COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12523, 16 March 1904, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Hebaio Office, :' . Tuesday evening. These vts alteration .in the tone of the < sbaremarksfc to-day. Investment lines were quoted at; about recent rates. In mining lines Kornata Reefs sold at Is 4d, sellers closing, at Is 6d, buyers Is 3d. For Crowns 5s 6d was offered, sellers 6s. Old Haurakis (contributing) were done at Is. In other lines late prices ruled. >'' ...General business still continues rather quiet; with very few lines attracting special attend won.' In produce there is a general weakness noticeable in many lines, due to larger stocks, and to some extent a reaction from the speoum ® ptement of the last few weeks. ,- - .■■"Maize has arrived in large quantities, there being oyer 2600 sacks to hand since last re. port.. This has dropped the market considerably, and 2s 3d is the best price obtained this week for prime yellow grain in wholesale lines on the wharf, while inferior lots of red or pinched samples have been offering lit 2s to 2s 2d, some lines being still unsold. The lower price has induced a fair amount l of business with Wellington and other ports, but it must be remembered that the business that would have been done with the South during, the last few months, if the price had been lower, has been irrevocably lost to Auckland, and we are inclined to question the wisdom of those growers who have per-1 sisted in holding on to their grain, .regardless of the fact that another harvest is not far off. There is now a good demand for fair samples, the price being reasonable at last, but poor quality is difficult to quit, and there i is no export inquiry. v j ' Heavier supplies of potatoes have again i brought down the market, the general price j J being about 5s per ton less than last week, j It appears as if any temporary firmness induces heavier consignments from the neighbouring districts, and the advance is at once I lost. Southern, will bo --ready in about a 1 month. There has lately been a fair demand in the South for seed potatoes for Sydney, required for early planting. Oats remain about the same as last week. ■The Loudon market is not very hopeful, unless the cheap freight % is offered for future shipments. : One report quotes 19s 6d to 21s '6d per 3841b for Sparrowbills and Qartons, and that does not figure out very well for the price here. Farmers in the.South, however, have big ideas of the future, and are really in a position to' hold out longer than they used to be. The firm price for oats during the last few weeks has caused an advance "of 20s per ton in Southern oatmeal. The slightly lower value in wheat has caused Southern brands of flour to decline 5s per. ton. : ■ Bran is slow of sale, and as the mills are overstocked there is a. weaker feeling in the market. Pollard, on the other hand, •is veryscarce.'-.. '_ y :'" '■ - : " ■ ■ ':■-.'■ ' Local onions are nov. running short, several lots having been taken up for export, and the market will now be supplied by Southern. The first shipment arrived by the Westralia this week, and are being sold on the basis of £4 10 c.i.f. The market is rather bare of Southern chaff. Tinder the new arrangement of charging freight by weight instead of by the number of sacks, this lino will now cost, about 2s 6d per ton more to land. Grass seed is still in brisk demand for ploughed land, and there are still several areas of felled bush to burn. It is reported that some of the later saved crops of cocksfoot seed are damaged by the recent bad weather. The price remains the same. :• Bonedust and other manures are in good demand. - : '. ... An interesting return made up in London to December 31 shows the high position occupied by New Zealand in the wool trade of the world, and also throws considerable light upon the vexed question of the amount re-exported to the various Continental countries. For the year 1903 this return shows the . . . .'■ • . '.■■ , - , ' - •'.■'

