COMMERCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 482, 15 April 1909, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

—4 PROTECTED SHIPBUILDING. A rather remarkable report has been issued by Mr. Eugene T. Chamberlain, tho, United States Commissioner for Navigation. It'covers tho 12 months ended Juno 30 last, and in-view of recent discussions should arouso a good deal of local, interest. In part, the report: says:— 'Tor several years past we have virtually ceased to build ships for the foreign trader . and tho industry owes its existence almost wholly to tho laws restricting domestic transportation by water to vessels built in the United States. Even in this form of building •there are unmistakable indications of a diminution, at least for a year or two, of activo work in our shipyards. Indeed,' it is probable that . for the.next fow years shipyards both at Home and abroad will turn out a diminished product until the demands of trade, international and domestic, have caught up with ■ tho great amount of tonnage built throughout the world of late years. The outlook for shipbuilding during the ourrent fiscal year is less promising than at'any time during the past decade, and ■unless th-ero shall be a marked improvement in conditions, tonnago built and documented during the year will' not moio than equal onothird of that built and documented during the fiscal year just closed. For the firs? six months of the current,fiscal year tho tonnago built and numbered ; amounted to only 47,250 • gross tons, compared with 259,974 gross tons for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. . . At the beginning of the fiscal year no' steel .vessels were under construction or under contract to be built in the • shipyards of the Great Lakes, according, to returns received. The methods of constructing lake cargo steamers, however, are so much simplerthan those of ■ constructing' oceau steamers that it is still possible for the lake yards to return a considerable finished product by -the end of the curront fiscal year. , THE IMPORT MARKETS. Trade between merchant and retailer is quiet but steady, and excess stocks are gradu!-: ally being worked cff. "Values show no changes,' and no attompt is being made in any direction to advance prices r-r Arrowroot—jDoherty's J's and l's, 3Jd. to 4d. per lb. ... . Blue—Reckitt's bag 81d., square 71d.; Colman s and Keen's, square and bag, 71d.: Empire, 6d. Candles—With the shortening of the days ,the demand has increased for .candles, > and the New Zealand-made article is selling well.' The New Zealand Candle Compan/s quotations, issued December 19, are:— Premier's stearine and five medal, 5Jd.; British sperm, French sperm, Universal 'wax, Excelsior paraffine, 6d.; Apollo sperm and Venus paraffine,; 6}d.; Venus coloured fluted, £}d,.; piano, bedroom, and/carriage sorts,'"packed in cardboard boxes, 7Jd. ; less the usual trade" d'is-' counts. Price's London sperm, 160z., Cjd.: 140z.„ 6Jd.; Burma, 160z., 6|d.. Cornflour is meeting with fair sale; B. and P., sid. to 5Jd.; Johnson's, 2Sd.; Brown's, 3d.; Chicago, 2Jd. ■ Dried Fruits—Currants, finest provincials,, !Bd. per lb.; cleaned Amalias, 3Jd.; lib. cartons, Bs. Gd. per doz. Sultanas', selected 3!d., choice 4d., golden 4jd. to 5Jd. per 1b..; lib.. cartons, 4?. 6d. per dozen... Dates, bulk, 2sd. per lb.; Cattons, 3s. 6d. perdozen.'Figs, 12oz. glove boxes, Ss. 3d. per dozen. Figs, lib. layers, 4}d.; slb. naturals, sd. per lb. Seeded raisins are slightly lower, fancy lib. packets.4s., choice 3s. Gd. per: dozen. Muscatels, Californian, s's boxes 6d., , 10's 5Jd., 20's 4Jd. per lb.; Malaga, sJ's at 10d. per lb. Canned'fruit meets with slow sale at Bs. Gd. to 12s. 6d> . Evaporated fruits, such as apples, apricots, and peaches, make from 7Jd. to Bd. per lb. Cocoa—A steady, hand-to-mouth business is doing. Van Souten's, l's, 3s. 2d.; J-'s, 3s. 3d.; \'s, 3a. 4d. per lb.; Bensdorp's, l's, 2s; 10d., J's, 2s. lid.; i's, 35.; Fry's, Is. 4Jd-J Bahia, 2s. lOd. - . • ; Condensed Milk.