Commercial.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 979, 5 December 1890, Page 13

Commercial.

Business continues to be brisk, especially in the country trade. The market for all kinds of tea is firm. Ceylon and Indian teas are enquired after. There is a good demand for currants, which are selling at ssd to Fair stocks are he'd. Elemes are selling at from 6£d to Gfd and sultanas from 9d to 94d. Both the latter are in short supply. Dates are in fair request at 4Jd to 5d per lb. Candied peel, muscatels, and almonds are in good demand. Sugars are unchanged. Rice is in.fair demand, at last quotations. The market is rather bare of London Sperm candles, which are selling at 7|d to Bd. Further supplies are expected shortly. Good sales have been made during the week of tinned fruits. Bottled ales have been in good demand lately.. Lager beer has been in good request. Stout is in fair request. There is a good enquiry for Henessey’s brandy, the stock of which is rather light. Good sales are reported of bulk rum. The demand for light wines, cordials, &c., is improving as the warm weather sets in. Ports and sherries have been dull of sale for some time. Agents report excellent sales of Apollonaris water. There is an improved demand for the best brands, of Havana cigars, and the leading lines in cigarettes have also been selling well. Q A supply of Juno tobacco, which has been scarce lately, is expected shortly, and a large quantity to arrive has been sold. There is a rise in the price of vestas of 2J per gross, and plaids are now quoted at 4s 8d to 4s 9d and 250’s at IBs 6d. Condensed milk is in excellent demand, and one firm reports that they have sold for the West Coast two shipments to arrive. There has been a brisk enquiry lately for pickles, especially the colonial article. Tinned fish, herrings, lobsters, &c., are selling fairly well. Cornsacks have been enquired after, and 44in are now worth from 6s 6d to 63 9d. The demand for dynamite and blasting powder for the West Coast still continues. Steady business is being done in the hardware trade. There is a slight advance in prices at Home. Fairly good stocks are held, with the exception of cement, which is still scarce. The demand fer kerosene is of course slacking at this time of the year. The MaryS. Ames Baldur, Valparaiso, and Marie Becker, to arrive from New York are bringing shipments. The salt market is very much overstocked, coarse is quoted at 80s, and fine at 90s. Oats are in fair request, and prices remain at old rates. Fowls’ wheat—Good whole finds a ready sale. Onions—The first of the ne n crop will be available about the middle of December. At present the market is clear until arrival of the next San Francisco boat. Potatoes (old) in fair demand for seed purposes, prices have again receded for new potatoes. Baled straw—Sales are increasing. Flour—No change to report since last week. Eggs are in good demand, but prices remain low. Fresh butter isin fair demand. Pollard realizes satisfactory prices. Bran—Nothing doing. Chaff—Prime oaten sheaf is rather scarce, second quality is hard of sale. Prices for poultry have receded during the week. Fair sales have been made of hams and bacons at satisfactory rates. Good prices are obtained for oranges. Hobart apples arrive in