COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11163, 8 September 1899, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office, Thursday evening. There has been no special movement on Stock Exchange this week, but while there has been a fair number of buyer? ol investment stock, the business recorded is limited. National Banks sold at £2 12s 6d, and there are buyers at £2 12s. In Insurance stock, New Zealand? sold at £2 19s and £3, and closed with buyers at £3 and sellers at £3 Is. No business is reported in South British, and sellers ask £2 14» 6d, buyers of faring £2 13« 6d. Sellers of Nationals ask 17s 3d, and for New Zealand Accidents £1 7s. In gas stock, Auckland (contributing) are offered at £10 ss, and there are buyers at £9 15s. In shipping shares there are sellers of New Zealand at £5 2s, with buyers nt £4 18s. Northern Steam are offered at 7s 6d, and Devonport Ferry at £1 18s sd. In coals, Ilikurangis are still offered at 8s 3d. Tnupiri mines sold at £1 Is 6d and £1 Is 3d, closing with buyers at £1 Is 6d, and sellers at £1 2s. Buyers of Westport offer £3 7s 6d. Leyland and O'Brien Timber shares ore offered at £1 10s, and there are buyers at £1 ss. New Zealand and River Plate sold at £1 0s 9d, and £1 Os 6d, and there aie sellers at £1 Is. There are sellers of Union Oil at £1 Is; and of Sliarlands at 12b. The mining market is still quiet, with very little disposition on the part of speculators to operate. Waihis are offered at £7 15s, ex div. Sellers ot Waitekauris ask £2 9s, Grace Darlings are offered at Is lOd, with buyers at Is 7d. In ICarangahake stock, Talisman's sold from 13s 4d to 12s 3d, closing with sellers at 12s 6d and buyers at 12s. Crowns sold at lis 6d, and there are sellers at 12s, and buyers at lis. In Lower Thames stock there has been a slight inquiry for May Queens, with sales from 6s to 6s 6d. closing with sellers at 6? Bd, and buyers at 6s 4d. Other Lower Thames stock are dull. In Coromandel stock. Bunker's Hill sold at is lid. and there are sellers at 2s Id, buyers is lQd. In Barrier stock, Barrier Reefs (paid up) sold at 4s 6d. Business throughout the week has been steady in general lire?, but the quietness in produce business is still very marked. Shipping has shown considerable activity both in import and export lines. In provision, Van Ilouten's cocoa is again in short supply, as also are sultanas, with a strong demand and a firm market. Currents and elemes, on the olhei hand, are in good supply, and are selling somewhat slowly. Rice, sago, and tapioca show no change on last week, Medium honey is almost unprocurable, both in tins and bulk, and as a consequence there is a much better demand for prime clover honey at 12s 6d per dozen 21b tins. Canned fruits are now showing some movement, and fair sales are reported, Keroseno is firm at lis net. Supplies are very light on the spot, and the markof; shows a hardening tendency, as no arrivals of any consequence are now expected until November. Cornsacks and woolpacks have experienced a strong demand at 5s 9d and 2s respectively. Sydney adviccs of the latter quota Is lid f.o.b. there, and small supplies, and Calcutta reports all show the market firmer. Onions are selling steadily at £4 for primo, and lower grades according to quality. Holders of American are storing their lilies, rather than accept current prices. Potatoes are very firm in town this week at £2 to £2 ss, owing to the shortage in

supplies, pending the arrival of the Te Anau. Kauri gum buyers are holding off somewhat, owing to there being very little opportunity of shipping this month. The small demand there is turns chiefly upon higher grades, lower qualities being somewhat neglected. The London wheat market shows a drop of 3d per quarter on the week, hut Australian markets remain firm at 2s lOd to 2s lid for shipping quality. Freights from Australian ports are still firm, though engagements are fewer than last month, Our Southern markets are practically unchanged, but we hear that the Lismore is taking about 45,000 sacks from Oamam and Lyttelton this week for the London market, while last week the Ardandearg left Lyttelton and Timrau with about 3500 tons for a Spanish port for orders. Oats on the local market are in rather short, supply, owing to the disarrangement of the Bluff service. The Pukaki is not now expected until the end of next week, and as a consequence prices here are very firm. Import values are still rather weak, and B grade can be landed at about Is 7Jd c.i.f. in wholesale parcels for forward delivery. Bran has firmed slightly, owing to the strung demand from Australia, and Southern mills have very little to offer. Pollard is rather quiet, but fair sales are reported. Flour is selling slowly at last quotations, and buyers are not showing much inclination to stock much above their immediate requirements. Maize has sold freely at 2s 3d on the wharf for local trade, and a large shipment was made to Australia by the Elingamitc on Monday. It is to be hoped that shippers had sold, as consignments would not turn out to advantage, in face of the cable advices to-day, which quote the Sydney market at from 2s 6d to 2s Bd, with heavy supplies. Flax still shows a strong market, and millers ore entering into contracts at good prices, covering the next six months, This industry should now have a much needed chance of recovering the lost ground of tho last few years, during which period prices have on the average been very low. The spring demand for seeds this season has been considerably above the average, and farmers are evidently turning their attention more to the raising of beef and mutton than they did last year. This is no doubt the natural outcome of the high prices ruling for stock, and the heavy drop in tho values of all cereals. Along with this, it is to be hoped that the now arrangements at the freezing works will prove of services to exporters, who for some years have been handicapped by lack of proper freezing and shipping facilities. In the local produce market, prices arc at present as follow:— butter, 8d; second grade, 5d per lb wholesale. Eggs are 6rl per dozen wholesale, and 8d per dozen retail.

