COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11716, 26 July 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Hkeald Office, f v Thursday evening. ;: Dttkino the last fortnight the retail trade lias received a considerable amount of attention on account of the stupendous efforts made by some houses, principally drapery and furnishing, to reduce their stocks by holding what "are described as " clearance sales." These have become such a feature of. some branches ; that purchasers are getting into the habit of waiting for them, and during the few weeks before the opening of the clearance sales, they endeavour to hold;off as much as possible, as they can generally time the event to a week or two. The firms themselves are just as watchful of each other, each being reluctant to start too early, and at the same time determined not to be last in announcing the opening date, and the result is that officially the opening day is generally a secret up to within 48 hours of its dawn. A very large trade has been done since last Monday week, and after the lapse of about the same time most of the firms referred to will commence stocktaking prior to opening up spring goods. Arrivals since last mail have been small, and the Pakeha, clue en Friday, is awaited with interest, having on board many lines that are now short. Steamers from NewYork are now as common as from the United Kingdom, almost entirely displacing the fleet of clipper sailing ships to which, until a year or two ago, we had been so accustomed. Both the Cereda and the Tomoaua have landed their shipments of American merchandise since last mail, a heavy portion of the former cargo being the first instalment of the rails for the electric trams, which are now to be constructed throughout the city. .The prospect of this Tias already had an appreciable influence on the value of suburban land, and during the last 12 months or so much speculation 5 has taken place in land well out of town, wherever the tram system has been decided upon, land which under the slow present moans of suburban locomotion has been, almost inaccessible to city men. Building has been carried on to a very large extent, and empty houses are still few and far between, as the population has been steadily increasing fast enough to take up all the additional residences. A slight cessation in building is certainly observed just now, but that is most likely only temporary, on account of the exceptionally bad weather that has prevailed during most of the last few weeks; Returning to the Cereda, wo have there a further proof of the extent to which American manufacturers have secured the New Zealand markets, as an examination of her manifest reveals many lines that were formerly imported only from England. When our own Government has to go to America for locomotives and railway carriages, it is not to bo wondered at' that private individuals and importers will get. their goods wherever they secure the best terms. We have here the same experience as in South Africa, where American firms have secured contracts in connection with the renewal and extension of railways in territory acquired during a costly war which England has paid for. Much attention has been given to the kerosene on the Cereda, as the shipment disappeared in a week, leaving the, market absolutely bare. The present aspect of the situation we treat in our weekly article in another column. , ,-'''«'--, Another important item on the Cereda was tobacco, an unusually heavy shipment being landed. In this connection it is of interest to note that a member of the firm of T. C. Williams Company, of Virginia, has just passed through Auckland for the South. As this firm is one of the largest manufacturers of tobacco in the world, we may draw our own conclusions as to the importance they attach to the New Zealand trade, and to cultivating, in a manner thoroughly American, the personal acquaintance of their clients on this side of tho line. \ During the week a vessel has been christened which it is intended to devote to the trade of the Cook Islands, which have lately been included in the boundaries of New Zealand —a smart vessel fitted with auxiliary oil engines, the Countess of Ranfurly, as she has been named. This new departure should be the means of enabling the natives of the Islands to acquire some of the benefits of civilisation in return for the tropical fruits which : they will be able to send us. The Island trade in general is an important feature in Auckland commerce, and every month steamers leave for the various islands laden with New Zealand produce, and also imported wares, which the Islands pay for in sugar, fruit, copra, limejuice, etc. An attempt has been made to divert this trade from its legitimate pert to Wellington, but, judging by the results of a trial shipment, the-' proposal is not likely to be forcibly pressed. Auckland is peculiarly adapted for this trade, and our merchants have all the advantage of years of experience in catering for the wants of the natives, and in disposing of their produce/ - Sugar alone is a very heavy line, and whole shiploads of raw sugar come hero from Fiji to the • refinery across - the harbour. Owing to the loss of the John Gambles, coming here with 1600 tons of raw sugar, the Colonial..Sugar Company have had to supply most of their Southern orders from Sydney. We are informed that there has been no cessation in supplying local orders, as ample stocks were in hand at the refinery before it was decided to close down the works for a fortnight. . " ' ■ ■ . Sago and tapioca are reported cheaper in Singapore, owing to a declino in the American demand.

