COMMERCIAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19374, 24 December 1932, Page 21

COMMERCIAL

DUNEDIN FRUIT MARKET. BETTER BUSINESS REPORTED. By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, December 23. Business has been very brisk in the fruit marts during the week, if anything brisker than at this time last year. There has been keen demand for cherries and strawberries, and good prices are being obtained for choice quality lines of both fruits. This is in marked contrast with the position last Christmas, when cherries were offering at from 2d to 6d per lb. Small lots of peaches and apricots are now arriving from Central Otago, and are meeting with good demand. Black and red currants and gooseberries have been selling at rates which can hardly pay the grower. Housewives are not inclined to make jam during the Christmas season, and it is expected that there will be a better demand when the holidays are over. The apple market is bare of supplies. A small lot of Sturmers which arrived during the week realised 15/- per case.

Tomatoes are in good supply, but the market remains firm. Consignments are arriving chiefly from Christchurch, with smaller lots from Oamaru and local hothouses.

The Wainui arrived on Tuesday with the last consignments of Australian oranges—that is until the embargo on the importation of Australian fruit is lifted by the New Zealand Government. American oranges are high in price, mainly on account of the advance in exchange, and importers are not anxious to operate at the values ruling. Lemons are in short supply. Only New Zealand grown are offering, but these * generally speaking, are not of the best quality. Good prices, however, are being realised. Samoan bananas, which arrived on Tuesday, being railed ex Maui Pomare from Lyttelton, were in splendid condition. Some 9900 cases reached the market, the price per case being fixed at 23/-. Stocks are now sold out of wholesale hands.

PRODUCE BUSINESS AT A STANDSTILL. By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, December 23. Business in all produce lines is now practically at a standstill for the time being, and there are few transactions going through. Latest statistics show that there is plenty of wheat available to carry millers on till the new season’s cereal is available. HOME ADVICES. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 22. Flour is dull; Australian ex store 20/-. Oats are tending easier. Peas and beans are quiet and unchanged.

END-OF-YEAK LULL. CHRISTCSHURCH MERCHANTS IDLE. By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 23. Merchants have practically retired for the year as far as actual business is concerned. They will open their offices to-morrow, but then will close until January 4th. Very little business is discussed, with prices so low. Forward sellers are not anxious to operate, and farmers are equally disinclined to offer produce. Potato quotations are based on about £2/7/6 to £2/10/- on trucks for April-May-June delivery. It is probable that after the New Year North Island merchants may be tempted by such quotations to trade, but the record low prices of Pukekohe potatoes are keeping them off the market in the meantime. The future of wheat is too uncertain to encourage speculation in fowl wheat and a possible basis for small seeds is not mentioned. MELBOURNE QUOTATIONS. United Press Assocfation —By Electric Telegraph- -Copyright * MELBOURNE, December 2SI Wheat, 2/7 to 2/8. Flour, £7/10/-. Bran, £5. Pollard, £5/10/-. Oats, 1/8 to 1/B b. Barley, English 2/8 to 2/10. Maize, £5/5/-. Onions are dull, £3/10/- occasionally

BRADFORD TOPS. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 22. Bradford is a holiday market, and quotations are unchanged. GOLD. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 22. Gold is quoted at 123/4?- per standard ounce. WHEAT ADVICES. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 22. Cargoes are slightly lower. Parcels are harder, but trading is small. London Futures—December 21/-, February-April 20/-. Liverpool Futures —March 4/7, May 4/8. Spot trade is slow; Australian exship 25/- to 27/6.

GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 22. The following are the latest quotations for Government securities £ Imperial consols, 21 p.c 74 s. 0 d. 0 Funded loan. 4 p.c., 1960-90 108 15 0 Conversion loan, 31 p.c 99 2 6 War loan, assented, 31 p.c. 98 17 6 Victory bonds, 4 p.c 108 0 0 C'wealth 6 p.c.. 1931-41 . . .. 105 0 0 C’wealth 5 p.c., 1945-75 . . . . 102 0 0 C’wealth 3i p.c., 1936-37 .. 98 10 0 N.Z. 6 p.c., 1936-51 106 17 6 N.Z. 41 p.c., 1943-58 106 0 0 N.Z. 31 p.c., 1940 97 5 0 N.Z. 3 p.c., 1945 90 10 0 N.S.W. 61 p.c., 1930-40 .. .. 102 13 9 N.S.W. 6 p.c., 1930-40 101 0 0 N.S.W. 4 p.c., 1933 99 18 9 N.S.W. 31 p.c., 1930-50 .. .. 89 5 0 N.S.W. 3 p.c., 1935 96 17 6 Victoria 51 p.c., 1930-40 .... 101 7 6 Victoria 5 p.c., 1932-42 . . . . 101 5 0 Victoria 4:1 p.c.. 1940-60 . . . . 101 2 6 Victoria 31 p.c., 1929-49 . . . . 90 12 6 Victoria 3 p.c., 1929-49 . . . . 83 0 0 Queensland 6 p.c., 1930-40 .. 103 5 0 Queensland 5 p.c., 1940-60 . . 102 10 0 Queensland 3 p.c., 1922-27 . . 84 2 6 S. Aus. 61 p.c., 1930-40 . . . . 102 12 6 S. Aus. 31 p.c., 1939 97 5 0 S. Aus. 3 p.c., 1916 or after 74 5 0 W. Aus. 6 p.c., 1930-40 100 0 0 W. Aus. 3i p.c., 1920-35 . . 98 17 6 W. Aus. 3 p.c.. 1915-3* . . . 97 2 6 Tasmania, 61 p.c., 1930-40 . . 102 17 6 Tasmania 31 p.c., 1930-40 . . 95 IQ 0 Tasmania. 3 p.c., 1920-40 .. 93 19 0

BANK OP ENGLAND RETURNS. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 22. The Bank of England returns are as follows:— ISSUES DEPARTMENT. Notes in circulation . . . . 370,095,754 In Banking Department . 24,690,530 Total £394,788,284 Government debt 11,015.100 Other Government securities 255,111.483 Other securities 5,062,528 Silver and coin 3,810.886 These four items constitute the amount of the fiduciary issue of £275,000,000. Gold coin and bullion .. 119,788,284 Total £394.788,284 BANKING DEPARTMENT. Proprietors’ capital .. 14,553,000 Rest 3,346,937 Public deposits 7,825.512 Other deposits — bankers . 93,898,276 Other accounts 33.988,747 Seven day and other bills 1,509 Total £158,613,981 Government securities .. 99,676,824 Other securities, discount, advances 11,832,965 Securities 21,573.915 Notes 24.690,530 Gold and silver coin 839,747 Total £15o. The proportion of reserve to liabilities, 18.10 per cent. Short loans it per cent. Three months’ bills, 11 per cent.

FOREIGN EXCHANGES. British Official Wireless RUGBY, December 22. The following are the current rates of exchange:— Par. Paris, fr. to £1 .. .. 124.21 85 9-16 New York, dol. to £1 4.886 3.32s Montreal, dol. to £1 4.886 3.83S Brussels, belgas to £1 35 24.0 Geneva, fl. to £1 . . 25.2215 17.291 Amsterdam, fl. to £1 12.107 8.291 Milan, lire to £1 .. 93.43 65 1-16 Berlin, reich to £1 .. 20.43 13.97 -i Stockholm, kr. to £1 18.159 ' 18.30 Copenhagen, kr to £1 18.159 19.29 \ Oslo, kr. to £1 . . . . 18.159 19.40 Vienna, schgs. to fl 34.585 28a Prague, kr. to £1 Helsingfors, marks to 164.25 112 k £1 193.24 229 Warsaw, zylots to £1 43.38 28.81 Madrid, pesetas to £1 25.2215 40; Lisbon, escudos to £1 110 1091 Athens, drach to £1 375 625 Bucharest, dinars 813.6 570 Belgrade, dinars .. Rio de Janeiro, pence 24.22 2471 to milreis . . Buenos Aires, pence 4.988 53 to dol Monte Video pence to 47.577 noin. dol 51 30 (notn.) Batavia (guilders) 9.12 8.12 Bombay, d. to rupee : 16 18 11-64 Shanghai, d. to tael * 19 13-16 Hongkong, d. to dol. * 15 7-16 Yokohama, d. to yen. 24.56 152 * Determined by price of silver.