COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10417, 15 April 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office, Wednesday evening. Mercantile business during the past four weeks has been generally reported slow and uneventful, if we except some strong interest latterly felt iu the produce section. But it can scarcely be said that there is auy marked diminution in volume in the whole grouping. It appears to take more effort to secure orders, the buying disposition on the part of the priucipal handlers not being of a keen character, the necessity to keep down stock being very noticeable in the retail division owing to the greater financial stringency. The character of the duiker crade has been well emphasised by activity in all the bush districts, und a large export from Northern sub-ports. The season has been, rather a rainy one, and fanners are rejoicing in a wonderful wealth of grass. Stock is in good condition, and there will be abundance of feed for winter, which is a great consideration. Owing to so much rain there will be less area put under artificial grass, tlic burns being retarded, and the season for fires in the bush ovor. Farmers have been delivering their wheat all the month'lit profitable prices, and are busy autumn ploughing. Goldfield development continues on a large scale, and it will be seen from our special mining report that the yields contiuue good, and that another important discovery has been made in the celebrated Wailii mine. The expenditure on the mines now being worked by English capital under the highest scientific knowledge of ore milling, is on an unprecedented scale, and although it hus been goiug on for months, the works contemplated are of such an extensive character that it must bo many months more before the returns will be forthcoming, when it is confidently expected the field will become even inoro famous for its gold product. Iu the meantime the distributing train of this centre is fooling immense benefit from the large employment of labour, aud a fleet of small tonnage steamers is constautly kept going to the various points of discharge with machinery from America and Glasgow, as also food and clothing supplies. Aβ month after mouth has passed the strain of mining calls has begun to tell, and at the moment any quantity of mining scrip can be bought at prices dictated by buyers in a great number of claims. This position has had its effect upon commercial business for the ramification ot mining losses is very wide, and there is a geueral tightening up of credit with merchants aud financial institutions, all regarding the outlook with less confidence. Outside of the mining interest, everything else is going on much the same as before. The various manufacturing industries are prospering, aud orders come forward freely for the great range of goods now made in Auckland. It is observed that the orders from the South ou a larger scale, except perhaps sugar, which shows some reduction owini! to considerable imports of beet sugar to the Southern markets. Island business has been useful, but it is now chicllv in New Zealand raw aud manufactured products, live stock, etc. Sydney is steadily getting hold of the Pacific Island trade in spite of the superior geographical position of Auckland, Building is fairly active in both town and country and skilled liibour i 3 receiving good employment. The tourist season is over with somewhat disappointing results. '■" Merchants' stocks are heavy, orders for the Home, American, and Continental markets having somo months ago becu framed under an idea of trade expansion that has not taken place. Store room is scarce and low prices are accepted often to escape accumulating charges. The fruit yield has proved to be much heavier than was looked for at the commencement of the season, aud a considerable sum has been paid to growers through the auction rooms.

The long continuation of dry weather in Australia is doing good to this colony in the greater call for forage, but as the North Island is un imported rather than exporter the benefit of any Australian demand will be reaped by the South Island only The Auckland coat will be increased accordingly.which is not a matter for local rejoicing, however much we may be pleased with the colony's benefit.

Wo now refer to a few items of general merchandise showing market positions. Hotel liquids have had a good average mouth's business. It ia noticeable that bulk whisky ia increasing ia over-the-counter sale. Perhaps this is one result of a common practise to use bottles of favourite brands to contain inferior spirit, and which practice has destroyed faith in labels, so that a highquality bulk, sold as bulk, secures the confidence of consumers. Geo. Goulet champagne is taking a leading place in public estimation ; salesare good. Dewar's Special in bottle is meeting with increased favour, but the leadins; brands are still Usher's Special and Gaelic.