■■■'-■•- '■■' . ' ■ -;.-;;■ . lb. - Imports from Australia ... ... 223.383.533 New Zealand .... , ... ...v.: 155,127,457 British South Africa ..." * ... " 78,313.639 British East Indies ... ... "32.506.144 Total Colonial' ... ... 489,333,778 ■ Y : ' : ' '"■ ' : :" ' . , ' lb. Imports from countries in Europe 36,656.795 - Soutk America ... ... ... ,56,237,883 Other' countries \ ... ... : 17,254,275 -,■;.■. Total Import""' -.' ... ' 599,509,732 Export* Foreign and Colonial— . ; ;-' :.. ' , ' ■ lb. «-., To Germany ..... -■:■ •'■'«."?. ... 83.'336,703 ' '.■"■= Holland ■■•''■ ... \„ . .... 25,415,100 -■"M Belgium* : " ... ■ ... A ... '32.735,091 .; 'France - ....„;...• 89,494,361 United States „. ... 49,839,073 Other countries ...... -3,751,560 ■ • ' Total ' ... ... ' ... 284,571,893

The residue of foreign and colonial wool retained in the United Kingdom for home consumption being 314,937,8301b. ■ ' ." " ; " " Bacon is offering at lower rates, and -hams are also a shads less. Lard is scarce. < ■ Cornsacks are very scarce, 48 inch being j almost - ; out of the market. In Sydney the i market is easier, but a Calcutta report of February 15 states that "The difficulty to | get near-at-hand goods is becoming more i keenly felt, and we are now : practically at j the mercy of. speculators, as mills have no- j thing to offer. Demand, on the whole, is | pretty brisk for the country and Far East j markets, whilst our Australian friends keep sending dribbling -orders for quick ship-* ment." ■■ - : v'' J, >'' " . ' .: , Castor oil is steady at late values. Turpentine is a share firmer. Kerosene remains at lOfd ex store. ~ ' # ..' The local Glassware Company are how in full swing, and are executing orders for local factories and the South. At present there is a good demand for, seasonable goods, such as soda water and other Berated waterbottles, sauce, jam, and pickle bottles. It is " satisfactory to • know that, the New Zealand sand used, obtained from the Far North, is pronounced by the company's experts to be of exceptionally fine quality. In the local dairy produce market we have to report a decline in eggs, which are now quoted on the basis of Is wholesale. Butter is unchanged, but it is reported from London that the heavy arrivals have somewhat depressed the market, and the price for New Zealand has gone back from 1023 to ■•98s. Cheese is offering very plentifully, both dairy and factory ■ AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE. The following ore Tuesday's closing prices, the business done "being:—Komata Becfu, Is Id; Old Hauraki (contributing), Is. * ' : Sellers. Buyers. | INSURANCE— £ 8. d. . ; £ s. d. ' Kew Zealand ...;... 4 10 0 — South British ... ... 6 5 0 GOO COAL— -'*-~■''- ' ■ ' ' : • ''.'■.". Hikurangi ''■'..'• — 0 11 0 Taupiri Mines, Limited ... 0 18 « 0 18 2 GAS— Auckland ... ... .... 14 5 0 — SHIPPING— Northern Steam, paid np ... O 17 0 — Northern Steam, con. ... 0 7 11 0 7 6 Devonport Ferry ... ... 1 18 0 116 0 TIMBEB- } : : . Kauri Timber, paid up ... 0 16 0 — Kauri Timber, contributing 0 4 0 0 3 10 Leyland-O'Brien, Limited... 1 19 0 — Mountain Blmu, Limited ... 1 4 6 —..'■ MISCELLA.NEOt'B— D.8.C., Limited 0 12 5 0 12 0 Northern Boot. ...... — . 0 6 0 Biverhead Paper Mills ... 1 12 6 — Union Oil ... ... ... 10 0 — MINING— Kuranui "..'-■" 0 0 S — Mahara Eoyal, con. ... 0 0 C — ,-. • May Queen Extended ... 0 0 3 — Old Alburnia ' 0 13 — Victoria ... ... .... 0 0 8 — Crown ... ... .- ... 0 6 0 0 5 6 Golden Belt, contributing... 0 3 0 — Komata Beefs ... ... 0 16 0 13 Tftfrua Broken Hills ... 0 3 1 — Talisman Consolidated ... 0 2 6 0 10 Waihi ... 5. 6 0 — Waihi Consolidated ... 0 10 — Waihi Consols 0 0 4' — Waihi Extended 0 3 6 0 2 1 Waihl Grand Junction ... — 3 0 0 WaiM South ...... 0 0 4 — ■ Waitekauri ... ... — — ° ° ■«» Bunker's Hill ; ... ...,0 15 0 12 .Hanraki Freehold ... -• 0 0 4 — Harbour View ... ... 0 0 3 — G. A. BX7TTLB, Chairman. W. H. O. JoHKaiou, Secretary. | 3.15 p.m., Maroh 15, 1904. CALL AND DIVIDEND LIST. Dividends. ; „ Due. *. Bank of Australasia ... — 2 8 0 Mar. 25 Calls. Due. Waihi Extended, January 38 ... 0 0 1 Mar. 25 Walht Consols, February 9 ... 0 0 1 Mar. 23 Thames Tallßman February 9 ... 