—Highlander, 55.; 'Cowslip,. 4s. 6d.; Swiss Milkmaid, 6s. 6d. to 6s. lldi per dozen. , Canned Meats.—Sheep tongues, 10s. Gd. to lis. fot l's; ox tongues, 2i's, 31s. to 3ts.; 3's, 345.' to S6s. per dozen; Gear's assorted, potted, 4s. 6d.; St. George's, ss. Canned Fish.—Herrings in tomato sauce, l's, . 7s. ' to 7s; Gd.; l's . 43.. : Gd.. to 55.; kippered herrings, l's, 7s. ' Gd. . . to 7s. 9d.; J's, is. 6d. to 55.; fresh herrings, l's, 6s. to 6s. 6d.; lobster,~C. and 8., lib.,tins, ( l4s. Bd. to 155.; salmon, salad, medium reds, lib. tails, Bs. Gd. to 93.; lib. fiats, 9s. to 9s. Gd.; silver, Jib. flats, 55.; Golden Link, Sockaye, lib: tails, 10s. Gd.; lib. flats,(lis.;.Southern Cross," ilb., 6s. 6d.; herringlets, in oil; Senator brand, Bs. to Bs. Gd.; in tomato sauee.'SSs. ,t0,85.<6d.; sardines, Skipper, ilb. tins, ss. to .sj. 6d. ; i's, 9s. 9d. to 10s.;-"King Edward," i's,-fa- 9d. to 55.; i's, Bs. 6d.; ling,. Smethurst brand, is making 555. to 565. per cwt.;. codfish; in 21b. blocks and strips, is meeting with fair inquiry. The salmon pack of the Pacific coast for , 1908, according to tho statistics compiled by the Anglo-British Canadian Packing Co., amounted to 3,832,592, or 36,877 cases less than for the previous year. A comparison with the 'catch ot the-previous two seasons is, given hereunder;— " 1906. 1907.' 1908.; » ( Cases. Cases.- Cases. Alaska ... .... 2,227,064 2,170,272 2,619,019 Puget Sound ... 721,686 314,151 British Columbia 629,460 547,459 .542,689 Col. Eiver ... 360,129 302,481 253,341 Sacramento ... — — . Outside rivers ... 159,953 127,591 103,392 Totals ... ... 3,817,316 3,869,469 3,832,592 ; Chemicals.—Cream of tartar, 95 per cent., 9d. to 9Jd., 99 per cent. 9sd. to lOd.; tartaric acid, Is. 3d. per lb.; soda crystals, £5 10s.; bicarbonate of soda. ilO 10s.; calcium carbide, ills to bluestone, ,£32 10s.; whiting, .£4 15s. • Mustard.—Fair sales. ■ Colman's D.S;F.,' J's," Is. s!d. to Is. 6d.;'i's, Is. 31d. to Is. 4d.; Durham, 71b. tins, 7d. to 7{d. I. Matches.—Plaids, 3s. Bd. to 3s. 9d. a gross; ' penny slides, Bs. 9d. to 9s. Gd.; safeties, small, foreign, 3s. to 3s. 3d.; Bryant and-Ma/s, email, is. Gd.; large,,7s. Gd. Linseed Oil.—The "Ironmonger," to hand by the last mail, speaks of tho market for linseed oil as having a sagging tendency, and showing .utter want of.life. "Movements are extremely small and slow, but, on the whole, the values have come down..lt seems impossible to attribute the dullness to any particular cause. 1 The statistics ; ate 1 : not unfavourable, and the. demand for'oil is fairly steady; but tho opinion seems to be: gaining ground that the year 1909 will not be altogether a successful time so far as commerco is concerned; Although nothing definite can be. said, it is probably the political situation, both for Homo and foreign affairs, which is responsible for the destruction of the hopes indulged in two months ago. The actual loss in the value of linseed oil. since we.last wrote is 15s. per ton, while the'backwardation for forward'delivery (in Hull)'has fallen from 1 7s. 6d. to 2s.'-6d. por ton. So ,far as the future is conferned,; the situation is without any feature which' is useful for guidance. The present price is reasonably low—indeed, compared with other oils, it looks very low—but, for all that, it may go a little lower. Our feeling is that any downward market movements would probably Be compensated for by tho advantage of having and selling matured oils. The January imports of seeu were smaller than " any figures during the last five years, as.will appear from the following table:— . i ' ; . ' . ' 1905; 1906. ' 1907. 