Building material: Steady sale with full atocka of galvanised iron. Cement is reported sold in large parcels ex Mamari. Slates are in slow sale. Wire nails have advanced. Candles: The demand for imported is better. Price's Nationals have been sold in a large parcel. Stocks are plentiful. Dried fruits: Currants rule firm. Stocks fall, but well hula. Elomcs and sultanas very scarce. Cornsacks: Slow sale, prices unchanged. The demand will uot improve until the new maize crop is harvested in June. Hops : New season's Nelson has sold at Is, r.o.b. Nelson 100 bale lots. The crop is short, and it may be remarked that this is also the case in Tasmania and Victoria. Fish: The demand is virtually over for the season. Retailers' shelves are full, and now that Lent is over little wholesale business is expected. A slight enquiry exists for Albert sardines. Kerosene: The market is heavily overstocked, but the supplies are mainly held by one firm. Tho handling of this article is voted troublesome and unprofitable, and it would not surprise us if soveral wholesale firms refuse to do business upon existing trade conditions. Preserved milk: A large business has been done in the principally handled brands of Nestles and Milkmaid. It is almost impossible to find a buyer for any other imported milk. Locally put up, however, is gaining in favour. Canned fruits: The weather being colder there is less demand for Californian. Large stocks are held. Paint oil: There is a slow enquiry, with prices weaker, owing to the drop in linseed, caused by the heavy American crop. Salt: There is a continued scarcity of Black Horse coarse, but ample supplies of fine. Sugar: There is no business outside of the Colonial Sugar Company's make. Prices are unchanged. Tobacco: The sale of Derby continues as strong as ever, but stocks of this popular brand have accumulated. Next in point of favour comes the Ascot, especially the mild aromatic, which is in largely increased sale all over the colony. The cigarette business is held here by the Three Castle, Old Judge, and Capstan. Cigars are very slow sale. Havanahshave been further advanced. Teas; There has been the regular large business. Slackness of general trade has little appreciable effect upon articles of ewry-day consumption. Packet teas hold the principal trade. Blenders hold large stocks of Indian and Cevlon in bulk, but as the Calcutta eeaaon i> now over, they have a long time to reduce. Australia it finding it impossible to do a quarter of the wholesale tea business with this colony, enjoyed for to man lean, u import* come tawtly direct.

Broken, Orange, Pekoe, Ceylon, is iu increasing euquiry, but the bulk of the business is done iu Indians of medium price. Poor, undesirable descriptions are not in demand, even at low prices. Vinegar: All through the month enquiry has been good, with low stocks in bulk and bottle. Oats: There is a little excitement over oats, which have rapidly advanced owing to Australian advices of a quick move in feeding grains, due to shortness of teed in the Eastern colonies. Oatmeal has risen in sympathy fully 30s per ton. . THE KAURI GUM MARKET. Advices from London report a continued decline in values there for uearly all grades of gum. This, of course, has an adverse effect on our local market, but the miautity being produced is now so small, and stocks held here have fallen to so low a figure, that prices have not been materially reduced except for East Coast gum. Orders continue very small, no doubt beins: restricted owing to the unsettled state of European affairs, but with any increase in orders we should expect to see a rising market. We quote : Poor ordinary 25s to 27s Ordicary 35s to 37s Good ordinary 403 aud upwards East Coast 65s to 67s Re-scraped 88s aud upwards Supplies since last mail have been 420 tons and the stock now heie in hauds of selleis and shippers is about 570 tons.) Shipments have been :— For Loudon direct, per barque Glenlora 8S tons Do., do., s.s. Gothic 98 „ l)o., do., 3.8. Hawkes Bay ... 121 „ Do., via Sydney, s.s. Anglian ... 20 „ Do., do., s.s. Rotomajiana ... 15 „ Do., do., s.s, Tasmania ... 14 „ Total 351 „ AUCTION SALES, &c. March 19. Messrs. Samoel Vailk and Sons held a sale of properties at their mart this afternoon, There was a crowded attendance, and bidding was fairly brisk for the properties submitted. On the whole the sale was successful, though all the lots offered did not find purchasers. The lease of a residence of seven rooms in Alfred-street, Albert Park, with an allotment 83 feet frontage by an average depth of 73 feet, having 78 years to run, at an annual ground rental of £15, realised £700. An allotment in Graf ton Road, 50 feet by 180 feet, near the Domain, was passed iu at £3 per foot. An allotment in Cailton Gore Road, 40 feet by 120 feet, brought £4 per foot; an allotment in Park Road, 40 feet frontage, £3 15s per foot; two allotments in Glasgow Terrace, 40 feet frontage, £212s 6d per foot. These allotments are part ot the grounds of the Rev. 11. H. Lawry. A number of lots iu the same vicinity did not realise the reserve price, aud were passed in.