The local candle company have reduced the prices of some of their candles, which are now a ' little lower than imported of similar make. In produce a. feature of the last few months has been the steady appreciation of butter. Owing to the drought which _ extended over such large areas in Australia, a strong demand has been felt from there. Cheese has also been freely exported, and the local market has now to bo supplied from the South. There is no doubt that the enormous extension of the dairy industry is accountable for a large portion of the prosperity which the Auckland district is at present enjoying. Potatoes have also been required for Australia, and the price is more than double what it was this time last year. Our friends in the Federal colonies appear anxious for us to join tho Commonwealth, and draw attention to the largo quantity of New Zealand produce which finds its way there. ~' ::.:\ : Onions are new , almost over, and the market is being supplied from California. There is some excitement in the, oat market, through export demand. A full explanation , appears in another column. Maize holds its own, and growers are getting a much better price for their new grain than they obtained for the first few shipments last season. ' Stock of all kinds keep at a high range of values. Timber is now more plentiful. During the summer logs became very scarce, owing to the difficulty of carting from the backwoods over the bad roads, consequent on the wet weather, but in winter this plan of traction is abandoned, and floods in the rivers and creeks take down the timber to the booms. The abundant rains of late have supplied ample stocks for tho mills. THE KAURI GUM MARKET. Once more we have to report a very quiet market for gum. The quantity arriving keeps very moderate, but as yet this has produced no quickening of the demand. Up to the end of tho present month the production of gum will have been only GO per cent, of what it was during tho . same period in last year, and there is no present prospect of its increasing beyond that proportion. There have again been some fair transactions in low grades of gum, and really good lots also sell.with fair freedom, but medium kinds decidedly hang fire, and East Coast gum is once more selling only at lower prices. , On the whole, the market must be called dull. The arrivals of gum since last mail (23 days) have been about 425 tons," and the stock now here in the hands of sellers and shippers is about 2420 tons. We .quote:—White gum: Poor ordinary, £1 os and'; upwards; fair ordinary, £2 5s and upwards; bold three-quarter-scraped, free from nuts, £3 12s and upwards : East Coast, best quality, £3 10s and upwards; rescraped, £5 15s and upwards. , Black gum: Nuts, sifted, 10s and upwards; medium, free from sugar, 18s and upwards; good, £2 8s and upwards. Shipments have been made as under:—For London direct, per s.s. Hawke's Bay, 206 tons; per S.s'. Papanui, 36 tons; per s.s. Tekoa, 72 tons. For London, via Sydney, per s.s. Waihora, four tons; per s.s. Elingamite, 33 tons: total, 351 tons. '•-,■• AUCTION SALES, ETC. . , July 5. Messrs. Samuel Vailc and Sons held a successful auction this afternoon. The attendance was very large, and the bidding for seme lots was brisk. Tho allotments fronting Ponsonby and Great North Roads and adjoining Mr. Dumpcr's shop realised £13 per foot all round, or a total of £1638. The small property in Olipharit-street brought £125, and the farm at Waikumete £70, while the, allotments at G-rahamrown, Whangarei. were sold for £40, and tho unimproved sec-tion-at Mangawai for 2s 6il per acre. ■ ••■'...