very bad order, and prices realised will leave a loss to shippers. The Tekapo, which arrived yesterday from Sydney, brought a quantity of oranges, etc. Laery and Co. report prices for the past week : —Old potatoes, 15s to 40s; new do, 5s to 7s; oats, Is 9d to Is lid; pollard, 70s; bran, 60s; chaff, 67s to 72s 6d ; oatmeal, L 9 10s; fowls’ wheat, 3s 3d; roller flour, Lll; stone flour, LlO 10s; wheatmeal, LlO ; milling wheat, 3s 9d ; cheese, 3£d to 4d; eggs, BJd to 9d; turkeys, 7s 6d ; geese, 6s ; ducks, 3s 9d ; fowls, 3s 6d per pair; maize, 3s 6d ; beans, 3s to 3s 3d ; feed peas, 3s 6d ; garden do, 5s to 6s 6d ; bacon (Dimook’s cure) 6£d; hams, 8d; oranges, 10s ; onions, 12s, scarce; new dates, s|d; old do, 4d ; apples, cooking, 11s to 12s; Hobart eating, 11s to 14s ; Barcelona nuts, 6Jd; almonds nuts, 9Jd; Brazil, lOd ; peanuts, 2Jd; lemons, 5s to 7s; cocksfoot grass seed, 3d to 4d ; honey. 3d to 4Jd ; hops, Bd, nominal; cocoanut fibie, 2d; butter, dairy made, 6d to 6Jd ; factory made, 7d to 8d ; salt butter, 6d to 7 a; rhubarb, 3s; green peas, 6d ; cucumbers, 9s per dozen ; gooseberries, 3s half case. Messrs Kitchen and Son report as follows : Stearine candles—Small demand, prices firm ; Pyramids. 6Jd ; Exhibitions, 7id. Parafhn candles, fluted and plain, 7£d; British sperm, 7Jd. Soaps—Good demand, prices altered. Soda crystals, 6s 6d ; scarce, and prices likely to be higher. Blue, 6£d ; extract, 3s 9d ; blacking, 3s 9d. . With the old supply of coal available, the difficulties of manufacturing are at an end. In the labour market married couples for stations are enquired after, and there is plenty of employment for female servants of all kinds, especially for the country. Mr Dransfield reports market price of shares 26th November, 1890:—Local—Woollen Company, L2; Gas Company, Ll 6 10s; Trust and Loan, L 6 14s ; Equitable Building, L 7 7s; Building and Investment, L 6 7s 6d ; Manawatu itailwav, 16s 6rl ; Gear Meat, L 5 8s; Meat Export Company, L 4 10s. Banks— New Zealand, old L 5 2s, new L 4; National of New Zealand, LI 16s ; Colonial of New Zealand, L2 2s. Insurance—New Zealand, L 3 4s 6d ; National of New Zealand, 16s; Union of

New Zealand, LI 6s 6d ; South British, LI 6s ; Standard of New Zealand, 13s 9d ; New Zealand Accident, 8s 81, Miscellaneous—New Zealand Loan and Mercantile, L2 163; New Zealand River Plate and Land Mortgage, 14s ; National Mortgage, 10s 6d ; New Zealand Shipping, L 4 5s ; Mosgiel Woollen, L 4 ; New Zealand Drug Company, 19s 6d ; Westport Coal, L2 10s. Messrs Harcourt and Co. report for the week ending November 29 :—Sales effected— New Zealand Loan and Mercantile, 57s ; Gear Meat, L 5 7s 6d ; Wellington Woollens, 40s ; Wellington and Manawatu Railway, 16s. Quotations —Bank of New Zealand, old L 5 Is 6d, new 80s ; Colonial Bank, 41s 6d ; National Bank, 36s 6d. Insurance—National, 15s 6d ; New Zealand, 655; South British, 25s 6d; Union, 25s 9d : Standard, 13s 6d. Miscellaneous— New Zealand Shipping, 903; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile. 57s ; National Mortgage, 10s 6d ; New Zealand and River Plate, 14s : New Zealand Drug, 19s 6d ; Mosgiel Woollen, 803 ; Kaiapoi Woollen, 403; Wellington Woollen, 40s ; Equitable Building, L 7 ss; Wellington Trust and Loan, L 6 12s 6d ; Wellington Building and