March 22. Mr. Richard Arthur held a sale of properties today, when the following were quitted; —Lots 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Hectiou 3, Village of Belville, Coromuidel, £12 10s; lot 1, section 1, Village of Belville, Coromandel, £1 10s. A property in Eden-street. Mount Eden, 58 feet by 125 feet, with brick and stone residence of seven rooms, realised £400. An allotment adjoining this property, with a frontage of 58 feet, and a depth of 120 feet 6 inches, brought £120. A property in Albertstreet (city), with a frontage of 44 feet 8 inches, and a depth of 160 links, was offered, but was passed in, the highest offer being £300. A number of other allotments were offered, but uot realising the reserves, were pissed in. March 29. Mb. Richard Artuur sold by auction today ail allotment in Queen-street, 100 links frontage by 220 links depth. Mr. VV. P. Hoffman was the purchaser at £410. Messrs. K. Burrow and Co., bouse and estate agents, report having sold this day (in conjunction with Mr. T. V. U&hill) Mr. Ledinehain's 14 roomed house, situate in Alfred-street, Albert Park, to Drs. McDowell and Souierville. April 2. Messrs, S. Vaile and Sons offered by auction to-day a number of properties, including the well ■ known residence at Epsom, " Rocklands." There was a large attendance, but bidding was very slack. April 5. A sale of property by auction was held today at noon at Mr. R. C. Carr's Auction Mart, Queen-street. There was a fair attendance present, but bidding in most instances was somewhat dull. An allotment with a cottage in Keppell-streec, 36 feet by 102 feet, was knocked down to Mr. R. Sowry at £81, and another allotment and cottage in the same locality, 58 feet by 102 feet, was passed in, the highest bid being £115. A cottage and allotment, 132 feet by 193 feet, in Telephone Road, Birkenhead, was passed at £260, the reserve being £275; and farms at Wayby, SI acres, and Mahuraugi, 88 acres, failed to find purchasers. At a sale of properties held to-day in Messrs. Samuel Cochrane and Sons' auction mart, Queen-street, part of lot 2, Karangahape Road, 25 feet frontage, and 100 feet deep, with house and shop erected upon it, was sold for £630. Lots 16, 17, IS, ami 20, with house, Fonsonby, having frontages to Wood, Russell, and Etenall-streets, were sold for £401). A farm of ISS acres at Flat Bush, Tamaki, was withdrawn at £310. BANK KATES. BUYING. SELLING. Demand .. J "/,\ Demand .. 1} % ) 30<lays .. J % I Dis- 30 days .. 11 % I Pro--60 days .. J % f count CO days .. \% [miuin 90days .. IJ XI 00days .. \%) TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFERS TO LONDON.— 2 '/„ plus cable charges Deposits.—By Bank of New Zealand: Fixed for 3 months, 1J % per annum; t) months. 2.J '/, per annum! 