• • July 12. : There was a crowded attendance at Mr. Thornes' sale of properties to-day, and the competition was keen, the bidding for ho premises. in Queen-street, with 30ft frontage, occupied by Messrs. McLeod, commented at £500, and they were sold for £750. The cottage in Crummer Read, with 49ft fro stage, went for,£4Bo. The residence in Ponsonby Road, with; 41ft frontage, fetched £600. An allotment in Kingsland .Avenue was sold for £57, and the block of land in Remuera Road, having 350 ft frontage, brought £1050. The premises in Parnell, 66ft to York-street by 90ft to Bath-street, produced £450. We understand that the other properties advertised, and sold privately prior to the sale, produced £2050 and £255 respectively. ■ :■, "■ July 15. Our Cambridge correspondent writerMessrs. W. Souter and Co., land agents, report having sold during tho week Mr. Hugh Ferguson's farm of 70 acres, Hautapu, to Mr. W. H. Brough; also, in conjunction with ! Mr. Haseler, of Hamilton, another block of 560 acres of the Rukuhia Estate. , . BANK RATES. BUYING SELLING. Demand .. jj %1 Demand li %") 80 days .. § '/. I JMs- SO days .. 14 % [ Pre--60 days .. -J % (count 60 days .. I '/. [ iniuni 9 days .. VIZ) 90 days .. j- % ) TELEGRAPHIC . TRANSFERS TO LONDON.— 353 per cent., plus cable charges (minimum). DEPOSITS.— Bank of New Zealand: Fixed for 3 months, 1 per cent, per annum; 6 months, 2 per cent, per annum; 12 months, 3 per cent, per annum; 24 months, 3} per cent, per annum. By National Bank: fixed for 3 months, 1 per cent, per annum; 6 months, 2 per cent, per annum; 12 months, 3 per cent, per annum; 24 months, 3£ per cent, per annum. By Australian Banks: Fixed for 6 months, 14 per cent, per annum; 12 months, 3 per cent, per annum. PRICES CHARGED BY THE WHOLESALE ... TO DISTRIBUTING HOUSES: Ales and Porter, duty 23 per gallon.—Ale (in bond): Bass' Dogshead brand (Read's bottling, quarts, 8s 9d; pints. 63 9d; Foster's-'Bugle quarts, 7s 6d; pints, 5s 6d. Bulldog (R. Porter and Co.'s bottling), quarts, 8s 9d ; pints, 6s 9(1. Dunedin (duty paid), quarts, 8s ; pints, 4s 6d. Stout (in bond); Guinness' Dog's head brand (Read's bottling), quarts, 8s 9d ; pints, 6s 9d. Foster's Bugle, quarts, 7s 6d ; pints, 5s 6d. Bulldog (R. Porter and Co.'s bottling), quarts, 8s 9d ; pints. 6s 9d. Asbby's, 6s 3d to 83 9d. Anglo-Bavarian, quarts, 3s 9d ;. pints, 5s 6d. "Dunedin (duty paid), quarts, 8s: pints, 4s 6d. BUILIIING MATERIALS.— K.B. and White's 14s. Slates: English Countesses are worth. £12 to £13. Plaster of Paris, 14s to 16s. All these quotations nominal. Firebricks, 2Jin £8, Sin £9, less trade discount. BAGS and 'Sagging.— full weight woolpacks, 11$ lb, bale 2s 2Jd, less 2s 3d to 2s 4d; Cornsacks, 48iu, 6s; 44in, 5s 9d; Hessian bags, 2s Bd. BREADSTUFFS AND GRAIN.