COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16966, 27 September 1918, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE TRADE BUSY.

PRODUCE STOCKS IRREGULAR The wholesale houses have been kept busy during the week, bookings for next month's account being, fairly substantial, but very few ohanges are reported. A few lines of English goods have arrived and Bold particularly well. Hardware: Fencing wire of all kinds is in short supply and tho future is rather precarious. It is reported that a fair amount has been landed in Sydney from New York, but the trouble is to get it across. Direct shipments are very difficult to arrange, and any contracts made mint be supported by priority permits. A keen inquiry for corrugated iron is reported. Building is not at all brisk, but a great deai is going on in the, way of repairs and extensions, and stocks of iron are quite inadequate. For residential building a good demand is reported in tiles, and asphalt rooting is also being used. Kails and staples aro scarce. Produce: Stocks aro very irregular, some linea boing scarce and others well supplied. It depends on shipping, and the future is uncertain. Potatoes: The market is decjdedly firmer since the beginning of tbo week, 'and best quality are worth up to £11 10s ex store. Australian do not appear likely to keep quite so well as the Southern, and this is already causing a better inquiry for the latter. A shipment aurivod by the Kaiapoi. and these are selling well, although tho price is rather low in comparison with the idea of valuo entertained in the South. One factor likely to influence values in the early future is the difficulty of Betting sufficient from Canterbury to supply the regular requirements of this market. The heavy arrivals by the larawera from Melbourno and tho extra steamer from the South have considerably reduced 7 by substantial quantities sent to more Southern ports of this island, and in anothor week the total quantity here will appear quite small. Onions: Australian onions are still selling at about £28, and further quantities are being offered for shipment. No" business has been reported lately, as the quality is not very reliable at this timo of tho year, and Benous damage would probably occur in transit by the long route necessary under the present shipping arrangements, Canadian onions havo been bought to arrive shortly, and there is some curiosity as to the condition in which those will come to hand, as it appears rather early for them to, be shipped in a mature state. The condition in the more southern latitude of California should be favourable, and buyers are already operating heavily in tho American onions now on the way, so that these will nearly all be distributed on arrival. Oats: Best feed is selling up to 6s 6d ex store. Stocks are fairly good here, so that it will take some little time for the shortage of shipping expected on the coast during the aext tew weeks, to be felt. Southern prices remain firm, with very few lines offering. Oatmeal: Demand appears to be falling off a little. Prices are firm, in sympathy with oats, and during the week an advance in one brand has been reported. Seed Oats: Soiling well, as tho weather has been just about porfect. It is expected that the result o' the operations during the last few woeks _ will increase tho production of chaff in this district, but- it is very unlikely to be sufficient without supplementary importations from the South. Chaff: Values are only nominal this week. But Southern is supposed to be worth about £15 10s, but no quantity is obtainable at any price, and consumers are anxiously awaiting a largo shipment from Timaru that has been arranged. It has been noticeable that Southern chaff has been turning out lighter than usual,, and apparently the best quality has all been used up. Linseed: A large quantity has .been used during the last few weeks for feeding calves, and stocks are now very low. Market is firm, with very little offering in the South. Wheat: Fowl wheat has been selling at 7s 9d ox store, with the domand .much improved. A groat deal of Australian has been on offer, mostly affected by weevil, so that Southern is genorally preferred, if obtainable, even though the grain is not usually very heavy. Any that could possibly be used for milling has been taken up. Maize: Consignments from tho coast have been no heavier than usual, but the domand js lighter, and there has been somo difficulty m clearing wholesale lines at 7s 4d on the wharf. Peas: Rather dull of sale, This is due to the high price, especially as several lota of very cheap fresh vegetables havo been on offer during the last few weeks.

Sf B. MAXWELL AND CO., LTD.

