COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10901, 4 November 1898, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Nrw Zealaxd Hebaid Office, Thursday evening.

Although very little busines. L, reported on the Stock Exchange, the tone of the market ib firm. There are numerous buyers of investment stock, For National Banks buyers offer £2 6s, with sellers at £2 7s 6d. New Zealand Insurance are offered at £3 Bs, and South Britishs at £2 lis. Nationals have sold at 16s 6d cum. div. of 9d, just declared. There are sellers at 17s, and buyers at 16s 4d. Standards sold at 13s 4d, and there aro sellers at 13s 6d. Buyers of New Zealand Accidents offer £1 3s 3d, and there are sellers at £1 4s. Auckland Gas, paid-up, are offered at £14 life. Contributing are offered at £10 7s 6d, with buyers at £10 2s. There are sellers of Thames Gas at £1 18s, and of Uisborne at £1 18s 6d. In shipping shares buyers of Devonport Steam Fern's offer £1 17s 6d. Sellers of Northern Steams ask 7s 2d, with buyers at 6s lid. Coal ares are neglected. Buyers ; of Union Oils offer 17s 6d, ex div. of 9d I per phare just paid. Sellers ask 18s 6d. There are sellers of Sharlands at lis, and of New Zealand and River Plates at 18s, buyers offering 17s 3d for the latter. The mining market, excepting for lloanataiaris, shows little change. Waihis are offered at £5, with buyers £4 2s 6J. WaihiSilvertons are still offered at 6s 6d. and have buyers at 5s lOd. Other Waihi stocks aro neglected. Waitekauris are offered at £1 ss. Of Alphas there aro sellers at 2s lOd, and buyers at 2s 6d. Komata Reefs are offered at 4s. Talismans sold at lis and 10s Bd, and there are now sellers at lis, buyers 10s 6d. Woodstock? sold at 9s 9d, and there are sellers at 10s, buyers 9s 3d. Crowns are offered at 16;. In Lower Thames stock, owing to favourable reports from the mine, Moanataiaris had a sharp rise, and sold from 4s to 7s 3d. Tlio market closes weaker, with sellers at 6s 6d, and no declared buyers. May Queens sold at 4s 4d, and New Alburnias at 2s. Tararu Creeks are offered at 2s, with buyers at Is 6d. In Coromandel stock, Bunker's Hills are firm, with buyers at Is Id, and sellers Is 4d. Four-in-Hands are wanted at Is Id, with sellers at Is 3d. In Barrier stocks, Barrier Reefs are easier, and are offered at 5s Bd, with buyers at 5s 3d. There are sellers of Great Barrier Gold and Silvers at 2s 6d.

The long spoil of wet and inclement weather has interfered with business in retail lines to a considerable extent, with the corresponding effect on tho wholesale. The rivers and creeks aro all in heavy flood, and tho Waikato is higher that it has been during the whole winter. Shearing and country work generally are being much retarded, and it is to lie hoped that we shall soon see a chango for the belter. Tho wheat market shows very little alteration from last week, though advices from London and America show a slight decline, and a weaker tono. In spite of 'this, the Australian markets remain firm, and Southern holders still keep up their prices. Flour is in better inquiry than it has been for some time, and fair business is being done. Australian millers have advanced their prices from 10s to £1 ton, so that the competition from that source will not be so keen. The Southern oat market is distinctly weaker, and quotations are on the market at considerably below last week's prices. Local supplies are small, and only a limited business is being dono. Bran is still in good demand at about last week's quotations. Pollard is not moving off so rapidly, but the price remains firm. Fowl wheat is selling freely now that the chickens are coming on. Quotations from the South range from 3s Id to 3s 4d c.i.f., according to quality. Maize is in short supply, as only 600 to 700 sacks arrived by the Waiotahi, Ngungtiru, and Waitangi this week. Thore is a good demand, and sellers aro firm at 2s 8d ex wharf,

Kauri gum is quiet, and not much business passing. Buyers are not keen now that thoir shipments per Nellie Brett and Star of England aro completed. _ Now fruits are now arriving to the market in small lots. Wo understand that currants and sultanas are the only lines available, but that eleines aro expected to arrive about the middle of the month.

. A nice line of vestizzas is to hand, and selling readily at about 5Jd. Tho quality to hand has so far been satisfactory, and it is to be hoped that the extra care taken in supervising the direct shipments by the English fruitgrowers' Association will have the desired effect, as there has often been serious cause for complaint in past seasons. . Evaporated apricots, peaches and pears are in good demand at advanced prices, and canned fruits aro selling freely. Sago and tapioca aro firmer at about lis 6d and 12s 6d respectively. Pig till has advanced 10s pei ton in Sydney, and local supplies arc somewhat short. Potatoes are in good demand at £9 10s for ?3j ?. n V2d 1,3 for new Shepherd's, and about m lb for new kidneys in trade lots. The inclement weather is a great drawback to digging, and farmers are experiencing tho greatest difficulty in getting their crops on the market. Tho Southern markets are drawing supplies of new steadily, but are complaining somewhat of the quality. It would be to farmers' advantago to see that what they ship aro dry, and as free from earth as possible. 1

Onions arc very scarce, at from £19 to £20, owing to tho small arrivals, It will not bo vepr long before our n6w crops will be available if the weather improves. Flax is rather quiet again in London, and not much inquiry for November-Decem- . er „™'l™ The latest quotation received is £19 10s, c.i.f., which shows a marked drop on last week. Our millers are finding great difficulty in getting their drying done, and the local market is not over-supplied or wo should see prices somewhat easier. In the local produce market tho prices remain unchanged, as follow: Farmers' butter 6dj second quality, sd; and third quality, 4d lb wholesale. Eggs are 8d dozen wholesale, and lOd dozen retail.

