COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15131, 23 October 1912, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

MARKET REVIEW.

TRADE BATHER QUIETER

GENF.r.AV, merchants find trade at pro-sent pn the quiet side, "but when orders come to hand for next month's deliveries a busier time is anticipated. The recent industrial disturbances have undoubtedly curtailed business for some time. Country orders show a decided advance, and now that tho weather conditions arc improving are expected to increase during the next few weeks. Soft goods houses report an improvement, and from now on the demand for new season's goods will bo more in evidence. Hardware bouses continue busy, with a fair volume of orders for present and forward deliveries. Produce merchants continue to do satisfactory 'business, which will increase now that conditions will allow of more consignments reaching this market.

Whilclead: Market is very firm owing to short supplies and stocks on hand are hardly sufficient- to meet requirements. Linseed Oil: Cable just, received notifies that market is slightly weaker for prompt and forward shipments. Cocoa Beans: Strong- demand still continues, and with tho present extreme scarcity of tlie article wo .shall not be surprised to see values still higher next month. American Dried. Fruits: Extremely low prices are now ruling for spread shipments, and from authentic advice received prices are likely to advance any moment, as present rates aro not at all payable to the growers. Castor oil _is quoted at fair rates for November direct shipment, and we think buyers would do well to cover requirements on the present basis.

Hides: Market very firm, with brisk competition from local and shipping buyers. Skins: Market firm, with keen competition for all classes.

Tallow : Market firm at Into pricesPotatoes: The Tarawera only brought 465 sacks from the South. This, is altogether too small a quantity to keep the market supplied. The Maheno carries a good quantity from Auckland this week for Sydney, in I act tho exports will exceed tho imports! Prices in the South have now increased very much, and the stock? here have run down to a very low ebb. Old 'potatoes will be at f|,ui<e famine prices before tho new tubers are on the market. Prices 10-dav are nominally £10. Onions: The Maheno did not brintr th© Ventura's San Francisco shipment, and it is quite probable that a portion of the Auckland consignment will be sold in Sydney. which is better business for the Auckland merchants. Stocks hero are light. Price is IBs bd.

Oats are still very firm. Southern advices point to a great difficulty in obtaining supplies at reasonable prices. Country offerings are very light, and higher, prices are looked for. As the- Auckland market is moderately supplied and the demand is very good this market will follow the Southern. Price is 3s ex store.

Chaff is still improving, in sympathy with cats. The improvement only to firstclass oualify. There is a considerable rutantiry of second duality chaff, ■which is difficult to move off. The price of local is £5 and Southern £5 15s.

Fowl wheat is firming in the South, and pood business is being done- Good samples are moving off well. Price 4s 6d. Maize: Arrivals from the coast are not verv heavy, and as -the condition i? now sufficiently hardened to keep, distributors will buy in larger quantities, consequently the market is inclined to improve. Ex store price remains at. 4s Bd. Bran is firm at £5. with only moderate stocks held here.

Pollard is also in good demand, and stocks are not heavy; if any movement it is likely to be upwards. Price £6 ss.

Fungus: Drv lots are moving off freely at- 4-id. Flour: Southern is quoted at £9 15s f.0.b.. Northern Poller Mills at £11.

Flax: Deliveries are steadily increasing, and are likely to continue to do so. Consequent on the news from Manila there has l>een an improvement, in the market. At time of writing: there have been no cables from London advising any alteration there. The. local quotations are: G.f.a.q- £27 10s, f.a.q. £26. common £24- 10s. Tow is in pood demand, and larger quantities than are coming forward could be disposed of.

