COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13701, 18 March 1908, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

._., StoC Exchange was closed yesterday tor 'the observance of St. Patrick's Day. Business will be rammed as usual this morn- %,, business being handled by the wholeit distributing merchants is sustained on •* .', i, ™ i,.««] tin? various inquiries . satisfactorj "" '■ l * ■ ~ ~r i. ;i,i over a number of lines, beU, 5 < J "liicl. ■»" in good supply. The BW rlf the current month is a favourite time endotrn *,kui«r and until this period is <7vr stOCK-ia* u, S>.t ~ „ er operations will necessarily be on a ov cr operant 61D iill •- *• ''_ (>(t< (it l | lo winter trade in the The- '. i .. '~,,"„,,. now twiner discussed Vin vino tillK ; l „,ints. and although it from iail,> . the somewhat lower prices rulIS iet «,me of our products must have an in Ton "he treading Power of the comoffcct OBtn° - oulld f ov any possumsounitv. there and the buoyancy which has tic forecarf. ' thf . gpuonil 'business of the tilß 'S hs should be fully maintained. Coffee Beans: Prices are expected to ad»both i.he American and Indian mar--»ailC\ * K l i* -■: being vert firm. rT i r Oil- Cable to hand notifies further , ( - a -n . .;,.,.' but a reaction would not come drop i" P IU . • ■c » surprise. . Clothes reps: Trice has cased a point for P TnlpptTs*x»t. holdings are light with th o forwLtd market tendency upwards Shellac: Fractionally easier for next diAll varieties are mooting with good sale at present time. i j„ randies' From now onwards it good de.nd £ looked for. and the local and unS rltd articles are both m request. Some 50 t*aintv 6 till exists as to future prices, Cttiverv evident, in view of the higher value of raw material, that an advance can- .,■-,* be long Anticipated, tho market is As anticipated, tho market is firming iV and will probably establish a. further point or two advance. Cocoa Beans: Latest cables indicate a much stronger position, which is likely to & maintained until relief comes in the form of new crop. . > , iroaragus: Spot stocks are in very limited compass, and it will be fully four months before the new crop of American can reacn .Lis market. Opening prices are probSnatical, but low' figures should not come Xrowroot: Market will probably remain firm forborne time, and already higher Bimres arc being named. . . . haricot Beans: A good inquiry is being Experienced, and same will probably bo sustained throughout the winter months. ■Madura Sultanas: There will probably not be any available export quantity this

M Codfi'li: Seasonable demand is at. its best and local holdings are being rapidly ctcCarbide of Calcium: Information. band points to enhanced figures being likely to rule in the near future.' . Desiccated Cocoanut: Price is now at a favourable level for operating; local demand weh sustained and stocks not heavy. Canned Fruits: Moving freely at present time; forward market remains firm, and further orders can only be accepted at an advance on opening quotations. figs- Glove boxes are in short supply locally with parcels to arrive practically nil. Gum Arabic: Demand remains normal, ■with supplies rather difficult to obtain. ' Pi" Iron: There does not seem to be much strength in the Home market, arid operations are of hand-to-mouth nature only. Infants' Foods: All brands meeting mm ready sale; stocks in good compass. Hides: Prices continue very farm, extorters operating very freely at late rates. Sheepskins: .Market was not quite so firm at last week's sale. .-•'.'.,: . Tallow: Prices easier by ad per cwt. _ Potatoes: The arrivals this week consist of 2000 sacks, ex Manuka, from Sydney, and 372 sacks bv the Mokoia from the South. Tha above shipment arrived to a very good market, in fact the bulk were sold ex wharf to fill orders on hand. This supply is not sufficient to meet the requirements and the I market, is now quite bare again. Owing to the labour difficulties in Sydney .there is .ome doubt whether the Tasmaman Redskins expected to arrive by the steamer due next Monday will come forward by her, but in anv case there will not be more than sufficient "arriving to meet, requirements. 1 The latest advices from Tasmania indicate that there is every probability of. a further advance taking place.. . There has already been a rise. 'As, rain is badly wanted the forward market is somewhat precarious. 1 they do not "(ret rain shortly it is expected that the crop'there will be a partial failure, and a corresponding high market will ensue, and probably be maintained for the remainder of the season. Arrivals from the South will no doubt increase from now on. The present price is £B.los to £9. Onions: The Mokoia brought 193 sacks from the South, which came to an excellent market, and £8 is readily obtained ex store. Locals are coming in very slowly; growers are evidently keeping them back expecting higher prices to rule. Maize: The arrivals since our last report consist of 320 sacks by the Kaeo and nine sacks by the Man?apapa. On account of tlrs small supply the market has firmed up quite 2d a bushel, and ex store. lots are now worth 4s Bd. The demand keeps . fairly good, but unless further supplies come for.ward during the week it is quite expected ' that a further rise will take place. . Oats: The Wanaka and the Knncrdale have both arrived from the South with p-ood cargoes, and in consequence the market is fairlv well supplied for the time. There is a good demand, and it is anticipated that bv the time the Wanaka arrives again stocks will be rather on the light side. Southern advices point to a firmness in the market. The offerings have so far not been sufficient to meet requirements. It was thought that lower prices would be seen but it is verv doubtful now if the market will go lower." The price remains at 2s lOd. Chaff: Supplies from the South.have increased considerably. The quality still eontinues verv good, and there has been no falling off in the demand ; £6 10s is readily obtained ex store business is also improving in local, deliveries of which have been on the light side. Stocks held here at the present time are small, and £5 lbs is the ruling quotation. The Jessie Craig is on the berth at Lyttelton loading chaff and other produce for Auckland. Fowl >vheat: The market is firm at 5s Id ex store. Stocks are on the light side, and sales have improved somewhat. Milling Wheat : The latest advices from tii'i South notify that in sympathy with the advance in London the market has firmed ua, and millers are more anxious to do business, but it is expected that the present price will be increased very shortly ; 4s Yd f.0.b., sacks extra, is about the ruling quotation.