Investment, L 6 6s; Wellington Gas, Ll 6 ; Wellington and Manawatu Railway, 16s ; Gear Meat, L 5 7s 6d ; Westport Coal, 50s. The Customs dutie3 collected at the port of Wellington for the week ending Saturday amounted to L 3532 10s 3d. Beer duty, L 154 14s. George Thomas and Co. report produce prices as followsWe can only repeat last week’s values for the. usual descriptions of gram which are recognised as leading lines. Oats command from Is 7d to Is lOd, according to quality and description; oatmeal, best brands, L 9 to L 9 5s ; oaten sheaf chaff, 70s ; straw do, 50s to 55s ; good whole fowls’ wheat is scarce at 3s 7d to 3s 8d ; for milling samples there is no local demand ; roller flour is steady at LlO to LlO 15s for brands ; stone process, L 9 10s to L 1 0; bran, market overstocked, 60s; pollard, 70s; wheatmeal, L 1 0; rye graßs seed, farmers’ 4s 9d, machine dressed 53 6d; cocksfoot grass seed, 3Jd to 4d: old potatoes, 15s to 50s, according to quality; onions are out of the market ; beans, 3s 6d ; split peaß, Ll 4; pearl barley, Ll 5 10s ; baled straw, 65s to 70s ; meadow hay, L 4 103 to L 4 15s; feed barley, 2s 3d to 2s 6d; cheese, 4d to 4id; hams and bacon, factory cure (clothed) 7|d for equal numbers; salt butter, prime 6d to 7d ; fresh do, 7d ; eggs, 9d to lOd ; honey, 4Jd. Latest spring products include new potatoes, round samples ss, kidney 7s ; green peas, 6s to 6s 6i per sack ; rhubarb, 3s to 4s per doz ; tomatoes, 9d to 10|d per lb ; strawberries, lOd per qt; grapes, 2s 6d to 2s 9d per lb; cherries, 15s to 17s per J case; gooseberries, 2s 6d. The market is bare of fruit, only small shipments arriving from Sydney, owing to the prohibitive prices ruling there ; good oranges are worth 13a to 15s ; lemons, 6s; pines, 15s case ; Hobart apples 9s to los ; there are no bananas offering. Poultry has receded, owing to quantities arriving ; fowls rule at 3s ; ducks, 3s 6d ; geese, 5s 6d ; turkeys, 7s per pair. Messrs Edwards and Mcßeath report wages for the week as follows I There is still a good demand for servants, especially for the country. Married couples, L7O to L9O; carpenters, 10s; bricklayers, 12s; blacksmiths, 9s to 10s; painters and glaziers, 9s; plumbers and gasfitters, 9s to 10s ; storemen, 42s to 60s; draymen, 42s to 50s ; coachmen, 30s to 355; grooms, 25s to 35s ; gardeners, 6s to 8s ; labour hands, 7s to 8s ; farm hands, 153 to 25s'; milkmen, 15s to 25s ; hotelmen, 20s to 40s; barmaids, 25s to 30s; waitresses, 15s to 20s ; cooks, 25s to 40s; female do, 15s to 30s ; housemaids, 12s to 20s; general servants, 10s to 14s ; nursegirls and boys, 7s to 15s. Messrs Arthur Warburton and Co. report on the share market for the weekßanks New Zealand, old, LstoL 52s 6d; new, 75s - to 80s ; National, 36s to 37s ; Colonial, 41s to 41s 6d. Insurance—-New Zealand, 66s to 675; South British, 24s to 25s ; National, 15s 6d ; Union, 265; Standard, 13s; Accident, 8s 6d. Miscellaneous—Loan and Mercantile, 555; Land Mortgage. 13s, 6d ; National Mortgage, 10s 6d; New Zealand Shipping, 85s; Drug Company, 18s ; Wellington Trust and Loan, L 6 12s 6i; Equitable Building, L 7 2s 6d ; Wellington Building, L 6 53; Wellington Gas, Ll 6, LB, and 32s ; Gear Meat, L 5 5s ; Meat Export (L 5 paid), 90s ; Wellington Woollen, 40s ; Manawatu Railway, 16s.