12 month*, 3} * per annum ; 24 months, 3} % per annum. By National Bank: Fixed for 3 months, 1J % per annum ; limonths, i\% per annum; 12 months, i\ % per annum; 21 months, ty % per annum, By Australian Banks: Fixed for i> months, 1} % nor annum; 12 months, 3 X per annum. Ales and POMER.-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 Cd (in bond)! Foster's Bugle ale, quarts 8s Del, pints Us 3d; Foster's Bugle stout, quarts, 8s 9(1, pints Os 3d; Bulldog (R. Porter and Co.'s bottling), (is 9d and 8s 9d; Alleopp's, quarts, ale and stout, 8s lid; pints, ale and stout, Us 3d ; Bernard's ale, quarts (in bond), 6s (id; W. Younger's, 5s and 7s 3d; Ashby's, Us 3d to Ss 0d; Bass's (Blood bottlers), pints, 4s quarts Os Gil. AngloBavarian: pints 6s Gil and Ss; Boar's Head Stout: quarts, 8s Oil; pints, Os (id. Guinness'a Harp brand by Foster: pints, 6s; quarts, Bs. Foster's Bugle stout: quarts, Os; pints, Os 3d. Blood's: pints, fa; quarts, 7s. Dogshead Guinuess's (Read's bottling): pints, Us 3d; quarts, 8s od. It. Porter and Co.'s bottling; pints, Os; quarts, 8s; Burke's: Us, and 9s. Other brands: 5s and 7s Ud Duty: pints, Is oil: quarts, 3s per dozen. Building Materials. K.B.and White's 13s (id Slates: English Countesses are worth £U to £12; Plaster of Paris, Us to 16s. All these quotations nominal, Firebricks, 2Jin. £8, 3in. £9, less trade discount. Bags and BAGOiNG.-Calcutta full weight woolpack UJlb.ls Btl (season over); Cornsaeks, «in. by UOJin., 4s 10d, 48in., 5s 4d, wholesale lots. Breadstuff* and Urain. -Best roller Hour, in sacks, £11103; 100' sand 50's in proportion to extra bagging. Southern wheat, milling, in, sacks »xtra; local wheat, Is, sacks extra. Bran, £312s 6d. Sharps. £4 ss. Maize, 2s Bd. Oatmeal, £13 per 200011) in 25's. Barley (for malting), 3s 0d; teed, 2s9d. Oats, 2s od (bags given in); f.0.b., Southern ports, 2s 3d, bags in. Pearl barley, £12. Cabin bread, £16 per tou, sacks included. COAL.-Newcastle, ship's side, 2'2s 6d; delivered £1 10s, fa quoted; Hikurangi coal, 9s at mine; Waikato, steam, 7s; household, 20s 9 mine. Cordage, d.p. (Subject to trade discounts).—Manila hemp rope, all sizes, Auckland-made, £43 for best, £42for next best; whale and lance lines, £52; New Zealand flax rope, all sizes, £29; wool lashings, £34; clothes lines, 6d per lb, subject to trade discount; Manila clothes line, Sd; oakum, free, ditto, £40; point spun yarn, £51 ; twine, shop, d.p., per lb, 9d to Is 2d; sewing twine, Is Id per lit. Coffee and Spices (in bond), per lb.—Ceylon, coffee plantation, No. 1, Is 2d to Is 3d; ditto, Island, luil; chicory, 35s per cwt. in tins; cocoa, d.p., Taylor's, Is 3d; Fry's, Is 3d; Van Houton's, 3s 4d; Epps's, Is Cd; chocolate, Taylor's, Is Id; Fry's, Is 3d. Spices, d.p.: Clove 3, 7d; bleached ginger, Ud; nutmegs, 2s to 2s 3d; black pepper, whole, in bond, 4Jd to sd; white ditto, 6J<l to od. Confeciionerv.—Local manufacturers are producing good articles, and consumption is chiefly in their goods. Mennie and Dey's boiled, 3jd dry goods, 4Jd less trade discount; gum jujubes Is; jelly ditto. 