COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14530, 18 November 1910, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

The sharemarket showed little or no alteration yesterday. In mining lines Waihis again changed hands at £6, and further buyers were loft at the same price, sellers at £6 Os 6d. Wailii Grand Junctions sold at from 31s 6d to 313 3d to 3ls 6d, and the market closed with further buyers at the latter price, sellers -at 31s 9d. Talismans were quoted with buyers at. 54s 6d, sellers at 555. In investment stocks; sales were made in Hikurangi Coals at 19s; in Taupiri Coals at 19s 9d and 20s; and in Wilsons j Portland Cements (ord.) at 39s 9d. The present seasonable weather has had a buoyant effect upon business in all departments, and various reports received indicate a general activity which is very gratifying. The general distributing merchants are busily engaged in getting orders ready for the country districts in time for the Christmas trade, whilst at the same time a steady flow of business is being received from city and suburban stores. Cables to hand from various commercial centres give indication of increased activity, but the horizon, from an economic point of view, cannot be said to bo altogether clear, and some considerable caution must characterise operations for the time being. Currants: As tho ■ new crop is reported short, prices have been advanced a point. Seeded Raisins: Prices are down a shade, but. an early reaction is anticipated. Cocoanut: Prices are as last, and any movement will bo upwards. Sardines: Owing to the poor run of fish, an all-round advance in price is advised. _ Dates: Forward market firm. Local inquiry good. , , , , , Linseed Oil: Cables advise market has further advanced, and still higher rates will rule. „ . , , Singapore Produce: Prices for sago ana tapioca remain steady, and buyers have had to face comparatively high prices for the next direct sailing. Peppers, with the exception of Singapore, which has declined one-eighth, are firm at last quotation. Cloves are now on a level which has teen conducive to business. Nutmegs and mace ajo little easier. _ . Pineapples: Tho price has again advanced, and it is felt that demand; must be< restricted in consequence. The continued upward movement has been the cause of considerable speculation _as to the real reason for such a substantial advance, and_ it is felt that price has now reached the highest point likelv. Rice: Price has come > through for the new crop of Japanese article, and same is not viewed favourably by buyers, who are holding off. Tho Australian rice is now practically serving the nurpose which at one tiino tho Japanese article was required for. Tartaric Acid: News to hand by cable indicates that the market still shows upward tendency. We consider that before very long reaction will follow. Cream Tartar Local stocks are rather heavy and ample for all requirements, so far as tho Christmas demand is concerned. Market steady at last quotation. Jute Goods: Calcutta advices by cable are to the effect that the market is firm, with upward tendency. Prices for all varieties of sacks are higher as a result. Hessians: These _ have followed the hardening movement in jute goods, and are now at such a level as is not considered safe buying. Tinplates: It is expected that higher prices will rule shortly. This is doubtless due to the fact that the pig ( tin has advanced in prioe, owing to " bear" supplies. . , Wire Nails: Price keeps at a- high figure. Forward market steady. Sulphur: Shipments arriving by tho direct steamer will reach a good market Forward position shows signs of strength. Sulphate of Copper: Latest news to hand gives evidence of higher prices ruling in the near future. . Peanuts: The local market is lightly stocked, and enhanced prices are the result. Whitele'ad: London cable notifies an advance which ought to be maintained. Potatoes: Arrivals of old potatoes are now diminishing very fast; in fact, stocks are barely sufficient to meet demand. New potatoes are not coming in as freely as was expected. There is a demand for shipment to the South, but potatoes are not ripe enough at present to ship without considerable risk. Price to-day for'old is £10, and now £12 to £14, according to sample. There is still a smell demand for seed Up-to-Dates. * • , ,- ; ,■ , . Onions: Tho old Victorians by Mondays steamer were of Jotter quality than they have been for some time. Shipments from now on will bo tho new crop. The market in Melbourne is firm, owing to rather heavy demand, and the old crop being exhausted. This market is only moderately