DEPOSITS.-By Bank of New Zealand: Fixed for 3 months) 1} % per annum; 6 months. 24 % per annum'. 12 months, 3} % per annum j '24 months, 3} % per annum. By National Bank : Fixed for 3 months, 2 '/. per annum ; i) months, 3 '/, per annum ; 12 months, 4 '/, per annum; 24 months, 4 % per annum. By Australian Banks : Fixed ford months, 2 % per annum; 12 months, 3} % per annum.

Ales and Pouter.—Ale in bulk: None now imported to warrant market quotations. Ale (in bond); Bass's Dogshead brand (Read's bottling): pints, Cs 3d; quarts, 8s Oil (in bond); Foster's Bugle ale, quarts 8s 9d, pints fls 3d; Foster's Bugle stout, quarts, 8s Oil, pints us 3d; Bulldog(R. Porter and Co.'s bottling), (is 9d and 8s 9d ; AMsopp's, quarts, ale and stout, Ss (id ; pints, ale and stout, (is 3d ; Bernard's ale, quarts (in bond', 6s Oil; W. Youngcr's, lis and Vs 3d; Ashby's, 6s 3d to 8s 9d; Bass's (Blood bottlers), pints, 4s quarts Cs Oil. AngloBavarian: pints 6s Od and Ss; Boar's lload' Stout: quarts, 8s fld; pints, 6s fld. Guinness's Harp brand by Foster: pints, 0s; quarts, S3. Foster's Bugle stout : quarts, 9s; pints, 09 3d. Blood's: pints, 6s; quarts, 7s. Hogshead • Guinness's (Read's bottling) pints, 0s 3d; quarts, 8s Od. R. Portor and Co.'s bottling : pints, 0s ; quarts, Ss; Burke's : os, anil 9s. Other brands: 5s and 7s 6d) Duty : pints, Is Od : quarts, 3s per dozen. Building Materials.— K.B. and White's 12s to 13s. Slates: English Countesses are worth • £11 to £12; Plaster of .Paris, 14s to 10s. All these quotations nominal. Breadstuff.? and Grain. -Best roller flour, in Backs, £10 10s; 100's and 60's in proportion to extra bagging, Southern wheat, -milling, 4s, sacks extra; fowl wheat, 3s fld, sacks included. Bran, £4 16s. Sharps, £4 15s. Maize, 3s. Oatmeal, £12 10s per 20001b in 25's. Barloy (for malting), 3s Od ; feed, 2s Od to 2s fld. Oats, 2s Od (bags givenjn); f.0.b., Southern ports, 28 3Jd (bags in). Pearl barley, £14. Cabin bread, £15 per ton, sacks included. Bags and Bagging.— Calcutta full weight woolpacks, lljin., Is Bd, Cornsacks, 44in. by 20Jin., 4s 9d; 48in., 6s, wholesale lots. Coal.— Newcastle, ship's side, 22s 6(1 ; delivered, £llos,Lsquoted; Wuaugarei coal, Us at mine; ditto, Waikato, steam, 10s; household, 20s. Cordage, d.p. (Subject to trade discounts).— hemp rope, all sizes, Auckland-made, £oS for best, £52for next best; whale and lauco lines, £80 ; New Zealand flax rope, all sizes, £29; wool lashings, £34; clothes lines, 5d per lb, subject to trade discount; Manila clothes line, 8d; oakum, free, ditto, £40; point spun yarn, £63 ; twine, shop, d.p., per lb, fld to Is 2d; sewing twine, Is Id per lb. Coffee and Spices (in bond), per Ceylon, coffee plantation, No. 1, Is ljd; ditto, Island, 9d to lOd to Is 2d; chicory, 35s per cwt. in tins ; cocoa, d.p., Taylor's, Is 3d; Fry's, Is 3d; Van llouteus, 8s 3d; Epps's, Is 6d; chocolate, Taylor's, Is 4d ; Fry's, Is 3d. Spices, d.p.: Cloves, 7d; bleached ginger, Md ; nutmegs, 2s Id to 2s 6d ; black pepper, whole, in bond, 4jd to 6d ; white ditto, 6Jd to lid. Confectionery.