COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 11543, 30 November 1900, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald Office, Thursday evening. The stock market has again been busy during the past week, and the volume of business unusually heavy. There are i.umerous buyers for all good investment stock, and prices generally show an upward tendency. In banks the demand for New Zealands continues, and buyers now offer £1 7s. There are no quoted sellers. Buyers of Nationals offer £3 7s 6d. The demand for insurances is unsatisfied. New Zealands told at £3 lis and £3 lis 6d, closing with sellers at the latter figure and buyers at £3 10s. South British sold at £3 12s 6d and £3 13s, and closed with buyers at £3 13s, and sellers at £3 16s. There are buyers of Nationals at 19s, and of Standards at 16s, with no sellers of either. Buyers of Accidents offer £1 4s 6d. Auckland Gas (fully paid) are wanted at £13 12s 6d, and new issue at £10 17s &d. Their are sellers of Thames Gas at £1 10s. In shipping shares there are sellers of Devonport Steam Ferry at £1 17s 6d, and buyers at £1 16.?. Northern Steam sold at 6s 9d, closing with sellers at 6s lOd and buyers at 6s 7d. In coals there are buyers of Hikurarigis at 9s, and sellers at 9s 6d. There are sellers of Taupiri Mines at 18s, and business at 17s 6cl. Buyers of Westport have advanced to £3 16s. In timber, Leyland and O'Brien sold at £1 10s, and there are buyers at £1 9? 6d. Kauri Timber (paid up) are offered at 12s, and there are buyers at 9s. Contributing Kauri Timber are offered at 21 3d, with buyers at 2s. New Zealand Drugs are wanted at £2 12«, and sellers ask £2 13s. Buyers of Sharlands offer 14s. There are buyers of Union Oil at 16s, and sellers at 18s. Kaiapoi Woollens are asked for at £6 15s. D.S.O. are offered at 9s, and Tonson Gariick at £1. For new issue of New Zealand and River Plate lis is offered, with

sellers at lis 6d. In the mining market speculation in W*ihi stock » has • been active, and there have beea some heavy transactions in Extenders and Consolidated*. Waihia are wanted at £12 10a, but there are no sellers. Grand Junction sold from 452 17s to £3 8», closing with sellers at £3 10«. Extendeds sold from 2s lid to 4s 8d to 3s Bd. Consolidated* sold from if 5d to Is lid to is Bd. Souths sold from is 3d to Is 9d to Is 6d. Consols sold from 9d to Is id. Waihi Beach sold at 7d, Bd, 9d, Sjd, and 6jd. Komata Reefs sold at 2s' 3d and 2s 2d. Crowns sold at 13s 9d; Talismans at 153 and 16s; Mcaowais from 4s 3d to 4s 9d, closing with sellers at 4s 3d. New Whaus sold from 2id to 4d. Barrier Reefs sold from 12s 6d to 13s 9d to 13s, to 13s 6d, closing with sellers at 13s 3d and buyers at 12s 6d. . , Business has shown an improvement for tho week, the usual 25th orders having kept distributing houses busy, as this is the time for heavy Christmas orders. The opinion is held, however, that so far trade has not been quite as brisk as last year. . The export trade has again affected the port this week, the Hauroto. which brought us fruit from the Islands, having loaded up with a heavy cargo of produce and general stores. Maize has kept about the 'same, the total arrivals for the week being 1300 sacks, and as the Elingacaite took all these on to Sydney and another 1000 from here, there have been no accumulations, and lines have been this week niaced at 2s sd. It may be mentioned that some of the consignments to hand are of indifferent quality. A few old potatoes continue to come from ChristchHrch, but Timaru is now out, and as consignments are small it has been impossible to fill orders. Unfortunately the weather has for another week been decidedly against new potatoes, but the welcome change this week has improved the prospects. j There are never many to be had at one time, as arrivals are snapped up at once, and on Monday the town could have been scoured without success in the endeavour to pick up a ton line. Any quantities available are shipped to "Wellington and Dunedin, and even a few to fc Christchurch, meeting favourable