COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13399, 30 January 1907, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Nrw Zealand Herald Office,

Tuesday evening. As is usual at. tin 1 end of the month trade shows a slight slackening off with wholesale houses, as purchases are mostly made by the 25th, but the retailers report; good business. The drapery houses particularly are kept very busy, this being the period of the year when their big clearance sales are hold.

The arrival of the Irish Monarch from Now York with 150(1 tons of general metchandise, the Tokomaru from Loudon with 5000 tons, the Victoria from Sydney, and the Wimmera from South will keep the wharf bauds well employed, and the wharves prewrit a very busy aspect. Notional sperm candles arrived by the Tokornaru to a bare market. Oatmeal: The local millers have followed wilt Mill Southern conttemporaries, and advanced the price of this hue. Sardines; Cable advices to hand report the catch us being ay-mall one; prices advanced and are likely to rro higher. Sago and tapioca have been fluctuating a little lately. Inn, are now fairly steady. Coffee: The market is quiet, but no liberties are being taken with prices, which remain, (inn. New Dates: Prices advanced. Figs: Prices are moving up and cannot be lower until new crop is ready. Canned Fruit*: In view of the stocks in 'Frisco being so well cleaned up, it is not exported that prices for the new pack, which win he marketed August-September, will bo materially lower. Quotations have come through for the Australian canned article, but poors arc the only variety which are likely to interest the local market for the present, although with the above-mentioned scarcity in 'Frisco goods later on buyers may have to turn attention to the Australian pack. Mildura, Apricots; The crop is likely to turn out very short, and it is very doubtful if anything will be available for New Zealand.

Ken mark Dried Fruit : Advices point to th« fact that nothing' will bo offered for export. Clothes Pegs: Quotations to band arc firmer, duo to the rearrangement of freight schedule already mentioned in these columns. Cotton Seed Oil: New York advises that the market is firming up owing to the very heavy demand for home consumption. Kapok: Samaratig advises a smart rise in price, with very little available, and it would not come as a .surprise to those in touch with the position if all orders placed for New Zealand were not filled.

1*1,5,' Iron This line is quoted as last, and every indication of price holding up. Galvanised corrugated iron is advised from T/onilon as particularly firm in price, with no prospect of easier rates, while pig iron maintains its price.

American Galvanised Wire: The cabled price to-day gives a higher cost to land than is being accepted locally ex stock, and this quality wiro will wry soon equal English in price. Barbed Wire: Cable advices state a rise in price is imminent.

White lead and linseed oils maintain previous rates; stocks are plentiful. Cement: Stocks arc short, and the price Las advanced equal to 14s per cask. Maize: The small shipment of 2S sack' e\ Waiotahi. from the coast is the only lot that, has arrived this week, and stocks held here are extremely light. The eonsignments from Sydney were, shut out of the Victoria, and will not reach here now fill next Monday. This has caused a further rise in price, which can only bo temporary, as the coastal shippers will be forwarding in larger quantities now that the weather is more settled and the Australian product is being offered at a lower cost c.i.f.e.

Oats: Southern reports to hand shew that their markets are very bare of stocks, and that orders can only be taken for shipment when available. The local stocks are barely sufficient to meet the present demand. The Wimmera brought a small shipment from the South.

Milling Wheat: The Wimmera brought 2173 sacks from the South. Business locally is steady, but there has been a good deal done* in the South during the last week at firmer prices. Fowl Wheat: There is a very strong demand for this, with stocks only "fair. South reports that supplies are not up to the requirements and that there aro numerous orders to till.

Bran : The market is very firm indeed, and supplies locally are on the light side, arid they are just as badly off in the South: Podard is also in meagre supply, with a Tory brisk demand, ayd £•** --'' ■ • .rt.s from - ' the South tate that ttier; stocKS are exhausted.

Onions ar- coming to hand in about sufficient quantities to keep up with the demands. The quality i- good and an improvement on the imported, which have not been giving satisfaction.