—Local manufacturers aro producing good articles, and consumption is chiefly in their goods, Mennie and Dey's boiled, 4d, less trade discount; Keiller's assorted confections, 9Jd; Gray's, 9Jd ; candied lemon peel, d.p. (duty, 5d per lb), Is; orange, Is citron, Is 3d; local, from Od fur lemon to Is 3d lor citron ; Keiller's jujubes, Is 4d; Gray's jujubes, Is Id to Is 3d« Gum, Flax, <tc.-We quote: Gum: Poor ordinary £28 to £34; ordinary, £38 to £44 ; good, ordinary, £48 and upwards; East Coast, £70 to £72. Flax : Best clean Auckland, £13 to £13 10s, nominal; fair average quality, £lu ; tow, £5 to £6 per ton. Cocoauut fibre, £15 to £17; cocoanut oil (fine white), per ton, £24. Copra, per ton, £8 16s to £9 ss. Fungus, 3}d. Ironmongery, &c—Galvanised corrugated iron, duty paid (duty £2 per ton), J to 8 feet, £17 10s to £18; 9 feet, £18 105 to £19; 10 feet £20; English bar iron, per ton, £8 10s; fencing wire, assorted sizes, £8 6s to £S 10s ; Barbed wire £13 10s to £14, according to brand; English pig iron, £5; pig lead, £12 ; zinc, £24; I.C. coke tin plates, 14s to 14s Oil; powder, Curtis, Harvey, sa. Muntz metal, C.Jd. Quicksilver, 2s 2d. Jams, Dried Fruits, etc.— 2d per lb. Keillei's marmalade, lib., d.p., 7." 3d; Gray's, 7s; Moir's, 7s ; Pluenix, Ounedin, 4s to 4s Od ; Nelson (Now Zealand), 4s fld ; Smyrna sultanas, iijil (d.p.) ; Malaga muscatels, Is Od; Californian, 9d ; elemes, 4}d ; currants, lja in bond ; tigs (140z.), 0s Od per dozen, d.p. ; Cal. prunes, 7d ; dried apples (duty, 2d por lb), ordinary, in kegs and cases, Ojd; evaporated, 7d ; dried apricots, 8»d ; dates, 4jd. Leather and Hides.—Sole leather, Sd to Is 3d per lb; kips, Is 2d to Is Oil ; runnel's, Is Od to Is 8d ; calf, colonial, 2s Od to 3s Oil ; basils, 8s to 18s per dozen; closed uppers, 4s Oil to 8s Oil per pair ; bides, Id to 4d; calf skins, 3d to 4Jd per lb ; sheepskins, Od to Gs. Manures.— bonedust, £5 to £0; Auckland, £5 15s; superphosphate of lime, £0 ; boneflour, £6 ; Peruvian guano, £14 to £17 per ton ; animal manure, none ; cocoanut oil cake, none; linseed cake, £9 ; Coral Queen Island guano, £4 7s 6d ; New Zealand Drug Co.'s manures : A superphosphate, £5 IDs per ton; bonedust, steamed, &i 16s, bonedust, green, £5155; bonedust and blood, ' £4 165; root manure, £0 6s ; A grass manure, 0 ss; B grass manure, £0 ; potato manure, £0 16s ; turnip manure, £0 6s ; corn manure, £0 ss; maize manure, £0 6s; orchard manure, £7 6s; onion manure, £7 ss; clover manure, ,£0 ss; sulph. of :immonia, £10; Coral Queen guano, 04 per cent., £4 7s Od. Malt and Hops.— malt is not imSorted ; Colonial, 5s to 53 Cd. Hops: Nelson, brewers, Is ; grocers' hops, bulk, 6d to Bd, Oilmen's Stores, &c. — Atlas Paraffins, B}d ; Price's National 71d; Price's Belmont, 7Jd; Young's British Wax, 7Jil: Price's London Wax, 7}d; D. 11 Jdnar's, 7 jtl, scarce; Price's self-litting, fld; local blue mottled soap, £21 per ton ; carbolic, £30; best yellow, £20; No. 1 household, £15 ; Ist Crown, £20; double Crown, £20; soft soap, in tins, 4}d per lb; toilet, 9d to lOd per lb—all subiect to trade discount. Salt, 10s per ton dutv : Coarse, W. & W., £3 10s ex store, d.p.; ex ship, 5s per ton lower ; line Black Horse, £4 ; ex store, d.p., ex ship, 5s per ton lower ; rock salt, £3 10s bagged, or £3 