markets, so the local price has held up. Kidneys are fetching 7s to 9s, and round sorts in proportien. Oats are a shade firmer in the South, and this time local prices have advanced accordingly. The Aldeberan, fortunately for the consignees, made rather a longer passage from the Bluff than was expected, and her cargo of 5060 sacks arrives to a market better in price, as well as more.' favourable, in that it meets lighter stocks than if she had made a quick passage. Wheat: The English market is reported quiet for milling wheat, and there is no animation here. The price keeps steady, and any move will depend on London, where the first move either way will immediately take effect here. As the figure is now £0 low, the most likely change is upwards. The mills are buying as required from the South, where there are still fair stocks. Full sales of flour are reported. Onions are practically out of the market, as old are exhausted and new are not yet ready. Victoria has a later season than usual this year, but New South Wales is offering new "at 93 f.o.b. Sydney. So far local merchants have been afraid to import them, but they will soon be safe to handle. An illustration of the inconvenience caused by the lack of tonnage is found in broom corn, for which we unfortunately depend too much on California. For four successive steamers this has now been shut out at San Francisco for more paying cargo, so that stocks have run very low. The late high rates for broom corn, together with heavy charges for freight, have had one good effect in turning the attention of our own farmers and settlers to the cultivation of this product, which should, in our favourable climate, make us independent of tho imported article. American dried fruits are in very short supply, and prunes are almost sold out. American wire is firmer and now quoted at 14s for plain and 15s for barbed. The latter price seems peculiar in the face of the Sydney quotation of 153 9d. English wire is easier but still above American. Wire nails have also advanced. Bar iron is in very short supply here, and nothing is available in Wellington nor even in Australia. Clarets and Australian wines are reported free of sale. Since our remarks of last week holders of kerosene have faced the situation and advanced their price accordingly to 10s, while some are unwilling to sell even at that figure, except in small lines. The Star of the East brought very little, and a high price was easily obtained because stocks are very light, and there will be no more arriving till February. Fortunately for consumers the summer is on us, so that not so much will be required. Rice is quoted at a slight advance in Japan, but holders are still selling at £16 in the ordinary way, while as stocks are rather short hero sales of wholesale parcels have been made at satisfactory prices. The first of the new crop is expected to arrive next week. Currants are reported easier again in London, but as purchases have been made for tho season it has had no effect here so far. , Heavy sales of Nestle's miik are reported in wholesale line 3, jjnd the shipment per Tomoans will replenish stocks. _ The Toinoana brings a heavy cargo, including many other lines urgently required; and the shipment by the Matatua will also bo useful for the, Christmas trade. Newcastle coal is scarce at present, owing to shortness of tonnage. One vessel is now loading, but no more can be had until January, and by that time merchants will have to face an advance of 3s per ton at the mines. This rise is only what might be expected with the general advance in coal in all parts of the world. Flax is reported a little easier again, as the demand in London has not been sufficiently keen to bring about a steady advance. In the local produce market prices are as follows:—Factory butter lOd, best farmers' 6d, second quality 5d per lb, wholesale. Eggs are 7d ner dozen wholesale. i Mr. R. C. Carr offered by auction to-day a number of properties, tho following being sold:—Residence of six rooms at Edendale, Mount Roskill, and