Potatoes are being sent forward in greater quantities than the demand warrants, consequently price.- are not nearly so firm, and what i- giving loss satisfaction is the condition in which they come to hand. Merchants find that they have to pick over nearly every parcel arriving, a- they arc. all more or less touched with the blight. Chaff: A small shipment came to hand by the Victoria from Sydney. Supplies are not very heavy just, at present, and what is coming forward is readily disposed of, although the quality i* not of the best, being slightly off colour. The railway communication is still causing a delay, but when the regular running is reinstated there will be quite enough arriving to meet all requirements, as many of the- farmers report that the damage done by the heavy rain has not turned out so sever* as was anticipated. Tallow: On account, of there being no supplies from th« Waikato the offerings at the sales were rather light, but prices ate inclined to be somewhat lower.

Hides: Supplies are not at all heavy, and prices are getting higher again. ■Sheepskins are also in short supply, with • very good demand.

Lambskins and pelts aro in strong request, all moving off at good prices, hut there were few offered.

Wool: The next sale held here does not take place till the 19th prox., when the offerings are likely to I,h» slight, consisting principally of what is shorn from the stragglers. Tho market continues very firm for all description.-* except inferior crossbred, which shows a decline of id to id per lb since ; he last sale.

Timber continues in the same satisfactory state. The kauri mill- report business good", and every likelihood of continuing so. The v.trite pine mills arc also kept very active executing orders for local requirements as well as for export. Flax: Supplies are now arriving more freely, as miller- arc doing their best to get as much a-, 'hey ran delivered in January to enable them to carry out their contracts before the- alteration in the rate of freight. The market in London remains good, with very little alteration in willies.

I/Orally prices arc above a parity of the London market, as some shippers are -hort uml have to buy to cover.

Tow is meeting with a fair demand, the j quantity coming to hand not l-eing too excessive.

Ceylon Tea: The fir Colombo auction of 1907 was lii-ld on the ltd lost, and coinprised 2,594/t2711>, Cii'Vr ordinary circumstances Me- r.radi would inn- found some difficulty in rc/ping with this largo amount, but large orders from all part.- were in th<* market, ami practically the whole of tic lea offered was sold in the room. There was a -toady advance again i'l puces of all teas up to 43 cents, and the price- may now bo safely quoted 'd per lb higher". Broken Pekoe- for (Jrea' I'ri'jin and Pekoes

for Australia and New Zealand were, in pattienlarly strong demand, while Pekoo Souohoiigs, which at first did not advance in proportion, have now been forced up, and close fully Id per lb higher than a month ago. The strength of the position is shown by London figure.,, stocks in hand at tlm end of November being 12 millions less than at the same time last year. Deliverii « have U-i-n heavier, while the shortage in the Ceylon crop amounts to neatly 3i million pound-.

For ie better grade tea- theie was some weakness,, and sellers generally wore obliged to accept slightly lower price.-, especially for broken Orange Pekoes; the so are now showing excellent value, as the quuiitv is distinctly above the average generally available, at this time of the year.

There is no concealing the fact that, the quantity of tea produced in Ceylon is falling \y hind. At present all the planters' available money is lieing thrown into lubber cultivation. Xo one will plane out more tea when rubber offers a so much hotter prospect, and it is probable that the expenses of tho heavy manuring necessary for producing largo crops of tea in the rather thin soil of tho island are being cut clown to find the sinews of war for the new product, which is fast Incoming a mania on the ■"a plantations of the island. Anyway titer*; is no reason to anticipate an increase tn 'he production from Ceylon, It is also tin "loiibt.-rlly the fact, that the island planters have, had a sharp setback to their practice »f turning out. tea for price "by the ton per »cr»>" regardless of quality, the recent «Md jet against poor ten. and the increasing demand for good quality tea having t»xen the profit out of that- game.

KAURI GUM.

