COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12045, 15 August 1902, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

/ New Zeaiaot) Herald Office, .;• i : ' / / Thursday' evening. / AKOTHER dull week is reported on the Stock Exchange. Prices for ■ investment stock are fairly well maintained, buyers being numerous. "In banks/ New Z ealands sold .at £3 4s, and there are sellers at £3 ss, and .buyers at £3 2s'6d./ Nationals are wanted at £4 2s 6d, sellers asking £4- :4s 6d. No sales are reported in insurance stock. ~ New Zealarida are offered at '■ £3 175./ / South 'British are offered' ; /at ■.".' £4 ': 6s M, " y with /• buyers at-£4 Is 6d. There are sellers of Nationals at £1 Is ; 6cl, "[ and buyers at £1 Is. There are sellers of New Zealand Accidents at £1 9s 6d. New: Zealand, and River Plate Land Mortgage . aro a shade firmer, "with buyers of the old issue at £1 2s, and of the new issue at £1 3s. Sellers of the former ask £1 3s. In coals Hikurangis are wanted at 8s "6d, with sellers at 9s. Taupiri Mines sold at 18s 6d,: and move are offered at 19s. Westport3 are very firm, with sales at £5 2s 6d. 'In shipping there are .buyers of '.Union Steam at £11 16s, and sellers of Northern Steam,, contributing, at 7s 6d,~and buyers at 7s 2d. Devonport Steam Ferry are slightly-easier, -with sellers at £1 195, ; and buyers at £1 17s 6d. In timber Kauri Company, contributing,,sold at Is Bd. L-eyiand-O'Brienare very firm, and sold at £1163 6d. There are still buyers at the same figure, sellers asking £1 17s 9d. Mitchelsons are offered at 18s 6d. There are sellers of Avondale Brick and Pottery at £1 Is, and of D.S.C. at 10«. Buyers of the latter offer 9s 9d. Tonson Garlick are offered at 19s 6d, and Union Oil at £1 Is 6d. Riverhead Paper Mills are wanted at £1 6a 6d. The mining market does not show much change. Waihis are offered at •£5 103, and there are buyers /• at £5. : Waitekauris sold at 2s; Crowns at lis / 6d; /: Tairua Broken tiiils at 10s, 103 6d, lis, and 103 6d, cum div., paid on the 11th inst.; and at 9s 6d and 10s, ex div.; and : Kuranuis ;at 2d, : 2_d, 3d, 4d,; .♦id,' and sd. v ( „ _ ~ 0 ■■/: General business continues to show the improvement noted/last week. A prominent feature in our trade is the continued demand for- produce for export, v both to .the Islands, there being substantial orders for the Taviuni on Wednesday, and also to Australia, the Mararoa on Monday having a heavy cargo from here. The advances in produce, etc., registered this week, are quite phenomenal, nearly everything being higher, owing principally to the enormous demand that has sprung up from Australia, a result of the - drought there. . The export of live cattle and i sheep continues, although not in anything like the same proportions as from Wellington and the Bluff, whence large shipments left last week. Now that the Talune has been put on the berth for the carriage of live stock, the local shippers will be better able to take advantage of the present high rates ruling in; Sydney. ? A novelty in the export trade has been the shipment of frozen -. carcases to Australia, but we understand that although this is likely to continue there are those who prefer to ship live cattle, and chance the market on their own account.

? Maize has had a,very decided lift this week, owing to the continuation of the demand from Sydney. There have been only about 1500 sacks up from the Bay since last; report, and this was practically all sent on by 4he Mararoa, the few sacks left behind being hardly suitable for shipping. The prices obtained ranged from 33 5d to 3s pd on the wharf in wholesale lines. We might mention that there is now a little more expense in shipping from the coastal steamers, as the carters charge Is 9d per ton for carting from one steamer to another, and this, with the half wharfage on transhipments, is equivalent to about three farthings per bushel. As the Sydney market is keeping up well, there is likely to be a continued demand, and an advance in price next Monday is not unlikely. Mist of the maize coming up is still rather soft, but the ;■ samples are, as a rule, clean, and they have been accepted in Sydney. /Potatoes are a little better here, and are selling: at £4 to s £4 ss. In the" South the price has advanced to to £3 ss, and some can : , not quote at all. The local market.is rather bare, little lots to hand, being readily placed. Seed varieties are in demand for later planting. : ■■■' . [ The oat market has been completely al- ! tered since Tuesday, when Southern buyers began to operate here. It is said that stocks \ are extremely light in '- Southland, and 4 tho .demand from Sydney resulted in an advance if 3d per bushel in the Southern quotations.■■; Oatmeal has declined, the local mill reducing the price 20a per ton this week* The