Bran: There is very little change in the position; stocks are still on the small side. Orders are plentiful, the price remaining at £f> 7s 6d. Pollard is also in good demand, with very light stocks, £7 15s being the present price. Rioemeal: This market is quit* bare: the nominal quotation is £5 10s ex store. The demand for this is increasing. Cocksfoot: According to the latest advices from South there is practically nothing offering, the demand from the North having tended to exhaust their supplies. _ A - i-mart, rise has taken place, and high prices are being paid. Italian Ryegrass: There is also a shortage or this in the South, a considerable quantity being required for the North. Southern prices range from about 4s 6d to 5s 3d, according 0 sample. Fungus: There is very little coming forward,' but exporters are not anxious to operate, it being too-early to ship: 4ad is , about the riding price. Flax: The deliveries are decreasing slightly. There has been very little altera'ion in the London market, and the ruling quotation to-day locally is £18 for g.a.f.q., £ lo to £15 10s for f.a.q.. and '£14 10s to *1* 15s for common. There is no doubt, 'tat the bulk of the Northern mills win have to close down unless there is an improvement in the market, of which there does not seem to be any probability this season, as 'he supply of Manila is very excessive. Tow: There is very little of this arriving; £2 15s to £3 is about the nominal quotation. Ce»lon Tea.: At the Colombo auctions of '•ho 19tli nit.. tho' offerings totalled 1,673,3291b. The selection was again poor, , hut there aro signs of improving quality. No actual change can be quoted, in prices this week, but "there was a better tone in the market, and competition was more general for all price kind.-. It is thought the tieclino has been arrested, and next weeks market will probably bo firmer. Highgrown descriptions were irregular, and as the teas arc not up to the quality expected at this time of year, prices of these have come down along with other kinds, and at present cost they are exceptionally cheap. I>ims and tannings remain firm at. 38 cts.; tippy good quality, 41 to42cts.; Pekoe »Sou•'lioncr. common, 37 ct*. ; fair leaf and liquor, 33 cts. : Pekoe, 38 cts.; black leaf, good, liquor, -10 cts. ; broken Pekoe, for price, 33 '!,.; fair leaf and liquor, 40 cts.; small, curly, tippy good leaf and liquor, 43 to 44 cts. ; high-grown broken?, fair flavour and quality, *6 to 48 cts.; well made, tiorry broken*, 48 ' to 52 cts.; broken orange Pekoe, tippjlw, ..»*l;j liquor, 55. ct*