COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14144, 20 August 1909, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

The sharcmarkct was quiet yesterday. In investment stocks New Zealand Insurances showed an advance, selling at 76s and 76s 6d, as against 75s the previous day, and closed with buyers at, 765, and sellers at 775. Northern Coals (10s paid) sold at 12s; Auckland Trams (ord.) at 20s 6d: D.S.C.'s at 3s lOd and Wiseman and Sons (ord.) at 12s. In mining lines Waihis again hardened, a, sale being recorded at £9 12s; there wore further buyers at the same figure, but late sellers required £9 13s. , Talismans maintained their improved price, selling at 0/a 6d, with further buyers at. 575, and sellers at 58s. Grand Junctions, on the other hand, showed a falling off, being dealt in at from 54s 6d to 53s fed to 53s 9d 5 more were available at the latter figure, but late buyers would not go further than 53s 6d. v > al "' Fxtcndeds also cased a little, operating at from 8s to' 7s lOd Business was recorded in Waihi Consolidated* at 5s 6d. Thames stocks showed considerable improvement. This applied particularly to Waiotahis, which, as against 7s, the last Bale recorded on Wednesday, sold at from <s 4d up to 7s 8,1 to 7s 7d to 7s 8d to 7s 7d. May Queens also went, up from 5s lid on Wednesday to 6s 2d. Dixon's Consolidated* (eon.) sold at from Is 2d to Is 3d to Hid; New Sylvias at 3s lid ; Saxons at 2s 2d and 2s 3d ; and Victorias at, 2s Id and 2s 2d. Other lines sold at the usual prices. . The commercial situation remains about the same as reported in o«r last, only absolute necessaries being bought for immediate use. Big business is, however, being done for forward delivery, which form of buying is being adopted very generally now. The soft goods houses are still busy with their lato drapery sales to make room for their new spring goods, which in raw instances are already on show. Hardware houses report favourably on general trade, which will receive a'fillip owing to the late disastrous fire. Arrowroot still remains very high in pries, and is in short supply. . Sago is almost unprocurable in the market. Supplies will bo to hand on arrival of the s.s. Uinta from Calcutta, due about August, 26. ■ , ~ ~_ Glycerine has advanced very considerably in price, owing most probably to the extra amount of ammunition being manufactured all over the world. , Seeded raisins are not in much _ request at this time of the year, but inquiries are being made for forward delivery of new season's fruit. Prices arc considerably higher than have been ruling lately lor the past, season's goods. , Peanuts are in fair demand and prices for new season's are on a parity with last season's quotations. , Rice remains firm at last quotations,, and the low prices are creating good demand. Sardines arc moving off freely; market not too well supplied with low-priced halves. Turpentine has advanced considerably, prices ex Baunockburn due at tho end of the month being much higher than lato ruling rates. . Dried apricots are finding ready sale, and stocks will be about cleaned up before arrival of new fruit. Dates arc now quoted at very low rates for November shipment, for which we prepared our readers in a former issue. Ihe September shipment, which will be the first to arrive, will meet a welcome market.. Potatoes: The Monowai only brought 413 sacks from the South to quite a bare market. In fact stocks are exceedingly low at present, and are likely to be until the end of the month, as the Wanaka and Ennerdale are not expected from Southern ports until then, leaving Canterbury only to supply this market. Price is £5. Seed potatoes of all varieties are selling very well. . „ Onions: There is practically no change to report in the market, which is not well Stocked. Prime samples are now worth £8. Oats: The demand is not at all keen for this time of the year. It is quite likely that Algerians are being used for seed purposes. The quantity in the market, however, is not excessive, local merchants having sold a portion of their holdings in tho South. An easier feeling is still being experienced in the Southern market. Price is 2s 5(1. Chaff: Stocks held here are still very plentiful, very little changing hands, no doubt owing to the sufficiency of green feed. Local is worth £4, and Southern £4 lO.s for prime, ex store. Fowl Wheat: This market remains about the seme; very little offering from the South. Demand continues good at 4s Bd. Maize: The Tasman brought 532 sacks and tho Aupouri 155 sacks from tho Coast. Stocks here are quite ample for all requirements, but mil<>-.s coastal shippers forward heavy quantities there is every probability of the price remaining steady. Merchants are asking 3s 10d ex store for good sample. Bran: The demand is only moderate. Fair stocks are held and price is £3 17s 6d. Pollard is worth £4 15s, with a fair demand. Stocks are not heavy. Linseed, whole and crushed, selling freely. Fungus: All dry parcels are worth sd. Demand brisk. Supplies are very light. Flax: The latest advices from London do not intimate any change there. Tho market is inclined to improve, and early next month, when some of the mills will be starting to work, wo look for the deliveries to increase. Forward business has already been done at slightly higher rates than have been quoted lately, and further lines could bo placed. Approximate values at, present are: Good fair, £21 10s; f.a.q., £19 10s; common, £17 10s. Tow: There is very little . coming forward, and the average price remains at about £4 for export purposes. Indian Tea: At the Calcutta tea sales No. 6 a nico selection of teas was on show, when some 18,000 packages were offered for competition. Buyers wero operating with considerable freedom, and prices generally marked a further advance, common kinds of tea being a pie dearer. Invoices with good tip or liquor met, a particularly strong reception and brought very tall figures. Hankow buyers wore largely interested, and suitable tannings and dusts advanced further in price.

KAURI GUM. The arrivals for 19 days of August, are 405 tons. This is 33 tons less than came in during the same period of July, when 438 tons arrived.

A fair amount- of business lias been done during t.ho week, and the prices remain practically about the same us have been ruling for some lime. The demand is not confined to any particuar grade, but in rather more general than lias been the case for some little time. Inquiries have been coming in from both America and Europe, but in a good many cases merchants have found it impossible to take up orders at the prices offered, so that there seems to bo very little probability of an improvement on present values. In some cases lower prices will have to bo accepted to bring about steady business. Palo Select: The demand for this is rather slack, but there is very little offering. Ordinary: Good rcscraped is moving off as it comes forward. Buyers are also operating on inferior parcels at a comparatively lower price. Sorted three-quarter-scraped superior ordinary has been selling rather better, without much alteration in price. Mixed lots of superior ordinary can also be placed, but slightly lower prices have to be accepted. .Medium ordinary and good washed nuts free from dust are both salable at, about late rates. Swamp with heart in if and poor white swamp are in fair demand.

East Coast: Good stocks are still held hero, but there has been noao changing hands, and prices will have to bo reduced somewhat: to induce business. Black: Thoroughly rescraped black quite free' from " shaky" pieces commands good prices. Bold lumps, sound and well cleaned, are selling without any alteration in value. Sorted three-quarter-scraped steel is moving off fairly well. Mixed blacks can only be quitted at a very low price. Medium blacks and hard black nuts continue in request. Clean black sugar, of which there is very little coming in, is readily placed.' foot- black nuts mixed ' with poor, white swamp are still accumulating and\ unsalable. ,

Bush: Pale rescraped is wanted. "Bold pale bush, well cleaned, is selling. Dark sorts and pickings are of slow sale at late prices. Hard bled bush is still moving off, and shippers will not take any green lots. Chips and Dust: Bright chips and dust and good ordinary chips sell slowly. Diggers ordinary chips and dust, free' from mud, can be quitted at a low price. Steady business is being done in. black riddlings, black seeds, and coarse black dust, if in dry condition.