Tho arrivals for hie 28 clays of January readier! 722 tons, a fair increase on the corresponding- time for last year. The market remains very steady, most classes ami grades moving off at last* rates. A report is current in the Northern (lisle trids that there has been a sharp advance le in the price of black. This is unfounded: -, v in fact, there is more difficulty in .soiling' j- black Rum to day than there was last week as some of the shippers have filled their re orders. of Pale select is in very limited supply and re meets with a ready demand. Ordinary reseraped being wanted, full 1U rat <\ are demanded and obtained, more especially for holdish lots, mixed meeting' with equal inquiry at a corresponding value, « .Superior three-quarter-scraped is nl-o sought ie after, and medium, together with washed r f nuts if sieved, find buyers. Swampy tort--2# are not so difficult to quit. hast; coast is coming to hand in about the usual quantity, and moves off at about ** last rates if free from swamp. Black : There is a fairly pood inquiry for d '"'craped, and hold, well-cleaned if sound 1- meets with a ready sale. (loot! hard steel t hree-qtiartor-scr{i)>e(l is in request. but the demand is inclined to ho somewhat slacker • • whilst, medium is not in such good demand Good hard nuts if well sieved sell fairly a well. Bush : There is a good inquiry for re- •- scratied if ti:e colour i.s pale, but other •- grades are negleeted, except nuts, which sell well if free from wood. Chips and Dust: There is very little moveit merit 111 ordinary chips and dust mixed, but good ordinary dust alone i.s salable. Black 11 riddling* eon tin uo to move off on arrival, •t- and seedy black dust is easily sold. h - ___! II o NEW ZICALAXD PRODUCE IX LONDON. '• [kuow OUII OW.V conr.KsrovnKST J I.ovo.iy, December 21. ,1 WOOLLUD SHEEPSKINS. y Yesterday tin- eighth sous of public sales of 11 woolleel sheepskins of lie present year was held, when Mo? bales were e»fa-sgued, New Zealand 0 heading; the lis: with 3.-o.' Ikilcs. I learn from it Messrs. lhilme and Co. that. competition was '• active, while prices advanced all round, On melines the improvement nas from 2A per cent. to ° 6 per eeni., ,l "' appreciation being greatest- oil r pelts. As regards erossoreds. full-woolled descripc (i°iii Of tine quality were 5 per rent, dearer. ( whilo on course grades. of combing length, as well as half-woolled and pelts, the rise ranged from 5 per -cut. to 7] jk r cent. A- compared " » he prices current at the sales held r.n November 1. .Messrs. U.ilme quote: —Meiinu. full ' "/I'rec.juarter-wooll.d. id per lb dearer ; merino, lialf-woolled. id to M ]>er 11, dearer; merino, 1 short and .-ham. id per lb dearer; crossbred [ fine, full and three. |uarter-wcelled, id to '~1 per lb dearer: crossbred; coarse, full und'three- • f|"arter-\vooUed, Jd per lb dearer; ciossbivd, ha If-wool led. „d u. Jd je-r lb dearer; crossbred short and shorn, Jd per lb dearer; lambs'. -M [• per Jb dearer. Present quotations tor New 7,i«. land skin,-> arc: .Merino, full-woolled, 7ut to 9id i j per lb; merino, half to threequnrter-woolle-d 6id 1 ! to did jh r lb; merino, short and shorn, td to iif i.i ! Hl 1 ciivsltreHi. full-wool led, fine, 9;d to i llid; crass bred, wool led, coarse, 8 ' k d to* 10' d per lb; crossbred, half to threeqnnrter-woclled line, txl to lOd per lb; do., do., do., coarse 7UI to 9id per lb: crossbred, short, and shorn," o*d to 9;d jier lb. - WOOL. It is notVl by Messrs. lJalme that since the close of the auction* there has been some inquiry in the London market for both merino md crossbred wool. A few lots of the former lave Changed hands at prices showing a slight advance on previous quotations, whil" a fairs /ed line (aliolit. 