— roller flour, in sacks, £6 17s 6d to £7 10s, less usual discounts; 100's and 50's in proportion to extra bagging. Southern wheat, milling, 2s ad i-j 2s 6d, f.0.b.,'; Southern ports, according to quality, sacks extra. Bran, £4 15s ex store. Sharp's, £4 17s 6d. Maize, ex wharf, 2s 4d. Oatmeal, 25's. £10 ss; 7's, £11 15s. Barley, for malting, 2s 9d to 3s 6d; feed. 2s Id to 2s 3d. Oats, ex wharf, 23 3d to 2s 4Jd. Oats, ex store, 2s 5d to 2s 6d. Pearl barley, £11. Split peas, £12. Potatoes, f.0.b., Southern ports, £5 ss. Cabin bread,, £13 per ton. Settlers' bread, £15. Newcastle, ship's side, 24s 6d; delivered, £1 13s; Hikurangi Coal Co., 8s v 6d 1'.0.b. Whangarei; Hikurangi Collieries Co., Bs, f.o.b. Whangarei. Taupiri Steam, at mine, 9s; do., household, delivered, £1 6s. CORDAGE — Manila hemp rope, all ' sizes, Auckland-made, best, £68 10s; New Zealand flax rope. all . sizes, £41; clothes lines. 6d per lb, subject to trade discount; point spun yarn, £58; twine, shop, d.p., per lb. Shd to Is 2d; sewing'twine, Hid to Is 8d per lb. COFFEE AND SPICES, per lb.—Ceylon coffee plantation, No. 0, 13 7d; No. 1, Is 6d; No. 2, Is sd; No. 3, Is 4d; Mocha, Is 7d; ditto, Island, Is 2d; chicory, 36s per cwt in tins; Symington's Essence of Coffee, 12s 6d; local, 103. Cocoa: Pry's, Is 3d; Van Houten's, 3s 3d; Epps", Is 4£d: Cadbury's, Jib 9s 6d, Jib 18s 6d, lib 36s 6d; Rowntree's. 3s 3d. Chocolate: Fry's. Is 3d; Vi-Cocoa, 3oz 7s 6d; 4ioz, lis; 9. l ,oz, 22s per dozen. Spices: Cloves, lOd; bleached ginger, ■ 10d; nutmegs, Is lOd to 2:5 3d; cinnamon, 2s 6d; black pepper, whole, in bond, S'd; white do., Is; chillies, Is. CONFECTIONERY.LocaI manufacturers are producing good articles, and consumption is chiefly in their goods. Local boiled, 3Jd, dry goods, 4d, less trade discount; gum jujubes, Is ; jelly ditto, 7id. Keillor's assorted confections, 74d; Gray's. 8d; candied lemon peel. d.p. (duty. 3d per lb), 9d; orange, lOd to lid; citron, Is 3d; local, from 4»d for lemon to Is for citron; Terry's jujubes. Is Id, Denliolm's, Is 2d; Keiller's fruit jujubes. Is 4d; Jib chocolate creams, 4s Cd; cream sticks. Is 3d: chocolate sticks. Is 4d. GUM, FLAX. ETC.—White Gum: Poor ordinary. £25 and upwards; fair ordinary, £45; bold, threequarler-scraped, free from nuts, £?<, And upwards; East Coast, best quality, £70 and upwards; .- re-scraped, £115 and upwards. Dark gum: Nuts, sifted, £10 and upwards ; medium, free from sugar, £18 and upwards; good, £48 and upwards. Flax: Fine, clean, Auckland, f.0.b.. £19 10s; good fair average quality, f.0.b.,- £17 109; tow, £3 per ton. Cocoanut oil (fine white), per ton, £23. Copra, per ton, £11 10s. Fungus, oldIRONMONGERY.— corrugated iron, duty- paid (£2 per ton), basis £1.8 10s to £19, according to brand; English bar iron, per ton, £11 10s basis; galvanised fencing wire, 6 to 8 gauge, £12 10s to £13 10s ; English barb wire, £15 lCs ; American, £15; English pig iron, £6; pig lead, £18; sheet lead, £22: zinc, £35; I.C. coke tin plates, 20in by Win. 17s 6d ; blasting powder, Curtis and Harvey's, 8d ; muntz metal, 9d ; quicksilver, 3s 2d. JAMS, DRIED Fruits, ETC.—C. and B. Marmalade, lib, d.p., 6s 6d; Keiller's marma- ,.: lade, lib, d.p., 7s 3d; Phoenix and St. George, Dunedin. 5« 6d: Nelson (New Zealand). 5s 9d; Auckland-made, lib tins, ss; lib glass 4s 6d;' English, 6s 6d; Smyrna sultanas, 7d; American, s*d ; Malaga muscatels, Is 2d ; elemes, 5d ; currants, 6d d.p.; figs (14oz). 6s 6d per dozen ; figs, 101b bags, 7Jd ; Caliornian prunes, 6d; dried apples, 7Jd; dried anricots, 8d ; seeded raisins, lib packets, 6d. : ■ ■ ;■-.. '