1903. 1909. Quantity ... 103,603 93,163 111,131 97,306 90,385 qrs. Price of 0i1... £14 £22/8/6 £21/12/6 £23/5/- -£21/7/6 "Of course, it is possible that during' the present year we shall see a repetition of tho 19M-5 prices, but it is not probable,.and can scarcely come about unless both Argentine and Indian imports are large. The Argentine figures for January are 50 per cent, over last year's;.but tho Indian figures are little more than ono-third of those in 1908." ■~ ,' Nutmegs, Is. 6d. to Is. 9d. per lb. Peel.—Lemon peel is reported scarce, iand further supplies from Messina will not rcaett this market until June., - For lemon 7's the quotation remains at 5Jd.; orange, Gd.; citron, Is. per lb. Pickles.—Morton's hexagon 10s. 6d„ round 12s. 6d. por dozen; Captain White's, 235. Gel.; Garton's H.P., 1-pints, 12s. 6d.; pints, 225. 6d.; puro pickles, 9s. 6d. to' 10s. Rice.—No, 1, 165.; No. 2, 15s. per cwt. Salt.—Fine, 71b. bags, ss. 6d. to 6s. 6d.; cwt. bags, 3s. 6d. to 45.; . coarse, in-cwt. bags, 3s. to Ss. 6d. per cwt.. : - Sauces.—L. and;P.,. J-pints,. 14s. to 14s. 6d.; pints, 255.. to 255. 6d.; Holbrook's, J-pints, 7s. Gd.; pints, 10s. 6d. to 10s. 9d.; Garton's, }- pints, 7s. 6d.; pints, 10s. to 10s. 6d.; Eagle brand (N.Z.), j-pints, 2s. 9d. to 35..; pints, ss. fid. to 6s. Starch.—Colman's, lib. boxes, s!d. to s|d,; Bib. packets, sd. to s}d.; New Zealand, lib. boxes, 38s. to 395. per cwt.; 51b. packets, 375. to 38s. per cwt. • Tapioca.—Seed, lis. 6d.;, pearl, 15s. Gd. .per Cwt. Sugar.—The market is 6tcady, with a good demand. 1A and No. 1, 56's, i!IC 155.; No.' 2, <£16 55.; No. 3, £lb ss. per tonVinegar.—Midland Red Hock, quarts, Bs. Gd.; Champion, quarts, 9s. 6d.; Rod Seal, quarts, 45.; Midland concentrated, Boz. bottles, lis. Gd. per doz.; concentrated, sgal. casks, 9s. Gd. per gallon; pure malt, 28gal. casks, 2s. 9d. per gallon. Tea.—Tho figures issued by the London Tea Brokers' Association, show that deliveries of Indian tea during February amounted to 14,765,0001b./against 12,752,0001b. for February, 1908; Ceylon, 8,144,0601b., against 7,919,0001b.; and Java, 1,059,0001b., against 795.0001b. The totals f(tr all descriptions of .tea for the-eight

months from July 1 to February 2S compare with corresponding periods of previous seasons as follow:— 1906-7. 1907-8. 1908-9. Lb. Lb. Lb. ..Imports: ... ... 242,502,000 239,205,000 242,789,000 ;. -Deliveries ... ... 212.045,000 202,389,000 207,904,000 } 'Stocks, Fob. 28 ... 120,077,000 117,292,000 111,253,000 ' , Thoso figures, which rclato to London. only, ! show that stocks at tho end of February were J smaller than a year previous by about ' 6,000,0001b. Messrs. W. J. and H. Thompson " state; in their circular of March 4, that tho in- ' creaso'in deliveries during February was matc- £ rialljvhelped by re-exports, orders being ret Reived ifrojra America in expectation of a duty ■ in that country. Supplies of tea offered at tho ' London auotion sales for tho week to March 4 ! wero rather heavy for immediato requirements, - and, while little chango in quotations took : place, th,o tone towards the close was rather t weaker, Especially for common and low medium > descriptions..., \ FRUIT AND PRODUCE REPORT. I Messrs. Griffiths and Co., Ltd., report prices ■ at their fruit 'and produce sales yesterday as ; follow:—Potatoes, 3s. cwt.; onions, 4s. Gd. to ss. 1 cwt.; cabbagos, Is. Gd. to 2s. 6d. sack; cauli- ; flowers, good, 3s. to 45.; peas, good, ss. part- '■ sacks; beans, 2s; to 2s. 6d. part-sacks; tomatoes, • 2s. to 