COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10628, 17 December 1897, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office, Thursday evening. The eharemarket during the week has been dull, and with few exceptions prices show very little improvement. In standards gas stock has been in good demand. Auckland gas have sold at £14155. There are buyers of Thames Gas at 395, and this stock has shown an improvement. Insurance stock has also been in steady demand. There are buyers of New Zealands at 69a, South British at 49s 6d, and New Zealand Accidents 20s 6d, Devonport Steams have been in tair demand at 345, Now Zealand Drugs 34s 6d, Northern Boots Bs, aud Union Oils 17s 6d. There are buyers of Hiknraugi Coals at Bs, but other lines have not been inquired for. In mining there is very little business. Talismans have sold at 11s. New Alburnias showed an improvement, and sales were reoorded at 4s, but towards the end of the week they receded, and were placed at 3s 6d, with best buyers 3s 3d. Sheridans have been aotive, and have sold at Iβ 9:1 and Is lOd. There are buyers at Is Bd, and sellers at Iβ lOd. Woodetooks havo been in demand, and were sold at 18s. Grace Darlings have been in good demand, and there are buyers at 2s. Low-priced Upper Thames ecrip has also been inquired for, but the volume of business transacted has been small. There are buyers of Waihi-Silvertons at Bs, sellers, who previously asked 10s, now being willing to do business at 9s Gil. In other lines there are no material changes. Business for the past week has been quiet both in town and country, and reports from the mining districts are not too encouraging. Dealers in timber and gum, however, aro unable to meet the demand, while the enquiries from Sydney have caused a spurt in the maize centres. Money is still tight, and it is feared that there will be none too much in circulation for Christmas trade.

Oats have advanced Id per bushel, with expectations of a further increase, Eastern produce: In consequence of the high value of the rupee, all products maintain (inn prices. Island fruits: Oranges and pines are in fair supply, and recent shipments realised good prices. Bananas are rather scarce, but cargoes expected daily will replenish the market, Peanuts, in short supply, are quoted at 3d per lb. Recent consignments of Sydney plums and apricote arrived in first-class order and fetched good prices, but it is expected, with the advance of the season, future shipments will not reach here in such good condition. Buyers of maize for the Sydney market have been unable to get their requirements, although as much as 2s 5d has been offering for large parcels. Upwards of 3000 sacks were wanted, but only 1500 were forthcoming, Large quantities are stored in the producing centres, and unless holders hurry along with their shipments, they may miss the opportunity of getting a good figure, as supplies from other sources will cause the market to weaken. Inquiries for old potatoes produced no result, the supply being quite exhausted. New, however, are coming in freely, and prices are much easier. Stocks of dried fruits are low, and importers are relying on the Australian markets for speedy execution of orders. Engineering firms report good business at remunerative prices. Advices just to hand report that the prosent stocks of currants and sultanas, both in London and Greece, are smaller than ever before at the same date. Consequently higher prices are expected. in consequence of the great boom in the local building trade, all the mills are kept going iu lull giving to meet the demand, while in the country ports vessels are loading for Australia. As may be expected, hams at this time of the year are meeting with ready sale, but supplies are short. Prime Canterbury are quoted at from BJd to 9d Ib. Chaff maintains last week's quotation, but transactions are only moderate. Consignments of potato onions have .been quitted at £8 to £9 per ton. Victorian ex * Rll l!! , a n te meetin 8 with moderate sale-at from £810s to £910 a per ton. Advices to hand from Wellington report S rices of Auckland'Erown iruit as under •— rapes, 2s 2d to 2s 9.1; tomatoes, 5d to 8d; ,strawberries, 8d per Ib, Milling wheats Heavy arrivals for local mills from the South and East Coast, Owing to the drought still continuing in Canterbury the price is inclined to be a little firmer. Fowl wheat is in more enquiry. . Bran and sharps are selling freely. Flour! Fair sales and deliveries. In the local produce market there is no change to report. Eggs and butter are plentiful, and much of the interior butter is selling at very low prices indeed, Prices are as

follow:-Dairy fresh butter sd,.and second quality 4d lb wholesale; eggs, 8d dozen wholesale, and 10d dozen retail. KAURI GUM MARKET. Thefollowine are the quotations for the kauri <um markot for the week ending December 15,1897:- , , Poor ordinary, which comprises weak and rough-coated pieces, pickings, and washed nuts, £30 to £32. Ordinary, meanim; hard, rough-sorapea gum, varying in price according to the quantitv of washed nuts, £44 to £48. Three-quarter scraped, meaning hard range gum, entirely free from washed nuts, price varying according to size, scraping, and quality, £65 and imwards. East Coast, £70 to £72. Re-scraped, £100 and upwards. Supplies for 15 days December, 310 tons. The market keeps steady, and prices are without change. CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALES. Chuistcuuroh, Thursday. The second of the present series of local wool sales took place to-day. There was a small attendance of Home and foremn buyers, The catalogue comprised 15,475 bales, of which about 10,000 changed hands. The sale dragged all through, especially for inferior lots, of which the bulk was made up, Best merino held their own well in comparison to the opening sale, but all other good wools were a shade easier. Medium sorts were down Jd, and inferior, whioh so tt irregularly, were from Jd to Id lower. Nearly all the lots passed at the previous sale suffered a decline of £d to Jd. Competition for scoured parcels was slack. The prices realised were: Medium to Rood Merino, tijd to 7Jd; inferior do., 4}d to fid; best halfbred, 7*l to 6d; inferior to medium, 4d to 6|d; beat crossbred, 7d to 7fd; inferior to medium, 4d to 6Jd : best longwool, 6d to 7dj inferior to medium, to B|d; pieces and bellies, 2d to 6d; looks, Id to 3jd. LONDON. Preia Aaiociatlon.—Klectric TeleEtapb.-Coprrlel't. London, December 15. The total quantity of wheat. and flour afloat for the United Kingdom n 2,720,000 quarters, and for the Continent 1,490,000 quarters. Tallow quotations are unchanged.

AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHAGNE. Business DONE.-Auckland Gas, old, £14 16s: New Albumin, 3s Oil, 3s Cd ; Sheridan, Is M, UlOd. Buyers.-Now Zealand Insurance, 60s: South British Insurance, 49s Od; New Zealand Accident Insurance, 203 (Id; Thames Gas, 393; D ,°, VO TJ Steam Ferry, 345; Hikutanßl Coal, 8s Oil; few Zealand Dnw, id 1<& shares, toJ Oil; Norton Boot, S3; Union Oil, 17s 0(1 j Wellington Woollen, 84s; May Queen-Hauraki, 6s M; Moanataiari, us, MonowaUs; New Albumin, it 3d; Sheridan, la 8(1; Victoria. 7d; Graco Darling, Ss; Imperial, BjOi New Talisman, 11s; Ohinenmri, 2d; Port«ea, 8(1; Talisman Extended, 3d: Wiubl Consols, liil-Waihi Extended o}d; ffalhl-Silvetton, 8s j AVailil South, 4}d; Woodstock, ISs Cd; Four-in-Hand, 5(1; Haumki No. 2, Id; Harbour View, Id ; Welcome Find. 4}il.

BKM.BBS -Nbw Zealand Insurance, 71s j South British Insurance, 51s 3d; New Zealand Accident Insurance, Ms ml; New Zealand and Ilivor Plate, 16s; Auckland (las, old, £14 10s; Auckland Gas, new, £11: Thames Has, 40s; Now Plymouth Gas, £S; Northern Steamship, Cs 9.1; Hikuraiißi Coal, 9.1; Tau|iiri Coal, 235; Westport Coil, 67s 6d; Noithcrn Boot, 10s; Alburnh Hast, 3d; Big Reef, 3d ; Broken Hill, 3d; City of Auckland, 3d; Golden Horn, Id; Kaiser, paid-up, 4d; Kaiser, contributing, 3d; Kuramil.Od; Kuranui-Cnledonian, 2a 4( ; MayQueen-Hauraki, Cs; May Queen Extended, 3d; Moanataiaii, 7s: Monowai, 3a 0d j New Alliuriil-i, 3s 0d; New Golden Point, 3d; New ft hail, 3d; Nonpareil, 3d ; Occidental, 2d ; Orlando, 2(1; Puru Consolidated, 2s 0.1; Royal, Is Bdj Scandinavian, 4il: Sheridan, Is l(d ; 'lararn Creek, Is 2d ; victoria, ud ; Waiotahi, 40s; lona, 7d i Great Mercury, U ; Juno, nd; Jupiter, Oil; Kapai-Veriuont, 3»; Kuaotunu, 3d; Wailala, Sa: Alpha, 2s 9d; Crown, 21s; Grace Darling, 2s 3d; llit-or-Miss, Is; niianul, 3d; Imperial, 1.; f vanhoe, 2(1; New Zealand Tailsman, 12s; Ohinerauri, 2jd; Ohlnoniun Syndicate 6s 9d; Portsea, Is; Rising Sun, 7}(l: •Stanley, Sd; Talisman KxteinM. "id I Teutonic. Sil; Victor Waihon, 4d; Waihi, old, £s 6s; Wajhi Consols, 3d; Waihi Extended, 8d; Waiht Grand ,1 unction, 7s; Waihi • Sirverton, 9s Od; Waihi South, Cd; Waitekauri, 40s; Waitekaurl United, ss; Waitekauri Union, 3s; Woodstock, 225; At as, sil; Kiery Cross, 2d; Sceptre, paid up, IOd ; Sceptre, contributing, 4Jd ; Buy View, 2d; Britannia 6d; Unnkfr's Hill, la 2(1; Coroniandel lieenolil proprietary, 0d; Cuirassier, 3d ; Four-ln-Hand, Od; Great Kapanga, 3d; Ilauraki No. 2, 3d; Hauraki South, 3s 0d; Harbour View, Ud ; Progress-Castle Rock, 6d; Tandem, 3d; Tokatea Oonsok Is; Welcome Find, 0d; Zealandia, 2Jd; Albert, 6d. i M. Lennox, Ohairuian.

i p.m., Thursday, December 10,1897. I