0 0 1 Mar. 22 Old Hauraki, March 15 / ... 0 0 1 Mar. 31 ■ ;.; THE FBGIT MABKET. Tho local fruit market has not been so brisk this week owing to the sodden change in the weather, which has been much colder. At to-day'u auction sales pears suffered a 'heavy drop in price, and apples were, if anything, easier in value, although stocks were light. " : Passion-fruit were sent in In large quantities, and sold innch lower than last week. Lemons • were in better demand, as also were tomatoes of good quality.: A good shipment of watermelons was landed by the Zlealandia from Sydney So. splendid order, and owing to the forthcoming regatta at Ngaruawahia on Thursday realised extreme ; values. ' The ' priceß 'ruling at the auction «ales to-day were : as follow;— Apples;; Clean cooking, 3a 6d to 4s Cd; dessert, 6d to 6s 6d; raa-t dlum cooking, 2* Gd to 2b 9d; dessert, 3s to 3s 6d; mofehed; 1* 6d to 2» (all per full-sized case). Pears: Superior dessert,' 8s to. 10s; small, 3s to Ss;, cook. ing, «s to 5» per full-sized case. Peaches, 2s Gd to 6s 6d per box: plums, Is to 3s 9d box. Grapes: : Superior, ' lOd to Is lb; fair, 6Ja . to:Bdj, pool, Sja.

to 4d; small, outdoor, 2Jd to '3d.' > Tomatoes: Table, 3a; to :; Ah; damaged, . Is to Is Od, .per box. .-.* «, Cape gooseberries, SJd to 3sd lb; quinces, 2s to 3s Id ease; lemons, <ls to 7 6d case; •watermelons, Sydney. 108 to 18s 9d dozen, local 3s 6d to 8s; rockmelons, local 3s to 10s; passion-fruit, Is 9d to 2» 6d box. -, STOCK AND PRODUCE. .•". NBW ZHALASD LOAN AND MBBCANTILB AGENCY COMPANY'S, LIMITED, REPORT. . Horses: At the, Durham Yards on Friday last we hail an average muster of horses entered. Competition was keen. There remains an* unsatisfied demand for hordes snitablo for town and country work. Heavy draughts sold at from £27 10s to «38; medium do., £18 15s to £82; light harness, £12 10s to £22; hacks, £6 10s to £18 10s; weeds, £2 to £6 10s. A spring cart realised £10 10s; gig, £9 10s; sulky, £7 15s. Cattle At the Newmarket Yards on Tuesday there was a good muster of dairy and store stock yarded and a full supply of beef. Dairy cows sold at from £4 15s to £8 10s; store do., £2 103 to £4 la;. calves, £1 12s to £2 16s, Fat stock, of which there was a good yarding of both quality and numbers, met a steady sale at late rates. Oxen sold up to 24s per 1001b; cow, 18s to 21s. Steers sold from'<£ 7 10s to £10 17a 6d; cows, £4 ios to £8 10s. ' The fat cattle, although no heavy-weights were yarded, were of excellent quality throughout. 'Sheep: Tho Newmarket Yards wore well filled on Tuesday, competition being extra keen at late advanoed rates. Wethers told at from 14s Gd to £1 •is Gd; ewes, 15s to £1 Is 3d. I Lambs, in full supply, sold at from 9s 6d to 13s U. ■ --: ; :. ;. ■ ■~-. ,;■■'■.',:■;■:■■■. :s,> ;:,„; ■;> •; ; ■:■:■:.;: ■: ■ -.■ Pigs: Porkers sold at from £1 lis to £2 17s Gd; i weauers, 12s (id to £1 3s. /•'. ! ' Wo held our second sheep fair of the season at \ Otahuhu on Thursday last, when we yarded 3240 J sheep and upwards of ,300 rams. There was a j large attendance and an unsatisfied demand for all dosses of sheep remains. Prices ruled high, and showed a rise of from Is to 2s per head on tho first fair of this season. Store wethers sold up.to 16s 3d and storo ewes lGs. Wo quote wethers at from 10s 6d to 16s 3d; two to four-tooth ewes, 10a Gd to IBs; aged do., 6s 9d to lis; lambs, Ss Gd to 7s od. Earns: iShropshlres, 10$ fid to 3 guineas; Eoinncys, 2 guineas to 4. guineas; Lincoln?, 3 guinea to li guinea; Leicesters, 11 guinea to 2£ guineas. Pull particulars of the sale have appeared :in the HERALD.' ■■'■: ..;, ,■■,■;•■. . . Wo submitted an exta large catalogue of hides and skins on Tuesday, all lines being sold under keen competition. We quote:— ox, none. offering:. Extra stout ox, 7Jd to 7{d; stout do., GJd to 6|d; medium do., s|d to 6d; light do., 4Jd to &Jd. CowPicked, sd; bulk, 4Jd; good, 4&d. Stags, 2Jd to 3Jd; kip, 4d to 4id; calfskins, 4Jd to Sid. ; '■■ , Sheepskins: Market .same as last week. We quote: Best butchers' pelts and lambs, Is Gd to 2s; country do., Is 4d to Is sd. Tallow: Beat lines, 21s 6d; other lines, 18s to 20s Gd. Pat, lid to ljd. Horsehair, Is 3d to Is 3d; bones, £4 12s; tails, Is M. , ; Maiae: Very heavy supplies reduced values to 3s 3d on wharf for good samples. Oats have advanced ;in the South, and are firm here at Is lid c.i.f. Wheat: Market firm at 3s Id c.i.f., but demand has eased. ;-'■' Potatoes: In full supply at last week's quotations. Chaff: No change tc report. Butter: Demand good for all lines. Best separator worth 8d to BJd; second quality, 7d to 7Jd. Cheese: Demand, improving at slightly lower rates." '.'