COMMERCIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16822, 12 April 1918, Page 3

COMMERCIAL

GENERAL BUSINESS FAIR. PRODUCE BELOW REQUIREMENTS. General business has been very fair during last week, both wholesale and retail. A feature of tho trade baa been the activity on the wharf, and some very welcome lines have arrived to an eager market, meeting; an immediate demand. Produce: The vital point is the shortage of shipping, this being responsible for arrivals from the South being far below requirements. Apparently New Zealand is going to feel in an acute form during tho noxt few months what every other country in tho world has experienced for the last three years ♦ Potatoes: Local stocks continue very low. and the market is firm on account of the great difficulty in getting further supplies. All the steamers on the coast are fully engaged, and the prosnect of dealing with the Northern requirements in Southern produce do not appear to be bright, as larger quantities of potatoes will have to bo brought up during the next few months than at any other timo of tho year. Quotations are a, little irregular this week, and range from £9 15s to £10 10s per ton ex store in wholesale lines. Locally-grown are almost off the market, the whole trade now being in Southern. Onions: Quotation is unchanged at £9 10s ex store. Southern are, in fairlv good sunply hore, ' nd these will continue to com} up during the winter as importation from abroad appears impossible. Oats Best feed is still selling at,ss 7d to 5s 9d ex store, and further supplies are rather anxiously awaited, as stocks arc getting low. Larger quantities have been offering in the South, the new harvest being now available at ports of shipment, but it is exceedingly difficult to get space, and as no relief is in sight the prospective position during the coming winter is not at all cheerful. Chaff: Southern chaff it very scarce locally, and quotation is £12 to £12 10s ex store. A fair amount is available in Marlborough, and still more in Canterbury, but stoamor space stands in the way. The acute shortage has naturally firmed the market for local chaff, and as high as £10 at the Auckland station has been paid for best quality. Unfortunately the quality varies more than usual this year, and some haß realised only £4. Barley: Market has advanced considerably, and feed is now quoted at 6s fid to 7s ex store. Maize: Arrivals from the Coast have been quite insignificant, but as one steamer from Sydney recently landed more than has arrived from tho Coast during tho last couple of months the market could not hold. Coming to a bare market tho demand was exceptionally good, but the price has been based on about 6s 9d on the wharf in wholesale lines, a fall of Is on recont rates. Coast maize is worth a few pence more, Tea: The acute position in India and Ceylon has been in no way relievod. At the sale this week only 750.0001b were offered, instead of tho usual threo millions, and extreme prices are being paid for tho limited supplies. There is a great shortago of ten at Home, and the authorities are endeavouring to ship a maximum quantity to the United Kingdom. This leaves very little to corns into the open market, and Calcutta is already short of stocks, the auctions having ceased for the season. Everything points to high prices being maintained. Tobacco: During the week a sharp rise has taken place locally, the wholesale price advancing lOd per lb on plug and Is per lb on cut tobacco. This was not at all unexpected, as a similar rise took place in Australia recently.

DIVIDEND DECLARED. SOUTH BRITISH INSURANCE CO. Tho directors of the South British Insurance Company have declared an interim dividend o( 2s 6d per sharo for the halfyear ended February 28, 1918. The dividend will be payable on and after April 18. P. AND 0. DIVIDEND. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 10. The Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company has declared a dividend on deferred stock of 12) per cent. BUTTER AND EGGS. The Dairy Produce Committee has fixed tho wholesale price for butter and eggs for the week ending April 18 as lollowa: — Farmers' butter, tirst grade, Is per lb; fresh eggs, 2a per dozen. AUCKLAND STOCK SALES. Dalgoty and Company, Limited, report having held their weekly sale of fat stock at Westfield on Wednesday as under:— Beef: A good yarding, which sold at last week's rates. Extra prime ox sold at uo to £212 a per 1001b; ordinary quality, £2 oa to £2 7b ; cow and licitrr beof, 42s to 445. Veal: A small yarding, and prices were about tho same as last week. Extra heavy runners made up to £6: heavy suckers. £2 Os to £3 7s; small, 10s to 20s. Mutton: A good yarding, and prices were the same ns last week. Extra heavy prime wethers sold at up to £2 6s; medium weight, S2s to 5Gs; ewos, 345; light and unfinished, 15s to 22s 6d. Lamb: A very short yarding, and prices were about the same for good sorts. Good lines 6horn lambs made JOs to 30a; others. 15s to £1 Is 6d. M . Pork: Sold at Into rates. Choppers made up to £4 is to £5 10s; bnconers. £5 10s to £4 15s; porkers, £2 os to £3 15s.

PROPERTY SALES. Messrs. T. Mandeno Jackson will odor for sale by auction by order of the Public Trustee, as administrator in the estate of Annio Barker, deceased, a two-roomed cottage, standing on section having 40ft frontage to Heaketh Street, Kingsland. by a depth of 95ft, at their rooms, Customs Street bast, at 11 o'clock this morning. Samuel Vaile and Sons, ltd., will hold an auction sale at their rooms, 83, Queen Street, nt 2 p.m. to-day, when a section In Shaw Street, Morningside, 66ft by 134 ft. and a farm of 365 acres in the parish of Mangawai will bo offered for sale, the latter by order of the mortgagee. To-day at 12 o'clock Robl. C. Carr and Son will offer for salo at their rooms, Swanson Street, over 2t acres at Rllerslie, and a parcel of land at St. Heliers Bay, by order of the registrar of the Supreme Court.