supplied. Price £12. Oats have advanced again, and the market to-day is particularly firm. South reports a further rise, and offerings very light; in fact, farmers aro very loth to operate. Doubtless this is on account of the Canterbury crop at the present time looking a failure owing to dry weather. If this be so, supplies, will have to be drawn from Southland for tho next four or five months. Stocks in Auckland are very light. Price 2s 9d to 2s lOd, ex store. Chaff: The supply is still very short. Lotal appears to bo pretty well exhausted. Southern adviccs point to a great scarcity of prime stuff, ana only a moderate quantity of f.a.q. This market is very bare. Price £6 5s for first-class quality. Pollard is still very scarce. Demand is good. Price £6 ss. Bran: The market is very bare, and Southern offerings aro almost unprocurable.' Demand is greater than the supply. Price firm at £5 ss. Flour: Quotations remain at £9 10s for Southern flour f.o.b. Southern ports, and £11 5h far f.a.q. Fowl Wheat: This grain is extremely scarce. Stocks of good quality appear to bo very light in tho South. There is_ a quantity of badly-sprouted grain, which users may have to take before the end of the season. .Price 3s 9d. - Fungus: Arrivals are small. Dry lots are realising sid. Maize: There have been no arrivals since our last report. Price remains unchanged. Flax is still very dull; in fact, there are no orders in the market. Tow is wanted, but very little offering. Prioo remains at £6. Ceylon Tea: The moderate supplies offered , at' tho Colombo sales of late have not_ given Russian buyers the same opportunities of discrimination, and as they aro more or less dependent on the leaf grades, prices for all Pekoes and ,Orange Pekoes have been maintained, despite the inferior quality. Tho keenness of the Russians was probably better evinced by the dolmand for good liquoring Pekoe . Souchong and leafy brokens, which marked an appreciable advance, although these kinds are but seldom patronised by buyers for this country. Demand from America and other places has been steady, but tho high prices of the lower grades rather cramped operations. Prospects point to a continuance of moderate supplies, but it is difficult to anticipate the future, and unless the Indian crop shows a considerable increase, it would appear as though wo aro to have it high market, at any' rate so far as common- tea is concerned. KAURI GUM. The arrivals for 17 days of November are 397 tons, showing an increase of two tons in comparison with the same period of last month, when 395 tons came to hand. Tho market is still extremely quiet, and there is very little likelihood of a change taking place for some little time to come, as everything points to the high price of Unseed oil and turpentine continuing, which is militating against any steady business in kauri gum. Pale Select*: There has been no business doing, and stocks are small. . Ordinary: Limited business has been done in really good rescraped, and the demand has been satisfied. _ It is also possible to effect sales in inferior parcels of rescraped, if holders would meet buyers' views, v/hich are extremely low. Sorted three-quarter-scraped ordinary is not changing hands, nor is there anything: doing in unsorted parcels of this grade. Medium, ordinary is selling very slowly. Extra well-cleaned washed nuts are still moving off, but the demand is not brisk. Good swamp with heart in it and medium swamp, also poor white swamp, if in dry condition, aro still selling. Some of the buyers have almost completed their orders. East Coast Moderate stocks are held. Business is quiet. Black: Really good rescraped can be placed, and bold lumps, sound and well cleaned, are also salable. The inquiry for sorted three-quarter-scraped steel is dull and unsorted blacks are not. wanted. There are buyers of medium black and good hard black nuts free from chips and dust, but poor black nuts mixed with white swampy nuts are hanging fire. . Bush: Rescraped bush of pale colour and free from bled, and clean bush of good colour, also free from bled, are in slight demand. Dark sorts and pickings are neglected. Good bled bush, if*-well sorted, is moving off. Soft lots are unsalable. , - Chips and Dust: There is . very little doing in bright chips and dust, but _ there are buyers of good ordinary chips, diggers' ordinary chips sifted, ordinary chips and dust,, and good' ordinary dust, but all : these require to bo free from earth,, otherwise shinners will pass. them over. There are still buyers of black riddlings, black t seeds, and coarse black dust, if- in dry condition.