loose; Jordan almonds, 2s 3d ; Blacking paste, Day and Martin's, 3s fld to 4s; Column's starch, No. ll (duty, 2d per lb): white, 48s; blue, 48s; lieumann's, 4tis; Hoffmann's, 455. Mustard, d.p.: Champion's genuine Mb book-shaped tins, 10s to 19s 6d; J-lbtins, 9s 3d to 9s Od; Column's Mb tins (red), lis Oil; half ditto, 9s: 7-lb tins (red to green) 7Jd to Is; Mb tins (green), 13s; Mb dittos, 7s ad; DSF Mb tins, 9s, lib, 18s. Blue, Reckitt's Pans, in circle, 7d; Column's Azure, Sjd. Matches : Vestas, d.p., Bryant and May's 250, per gross, lSs JM ; ditto, plaid, 4s fld; ditto, fancy oral, 24s 6d; R. Bell and Co. 250's, 13s Od in large parcels; plaids, 3s 4d fur wholesale lines only. Oil : Castor, in pints, 8s Od ; half-pints, ss; quarter-pints, 3s Od. Salad: C. and 8., pints, 14s; half-ditto, 6s Cd; Morton's pints, 12s ; half - pints, Os 3d; Pickles: Stephens' pints, 7s fld; Crosse and Blackwell's, pints, 14s ; Morton's, lis ; McConnochie's, Suffolk, 8s 6d. Rice (ground), in tins, 4ld. Sauces: Lea and Perrin's, halfpints, 14s ; Manor's, pints 10s ; Goodall's Yorkshire Relish, "s Od; Vinegar, d.p. Champion's, por gallon, 2s 3d; Iloldbrook's, Is lOd ; Burnett's, Is lid; Potts', Is lOd; local, Is Id. Vinegar, esse: Champion's, 7s 6d; Burnett's, 7s; Morton's, 7s 3d. Treacle, 2d; Golden Syrup, bulk, 2}d. Sago, 12s per cwt; tapioca, 13s per cwt. Cornflour : Brown's, 3d, d.p. ; Clements', 3d ; Brown and Poison's, C|d; Preserved milk : Nestle's, 7s to 7s 3d according to parcel ; Milkmaid, 7s to 7s 3d ; local brands, 5s Od. Tartaric acid, in jars, Is lOd; in keg, Is 8d ; cream of tartar, in jars, Is "d, in bulk. Is 0d; bicarb, soda, £13 ; English soda crystals (duty £2), £710s, nominal; local, £5 15s ; .Whiting, £4 ss. Oils and PAiNTS.-Duty, Od a gallon. Colza, in drums, 3s 3d; hulk, 3s; linseed, boiled drums, 3s Id; bulk, 2s lid; raw, drums, 3s; bulk, 2s 9d to 2s lOd; castor, in drums, 2s fld to 2s lOd : half-cases, d.p., 2s 7d ; kerosene, in bond, White Rose, 160 tost, 9Jd; other high test brands from fld ; these prices are for large lots. Wh'te lead, ground, per cwt, 661b and 1121b ; genuine, 255; No. 1 white lead, 23s in 66*s, smaller packages more, according to size; red lead, dry, 2is. Zinc white, £2 per ton more. Oil colours, assorted, £1 10s to £1 18s per cwt. Turps; American, 2s Od ; resin, £0 15s to £7 10s according to grade. Varnish, oak, 9s 6d to 12s Od; copal, 12s Od to 10s. Quotations regulated by quantities and qualities. PuovisiONS.-Cheese : Southern factory, 4Jd to 6d. Corned butter, prime Bd, second quality scarce. Taranaki, 7d. Rice i.b.. Hunter's Standard. Japan, £13. Canterbury bacon and hams (in cloth), sides only, Oil; equal numbers hams and bacon, tijd.; hams only, 7Jd. Fish: Ling, sjd; boneless cod, 3d d.p.; duty 2d, preserved red herrings, in tins, 36s per dozen (2-lb tins); white, 33s per barrel; Marshall's white, 3s per tin ; Slacconochio's fresh herrings, 6s to 6s 3d; Findon haddocks, Ss ; lobsters, American libs, 124 ; salmon, lib Columbia River, d.p., 9s fld; Alaska, 7s 3d to 7s 6d, d.p. ; British Columbia, 7s 9d to 8s 3d; salt salmon, sd; sardines, quarters, 4s (id to 6s ; halves, 7s Cd to Bs, according to brand; oysters, 7s; mullet (Kaipara), 5s Sugars,—Mauritius brewers'crystals, £32 duty paid (duty Jd nor lb); Colonial Sugar Company's Auckland refinery, d.p., No. 1, £21 10s; No. 2, £20 10s; No. 3, £19; English crushed loaf, 3>d,d.p., nominal; French cube, 4jd; Queensland yellows, 1.b., £11: browns. £910s, in bond, nominal. Spirits.