allotment 97ft 2in by 330 ft, £450; allotment next to above, 66ft frontage, £1 9s per foot; another allotment, with same frontage, £1 Bs, and a third, £1 6s per foot. The other properties wero all passed in, the bidding not reaching the reserve prices. KAURI GUM MARKET. The following are our quotations of kauri gum for the week ending November 27,1900: —White gum: Poor ordinary, £23 to £25 good ordinary, unpicked, £43 and upwards; superior ordinary*, £66 and upwards; East Coast (good quality), £68 and upwards; rescraped, £112 and upwards. Black gum: Nuts, £3 and upwards; mixed, £16 and upwards; good, £48 and upwards. Remarks on market: Supply for 27 days of November, 620 tons. The market is still stagnant, and sales at market rates are difficult to effect. LONDON. By Telegraph.—Press Association.— London, November 28. The wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,105,000 quarters, and for the Continent 1,145,000 quarters. Shares are unchanged. At the tallow sales 1825 casks were offered and 400 sold. Prices of all kinds were unchanged. MELBOURNE WOOL SALES. By Telegraph.Press Association.—-Copyright. Melbourne, November 29. At the wool sales to-day competition was lees animated, and sales were made at dragging prices, inclined to ease, AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE. BUSINESS DONE.—South British Insurance, £3 12s 6d, £3 13s; New Whau, 3id, 4d; Tairua Broken Hills, Is Id; Waihi Consolidated, Is 9d. Is lOd, Is 8d; Waihi Consols, Is Id; Waihi Extended, 4s 4d, 4s 3d, 4s, 3s lOd, 3s lid, 33 8d; Waihi South, Is 6d; Waihi Beach United, 6id: Sailors' Creek, 12s fid. BUYERS.—Bank of New Zealand, 275; National Bank, 67a; National Insurance, 19s; New Zealand Insurance, 70s; South British Insurance, 735; Standard Insurance. 16s; New Zealand Accident Insurance, 24s 6d; New Zealand and River Plate, new. lis: Auckland Gas, old, £13 12s 6d; Auckland Gas, new (£4), £10 17s 6d; Devonport Steam Ferry, 365; Hikuranpi Coal. 9s; Taupiri Coal Miaes (Limited), 17s 6d; Westport Coal, 765: New Zealand Drug (£2). 525: Sharland and Co., 14s; Union Oil. 16s; Kauri Timber, naid up, 9s: Kauri Timber, contributing, 2s: Leyland-O'Brien Co. (Limited), 29s 6d; Kniapoi Woollen, £6 15s: Broken Hill, 4d; Kuranui-Caledonian, 8d; May Queen Hauraki, 7d; Victoria, ljd; Crown, 13a 6d; Star of Waihi, 2d; Tairua Broken Hills. Is Id; Talisman Consolidated, 15s 6d; Waihi Extended, 3s 7d; Waitekauri, 37a 6d; Woodstock. 7s; Bunker's Hill, old, 9d; Hauraki Freehold, 5Jd; Barrier Reefs, 12s 6d.

Sellers.—New Zealand Insurance, 71s 6d; South British Insurance, 765; New Zealand and River Plate, new, lis 6d; Thames Gas, 30b; Northern Steamship, contributing. 6s lOd; Devonport Steam Ferry, 37s 6d; Hikurangi Coal, 9s 6d; Taupiri Coal Mines (Limited), IBs: New Zealand Drug (£2), 535; Union Oil. 13s; Kauri Timber, paid up. 12s; Kauri Timber, contributing, 2s 3d; D.S.C. (Limited), 9?; Broken Hill, 6Jd; Iron Cap. 4d; Kuranui-Caledonian, lOd; May Quoen Hanraki, lOd; May Queon Extended. 74d; Monowai. 4s 3d; New Alburnia, 6d; New Whan, 4Jd: Victoria, 3d; Kapowai, 10id; Welcome Jack, contributing, BJd; Alpha, 3d; Chelmsford, 2s 3d; Crown, 14s 3d; Komata Beefs, 2s 2d; Ohincmnri Syndicate. Is; Tairua Broken Hills, Is 2d: Talisman Consolidated, 16s 3d; Union Waihi, 255; Waihi Consolidated, Is 8d; Waihi Consols, Is Id; Waihi Extended, 3s lid; Waihi Grand Junction, 70s; Wailii South, Is 6d: Walte-

kauri, 40s; Woodstock. 9a; Waihi Beach. 7d; Sailors' Creek, 15s; Banker's HilL old, If; Hauraki Freehold, 7d; Barrier Reefs. 133 3d; Whangramata Gold Corporation, 43 6d; Star of Waihi. 6d. JOES' MOWBRAY. Chairman. Alfred OLDHAM. Secretary. 5.15 p.m., November 29, 1900. CALL AND DIVIDEND LIST, cms: Made. £s. d. . Date. New,Moanat'.iari •• £ 0 *- ® o i "Jw J Welcome Jack.. .. N0t.13.. 0 0 1 --Dec- 7 Bunker's 11111.. .... Nor. 8.. u•> 3 ..Dec. 10 Kajjowiii .. ~ 50t.29.. 00 1 ..Lee. 1. dividend: * - i ■ National Fire and Marine Insurar.ee Co „ — -Jo* Northern S.S. Co. - -• ' P-C* --^ ow , Waihi .. .. .. -A -026 ■ Dec - 1