.-',■•: .-■ : ' , DDNEDIN STOCK EXCHANGE. DUNKDiif, Tuesday. Stock Exchange sales: Bignell's Notown, 18s 3d; Dunstan Lead, 12s Gd; Electric, 35s 9d; New Alpine Consols, 13s 36; Notown Creek, 19s 6d; Unity, 6s 6d; New Halfway House, 9s 3d, WOOL. , By Telegraph —Press Association.—Copyright. London, March 14.' There was a brisk sale of orossbreds, which were very firm. Merinos" are weak, and have been largely withdrawn. NEW ZEALAND PBODTJCE IN LONDON. [FROM OVIX OWS CORRESPONDENT.] . Losdon, February 26. WOOL. Last Monday saw tho close of the first series of colonial wool sales of the present year. The quantities available for the series were, according to the report of Messrs. Charles Balme, 137,000 bales (including some 40,000 bales from New Zealand). Some 134,463 bales were catalogued (New Zealand being represented by 39,740 bales), and about 6500 bales were held over (including about 500 bales from your colony). For the first scries of 1903 there were about 141,543 bales, of which some 14,000 were held over. Of the quantity sold on this occasion, about 65,000 bales have - been taken for export, including some 5000 bales purchased for shipment to America. In their report on the series just over, Messrs. Balme write:—"With tho turn of the year'the position in the manufacturing districts became more favourable, especially as regards the coarser grades of wool.. It was recognised that stocks of the raw materia], both fine and coarse, had been reduced to an abnormally low level, and that the fall in quotations far the latter class at the November scries had been carried further than the actual state of the industry warranted, owing to" bear" operations on the part of those anxious to purchase wool on advantageous terras on the oversea markets. Consequently there was a sharp reaction in the values of the tower qualities of crossbred* prior to the beginning -of the auctions. Merino wool was not materially dearer at the outset, prices for the better grades being firmly supported, while those paid for wasting and inferior sorts barely reached November rates. ■ With the progress of the sales the demand for scoured descriptions hardened, but the results obtained for wasting parcels, as well as for broad; haired Adelaides, continued to be somewhat disappointing. Pine crossbred wool," Messrs. Balme continue, "was unchanged to begin with, but later on it weakened and; finally ruled from par to & per cent, cheaper, the depreciation being most noticeable in the case of Victorian clips. Values for medium grades, which were 6 per cent, higher during the earlier sittings, also receded, and ultimately stood on a par with previous quotations. Coarse qualities were eagerly- sought after by Yorkshire buyers at the beginning, and realised 10 per cent, to 15 par cent, improvement. As soon, however, as the more pressing requirements of the trade were satisfied' bidding became less animated and at the close prices were not mora than 7J per cent, to 10 per cent, above those current in November. Scoureds and. slipes, which have been in small supply, have throughout elicited keen competition and sold at very full rates. In view of the reduction of stocks of the raw material during the past year," remark Messrs. , Balme in conclusion, '."