—Duty, lOs per gallon of proof spirits in bulk, 16s per gallon in case. Brandy Koiiyer, Gouillet and Co., 25s and Ss; Marcellain's, case, 22s Cd, i.b.; flask, 28s (Id; half-flask, 35s 6d; quarter-flask, 53s Oil; Hennessy's; case, 36s Oil; Martell. 365; Bisquit, D.uLouche, and Co. pale, in hlids. and qr.-casks, 7s; Bisquit, Duboucho and Co.'s, 265; Boomerang, Australian hulk. 7s od; case, 21s; Mutter Frere's, 20s. Whisky, bulk : Walker's WW, 10s; Distillers old, ss; very old, 7s; VOS,Bs; case, Old Scotch, 15s; very old, 19s; VOS, 225 ; Gaelic, Old Smuggler, 21s; Buchanan's House of Commons, 2ls; Robortson's One Star, 225; 3.Star, 20s; Dunville's, 5s Cd; case, 18s: Royal Blend, 245; Toacher's old, 20s, i. Walker's WW, 225 ; LL, 22s Od to 235 ; all in bond. Geneva, proof, 3 gallons, JDKZ, 15 bottles, 14s fld; 20 bottles, 17s «d ; key, Geneva, proof, 10s; Schnapps, Wolfe's, 21s fld. Gilbey's dry gin, 16s; Distillers' Company, 14s ; Burnott's Old Tom, 13s. Lowndes' rum, 30 0.p., 3s 3d; in lihds., 4s per octave ; Red Heart, case, 20s. Key, 225. Table Apollinaris water, 6s od per dozen. Quotations are as follows .-—Kauri timber f.0.b., coastal and Auckland mills: Ordinary building timber, undressed, 100 feet, firstclass 13s; medium class, 10s; second ■ class, 8s; flitches, all heart, lis Oil; flitches, with sap, lis, flooring boards, dressed, p.t.g., first-class, 15s ; medium-class 12s; second-class 10s; lining boards, p.t.g., beaded and V. jointed, first-class, 14s Od; medium-class, lis fid; second-class, 9s 6d; rusticated weatherboarding, first-class, 15; medium-class, lis Od ; second-class, 9s Od; boat boards, planed twosides, |ths-inch, lis Od; j-incn, 14s. For widths over 12 inches Oil extra per inch per 100 feet is charged, and for lengths over 24 feet extra prices are charged. Logs, (is to 6s 3d. Tobacco.—Duty. 3s Oil. Ruby Aromatic, 2s 2d; Victory, Is Mil to 2s ; Juno, black, all shapes, Is 3d to Is 4jd; Ascot, Is 7Jd; Derby, ten cases, Is 7Jd ; single case, Is Sjd; Venus, Is 7}d; Nailrod, lOd to is Id. Teas.—Prices range as follows (in bond). — Congous, common, 5d to 5Jd; middling to fine kinds, 7d to 8d; Saryunes and Panyongs, B<l t» lOd: : Souchongs and Kaisows.'fld •to lid; Darjeelings, Pekoes, Is 3d to is Bd. Pekoe Souchongs, 7Jd to Aid. Good broken, 7d to 7Jd; semi-broken and fine Souchong kinds, fld to Is Id. Ceylon teas from Is ?d to Is fld, d.p. " duty, 3d per lb. Fine China teas are neglected. Indians are in good demand in nearly all descriptions, - for blending purposes with Ceylous having a continually increased sale. ' < V

BANK KATES. . BUYING." SELLING. Demand ',.' 1 %'V . Bomand .. 1} % Hflditys v. J %l Dia- 30 days ,.M f Pre60 days v; %{ count 60 days ., 1% fmium 80<i»ys v 4%'I : • • 90 days'. .. J 7.) 'PaLEniwpuic Transfers 10 L0NO0N.-2} 'L plus cable charges - .