2s. Gd. half-cases; lettuco, Is. 3d. to 2s. Gd. i case; peaches, choice eating, 4s. to 4s. 3d. half- : cases; ohoice cooking, 2s. Gd. to 3s. Gd. halfi cases; apples, choice dessert, ?s. to 95., prime dossert 6s, to 75., choice cookers 4s. 9d. to ss. i 6d., inferior, 3s. to 4s. ; pears, choice Decop 7s. Gd. to Bs. 6d., other desserts ss. to 65., cooking 3s. to 4s. 6d.; pumpkins, 3s. to 3s. Cd. sack; carrots, 3s. sack; parsnips, 3s. to 3s. Gd. sack; celery, Is. dozen; marrows, Is. Gd. to 2s. sack; eggs, Is. lOd. to 25.; fowls, 3s. to 3s. Gd. pair; 'ducks, 4s. .to 4s. 6d. pair._ A largo amount of business was • turned over in the Exchange yesterday, hut, on the whole, tho market was dull, and sales in many lines hard to effect. Xaery and Co., Ltd., Wellington, report wholesale prices ruling on the market:—Wheat, fowl 4s. Gd. to 4s. 9d.; oats, feed, 2s. Id. to 2s. 3d.; . dun: oats,' 2s. s 2s. 3d.; seed oats, 2s. 4d. i to 2s. Bdi; Algerian seed oats, 2s. Gd.; maize, ; 4s.:';lod. <to ss."S'd?: "crushed malt,. Bs. 9d.; fowl ; ' barley, -3s. horse ibeans, 4s. Gd. (all at per ' bushel); ricemeal, -C 5 to .£5 55.; flour, Ne\v Zealand, .£l2 10s.; ibran, £i 10s. to £i 155.; pearl barley, JSIG; peas, partridge , 4s. 9d., Prussian blue ss. to' ss. 6d.; fowl peas 4s. 3d., split J617 10s.; bonedust, i:6; suporphospliatesi .£5 to JES 55.; guano, «£4 10s.; chaff (oatensheaf), to £3 155.; oatmeal, £9 15s. to J310; potatoes, 10s. to £4; onions, i! 5 to .£6; molasses ■ fodder, »£5 bacon (factory), sides 73d., hams Bd., rolls 81d-J butter, bulk, Bd. Poultry—Hens, 35.; ducks, 4s. to 55.; turkeys, gobblers" ,11s.' .to ,125., hens 9s. to 10s.; .frestt :eggs, Is.. lOd. to 25.; preserved eggs, Is. 7d. per dozen; cheese', Gd. to 6Jd._ per lb., loaf 7d. to 7ld. per lb.; Akaroa machine-dressed cocksfoot," '(Ja. to, Bd.>;" farmers' dressed, sd. to 6d. . ner lb.'; .'ryigrasS;,3s, 3d. to 4s. 6d. per bushel; Italian' ryegrass, 3s> Gd. to ,4s. bushel; white clover, 70s. to 755. per cwt. l ; red clover, 655. , : 'cwt.;":cDW"'"grass; - '"6ss. cwt.'; alsike, 82s. 6d; cwt.; mustard, 40s. cwt.; trefoil, 375. 6d cwt.; rape seed, ,265. cwt.; Timothy, 325. 6d cwt.; swede and; turnip seed, 60s. cwt. LIVE STOCK SALES. 'Messrs.. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report on their: Jolmsonvillo sale as follows:—A fair entry of cattle "and sheep sold at late rates. Best bullocks, £7 12s. Gd. to ,£8 55.; light bullooks, £1; medium wethers, 12s. 4d. to 12s. lid.; : good ewes, 10s. 9d. to lis.; plain, 10s.; medium quality lambs,";losi; 6d. to 10s. 7d. . .... • BURNSIDE STOCK MARKET. , ' ' " Cut tsi.k gk'apii—r 1!KS?, associatiom.j : Dunedin, April 14. At the Burnsido stock market 147 fat cattle were yarded. Notwithstanding the small entry prices were easier , than last week, most of the butchers having supplies on hand. Best bullocks, .£8 to .£9 10s.; medium, ,£6 10s. to £1 10s.; unfinished,. ,£5 to .£6; aTerago cows and heifers, to i£s. Sheep—2276 yarded. A full yarding. On account of butchers having sheep on hand from last week's sale prices were slightly easier all . "round., Btet..wqtWs, 15a. to 165.; extra, 18s.; medium, 13s. to. 145.; inferior, 10s, to lis. Gd.; best ewes, 10s. to' 125.; medium, Bs. to 95.; inferior, Gs. to 7s. Lambs—2ooo yarded. A good big yarding of good" quality,'prides being a shade firmer. Best lambs, 12s. to 13s.;'extra, to 145.; medium, 10s. 6d. to. lis. .Bd.; inferior, Bs. to 9s. Pigs—B-1 yarded ; Small pigs were of good quality, and in 'great demand. Prices were firmer. Porkers and baconers met with brisk sale- at ! -6liglitly-" ; "a'dvanced rates. Suckers, 12s. ' to 145.; slips, 15s. .to 18s.; stores, 205.. to 245. porkers, 355.. to *435.; light baconers, 465. to • 505.; heavy 1 , 535. to'sßs. , , DUNEDIN "GRAIN MARKET.. (bi ;telegbai'B—raEss associatiot.) Dunedin,'April 14.' Dunedin- grain., market reports state that in wheat a slightly higher leyel of values has . been established during the week, 4s. net being paid for mixed lines of, Ted chaff, tuscah, velvet on trucks at country stations, equal to 4s. 2d. t0..45. 