COMMERCIAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11048, 28 February 1898, Page 1

COMMERCIAL

Baily Times Office, Saturday eyeminc Business in the import market has been fairly good during the past week, the country trade more especially. There has been a slightly better inquiry for cornsacks, but the harvest beine very backward this season the demand is correspondingly late in getting in. Current selling rates are 4s 6d per dozen for ,44's, and 4s 9d, per dozen for 46's. Tha local manufacturers have notified a reduction of Jd perlb in their tariff rates for candles, and from the lst.of March next prices are fixed at from 3Jd per 1b for electrics to 5d per lb for paraffins, and 5Jd per lb'for gold medal Imported caudles j are not.affected, these finding-a sieady although I limited outlet at 6Jd.tp 6}d per lb for. best quality. There is 'not a great: deal of business doing in di-ied fruits, but the market is very firm. Currants cannot now be laid down at the rates at whieh i; they have been", selling recently, and although during-the week some parcels changed hands at 4|dpec lbj the firm quotation to-day is■s(Tper lb. Sultanas are,,selling at'6id per lb and elemes-afe.64l':i>er lb. Figs>have been quoted at s|d to 6d per lb in- bags,'rand 7d .to 74d' perlb in layers; boxes sell at 5s 6d to 0a :per dozen, according toJßize^!Ki6h-is;only selling-forTeijuirements. The herriDg'catch was short at Home thisi season, and everythinf»;indicates that prices will be high and imports restricted; meantime rates of local stocks are not altered,;-but holders-are firm. Of Nelson hops the market is quita bare; last sales were at 1b Id per lb. Calitoraiau hops are taken up at Is 6d per lb, and small lots of JKents, change hands at Is; lOii per lb. Stocks of kerosene have been largely increased by the early arrival of the Charles Racine with 25.000 cases, and thisha3 somewhat ■weakened the market, although no actual cha'ng" has been announced as yet in tariff rates. Haw and boiled linseed oils sell quietly at 2»*9d' and 2s lOd per ! gallon respectively. Castor oil is a shade easier ; parcels have changed hands at 3s 6d per gallon, and at a small advance for ordinary: lots. The rice ! market is very strong, both for Patua and dressed Japan. Advances in Hongkong have made local holders of dressed Japan harden their rates, and to-day's quotations are £24 to .£24. 10s per ton. Stocks of Patna rice are g'tiaall, and although eaily in the week sales-were passing at £19,10s per ton, holders now ask £20;1.0s and £21 per ton. There is nothing new to report regarding the sugar market". In'the absence, of: any change in the.-Colonial Sugar Company's rates, the prices of other descriptions remain stationary. Finest'whites—China, Queensland, and Company's—sell steadily at £16 per ton in bond, "and £21 per ton duty paid. COMMERCIAL TELEGRAMS. J London,: February 25. (Received February 26, at noon.) The weekly returns of the Bank of England show the total reserve to be £24,484,0(10, and the proportion of reserve to liabilities 44"10. Three months' bills are discounted at 2J per cent. Consols, 112 J. . ... Quotations for coloaial stocks:—