7d. Keiller's assorted confections, B}d; Gray's, 8il; candied lemon peel, d.p. (duty, 3d per lb), Sd to ; oranges, lOd to lid; citron, Is 3d; local, from 5d for lemon to Is lor citron Terry's jujubes, Is Id to Is 3d. Gum, FLAX, 4c—We quote: Gum: Poor ordinary £25 to £27; ordinary, £35 to £37; good, ordinary, £10 and upwards; East Coast" £65 to £67; re-scraped, £88 and upwards. Flax: Best clean Auckland, £12 10s to £13 good fair average quality, £10 to £11; tow, £4 to £5 per ton. Cocoanut oil (fine white), per ton, £23. Copra, per ton, £9 to £9 10s. Fungus, 3d. Ironmongery, (£c.-Galvanised corrugate* iron, duty paid (duty £2 per ton), 5 to 8 feet, £17 to £17 10s; 9 feet, £18 to £18 10s; 10 ieet, £19 to £19 10s according to hand; English bar iron, per ton, £9; galvanised fencing wire assorted sizes, £10; English barbed wire, £is 10s; American, £12; English pig iron, £1 163; pig lead, £12 10s; zinc, £23; I.C. coke tin plates, 20 x 14, Us; powder, Curtis, Harvey, sil. Muntz metal, 6jd. Quicksilver, 2s 2d. Jams, Dried Fruits, etc.— 2d per lb. Keiller's marmalade, lib., d.p., 7s 3d; Buchanan's, 7s 6d; Phoenix and St. George, Dunedin, fs 3d; Nelson (New Zealand), ss; Auckland-made jams, Is to 4a 3d; Nel-ou, 4s 6d; Smyrna sultanas, (d.p.); Malaga muscatels, Is 6d; Californian '.Id; elemes, 4d in bond; currants, 2ii in bond ; figs; (140z.), 6s 6d per down, d.p.; Cal. prunes, - "d; dried apples (duty, 2d perlb), 4d; evaporated, Sd; dried apricots, 7Jd; dates, 4Jd. Leather and HiDEs.-Sole leather, 8d to is 3d per lb; kips, Is 2d to Is ed : runners, Is 6d to Is sd ; calf, colonial, 2s 6d to 3s 6d; basils, 8s to 18s per dozen; closed uppers, 4s ed to 8s 6d per pair; hides, 2Jd to 44; calf skins, 3d to Ijd per lb; sheepskins, Is to 6.1. ': " " fS; ; -Australian bonedttst,'£s to £0; Auckland, £5 -15s; superphosphate of lime, £6; bone flour, £i;reruTiasfiiaao l< $ip«ipboaplut<ii:

Anglo Compiny,£slos; lanes', &> M Animal manure, £3 155; cocoanutoil cake, £5; linseed cake £3 53; kumit, £4 5s ; New Zealand Urns' Company's manures : A superphosphate £5 i» 8d per ton; bonedust, steamed, £6 • bonedust, green. £6; bonedust and blood, £5 7s Cd • root manure, £0 ss; A grass manure, Mss ; B crass manure, £d is ; potato manure, £610s ; turnip manure, £0 ss; corn manure, £6 ss; maize manure, £ti 53; orchard nunure, £7 os; onion manure, £7 fa; clover manure, &i 63 sulph. of nram«nia, £I.\ Malt a.nd HOPS.-Eugush malt is not imporiecl- Colonial, 53 to 5s 6d. Hops: Kelson, brewers, Is; grocers'hops, packets, lod. Oilmen's STOKES, Ac. -Prices National, id; Battersea Wax, Vd; . Price's London Wax, (i}d- Price's self-fitting, SJd; local Hue mottled soap, £21 per ton: carbolic, £31); best yellow, £20: No. 1 household, £lo; Ist Crown, £20 ; double Crown, £20; soft soap, in tins, 4Jd per lb; toilet. 