present low price of oatmeal is not -likely to last long if the Sydney market continues to draw on our oats. - , Good fowl wheat is rather scarce, although inferior a quality can be easily bought, Xne local price was reduced.?for this week, ; but there has since' been • a ■ full * recovery in the price in the South owing to the Sydney demand. Milling wheat is also very ; firm. ;,;. Flour continues about.i the same. Southern brands are a little firmer. ' As already advised," there is no more American flour arriving for the Auckland market, but the Ventura brought 1430 bags for Duuedm. Pollard is scaice and dearer, owing to Australian demand. Bran is in . increased demand for Sydney, and the price in the South has increased to £5 55;f.0.b., and orders cannot be filled. • The local: price has also advanced 10s pe. ton . since last week, ■) It is reported that a line of 500 tons has been booked foi the Cape, and Australian buyers are also in the field inquiring what quantities can be booked "up to December.-*.;;<•,. . Local onions are - mostly rather soft, and cannot be relied upon to keep, so that s they are only bought in small lots. The Ventura brought 550 crates of Califorman, ; which arrive to a good market. :'- - , a ,• u There is no quotable change m chatt, which continues in good demand '?. for both Southern and local. 'A shortage is not likely at the end oi the season if the. Australian demand for fodder continues. - ". - : ' . Tinned meats are in good demand, owing to the higher uric© of .fresh meat, and there are also . large export : orders for kegs and tins. We have not noticed any appreciable increase in. the demand for tinned fish, which is usually seen when meat advances. In Australia this -has-been very marked lately. New. Zealand mullet is in - good demand foi export,; but we do not see how this will be affected if the. export fish bonus is reduced, as the lower prices now being quoted are only just low enough to compete with American and other fish. ' - .*". All dried fruits are in good demand. feultanas are rather scarce. * Currants are being quoted lower. ■:,".:■'':''.:■- '.'••■■■■ „ ' , , The local market has now. fully responded to the advance in corusacks in Calcutta, and as stocks of 48 inch are extremely light 5s 9d is easily obtained. There is. not so much" demand for inch, as the proposal to make the steamer charges depend upon the weight instead of simply the number of ' sacks has fallen through. Tho latest; from Calcutta is that "After the jute forecast declaration our market firmed up, and although actual business is not doing to any great extent mills arc keeping very firm, and bears are, having a very bad time of it. Ready goods are scarce, whilst for forward mills are asking higher prices, and buyers have to content themselves to: native speculators. Opinions here are that the jute crop will prove better than originally estimated;; but unless the weather 'improves considerably we fear the results may be even worse." * ,',■,. There has been a good deal of trouble lately in the matter of cutting prices, and efforts have been made to bring, about, some uniI formity whenever this is possible. The latest adjustment has been in American corn I brooms, for which a tariff has now been fixed, making the cost about 10' per cent, ; higher. Discounts are definitely, settled once and for instead of leaving the price or rate of discount to bo fixed whenever a sale is made, and it is proposed to extend the principle to other linos that are now being distributed at unprofitable rates./ ■ '. ■-:An American report by the Venturai has the following on broom corn :—" The market ! is firm, with an upward tendency; stocks are \ very low, and the manufacturers are buying freely. ; The crop is on average for the different sections : 50 per cent, less than that of 1901." v : . . '* Y : The American market for pig iron has advanced, and as there is veryjittl? iron in the market for prompt' shipment it is almost impossible to get a settled quotation. Last ; week ,we mentioned the, strong demand for iron and steel in America, V and a cable this week notifies- that it has been nscessary for the Union Pacific, Rail way Company to import 100,000 tons of rails., '. ' . Tin plates are slightly easier.. # ■ Kerosene is in very short supply until airival of Beira now due. ;i V ■ • Fairly good stocks ot copra are now held locally by all who require ') it, "go'', that the Mararoa took on a large quantity on Monday from the Taviuni, and more will go next trip. The Taviuni brought only five casks of limejuice from the Islands, but the Countess of Ranfurly, which arrived on: Wednesday, brought 166 barrels. Limejuice is likely to be in short ; supply all this season, as there .'is a less quantity available," and a strong demands exists for; Sydney, the price for shipment being Is 6d to Is 9d per gallon. ,■' . ■i ' i .', :'....'-;