KAURI GUM MARKET. The arrivals tor 21 days of October are 556 ton?, showing an increase of 14-4 ton* over the quantity received for the same period of last month, when the arrivals were 392 tons. -V large proportion of this consists of riddlings and low-grade gum. The iiipnlies of tho better grades of white gum are extremely limited, and in the face of general buying by merchant- of these; grades fate places are "maintained; but in cases where higher reserves are placed on the jrum sales have not taken place. The dark grades of gum have not, so far. risen in the same ratio as white gum. The improvement- in prices in dark gum applies to rescraped, hold, and medium. Pale select is salable. Ordinary: Good re-scraped continues _in demand. Inferior parcels are also moving off. Nearly all parcels of sorted superior three-quarter-scraped ordinary are sold on arrival, except in cases where the prices asked are unreasonable. Unsorted superior ordinary is also selling freely. There is a Stood inquiry for medium ordinary and extra well-cleaned washed nuts. Coated washed nuts ran be placed. The demand for good swamp with heart in it, medium swamp, and poor white swamp in dry condition has slackened off. East Coast: Good parrels that have been carefully cot up and are free from bush sarbs and picking? sell, readily. Inferior lots are nor, so easily disposed of. Black: Good re-scraped is wanted. Bold lamps thoroughlv sound and well cleaned are * selling Sorted three-quarter-scraped steel is not moving off freely, and unsorted Marks are almost, unsalable. Medium blacks and hard black nuts are asked for, and there is better business doing in poor black nuts mixed with white swampv nuts. Bush: The principal demand is for bold. pale rescraped. and'for bled bush bold and of pood colour. Only small lots of other grades of bush are selling. Chips and Dust: The inquiry continues for all grades of chins and dint, but lower prices Wave, to lie accepted for earthy lots. of diggers' ordinary chips and dust and black riddlings containing mud, fern'root, etc.

PROPERTY SALES. Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., will sell by public auction ac their land ?ale rooms, Lower Albert-street, on Thursday, 34th iust., at two p.m., tne valuable property of tho Ness Valley Land Company, situated at C'levedun, within two miles of tho wharf, and consisting of 5000 acres of flat and undulating country, divided into 15 dairy and sheep' iarms. The road to the property is one of the best, there is a creamery within one mile, and there is a school in the centre of the block. Tho terms are exceptionally easy. Messrs. T. Mandeno Jackson will sell by Pubiic auction, at, their rooms, Customsstreet Last, at two o'clock this afternoon, an ideal home, comprising a well-built bungalow of eight rooms replete with every modern convenience, and 2.' acres land, beautifully laid out, situated at the corner of Ladies' Mile and Oliver Koad, Kemucra. Tho property lies towards the Bun and commands magnificent views. At the same time a section having LOft frontage to Ocean View lioad, Takapuna, bandy to Milford Beach and trams, v.ill he submitted, also Lot 43 of the New Beach L'state, Point Chevalier, and at Mount Albert, only live minutes from the station, arid commanding lovely views of the Waitemata, a. valuable building site, having a. frontage of 41ft lOin to Mount Albert Road by a depth of 100 ft. At JO p.m. to-day, Mr. -I. Churtoii, en behalf of Raymond Sheath, will offer for hale by public auction, 12 sections in the Ascot Vale Katate, Kemuera, which are being sold practically without reserve, to close up partnership account.

GRAIN' AND POTATO MARKET. lav Tu.KCKU'ii.-- I'iiKSS ASSOCIATION.J L'UiU.vrcuiriicif, Tuesday. There has not been ranch prain offering during the last few daws. Oats aro dull of sale in the absence of outlets. The, only demand lor wheat is for stocking up big millers. A lino of Hunters was recently purchased at 3s sci. and a mixed lino at a nearer station at os SVI. The nominal value of wheat i-„- os 5d at country "M specially prime or handy lots may com"land from id and Id :norc. Space in a steamer has been offered to load grain for west, of England port* at, an increased freight, shipments by her will be of a more or less speculative character, as the increased ''"eight will absorb the profit, on present Prices. The potato market lias firmed in consequence of good iiquiry, both local and for .Australia, but supplies are now becommit very short, and potatoes are not in * condition to keep tor any length of time, t-ne price now is £7 tc £7 103 at- country stations.