THE PRICE OF GOLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21068, 30 December 1931, Page 5

THE PRICE OF GOLD.

AN ADVANCE RECORDED. LONDON RATE £6 Bs. LONDON, Dec. 28. Gold is quoted to-day at £6 8s an ounce, compared with £b Is lOd on December 22. TIIE LONDON MARKETS. PRICES FOR METALS. TIN SLIGHTLY FIRMER. LONDON, Dec. 28. (Quotations on December 21 in parentheses.) Copper.—Spot, £39 5s (£4O 3s 9d); three months, £39 18s Electrolytic Copper.—Spot, £47 (£47); three months, £4B (£49). Wire Bars.—£4B (£49). Lead.—Spot, £ls 7s 6d (£ls 3s 9d) three months, £ls os 9d (£ls lis 3d). Spelter.—Spot, £l4 18s 9d (£l4 15s) ; three months, £l4 15s (£ls 3s 9d). Tin.—Spot, £l4l 16s lOirl (£l4l Is 3d) ; three months, £144 18s 9d (£144 Is 3d). Silver.—Standard, 20d (20 7-16 d) per oz.; fine, 21 9-16 d (22 l-16d). GOLD PRODUCTION. NEW ZEALAND FIGURES. AN INCREASING OUTPUT A revival in gold mining in the Dominion, which has been greatly stimulated by recent events, has been one of the outstanding features in New Zealand during tho year now closing. In recent months the outpuL of the mines now being developed has steadily increased. According to a return of the Mines Department. the value of gold purchased by or deposited with gold dealers in New Zealand during August, September and October, 1931, was approximately "£16,000 greater than that for (ho corresponding three months of 1930. There should also be taken into consideration the reduced output of the Rimu dredge, which was closed down for approximately four months iri the current year for the purpose of transferring machinery and equipment from (ho old to the new dredge. The estimated loss of rrold during this period amounted to £14".000. Put for this loss (be increase would have been about £30,000. THE CITY MARKETS. YESTERDAY'S AUCTIONS. PRICES LOWER GENERALLY. With the Christmas rush over prices were lower generally for lines offered at the Auckland City Markets yesterday. Pineapples were the only fruit to increase in price. A restricted supply of the Island fruit realised up to 28s a case. Bananas were plentiful, following the arrival of the Aorangi's shipment at the beginning of the. week, and prices were up to 16s lower than last week. There was a considerable lessoning in the quantity of strawberries, but prices remained comparatively low at up to Is a chip. Tomatoes eased greatly in values, ripe lots being sold cheaply. Cherries met with a diminished demand and were from 4s to 6s a case cheaper than last week. Plums and oranges remained about 'be same. A splendid shipment of apricots ex Maunganui met with a keen demand and realised from 10s to 12s a case. In the. held produce class new potatoes, green peas and cabbage showed a rather surprising firming tendency. Onions, kumaras, cauliflower, beans and lettuce were all selling at rates lower than last week. Good supplies of all other vegetables in season met with a fair demand. The slackened demand for poultry evident was to be expected. Fowls averaged about 6d each less than last week. Prices for pullets remained unchanged, however. A corresponding reduction was apparent in the prices of eggs, A grade hens' realising Is Farmers' butter was 2d a lb. cheaper at from 8d to lid a lb. Prices for average quality lines were as follows: FRUIT. Strawberries. Captain ( ooks. Sd to Is; Milrguerites, lid to Od; Ilelenslea Snrpiise, fUd to '.id; tomatoes, hothouse, half ripe, f,d to Sd; ripe, 2d to fid; outdoor, 2d to Id; loganberries, Id to 7d a chip; plums, tragedy prune, 8? to 0;* a- rase; choice despoil, 4s to fis; others. Is fid to 3s; lemons. 8s to 325; apricots. Thames, 2s fid (o 5s (id; Sydney. 10s to 12s; cherries, 10s to lis; passions, ISs to 20s. orances, Australian Valencias. On to 13s and Ms to i'l a double ease; peaches, !!s to fis a case; pines, Qfis to '2Bs; apples, local cookers, 3s to 0s; Canadian, 14s to 21s; bananas. No. 1, 16s to 18s fid; seconds nnd mediums, 7s fid to 15s; grapes, Emperors, 24a a keg; hothouse. Is inid a lb. FIELD PBODCOE. 'Potatoes, new, 3s to la Gd n. bag; onions, local, 2s fid to 3s fid; kumaras. Island, lis; cabbage, 2s to 3s a sack; cauliflower, 2s to •ts; swedes. 2s to 3s a bag; preen peas, 3s Gd to fis Gd: bears. Is to 3s; lettuce. Is to 3s Gd a case; cucumbers, hothouse. Is to la Gd a dozen; outdoor, Gd to Is Gd; vegetable marrows,' Is to ]s Od; cabbaee. loose, Is to 2s; cauliflower, loose. 2s to 4s; colery. Is to Is Gd a bundle: rhubarb. Is to 3s a dozen; spinach, lid; pumpkins, loose. 4d to Is fid each; radish. Gd a dozen; spring onions, (d to Od a blundle; carrots, parsnips, licet and turnips, Gd to Is Od a dozen. POULTRY. Cockerels, heavy breeds, prime, 3a to 5s each; not prime, 2» upward; light prime. 2s to 3s fid; not prime. Is 3d upward; fat roosters, heavy, prime, 2a to 2s Gd; lighl. 1s 3d to 2s; fat hens, heavy, '2s to 3s; light. Is 3d to 2s; pullets, heavy, best, 5s to 7s; smaller, 3s upward; light., best. 5s to 7s; smaller, 3s upward; drakes, young, prime. 2s to 3s; smaller, Is upward; old, Is 3d to 2s; ducks, young, 3s to 4s; old, Is Od to 2s; guinea fowls, 3s to 4s. DAIRY PRODUCE. Hen eggs, special quality. Is ."id; A grade. Is 2}d; B grade, Is l!d; C grn.de (small). Virl; duck eggs, special quality. Is 2id: A grade. Is lid; B grade. Is OJd; C grade. |o>d. Fanners' butter, fid to lid. UNION CASTLE COMPANY. SUSPENSION OF DIVIDENDS. LONDON, Dec. 22. The. Union Castle Steamship Company lias decided that it is not expedient at present to pay the dividends on preference shares due on July 1, 1931, or January 1, 1932. The trading results, it is stated, have tioL shown the expected improvement. The maintenance of the gold standard by South Africa has adversely affected her overseas trade and conservation of tho company's resources is essential. AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES. QUOTATIONS IN NEW YORK. (Received December 20, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 23, Sales of Australian Government bonds on Wall Street, to-day compare with those of December 21. as follows: Dollars. Dollars. Commonwealth — Dec. 23. Dec. 21. 5 p.c.. Jan.-July, 1055 . . 505 51 5 p.c., March-Sept., 1057 50i 50J 4! p.c., May-Nov., 105G . . 41j 41 New South Wales 5 p.c., Feb.-Aug.. 3957 . . • 45 5 p.c., April-Oct., 1058 . . 45 45 Queensland — 7 p.c., April-Oct.. 1042 . . 60 50 fi p.c., Feb.-Aug., 1017 .. 49 47