KAURI GUM MARKET. The following are our quotations of kauri glim for the week ending September 6: — White gum : Washed nuts. £32 and upwards; ordinary. £45 and upwards; good ordinary (unpicked), £50 and upwards; superior ordinary, £72 to £75: East Coast (good quality), £75: nwraped, £113 and upwards. Black gum: Nut.', £14 and upwards; medium, £18 to £22; good. £45 and upwards. Arrivals (or six days of Sppteinber, 200 tons. Tlw market is quiet for most lines, and prices are unaltered.

LONDON. By Telegraph.—Press Association.-Copyright. London, September 6. The wheat and flour afloat for tlio United Kingdom is 2,045,000 quarters, and for the Continent, 1,400,000 quarters. Hank shares: Rank of Australasia, £67; Rank of Now South Wales, £44 10s; Union Bank, £34 10s; National Rank of New Zealand, £2 10s; Rank of New Zealand four per cent, guaranteed stock, £102; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile four per cor.t. prior lien debentures, £95. At the tallow sales, 1400 casks wero offered and 1100 sold. Mutton: Fine, 27s 6d; medium 25s 61. Reef: Fine, 25s 9d; medium, 24s 6d.

AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE. BUSINESS DONE.—' Coal Mines, 21s 9d; New Zealand Talisman, 12s 3d; May Queen Hauraki, 6s sd. 6s 6d; Bunker's Hill, old issue, 2s. BUYERS.— Bank, 625; New Zealand Insurance, 60s; South British Insurance, 53s 6d; New Zealand and River Plate, 20s; Auckland Gas, new (£3 10s), £9 15s; 1.. Z. Shipping. £4 18s; Taupiri Coal Mines (Limited), 21s 6d; Westport Coal, 67s 6d; Ley-land-O'Brien Co. (Limited), 255; Crown, lis; Grace Din-Imp:. paid up. Is 7d: New Zealand Talisman, 12s: Wailii Extended, 6d: Waihi South, sd; May Queen Hauraki, 6s 4d; May Queen Extended, lid. SELLERS.—New Zealand Insurance, 61s; National Insurance. 17s 3d; South British Insurance. 54s 6d; New Zealand Accident Insurance. 275; New Zealand and River Plate, 21s; Auckland Gas, new (£3 10s), £10 ss; New Zealand Shipping. £5 2s; Northern Steamship, 7s 6d; Devonport Steam Ferry, 38s 6d; Hikurangi Coal. 8s 3d; Taupiri Coal Mines (Limited). 225: Sharland and Co., 12s; Union Oil, 21s; Leyland-O'Brien Co. (Limited), 30s; Crown, 12s; Ethel Reef, 6d; Grace Darling, paid up. Is lod; Grace Darling, contributing, 9d: Imperial, 4d; Komata Reefs, 3s; New Zealand Talisman. 12s 6d; Ohinemuri, sd; Oliinemuri Syndicate, 4s; Rising Run, 3d; Waihi, £7 15s; Wailii Extended, 8d; Waihi Silverton, 12s; Waihi South, 8d; Waitekauri, 495; Woodstock, 7s 9d; City of Auckland, 6d; Kuranui, 3d; Kuranui-Caledonian, Is 2d; Mahara Royal, 2s 3d; May Queen Hanraki, 6s 8d; May Queen Extended, 3d Moanataiarl, Is 3d; Monowai, Is ; New Albumin, Is; New Whan, 2d; Tararu Creek, Is; Victoria, 9d; Kauri Freehold Gold Estates, 20s; Bunker's ill. old issue. 2s 2d; Bunker's Hill, new issue. Is 2d; Hauraki New Zealand Associated Gold Mines, sd: Harbour Viow, 3d: ProgressCastle Rock. 6d; Welcome Find, 4d; Zealandia. 4d; Great Barrier Gold ahd Silver, Is 6d; Whn.ngamata Gold Corporation, 6s 9d. J. M. LENNOX, Chairman, 3.15 p.m.. September 7, 1899.