Leather and Hides.—Sole leather, 9jd to Is 6d per lb; kips, Is 3d to Is-6d; runners, Is 3d to Is 6d I lb; black harness, Is 2d to Is sd; brown harness, Is 4cl ; calf, colonial, 2s 6d, basils, 8d to lid per lb; skirt, 17s to 20s per side ; closed uppers. 4s 6d to : 8s 6d per pair; hides, ox, 3Jd to 5d per lb ; Stout ox, 5Jd to 7£d ; cow, 3Jd to 4gd ; calfskins, 4d to 53d per lb ; sheepskins. Is 3d to . 2s Bd. . . ~;;/ ■ -' MANURES.—Australian bonedust, £6 to £6 15s; Auckland £7 ss; superphosphate of lime, £5 ss; bone flour, £7 15s; superphosphates. •Anglo Company, £4 15s; cocoanut ; oil cake, £5 10s ; kainit, £4. New Zealand Drug Company's manures : A : superphosphate, £5 15s per ton; bonedust, steamed. £7 sn: bonedust, preen. £7 15s; bonedust and blood. £6 10s; root manure, £7 ss; grass manure, 1 . £7 ;> potato manure, £7 ss; turnip manure, £7; corn manure, £7; maize manure, £7 ss; orchard manure, £7 15s; onion manure, £7 15s; clover manure, £7; snlph. of ammonia, £16 10s; nitrate of soda, £14; Coral Queen guano, £4 ss. ' MALT AND Colonial, 4s 9d to ss. Hops: Nelson, brewers', B|d to lOd; grocers' hops, packets, lOd to Is; Californian ditto, Is. OILMEN'S STORES, ETC.—Price's National, 6&.1; Battersea Wax, 6sd; Price's London Wax, 6Jd; Price's self-fitting, 7Jd; Price's carnage, 7M; local sperm, 4i}d to stl : wax, Get and 6sd; mining, 6Jd ; local blue mottled soap, £20 per ton ; carbolic, £36; best yellow, £22; National, 20s; double Crowrs, £18 ; Golden Crown, £16 ; household, £12 to £14 : soft soap, in tins. 4£d per lb; toilet, 8d to lOd per lb —all subject to trade discount. Salt: Black Horse, fine £4, coarse £3 10s; other brands, fine £3, coarse £2 10s; rock salt, £5; Jordan almonds, 2s 3d; Blacking Paste, Day and Martin's, 3s 6d ; local, 3s 6d; Colman's starch, No. 1 (duty, 2d per lb), white, 46s 6d lib pictorial, 53s ; local, 37s ; 50 case lots, 355. Mustard, d.p.: Colman's, lib tins (DSF), 17s 6d; halfditto, 9s; Jib tins, ss; Keen's DSP, same price; Colman's, 71b tins (green). Hid; Blue: Beckitt's Circular, 7s 6d per gross ; Bag, 8s 3d ; Colman's Azur,\ Bid per lb : Beckitt's Square, Bid ; Keen's square. B£d. Matches : Vestas, d.p., Bryant and May's, 250's, per gross, 16s; ditto, plaid. 3s 9d: ditto, fancy oval. 24s 6d; B. Bell and Co.'s, 250's, 14s 6d by the case; plaids. 3s 4Jd: other brands, 3s 2id to 3s 4d; cardboard vestas, 8s 6d. Oil: Castor, in pints, 7s; half-pints, 4s. • Salad: C. and 8., quarts, 275: pints, 14s 6d: half-pints. 8s 6d; Morton's, pints.'Bs 6d; half-pints, ss. Pickles: Crosse and Blackwell's.' pints. 