9d to 10d per lb— all subject to trade discount Salt, 10s per ton duty: Coarse, W. & W., a ex store, d.p.; line Black Horse, Icwt bags, £4 ss; Standard and fine salt, Icwt bags, £3 lib ; rock salt. £3 ; Jordau almonds, 2s 2d; Blacking paste, Day and Martin's, 3a 9d ; Colnian's starch, No. 1 (duty, id per lb): white, 4Ss; Henniann's, 455; Hoffmann's, 455. Mustard, d.p. Column's Mb tins (red), 11s 6d; half ditto3s; 7-lb tin* (green) Is; Mb tins (green), 13s; J-lb dittos, 7s 6d; DSF J-lb tins, 9s, lib, ISs. Blue, Kcckitt's Paris, in circle, 7s 6d per gross; Coluian's Azure, S}d per lb. Matches: Vestas, d.p.. Bryant and May's 250, per gross, 16s lid ; ditto, plaid, 3s 9d; ditto, fancy oval 24s Cd; It. Bell and Co. 2oO'a, 13s lid in large parcels ; plaids, 3s (id. Oil: Castor, in pints, 7s ; half-pints, 4s. Salad : C. and 8., pints, Us; half-ditto, Ss ; Morton's pints, &s (id ; halfpints, 5s 3d. Pickles: Cross* and Blackwell's, pints, 14s; Morion's, 12s6d; McConnochie's, Suffolk, 12s (id. Uico (ground), in tins, 41d. Sauces : Lea and Perrin's, half-pints, 14s; Mellor's, pints lCs; Ooudall's Yorkshire Kelish, 7s Bd; Vinegar, d.p.: Champion's, per gallon, 2s 4d; Holdlirook's, Is 10d; Burnett's, Is lid ; Potts', is 10d; local, Is Id. Vinegar, case: Champion's, 7s 9d; Burnett's, 7s; Morton's, 7s 3d. Treacle, 2d; Golden Syrup. bulk, AJd. Sa.su, Us iier cwt; tapioca, 12s ii.l per cwt Cornflour : Brown's, 3d, d.p.; Clements', Id ; Brown ami Poison's, β^d ; Preserved milk: Nestle's, "s to 7s 3d according to parcel ; Milkmaid, 7s; local brands, 5s 9d. Tartaric acid, in jars, Is 10d ; iii keg, Is 7d ; cream of tartar, in jar*, Is 4Jd, in bulk, Is id ; bicarb, soda, £13 ; local soda crystals, £5 IDs ; Whiting, £4 si. Oils and Paints.— 6d a gallon. Colza, in drums, its ; bulk, 'is 10il; linseed, boiled.drums, 2s lid ; bulk, is Pel ; raw, drums, 2s lod; bulk, 2s 8d ; castor, in drums, 3s tid ; half-cases, d.p., 3s 3d ; kerosene, in bond, White Rose, 150 test, lUiL White lead, ground, per cwt, 501b and 1121b; genuine, 25s (id; No. 1 white lead, 23s (id in SB's, smaller packages more, accord- . nig to size; red lead, dry, 225. Zinc white, £•> per tun more Oil colours, assorted, £1 10s to £1 18s per cwt. Turps: American, 2s lid; resin, £(S los to £7 10s according to grade. Varnish, oak, 93 Od to 12s Cd ; copal, 12s Cd to Us. Quotations regulated by quantities and qualities. PROVISIONS. - Cheese : Southern factory, 4d to 4jd Corned butter, prime 7d, second quality, (id. Factory, 10d. Rice i.b, Hunter's Standard, Japan, £13 103 ex store, or £13 c.i.f. Canterbury bacon and hams (in cloth), sides only, Old; equal numbers hams and bacon, 7d; hams only, Bd. Fish : Ling, s}d; boneless cod, 6|d d.p. ; duty 2d, preserved red herrings, in tins, 3is per dozen (2-lb tins) ; white, 33s per barrel; Mar hall's white, 3.si per tin; Macconochie's fresh herrings, (is; Findon haddocks, 8s; lobsters, American libs, 13s; salmon, lib Columbia Hiver, d.p., 9s 6d; Alaska, (Is 6d to 7s d.p.; British Columbia, S3 ; salt salinon, Sd; sardines, quarters, 4s to ss; halves, 7s lid to according to brand ; oysters, 7s; mullet (Kaipara), 5s 3d to as tid wholesale. SuuAiis.