A property in Wellesley-street, having 120 links frontage, was sold by Messrs. Hall and Perkins yesterday for £830.

KAURI GUM MARKET.

The following are our quotations of kauri gum for tho week ending Novomber 2, 1898: —Poor ordinary, which comprises weak and rough-coated pieces, piolings, and washed nuts, £41 to £43; ordinary, meaning hard, rough-scraped gum, varying in price according to th quantity of washed nuts, £53 to £55; three-quarter-scraped, moaning hard range gum, entirely freo from washed nuts, price varying according to size, scraping, and quality, £68 and upwards: East Coast of good quality and well scraped, £73 to £75; rescraped. £110 and upwards. Supplies for the month of October, 960 tens; for two days of November, 25 tons. J. he market is decidedly quiet, but prices are not altered. Supplies appear to bo up- to too large a figure.

CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALES. [BX TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] , - Ohristchdkoh, Thursday. At the first wool tale of the season, held this morning, there was a good attendance of buyers. Only 970 bale 3 were offered, and 623 were sold. Most of the wool was dirty and dingy, owing to high winds in the spring. Greasy half-bred made 5Jd to 7Jd; crossbred, 4d to 63d; merino, 5d to 6|d; sliped merino, 6Jd to 83d; pieces, 2Jd to sd; Ijcks, Id to 3d; scoured half-bred, 3d to Hid; halfwed pieces, Bd. LONDON. By Telegraph.—Press Association-Copyright. m „ „ . London, November 2. ■tallow: Prices are unchanged. AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE. Business Done.— Alburnia, 2s id; Bunkers Hill, Is 3d. Bums.—National Bank, 465; New Zealand Insurance, 65s 6d: National Insurance, 16s 5dStandard Insurance. 12s lOd; New Zealand Accident Insurance, 23s 3d; New Zealand and River Plate, 17s 4d; Auckland Gas, new (£3 10s). £10 2s; Northern Steamship, 6s lidDevonport Steam Ferry, 37s 6(1: Union Oil. 1,1 s! ,."ellngton Woollen, 95s Ed; Mosgiel Woollen, 90s; Kuranui, 8d: May QueenHauraki, is 3d; May Queen Extended, id; Moanataiari, 5s 6d; Nonpareil. 2d- Tararu Creek, is 6d; Victoria, 3d; Alpha, 2s 6d; New Zealand Talisman, 10s 9d: Talisman Exuded, 2d; Waihi, £4 2s 6d; Wailii Extended, 3d; Waihi South, 7d: Woodstock, 9s 3d; BunK 8 Hill, Is 3d; Four-in-Hand, Is; Roval Oak of Hauraki, Is 2d; Barrier Reefs, paid lip, 5s 3d.

Seiiess.—New Zealand Insurance, 635; South British Insurance, 51s; Standard Insurance, 13s 6d; New Zealand Accident Insurance, 245 ; New Zealand and River Plate, IBs; Auckland Gas. old. £14 10s: Auckland Gas, new (£3 10s), £10 7s 6d; Thames Gas. •Sis; National Insurance, 17s: Northern oteamship. 7s 2d; Ralph's i'aupiri Coal, Is 9d; Union Oil, 18s 6d; Broken Hill, ™id ,m Hi °rr -Aacklanc*," 6d; Kaisor, Sinn W'J : i,, ur!ln V, l ' 10d : Kuranui-Caledo-K / K °y al - 23 ed '' May Queen MnnJSt- ®c L I ! ay Qncen Extended, 35(1; Moanataiari,6s 6djMonowai,4s 6d;New Alburnn M- N ™P»™U. sd ; Sheridan, paid 3,.' c 'nwn « U °? eek ' Victoria, Ed; Alpha, 4s : te.! : 3d; Komata Reefs, miriSvniS n 5 Talisman, lis 3d: OhineWa»/«w •?/ £ all ™an Extended, 25d; tended M. VW.Comols, 2d; Wailli &' waiwiilvnrt/,^« « Grand Junction, 17s; Waitekanrf £i aihi South, M; SSS'V F^'r ' Haui-aki. is lOd.Tokatea Consols 6d- New Golcondn. 2d; Welcome' Find, 3id; Barrier J. H. Lennox, Chairman.' 3.15 p.m., November 3, 1898. • ' ,