DIVIDEND OF 10 TEE CENT. The tenth annual meeting of shareholders in Mossrs. S. R. Maxwell and Co., Ltd., was held yesterday. Mr. J. L. Young, managing director, presided. The annual report and balance-sheet, which wore adopted, stated that, including the balance of £6148 3s 3d brought forward from the previous year, there remained at the credit of tho profit and loss account the sum of £14,547 15s Ed. It was proposed to place £3500 to the war contingency account and £1000 to tho Papeete leasehold account, thus increasing these accounts to £6500 and £3000 respectively, and to pay a dividond of 10 per, cent, which would absorb £4975 6s 2d, leaving a balance of £5072 10s 3d to bo carried forward. The gross profits for the year wore shown to have been £24,989 9s lid, apart from £171 12s Ed interact on war loan bonds. The general expenses, including salaries, wages, expenses at Tahiti and at the head office, etc., amounted to £10,429 18s 2d. and income-tax to £3274 17a 6d. Regret was expressed at the death of Mr. S. J. Nathan, for several years director of the company. Tho vacancy, the report stated, had been filled by Mr. A. W. Gillies. Tho chairman said the position of the company end the prospects for the ensuing year were satisfactory. Mr. B. Anderson, the retiring director, was re-elected, and Mr. A. J. Donnish was reelected auditor. Votes of thankf re passed to the managing director, tho directors, the staffs at Papeete, and the head office. FARMERS' FREEZING COMPANY. ' SHAREHOLDERS' ANNUAL MEETING The fourteenth annual meeting of shareholders of the Auokland Farmers' Freezing Company, Ltd. was hold at tho Chamber of Commerce Buildings yesterday. Mr. 8. J. Ambury, chairman of directors, presided. The annual report and balance-sheet, as published in tho Herald of August 29, was adopted. Mr. W. Kayll was reappointed auditor. Votes of thanks were passed to the directors and stoffjfor their work during the year. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. ' (Reed. 9.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 26. Oats: Algerian feeding 4s 6d, milling 4s 9d, Taamanian 6s 6d. Maize, 6s. Potatoes, Tasmanian, £6 to £8 10s. Onions, £32. ADELAIDE, Sept. 26. Oats, 3s Bd. BANK OF AUSTRALASIA. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 7.50 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. The Bank of Australasia shows a profit for the past year, including the amount carried forward, of £336,136. The direotors intend to ask tho shareholders at a special meeting, to bo hold on October 3, for permission to seek ft fresh chartor, to enable the bank to operate outside Australia and New Zoaland.

PROPERTY SALES. A property sale was conducted at the Chamber of Commerce yesterday by Messrs. Neville- Newcomb and Co. A six-roomed house in Mount Pleaeant Road, Mount Eden, on a seotion 64 by 110, realised £595. [ A twostoreyed house of about nine rooms, in Harbour Street, Ponsonby, on an allotment with a frontage of 40ft by a depth of .160 ft, was knocked down at £625. A house in London Streot brought £475WAIKATO STOCK SALES. The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, Hamilton, report:— During the last week wo held stock sales at Cambridge Hikutaia, Ohaupo, Katikati, To Kuiti, Hamilton, Ongarue. Kopaki, Waihou, Te Awamutu and Tauranga. The beef and mutton market remained firm, with email supplies. There was a good demand for store bullocks, but owing to the cold weather experienced last week, yearlings wore easier. The demand for bogpets was vory keek and there were good inquiries for ewes and lambs. Wo quote:—Bullocks, heavy, fat, medium quality, £16 10s to £19; cows, fat, primo £14 1 to £16 10s, medium £12 to £14; heifers, fat, • £14 to £19 10a; bullocks, 3J and 4-year, freshconditioned £13 to £14 lis, 3-year fresh-con-ditioned £12 10s to £13, 3} and 4-year store £12 10s to £13 10s, 3-year store £11 10s to £12 10s; 2-year good £9 5s to £10, 2-year ordinary £7 15s to £8 10s; cows ( empty, fresh-conditioned £9 10s to £11, ordinary £1 10a to £8 10a, old and poor £5 to £5 ss; steers, yearlings, extra good £5 10s to £7, good £4 lOe to £5 ss; heifers, yearlings, boat £5 10s to £6 12s: yearlings, mixed £3 10s to £4 10s; calves, fresh dropped 7s 6d to IBs; cows, dairy, boat £18 to £22,, ordinary £10 10s to £12, backward and poor £8 10s to £8 10s i heifers, extra choice 3-year S.H., in calf, close to profit £15 10s to £17 10s;, heifers, 8-year, close to profit £11 10s to £13, 3-year in calf backward £8 10a to £3 10s, 2-year-in calf close to profit £9 15s to £11 10s, 2-year in calf, backward £6 10s to £8, 2-year empty, good £7 to £8 10s, medium £5 10s to £6; wothers, fat, extra prime 48s, heavy weights £2 to £2 2s, medium 37s to 39a; ewes, fat, heavy, 3Bs to 40s. medium 80s to 83s 6d; empty, fresh-conditioned 22s to 28s, stores, 17s to 20s; ewes and lambs, 2 and 4-tobth well woolled 80s to 355, 4 and fl-tooth well woollod 80s to 86a, f.f.m. well woolled 26s to 325, s.m. and poor 15s to 208; hoggets, best woolly 28s Gd to 84s 3d, best shorn 253 to 28s, mixed, ordinary 20s 6d to 255. fat, shorn 28s 3d to 295. Pigs: Weanors, £1 to £1 7s 6d; slips, £1 12s 6d to £1 17s 8d; porkers, £3 158 to £4 10s; baconere heavy, £5 10a to £8, Horses: Heavy draughts, £28 to £33- good firm. £23 to £28; harness horses, £15 to £18.