400 bales) of New Zealand m,i S v coarse cmssbreds of the new clip has lie en purj chased by a home-trade buver at rates materially in e:com of those current at the end of the | put.be sans. Advices from the different English j and foreign centres of consumption continue | Ri-tisfactoiy. and the prospects tor the January . uuct.ona appear favourable. The greets arrivals to 1 date for the first series, to open 011 January IS I arc 89,710 bales, 7014 being from New Zealand. ' I ! DAIRY rnocrcK. | Messrs . W.ddrl report a fair amount of business . till,, week in Australian butter at somewhat, ir- . regular prices, especially in unshed, owing prol.ably to the irregular .jualitv of the butter It • must not be forgotten that the term " A us- , trahan ' includes Victorian, New Souih \V de-> Queensland, and South Australian, 'Hie iiuaiitv | ot the last two is never strie'.lv "choicest," as , the buffer is nearly all made 'from cream' cot- . Iccted twice or thrice a week from farmers. In ' [!r, oUte two . States, csp.-eially 111 New South i "ales, the collected cream system exists, but I not to the same proportion. The consequence is j that the amount of strictly choicest (pialitv of | Australian butter which reaches our markets is stiiall. The increased import of Australian butter this year is largely of this inferior tvpe, and a far greater diversity in quality exist,* than in j New Zealand, where 98 ivr cent, of the butter j exported reaches the standard of Government j first grade. In New Zealand the collected-cream system is almost, if not. quite, unknown. WorkI ing all night on Wednesdav. the day of the ar- • rival of the lonic, over 10.000 boxes of New Zeai hind butter were landed before morning, which [ shows how anxious the owners were to oblige I their clients, for New Zealand butter was Ixidlv wanted. A considerable number of buyers this j week had to take Australian because there was j 110 New Zealand on spot. Although the holidays -arc upon us, the lonic's butter will a li be wanted before the. shipment ex Ttlrakina is available, which Will be about the end of the first week in January. NKW ZEALAND MKAT. Stocks of New Zealand mutton have been increased liv carcases brought by the lonic, bv 15.780 carcases brought by the Banffshire, and by 13.232 carcases ex .Mimiro. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company report that the d'lliand has been fairly welt maintained and prices show little change. Canterbury mutton is rather more plentiful. Light- reuses are still worth round about 5d per lb. but heavy sheep j can be bought- more cheaply. Sales are recorded of these at 4jd_ per lb. North Island sheep are firmly held and are still worth 4jd to 4Jd |vr lb. according to weight. The lonic brought. IE carcases of New Zealand lanilvs and the Hanffshiie 2929 carcases. The former stocks are completely exhausted, and, ;..s these small parcels are not oil offer in the market, it is impossible to give a quotation. Hard beef has been slow of sale owJ ing to the plentiful supplies* of chilled beef, and j prices have been a little irregular. Values for j New Zealand beet' are nominally unchanged. ! : i WAIKATO STOCK SALES. j Messrs. McNicol and Co. report :—At. Olnnpo ■ last. Tuesday we yarded 500 head of cattle. There j was only a. small attenilance, but. price* ruled i much about the same as late quotation.-. Three | and -1 i.i If and tour year-old bullocks, £ Ids ; j two and 2i-ytat-old steers. £3 16s : 15 to 18-month ; steers, £2 Is to £2 f<s; forward empty heifers ! and (•(.«•,», £5 15s to £4 6s; calves, IPs to 22s 6(1; j younger sorts. 15s. At M.i-tamata on Wednesday. ) we, yarded 475 well-bred cat tic. There was 'a I good attendance and most of the cattle quitted . at late quotations. Three and three ami a-halt ! year etc £5 '_■*: to three.year steers, £4 I 7s Oil t-o £4 ICS: two-year saris' £3 10*: la to IH-moillh f'eers, £2 to £1 10s; ye«riii,g<. 27s to | '9s; calves. 