Cheese is very firm in prico. ,*" ' " The market continues about the same as last week, and sales are .'readily made of all that comes to hand. % The Sonoma took 344 bales last Friday, and space has been booked for the 'Frisco , steamers , right up ; to December. " ' ...... ■ - In the local dairy produce market the strong demand mentioned last week;, acting on the scarcity here has .resulted: in/an advance of one penny per lb in all grades, the present prices being:—'Factory, Is 2d to Is 3d; separator, lid and upwards; farmers', lOd and upwards; second quality, 9d. , The Waihora took over another line to Sydney on Monday, and shipments are , also • being made from the South. ;" It would ;seem that stocks are none too heavy in I the South, as they have been sounding this market, this week. Eggs are very plentiful, and the price has declined, to lOd wholesale. "; r : . KAURI GUM MARKET. The following are • our quotations of kaur gum for the week ending August 11, 1902 — White gum: .Poor.',' ordinary, ; £36 and 1 upwards; fair ; /ordinary, £55 and upwards: bold, three-quarter • scraped, (free from j nuts), £85 and upwards; East Coast (good quality), £84 and , upwards; rescraped, £125 and upwards. Black gum: Nuts, £18 and upwards; medium (free from sugar), £24 and upwards; l good, £60_ and lipwards. Remarks on market: Arrivals for 12 days of August, 'total'3lo tons. The market keep 3 steady at, recent values.

GROCERS' MARKET QUOTATIONS. The following are the quotations for butter and eggs for the week ending August 21, 1902, as fixed by the Auckland Dairy Produce Committee:—Factory butter, Is 2d and Is 3d per lb: separator butter, lid per lb; farmers' butter (best), lOd per lb; farmers' butter (second quality), 9d per lb eggs, lOd per dozen.' . '

FROZEN MEAT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Napier, Thursday. » The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company cabled to-day: • —Canterbury mutton, 4dj Napier, Wellington, and North Island, 3|d. Lamb, first quality, sd; second, 4|d. v , ■ • '•;/•_;. ;.:■• :-:

POLLARD AND BRAN. . \ DUNEDiN, Thursday. The Flour. Millers' - Association has - raised the price of pollard'; from £5 10s to £6, at which price it is selling freely for shipment. Bran is nominally £5 ss, but none is obtainable, and probably £5 to £6 would be.procurable. . -•.-:-: :>//'"/•/",■"*'.' ""."/ .-,:>-.

AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE.

Businessv Done.—Kuranui, ,sd; Tairua Broken Hills, 10a. •;, .; v -'

BUYERS.— Bank, 82s 6d; National Insurance, 21s; South British Insurance, 84s 6d; New Zealand and Paver Plate, old, 21s 9d; New Zealand and Itiver Plate, new, 233; Hikurangi Coal, 8s 6d; Auckland Ga?, new (£4 10s), £12 129; Gisborne Gas,- 36s 6d; • Union. Steamship, £11 16s; Northern Steamship, contributing, 7s 2d; Devonport Steam Ferry, 37a *6d; D.S.C. Limited, 9s 9d; Riverhead Paper Mills, 26s 6d; Kuranui, 4Jd; Chelmsford, 6Jd; Crown, lis 3d; Tairua Broken Hills. 9a 6d; Waihi, £0; Waihi Consolidated, 4d; Waihi Extended, Is Id. SELLERS.— of New Zealand, 655; National Bank, 84s. 6d; New Zealand Insurance, 775; National Insurance, 21s 6d; South British Insurance, 80s 6d; New : i Zealand Accident Insurance, 29s • 6d; ' New Zealand and River Plate, old,. 235; Hikurangi Coal, 9s; Taupiri Coal Mines, Limited, 13s 9d; Auckland Gas, old, £14 2» 6d; Northern Steamship, contributing, 7s 6d; onport Steam Ferry, 395; Leyland-o'Brien>. Timber Co., Limited, 37s 9d; Mitchelson Timber Co., 18s 6d; Avondale Brick and Pottery, 21s; D.S.C, Limited, 10s; Tonson Garliek Co., Limited, 19a ed; Union . Oil, 21s 6dj Kuranni, 6d; Kuranui-Caledonian, 7d; May Queen Hauraki, 6(1; May Queen Extended, 3d; Monowai, 2s 7d; Waiotahi, 245; Welcome Jack, contributing, 3d; Chelmsford, 10d; Crown, lis 6d; Komata Reefs, lid; Tairua Broken Hills, loss Waihi, £5 10s; Waihi Beach United, 3d; Waihi Consolidated, 6d; Waihi Extended. Is sd; Waihi South, 3d; Waitekauri, 2s 2d; Woodstock, ,3a Id; Broken Hill, 4d. - •

6. A. BUTTLE, Chairman.' : W. H. O. Johnston, Secretary. 3.15 p.m., August 14, 1902. , !