COMMERCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2603, 3 February 1904, Page 32

COMMERCIAL.

Says the Dumstan Times: — "Over 10 tons of fruit are being sent from this district weekly to Dunedin via Ida Valley station. Orchardists complain bitterly that, owing to the difficulties experienced in carting to the station, they are losing considerably more fruit than they are able to send away. This fact is greatly to be deplored, especially as prices in Dunedin are fairly good at present. The ventilated trucks which the local fruitgrowers requested th© Railway Department to put on to Ida Valley are proving a decided advantage, and the fruit is landing in Dunedin in tip-top condition."

Notwithstanding rather quiet times, the Australian Mutual Provident Society was able to transact a larger new business in 1903 than in the previous year. The totals for the last four years are as follow:— 1900, £4,224,106; 1901, £3,753, 064; 1902, £3,702,576; 1903,' £3,733,000. The exhibit is a very satisfactory one. Mr 0. J. Fulton, chief hemp grader in New Zealand, has received a letter from the United States botanist in charge of fibre plants in which the. writer says: ''The marked improvement in the quality and uniformity of grades of New Zealand fibre which has been brought about by the introduction of your rigid system of grading and inspection meets with the hearty approval of our American importers ■ and manufacturers, and this approval is very plainly shown in the increased demand for the fibre and the higher prices which are being paid for it." _ . . . A London cable states Contimental buyers of cotton are operating largely in Liverpool. They raised the spot price to Bd, which is the highest for 30 years. At New York prices advanced 40 points. Th© Milburn Lime and Cement Company has secured the sole patent righ+s of the Koilberg machine — a machine that is capable of making high-class drain pipes of eaiid and cement without reinforcement. Tests of these pipes show their superiority over best vitrified pipes, both in strength and porosity. A full description of these tests and machinery apoeared in Engineering- of December 26, 1902, which will no doubt be of interest to the profession. The cost is substantially less. An expert will arrive in Dunedin very shortly to operate- the machine and train the workmen. Plants have been erected during the past year in South Africa and Australia, and are now in successful operation. It is anticipated by the Milburn Company that the- machine referred to will be the pioneer to a new industry — viz., a cementware factory. Mr Straw, who hae been working the Fortification mine for some time past, has (the Bruce Herald is informed) after a large amount of hard work succeeded in opening up the original dip, the coal from which is of a superior quality to that mined sinoe the dip was closed. It is stated (reports the Bruce Herald) j that it has been decided by the Fortification boring syndicate to oeaee operations, after , an expenditure of about £950. The first j bore was put down 237 ft, when the pipes" telescoped ; the second bore struck slate at 350 ft, and at a meeting of the syndicate it was decided to stop. Messrs Begg and Co., the owners of the property, have, however, started boring on the Coombe Hay eide. and intend to put down wveral bores, if necessary, to tap the coal. The non-success of the syndicate is to be regretted, as its members showed more than ordinary pluck and grit in taking up the task of boring for better ooal measures.

The Customs returns for Dunedm for the month of January were as follow. — 'Customs duty, £49,856 3s 8d ; beer duty. £2439 13s 6d; gold exported, 8720z, valued at £3487. For January of last year the figures were : — Customs duty, £41,706 7s 6d ; bee* duty, £2215 Is lid; gold exported, 16,2930z, valued at £65,925. The Customs duties collected at the several ports of New Zealand during the quarter ended 31st December last totalled £641,982, as compared with £593,030 during the corresponding quarter of 1902. Spirits show an increase from £120,859 to £122.967. Cigars and snuff fell from £7308 to £6393, and cigarettes rose from £18,300 to £21.579. Manufactured tobacco rose from £75,250 to £82.756. Australian wine decreased form £4524 to £3767, and and boor, etc., from £5841 to £5701. Sugar, mols'sos, and treacle increased from £53,151 to

£55,525, goods by weight from £59,076 to £61-, 791, and goods ad valorem from £201,233 to £226,534. For the 12 months ended 31st December the Customs revenue amounted to £2,501,897, as against £2,285,157 for 1902. The- receipts at the four centros during theyear were as follow, the- figures for 1902 being piven in parentheses: — Auckland, £636,740 (£604,514); Wellington, £636,650 (£539,179) ; Lyttelton and Christohu-ch, £369,756 (£336,625); Dumdin, £413,873 (£406,032). The Excise duties collected during the December quarter of 1903 totalled £29,722, as compared with £26,7E6 for the December quarter of 1902. Of this amount beer contributed £28,153, as against £25,361 for the corresponding period of 1902 " The total Excise revenue- for 1903 was £100,021, as compared with £94/84 for 1902.