COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16696, 14 November 1917, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

GOOD GENERAL DEMAND,

-THE; PRODUCE" MARKET. Merchants have nothing to complain of ■ in the matter of turnover. A good general demand is reported, and the only difficulty is to supply orders with the limited stocks in hand. . Buyers are endeavouring to lay in stocks for the Christmas trade, but m a great many lines it is simply impossible to obtain delivery of requirements. j Grain and Produce: The first estimate of the wheat area for the coming harvest shows a considerable improvement on last year's area, and, although not by any means a record, it is well up to the average of recent years, so that with anything like seasonable weather the crop should ensure an ample supply for the coming year. Oats are flown in less quantity than usual, and this will cause some anxiety, as the area last year was already short of requirements. Potatoes: Heavy sales continue, and the "market is rather poorly supplied. New potatoes . are coming in, but they are making practically no impression on the sale of old. During the last few days old potatoes have been sent even to Pukekohe, the centre of the new potato industry, so that it is evident that old will be in request for a good while yet. Quotation is £ 7 per ton ex store for best duality, but. although this nominally leaves a good margin on Southern cost, the loss in weight through re-picking has to be taken into account, as most of the samples are now getting irregular in quality. Onions: Small supplies of Victorian onions are on hand. At present these are selling at about 455. but lower prices are expected before long, especially as the new crop will be ready next" month. The trouble is to get the onions, and the delays are so serious that merchants are reluctant to purchase more than a. small quantity. ■ Oats: Market appears a shade easier.in ! the South,, chiefly owing to the limited stor- i age .accommodation, and holders are still j clearing out their stores to make room for wool. Locally the position is much the same as before. Fair quantities are held, and quotation is 5s ex store in small lines. . Wheat: Milling is scarce, and any on offer is picked up at once. Mills' are awaiting i further supplies., Fowl wheat is available Horn Australia, and also a little from the I South, and demand has been very keen in i spite of the high price. ' Bran and Pollard: Both are scarce, end this appears likely to continue until mills in the South get sufficient Australian wheat to resume operations actively. Chaff i The market is. very firm for all lines of good quality. Very little more is' to be had, stocks in Marlborough and' Canterbury being apparently exhausted, and I merchants are already arranging to secure I delivery of new season's chaff at high prices. ' -in? crops were .poor last year, and the area ' estimated for this year does not hold out any I prospect of lower prices ruling. j Maize: Only moderate, quantities have arrived, but, as the demand is rapidly falling off. there is no scarcity. Australian wheat has enabled poultry-keepers to reduce the consumption of maize to a great extent, and it wheat keeps reasonably low it will be largely used for the next six months in i&t;t r 5«? *?. ma . ,ze ' .Consignments of maize during the «a*. few days, have realised 6s to ss r? d .°, the wharf » wholesale lines. fertilisers: The position is not at all good regarding the future. Bonedust is higher than ever on - account of the heavier cost and 3£«& 1 £ rp i TOe . m Bht. and this largely dominates local prices. It is evident that to get economical results it will be necessary for farmers to use larger quantities of cheaper fertilisers like guano. i ""' Ol ' or tSS£ : ho.Position is not at all bright. Larger .quantities are coming in. ' and it seems impossible for these to be moved within a reasonable time. Buyers pawing business rather than commit themselves "» 1 «+ »L l .i s, » m: A - few !ts aro occasionally | AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS COMPANY. DIVIDEND OF Is.7d DECLARED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Recd.9.Sp.mJ ' LONDON, Nov. 13. ♦JHrJBS B * 1 re 9? rt of th « Auckland Elec*&&Eß!&% Company states that the ??Sv?» P 11 ?" 4 tot distribution amounted to £59,917. A dividend of Is 7d has been declared - £10,000 added to the '" reserve, and the balance. £5292,, carried forward. LEYLAND-O'BRIEN . TIMBER CO. t The 'annual " report, °. *• directors" of the Leyland-O'Brien ..Timoer Company, Ltd., which will be presented to the annual meeting of shareholders, to be held on November states *.«* although war conditions have adversely affected *« company's trade, th© result of the year's operations should be considered satisfactory. Owing to the scarSfti ™ ( i™ llmim .the company, in common with other f ßllll * lß^ lß threatened with a shortage of logs.. New>tiations regarding the sale of the King's Drive property have been concluded Operations have beei commenced with th© new plant at Kaingaxoa. ? he year's profit, deluding the balance brought forward, was £7998. It is proposed to pay a dividend of 7i per cent., free of income tax tone-half of Which was paid in April last), absorbing £5250, to allocate £600 to the payment of the directors* honoraria and to carry forward £2148. Messrs. <?' EUiotand S. H. Leyland. the retiring tors,,offer themselves for re-election. Messrs M auditors Morm * KKm off( ? *¥»* '■?«*««»

CANTERBURY PRODUCE MARKET. ,[bt telegraph.— pbess ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday., A. little business is' still being done in oatsheaf chaff, the pne© being_£s per ton for prime at country stations. There has ; been better, .inquiry for potatoes from Auckland, wnioh is now practically the only market for Southern potatoes. Buyers have been paying £2 7s 6d and £2 10s at country stations, and some have secured supplies at £2 and £2 68. The difficulty at present is to secure shippin? space for the Northern market. There is not a large quantity, of potatoes offercng, although supplies are said to be still fairly plentiful.

AUSTRALIAN LAND COMPANY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 9.5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 12. The annual report of the Midland Australian Land Company shows the profits to have amounted to, £278,148. of which £13,148 has been earned forward.