17s 6d; Gillard's, 17s 6d: Capt. White's, 14s Cd; Morton's, 12s 6d; local, 7s 6d: Flag Brand, Bs. 5 cases, 7s 9d; Bice, No. 1 Japan, £15 10s ; ditto, ground, in packets, 4d, loose 2Jd. Sauces: Lea and Perrin's, halfpints, 13s 6d; pints, 255; Gillard's halfpints, 7s 6d; . Mellor's. .. half-pints, 8s; pints, 14s; . Holhrook's, quarterpints. 6s 9tl; half-pints, lis: pints, 225; Goodall's Yorkshire Relish, 7s. Vinegar, d.p.: bulk, Champion's, per gallon, 2s 3d; Sarson's. Is 10d; Holbrook's. Is lOd; Burnett's. Is lid; Potts'. Is lOd; local, Is to Is 3d. Vinegar: Case. C. and 8., 9s; Champion's, 9s; Burnett's, 73 tid; Morton's, 8s; Steuben's. Gloucester. 6s 9d; local. 4s to ss; Hill's and Underwood, bulk. Is lid: case, 7s. Treacle, bulk. 12s; golden syrup, bulk, 15s Cd; tapioca, £16 ; sago. £15. -Cornflour: Maize. 2id d.p.; Clement's, 2-Jd; Brown and Poison's patent, 6£d; Indian, aid. Preserved milk: Nestle's, 6s Cd: Milkmaid, 63; local brands, 5s 3d. Tartaric acid, in .iars. Is 6d; in keg. Is 4d; cream of tartar, in jars. Is 2d; in bulk. Hid; bicarb, soda, lis : local soda crystals, £5 10s ; whiting, £5 ss. OILS AND PAINTS.-Duty, 6d a gallon. Colza, in drums, 4s Cd; bulk. 4s; linseed, boiled drums, 4s lid; built, 4s 3d; raw, drums, Is 9d; bulk, 4s 6d; castor, in drums, 3s lOitl to 4s; i half-cases, 3s 9d; Kerosene." 150 test, ease 7s Cd : genuine white lead ground, per cwt. 561b, and 281b, 35s to 37* ■ red lead, dry. 345, in 2'dlb; /inc. white. . 38s to 455; Oil colours, assorted, £2 to £2 Gs per cwt. Turps: Ameri- , can, 3s 6d, resin, £6 15s to £9, according to grade. Varnish, oak. 8s to 15scopal. 12s 6rt to 255: Benzine, Is 4d; Naphtha 2s 9d; Gasoline, 3s 6d. Quotations regulated by quantities and qualities. °

PROVISIONS'.— Factory, 4Jd to did; dairy, 3Jd to 4Jd. Good keg brute, prime, 9Jd ; second quality, /a ; factory. Is 2d; eggs. Is. Bacon, sides only, 6d to Sid; hams >; only. 7Jd .to 81d. Fish (duty, 10s per cwt) ;. Ling, Cd;, boneless cod, 6jd ,;': preserved red ■ herrings, in tins 36s per dozen tins (each 24 fish); white, 21s per dozen (each 12 fish) ; fre*h herrings. 6s 9d; Pindon haddocks. 10s; lobsters, American, lib, 17s: New Zealand, 10s 6d; salmon, lib; Cocktail, lis 3d; Alaska. 8s 6d to ,9s ; British Columf bia, - 9s 6d to 10s ; ' salt salmon, sd; sardines, quarters. 3s 3d to 6s lid; halves, 6s to 9s 6d : according to brand:! oysters. 8s mullet, 5s 3d. 25 cases :-■ 5s- whitebait, lis; boiled rabbit. 10s 6d; ' corned beef. 12s 6d ; sheep tongues, lib tins, 14? to 15.'. according to brand ; 21b, 225. SUGARS.— Duty, id per lb. Colonial Sugar Company's Auckland Refinew. d.p.. No. 1, £22; No. 2. £21 ss: No. 3. £19 15s ; Cubes, £24 10s : Queensland yellows, £18. Molasses. £5. SriKITS (in bond).—Duty, 16s per gallon of proof spirits in bulk or case. Brandy: Kouver, Gouillot. and Co.. 255; Gilbey's Universal brandy, flasks 28s, J-flasks. 