-Coloniiil Sugar Company's Auckland refinery, in bond, No. 1, £10; No. 2, £15; No. 3, £13 10s; Queensland yellows, i.b., £12; browns, £10 10s, in bond, nominal Spirits.—Duty, IBs per gallon of proof spirits in bulk, lGs per gallon in case. Brandy Rouyer, Gouillet and Co., 25s and 8s; Mar. cellain's, case, 22s Cd, i.b.; Bask, 28s 0d; half-flask, 3Gs (Id ; quarter-flask, 53s (Id; Hennessy's; case, 30s Cd; Martell, 365; Bisquit, Dubouche, and Co. pale, in hluls. aud qr.-casks, 7s; Bisquit, Duboucho and Co.'s, 255; Boomerang, Australian bulk, 7s Oil; case, 21s; Midler Frere's, 20s. Whisky, bulk: Walker's WAV, 103; Distillers old, 5s lid; very old, 7s 9d; VOS, 8s 6d ; case, Oltl Scotch, las ; very old, 19s ; V(K 225; Gaelic, Old Smuggler, 21s; Buchanan's House of Commons, -21a; Robertson's 3 Star, 265; Danville's, 5s Cd; case, 18s; Royal Blend, 245; Teacher's old, 265, Walker's WW, 2is ; LL, 22s Cd to 235 ; all in bond. Geneva, proof, 3 gallons, JDKZ, 15 bottles, 14s 0d ; 20 bottles, 17s (id ; key, Geneva, proof, 10s ; Schnapps, Wolfe's, 21s 6(1. Gilbey's dry gin, Ins; Distillers' Company, 14s; Burnett's Old Tom, 13s. Lowudes' ruin, 30 0.p., 3s 8d in lilids. ; 3s Oil in octave; Red Heart, case, 265. Key, 225. Quotations are as follows :—Kauri timber at Kast coast and Auckland mills : Ordinary building timber, undressed, 100 feet, firstclass Us; medium ■ class, 10s Cd; second ■ class, 8s 0d ; Hitches, all heart, 13s ; flitches, with sap, 11s Oil, flooring boards, dressed, p.t.g., first-class. Mis ; medium-class 12s Od; second-class IDs Cd; lining boards, p.t.g., beaded and Vjointed, first-class, 15s Cd; medium-class, 12s Cd; second-class, Ills ; rusticated weatherboarding, first-class, 10s; medium-class, 12s 0d ; second-class, 10s 6d; boat boards, planed twosides, jjths-incb, Us 0d; j-iiich, 15s. For widths over 12 inches 0d extra per inch per 100 feet is charged, and for lengths over 24 feet extra prices art) charged. Logs, In to 6s 3d, according to girth. Tobacco.—Duty, 3s cd. Ruby Aromatic, is 2d Victory, Is 10d to 2s; Juno, black, all shapes, Is 3d to ls4Jd; Ascot, Is Cd; Derby, ten cases, Is 7d; single case, Is BJd; Venus, Is Cd ; Golden ISiigle, aromatic, 2s 3d. Teas.—Prices range as follows (in bond). — Congous, common, 5d to 5Jd ; middling to line kinds, 7d to Sd; Saryunea and Panyongs, 7d to M; Souchongs and Kaisows. 6d toSd; all these Chinese teas are unsaleable, quotations nominal; Darjeelings, Is to Is Sd. Pekoe Souchongs, VJrt to 9Jd. Good broken, 7d to 7Jd ; choice Pekoe kinds, Is Id to Is 3d. Ceylon teas from 7d to Is 4d. Indians and Ceylons are in good demand in nearly all descriptions.