17s fed to 2l»: voiii.gur 'oris, 15s; i fat cows. £4 5s to £5 ; springers, £5 'is 6ei to j £4 5-; pigs. shji*. to 225; weaners. lis 6.1, [ Loan and Mee-a/niie report:—".. Th'ir-day. : January il, at It ami It on \nrds. the. adverustsi • number o- enult- were brought forwar'i, and j though the bidding was inclined to be dull at t the hammer nil th» lines of s;:-ers were sold ! afterwards at sat Islactoi v prices. The- ls-t peas j continued an average numlvr ot fat cattle. »»>.•••( !y . cows, and tiles'" were dull of sale, but conip; t ileii' was goo,l tor really well finished st-' i-' i,nd !.*-i----tefo ; good steers .-old tip to £8 ss. pi line v mug ! eons and heifus £1 I.is to £.1 ]-s 6d.' aged j cows Si 10- to £4 ss. 7:i welbbnai three to 3j- j year steers £5 to £6 4s. .'0 two to 2/,-year steers I £4 0 £4 10s. 66 ltiiiK.urh »reci« and a few two- , year olds £5 As 6d. tresii-eonditioiied er-'.vs ami j heifers £?. l's i.. £5 1/.- od, store cows £1 7s e.d | to £2, 10 pens r.i this season's calves l.v- !•• £1 | 6's, ehoi'v iieilei'M at c.ilv.ng £j to £6 *■ Tin: j sheep pns v ere well supplied, and all -old. j (in.- hundred and t.venry ewes and iambs 10s 2d ' (a!! counted l , fcO t".r,-i..oi',i ewe* and w.-tiiers les j j t.> Its 2d. fat and ior-.v.iid amb.-» 10s to lis | "d. I.it ewis I' :s Ui lis od. The medium j I draught 1 or"-s ir..;n Me--r- Spredy IJros. leali-- , j ed m ill £17 Set to £Vb. live diaugh' yeailing ; - ■ two-yen- oiu c .its and fillies from Mr. .Inn. Mm- j I tin. Ngaiuaw.ihi.i. brought from £13 5s to £30. : j light hacks £0 is 6d to £5 10*. spring dray £3 j .'s. plough harness at usual prices. I The New Zealand Loan and .Mercantile- .Agency I Company. Li'iiio-d,' Hamilton, report : — On Kitd:ic. .tanu.'iM .c <'ont-reige. we yarded over 400 stoic cattle and !)o l .it I'M Mid hciteis. A large at I "tidal ot buy. ts were |Up-j>iH Iron: all parts of the Walk.no. Ilikti'.ita, Wan.gal'.., and I neighbourhood, and ■.•••• ifj.ort 1 niicei-ssHd sale, j only a tew la.! steels ;.!,<! a pea of two-.vear-olds ) I tailing to re e'ii tcseives j. ,he limner. Tie ! | t.e.sr, steers 11.,11. VV. C. M,..g.tii and HilPlir.il Bros. I j i.-ali-'.-d tiom £2 10 to £',) . light v.e-lglcs from j ! Mr. -laliies r-,rr.'st and ...hers, £6 J-« :., £7 11.-; I j pi .Die voting c.ev-. and h-itt-.s, £4 l:\s -.1 £0: I !weight heifer-. £3 1"- to £4 7.-. jd t w.-l!- ' ; hied two and two and a-halt year old steel £4 ! ; to £4 Ills; IS mouth-' to two-year-old -tee:.-,, £,', i I los to £3 l;-is (j:i ; ye.iihng -tee i-, £i 19., 1.. £ : ! i 7-", mixed yearlings. £1 H' to £- ,\ e;|.ge iiuinI her el this season's c.dv.s (><--111-» • 1 ,ii,d coinp.'- ; iit am was bust; lor really good t-<. rf -, go-.d calves ; from Messrs, W. Cowling and it It.n lealising from £1 4s :<> £1 10s. tre.m other sr.l'ers I.l's to £1 '.'1 Od ; small calve-. r> txl I') 15s 6(1 ; lie.-h cows .■.lid licit";*, £2 Ims to £3 10-; three and four- > ear-old bulls. £2 Ids to £4 10.-; springing bfifers, £3 to £3 10s. The shrep pens .-ontuined 2000 odd sheep and !i)liilv>, for which there wan i'"iillv brisk coin|>etit ton, only (l line of wethers and four-tooth ewes remaining unsold at. '.lie conclunion of the sale. K.it wethers and ewes sold up to 17s (id; 111 sii liill-iuojit.ed ewes. 13s 6-1 to 16™: tut ewe?, 1 •* K. 16s 2d; aged ev.-vs. lis od to li'; mi ami forv.ni'd lambs, lis t;d i.> 17. s M: store limbs, 9s to 10s; cull bunlis. S. Pigs were ill lieiii.'.nd Store pigs. £1 3s; we..n-ir las oil to I*'TIM ABC WOOL S.M.KS. jBV 'I KLF.OHAPH. — I'HKSi »S:Ot HTfta.l TlUAI'.t-. TtK-silay The third word sale was held to-day. when a small catalogue was submitted. There was a good attendance of buyers. Compared with the last. «,aie a drop was ienced in pri.-cs, bright b.ti'hreds falling Id. shabbier lots Ad to Id, three-Irr-hred id. inferior Ad. The prices were : - II ■> If bred, milium, lid to J2id : inferior. 3]. d in lid- ihreequarter-bred. medium, lid Hi 12d : inferior tUd to lid; crossbred, medium. 10.1 to T'd; inferior, fij-d t-o 10d ; merino, medium, 10Sd lo'll.'d; inferioi, B|d to 10d.