30s: Hennessy's. case, one star, 375; three star, 51s: Bisquit. Duboucbe. and Co.'s. na.o. in hhds.. 7s. quarter-casks 7s 6d, octaves 8s: Bisauit. Dubouche and Co.'s case, 255: Boomerang, Australian, bulk 7s 6d, case 225; ChateauTanunda, case. 225. • Whisky, bulk: Walker's WW, 8s 6d: Usher's SR, 10s 6d; Usher's 0.V.G., 8S;; D.C.D., old, 5s 6d ; very old, 8s 6d- AOS. 10s 6d; case. Old Scotch. 18s; very old. 225; VOS, 265; Gaelic. V2s: Buchanan's House of Commons, 225; Robertson's three star. 28s: Dunville's, 20s; Dunville's special liqueur, 32s ; Gilbey's Viceroy (Irish). 20s ; Jamie3on's (Irish), one star, 25s ; three star. 32s : Teacher's, 25« ; Walker's W.W, 22s ; Usher's ■SR, 23s 6d: Usher's OVO. 21a: Usher's OVG. flasks 28s, half-flaskß 355; White Horse, 20s; Uani Var, 20s: Gilbey's Stratkmill, 22a; Braemav, 18s; BOBS, 20s; LL, 22s 6d to 235; Cambus, 16s; Gordon's, 15s; Dewar's, 20s: liaise and Haig. 225; Geneva, proof. 4 gallons, JDKZ, 20 bottles, 18s 6d; under proof; 17s; schnapps, Wolfe's quarts. 245, pints. 25s 6d ; Gilbey's Silverstream, 18s ; Gilbey's dry gin, 14s; Tower dry gill, 12s; Distillers' Company. 14s: Burnett's Old Tom. 14s: Gilbey's Old Tom, 13s; Lowndes' rum, 30 0.p., 4s 9d in hhds., 5s ,in quarter-casks, 5s 3d in octaves ; Key, 22s per case ; Gilbey's Governor-Gene-ral rum, Os per case. Champagne, d.p. : Pommery. quart 120s, pint 1255; Heidsieck, quart, 1258, pint, 130s; Ayala, quart 115s. pint 120s; Australian wines, quart, 335; Gilbey's port and sherry, d.p., 365, ; 455, 555; and 755, according to grade. Quotations are as follows:—Kauri timber, at East Coast and Auckland mills: Ordinary building timber, undressed. 100 ft. first-class 15s, medium 12s 6d, secondclass 9s 6d ; flitches, all heart, 14s, flooring hoards, dressed, p.t.g., first-class 17s, medium 14s Cd, second-class lis 6d ; lining boards, p.t.g., beaded, or V-jointed. firatclass 16s 6d; medium 14s, second-class lis; rusticated weatherboarding. first-clas3 , 17s, medium 14s 6d,\ second-class _ lis 6d ; boat boards. planed two sides, Sin 15s 6d, Jin, 16s. For widths over 12;n. 6d extra per inch per 100 ft is charged, and for lengths over 24ft extra prices are charged. , Logs, Is to 6s 3d, according to girth. TOBACCO.—Duty. 3s 6d. Ruby Aromatic. 2s 6rl; Victory. Is lOd to 2«; Juno, black, all shapes. Is 3d to 13 4£d; Ascot. Is 6d; Derby, ten cases Is 7d. single case Is Bd, box Is 9d; Venus. Is 6d; Golden Eagle, red, 2s 4d ; Yellow, 2s 3d ; Welcome Nugget, 2s 6d; black twist, 26 to lb. Is; Golden Eagle, 4oztins,3s; 2oz tins, 3s 3d; Wills' Capstan, full and medium, 4oz tins. 3s: 2oz tins. 3s 3d; mild, 3d more; Melrose cigarette tobacco, 2oz packets, d.n., 7s: Old Judge, ditto, 3s. TEAS (in Darjeeling. scarce ; good to fine qualities difficult to obtain, say. Pekoes, Is Ail to Is 6d ; Pekoe Souchongs, fine, lOd to Is; finest. Is to Is 2d; Dooar, good medium Pekoe Souchongs, 9d to lOd; Ceylon, fine Broken Orange Pekoe, aro still scarce, medium to fine. Is 3d to Is 4d ; medium Broken Orange Pekoe, lid to Is 2d; Broken Souchong and Pekoe Souchongs, 7d to 3d. Fannings are relatively dearer, good medium, say, lOd. ,