■ the prospects for both fine and coarse wools appear favourable. It is true that trade is' somewhat unsatisfactory, but the supplies this season, particularly of fine wool, are so meagre that they are on?.y just sufficient to satisfy the,. present much-reduced requirements of machinery, consequently any revival in demand would have an immediate and important effect on prices." For the second series of sales the arrivals now total 92,980 bales, 12,842 being from New Zealand, 3500 bales of that description, however, having been forwarded direct to manufacturing centres. . DAIRY PRODUCE. ' '» Notwithstanding the- rise In price last week, . I hear to-day from Messrs, Weddel that the demand for New Zealand and ; Australian butter remains firm at last week's values. Buyers have for so long been accustomed to a weekly reduction in prices that any cheek in the fall was not expected, ami therefore the rise caused a thorough surprise. The butter brought by the Athenlc has mostly passed into consumption, and the Eimutaka arrived a day or so ago with a large shipment, only an interval of 10 days, instead of a fortnight, separating the arrival of the two steamers. As the Kumara is not duo until 16 or 17 days after the Rimutaka, the butter will all be wanted. Prices remain ut last week's level, except in o few cases, in which an even further advance has. been made. . Choicest brands of New Zealand are - bringing from 97s to 98s per cwt and finest Sis to 965. Choicest butter from Australia is bringing from 95s to 96s and finest 92s to Sis. '. For New .Zealand cheese Messrs. Weddel say that the demand continues quiet at late prices. The imports of all kinds of cheese during the last three months have been over 3000 tons less than for the same months of last year. For January the deficit ■ amounts-to : nearly 1400 tons. During the year ended June 30 'last the imports of Canadian, New Zealand, and American cheese combined averaged 63,500 boxes.weekly of 801b each. According to the best information to be had, Messrs. Weddel state that the present stocks in London are 158,000 boxes, in Liverpool 104,000 boxes, and in Bristol 80,000 boxes. In Canada the stocks are about 200,000 boxes, and if the allowance is made of 80,000 bores as the. amount to bo received before May 1 from the United States and New Zealand, the total is 622,000 boxes. On the assumption that the stocks reach 625,000 boxes, that just equals a 10 weeks' average consumption, which will mean that there will be nothing in stuck on May 1. Messrs. Weddel remark that the statistical situation imperatively demands the serious consideration of the trade. SEW ZEALAND MEAT. ~ I hear from Messrs. Weddel that arrivals of New Zealand mutton continue very moderate, amounting to only 69,000 carcases for the last fortnight. The demand has remained disappointingly quiet for the time of year, bad weather and the present higher level of values combining to curtail the consumption. Small supplies, well concentrated In holders' hands and firmly held, have, however, permitted a maintenance of prices at fully late rates, In spite of the slow inquiry. About 18,000 carcases of lambs have arrived from the colony during the laat fortnight. Messrs. Weddel tell me that the trade remains very quiet, but the arrival of small quantities of the new season's lambs has perhaps directed a little more attention to this department, and a slightly higher level of values for stored New Zealand lambs has resulted on that account. Tho opening price for the first arrival of New Zealand lambs was 6Jd per lb. For the few thousand carcases from Canterbury delivered subsequently by the Athenie, however, 6id to 6£d per lb is the ruling quotation, and at the close those from the North Island make no more than 6d per lb. Although it is yet too early to give any decided opinion, the quality of these lambs seems very good. The few available from the North Island realise 4Jd to 4Jid lb. . Messrs. Weddel remark that the quality of the Australian lambs on offer.ls very mixed, and comparatively few of them can be classed as really good. The top price Is about 5Jd, but the more, general quotation is 5d per lb. The market for beef is described as remaining in a most unsatisfactory condition, and it undoubtedly has a moat adverse effect on the mutton and lamb trades. Five thousand quarters have come to hand from New Zealand. ' I i