3d. 'ex trucks at Dunedin. Mpre is wanted for deferred delivery, and some growers are sitting, .solidly on their stocks with no intention • of. selling at present. .Offorings of prime■ milling are on a restricted scale; broken and inferiorlfetches 2s. 9d. to 3s. 3d.; medium ' to'.good clear whole fowl wheat, 3s. Gd, to 3s. 9d. ox store. As to oats, up to the present consignments have' hot been extensive, but perhaps sufficient for-requirements. _ A moderate , demand ovists, but there are no indications of improvement in prices. Prime feed and milling, Is. 4Jd.; medium to good, Is. 3}d. to Is. id.; inferior, Is. 2d. to Is. 3d. cx store. ■ - THE TALISMAN COMPANY. With-regard to the circular'recently issued - by certain- Auckland shareholders asking for a < general proxy in favour of Mr. Stafford, the ■ Wellington'-'committee states that, at the request of the members of the proposed Advisory Board, the London directors have been recommended to fix the remuneration of such members at £100 per annum, each instead of £210 as 6tated in the circular. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. (DT TKLKORATH —FUXS3 ASSOC! ATION —COPYRIGHT.) Sydney, April 14. Wheat nominal; holders ask ss. 3d. Flour, .£ll 10s. Oats, Algerian, 2s. 2d. to 2s. 3d.; white, 2s. 4d. to 2s. sc. Barley, Cape, 2s. Bd. ■ to 2s.'lid. Maize, 4s. Id. to 4s'. 3d. Bran, ifi-i 15s. Pollard, -,£5. Potatoes, Tasmanian, ,£5. Onion, Now Zealand, £1; Victorian, £1 10s. Butter, 88s. Cheese, Gd. to 7d. Bacon, 7id. to Bd. Melbourne, April 14. Business has not-been properly resumed after tho holidays. Wheat nominally quoted to ss. Id. Bran, Is. OJd. Adelaide, April 14. Wheat nominal, ss. Flour, £11 10s. Bran, Is. Id. Pollard, Is. 2d. Oats, Algerian, 2s. to 2s. 2d. WHEAT AND IJLOUR. (BTTELEOEAPH—PBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) London, April 13. The quantity ,'pf,'.wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 3,650,000 quarters, and for the Continent 1,350,000. Atlantic shipments, 81,000 quarters. Tho total shipments of wheat to.Europe for the week are : 735,000 quarters, including ! 303,000 from the Argentine and Uruguay, ! . .SILVER, ■ , (BY TILEQEAPH—P3E?S ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) , London, April 13. ' Bar silver is quoted at 23 9-lGd. per ounco : ; standard. SHARES AND DEBENTURES. (BY TELEQRAPH PIIESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) London, April 13. '•4, , " Buyers. Sellers. Banks— ■ , £s. d. £s. d. , Australasia ... 106 0 0 107 0 0 N.S. Wales ... ... 44 10 0 45 10 0 . Union ... ... ... 61 0 0 62 0 0 National ... ... 50 0 "5 5 0 1 ' Now Zealand ... ... 910 0 10 0 0 " Debentures—Bank of New Zealand guaranteed debentures',"£lol; Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Debentures, '£94. ' - Messrs. Stewart Dawson and Co., Ltd jewel krs, of L-mbton Quay, havo just oponed up another shipment of'their "Wolta" alarm clocks and invito inspection. , ' Messrs. Thomson and Brown insert a special :change list of Wellington real estate property *opon' for exchange for farms., Tho firm also offer for sale a superior residential property iii , Abel: Smith Street. Full particulars will be found elsewhere. Messrs. Thomson and Brown liave also beon appointed sole agents for the ' ;Tauranga farms owned by Mr. G. Yorex, and 1 jthev invite inquiries. Plans may bo obtained ,'at their office.'