Mr D. T. Stuart reports on the share market for week to date Banks—New Zealand (old issue), sales L 5 2s, buyers L 5 ; new issue, L 4 ; Colonial, 41s to 41s 6u ; National, buyers 35s 9ci. Insurance—National, 15s 6d to 16s ; New Zealand, 64s to 665 ; Standard, 13s to 13s 6d ; Union, 25s 6d to _26s ; South British, 25s 6d. Financial —National Mortgage, 10s 3d to 10s 6d, buyers 10s 3d ; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile, 54s to 575, buyers 54s : Land Mortgage, sellers 14s ; Equitable Building, buyers L 7 5s ; Wellington Trust and Loan, L 6 12s 6d to L 6 15s ; Wellington Building, sales and buyers, LG 6s. Sundries—New Zealand Shipping Company, 853 to 87s 6d ; Gear Meat, buyers L 5 7s 6d, sellers L 5 10s, and warrants (LIOO paid), sellers Ll4O ; Wellington Meat Export (L 5 paid), L 4 10s ; Wellington Woollens, buyers 40s, sellers 425, sellers 41s. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.) Christchurch, December 3. * At. the Addington saleyards to-day, the supplies were very short, and the market finished unprecedently early. In fat sheep about 2000 were yarded, and the demand was only from the trade, but the prices were slightly better than last week owing to the small supply. Best crossbred wethers, 12s 6d to 14s 6d ; do mixed sexes, 11s to 14s ; do ewes, 9s to 14s; merino wethers, 9s. In fat lamb 3 there was a small entry and good competition from the trade. The best brought 10s to 12s. In fat cattle there was a fair entry, and the demand was quiet. Best bullocks, L 7 to L 8 ; cows and heifers, L 4 to L 7 ; beef, 17a 6d to 20s per lOOlbs. The store cattle market was very dull. In pigs and porkers the chief entry met with a fair demand from butchers. Masterton, December 2. Lowes and lorns stook sale was lively, there being fair competition for all stock, especially sheep, prices being as follows:—Ewes and lambs, 12s to 13s 3d; fat ewes, 7s 6d to 8s td; forward wethers, 9s ; store wethers, 8s to 8s 6d ; forward ewes, 6s to 7s ; 2 tooth ewes, 7a 3d. There was no alteration in the prices of cattle, these still being in favour of buyers. WELLINGTON MARKETS. Wholesale Prices.

FARM AND DAIRY PRODUCE. Milk, quart £ 8. d. £ 8. d . 0 0 4 Butter, fresh 3b farm 0 0 6 to 0 0 7 Butter, factory made 0 0 7 to 0 0 8 Salt butter - 0 0 6 to 0 0 7 Cheese, Col, 0 0 3J to 0 0 4 Cheese (new) 0 0 44 to 0 0 5 Eggs, dozen (fresh) 0 0 94 to 0 0 10 Lard, lb. 0 0 5 Bacon, lb. . 0 0 0 to 0 0 64 84 Ham, lb. 0 0 7 to 0 0 Fowls, parr 0 3 0 to 0 3 6 Ducks, pair 0 3 9 to 0 4 0 Cease, 6 6 Turkeys, pair - n l 6 Hay and Corn Market. £ s. d. £ s a Maize, Poverty Bay • 0 3 9 Oats, feed - . 0 1 9 to 0 1 11 Wheat do - . 0 3 3 to 0 3 6 Carrots • 1 10 0 to 2 0 0 Hay, ton - • 3 10 0 to 4 0 0 Oaten, ton - Straw, ton - 3 0 2 10 0 0 to 3 10 to 3 0 o 6 Chaff, — . 3 5 0 to 3 12 6 Wheat straw . 2 10 0 to 2 1 0 Onions - None in the market Potatoes, per ton . 10 0 to 1 10 0 Potatoes (new) - - 5 0 0 to 7 0 0 Floor Market. Sharps, per ton • £ 8. d. £ s. a • 3 10 0 3r<*u "cr toil . O A A ■ Colonial Flour • . 10 5 0 to 10 10 o Oatmeal 9 10 0 Pearl Barley - 15 0 0 nominal Seeds - e s d £ H. d Ryegrass, bushel • o’ 3 6 to 0 K 6 Cocksfoot, lb. • • 0 0 34 to 0 0 4 Wt. Clover, lb. - . 0 0 10Red, do Alsyke, lb. - • 0 0 8 to 0 0 9 . 0 0 10 Cow Grass, lb, ■ . 0 0 7 to 0 0 9 Timothy, lb. Rape, lb. • 0 0 6 - 0 0 2 nominal Linseed, perewt. • 0 16 0 HATYlSn&l Meadow Fescue lb • 0 0 0 to O'-l 0 , • . . ; , „■.!ij.t ,4