COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 732, 3 February 1910, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

.' , INVESTMENT SHAEES. ' • !Thcre wero'no transactions in investment shares yesterday, and there were, compara* tively few Quotations. National Bank', buyers £6 35., sellers £6 55.; Wellington Investment, buyers Its., tellers lis. 6t1.; Wellington Trust and Loan, buj'ers £7; Wellington Deposit, 'sellers Bs.; National Mortgage, buyer 3 £3; N.Z. and Biver Plate, buyers £1 155.; Wellington Gas, £10 paid, buyers -£17 12s.' 6d.; Wellington Woollen, , sellers £3 45.; Westport-Stockton Coal, buyers 75., sellers 7s. 3d.; D.I.G. preference, buyers £1 Is. 9d.; LeylandO'Brien Timber, buyers £1 os.; Sbarland's preference, buyers 21s. * 5

• TMPOIIT MARKKIS. Business continues fair, and it is'better with country districts than it is with the city and suburbs. There has bosn a considerable improvement during tho past two or three months, but it has not come to • expectations. • Values show.no quotable. changes, and stocks generally aro ample for immediate requirements. Arrowroot.—St. Vincent, 4d; pei' lb. . Candles.—Tho New Zealand Candlo Com* pany's quotations stand as follow:—Premier st-earine and five medal, 5d.; British sperm, French sperm, universal wax, Excelsior paraffin, s!jd.; Apollo sperm and Venus paraffin, 6d.; Venus, coloured Outed, 6£d.;. piano, bedroom, and carriage sorts in cardboard boxes, 7£d., lees the usual trade discounts. Price's London sperm, 16oz. 6?d., Uoz. 6d.; Burma, 160z., 63d. -Cornflour-Steady business passing. B. and. P., 5Jd.- to s*d.; Johnson's, 22d.; Brown's, 3d.; Chicago, 2Jd,; Buffalo, 2Jd. Cocoa.—A steady hand-to-mouth business is doing. Van Houtcn's, l's,.3s. 2d.; i's, 3s. 3d.; J's, ,3s. 4d. per lb.; Bensdorp's, l's,'2s: 10d.; i's. 2s. * 11a.; J's. 35.; Fry's, Is. 4Jd.j Bahia, 2s. lOd. Condensed Milk.—Highlander, 55.; Cowslip, 4s. -6d.; Swiss Milkmaid, 6s. 6d. to 6s. Id. per dozen./r ' Canned Meats.—Sheep tongues, - 10s. 6d. to lis. for- l's; ox tongues; 2i's. 31s. to 345.; 3's; 345. to 365. per dozen; Gear's assorted, potted, 4s. 6d.; St. George's, ss. Carbonate of Soda, 95.-!6d; to 10s. (Jream of Tartar, 9d. to lOd. Canned Fisli.—Herring in tomato' sauco, l's, 7s. to 7s. 6d.; Vs, 4s. 6d. to 55.; kippered herrings,'l's, 7s. 6d. to 75., 9d.; i'B, 4s. 6d. to ssl; frosh herrings, l's, 6s. to 63. ,6d.; lobster, C. and B;, ilb. tinß, 14s. 6d. to ISs.; salmon, salad, medium reds, lib. tails, Bs. 6d. to 95.; lib. flats, 9s. to 9s. 6d.; silver, Jib. flats, 55.; Golden Link. Sockeye, lib. tails, 10s. 6d.; lib. flats, lis.; Southern Cross, Jib., 63. 6d.; Hcrringlets in oil, r Senator' brand, Bs. to Bs. 6d.; in tomato sauce, cs. to Bs. 6d.; sardines, Skipper ?lb. tins, ss. to ss. 6d.; l's,'9s. 9d. to 10s.; "King Edward," ila, 4s. 9d. to 55.; i's, Bs. 6d.; ling, Smethur6t.brand, is making 555. t0.565. per cwt. Canned Frails.—The. demand is steady, and the quotations aro unchanged at Bs. 6d.- to 12s. 6dl . 1 .Dried Fruits.—Quotations aro nominal. Currants, finest provincials, 3d.; Amalias, 3d. .per lb.; lib. cartons, 3s. 6d. per dozen; sultanas, selected 31d., choice.'4d., golden (in bulk). 4d.j lib: cartons 4s.' 6d. per • dozen; dates, in bulk, 2d;, in cartons: 3si 6d. per dozen; tigs; natural; in bags; 3d.; seeded raisins, fancy lib. l packages, 45.; choice, 3s. 6d. per dozen; muscatels, Malaga. 10d. per lb.;i prunes, 3d. «to-3Jd. 'Itegarding currants, latest London mail advices report that, in that centre the demand is quiet, but there-is a distinctly -firm tone in the market:' Beceufr arrivals, especially of .Zante fruit,.show a considerable falling-oif in quality, and probably well selected parcels : bought' out of. earlier shipments will prove to -, bo - advantageous at any time and in any-market • 011 account' of the superiority of the,..fruit .over what cau now - bo supplied, country of production'.' - Tho demand for Sultanas is more active * than, is., usual at this time of, tho year,'.and the,market is firm. (Tho course of'tho "sultana market is being closely, watched in all consuming centres, and the prices aro so attractive that al'ready speculators have.-rbecn -. Jit • work • in Smyrna, the market there being, repotted at' Is..* to 2s. . above tho parity of , United Kingdom prices.' Although the ~ stock in this country is large, the supply of currants is small, and it .is probable that, at the low prices ' rilling?, the surplus in sultanas will,' bo . required ;.by manufacturers in tb& absence' of-any weight of ' low-priccd currants.; A recent report istated that the crop of Jordan almoijfls was; reported'to be larger thank that oflitho. previous year, but the yield: of Valeiioias'waa higher than .usual. Tho quality of both- Jordans.and.Valencia was considered very good,..the. nuts -running-' even' and reßul&V, 4- and showing' a sniallor proportion'■ o^ < shrivelled .kernels; A heavy demand existed' fpr< Jordans,..but priccs wero somewhat lower than the average.'due to tho largo crop.'.Great,Britain buys : over one-half of tho ; almonds exported from;' Malaga; iCuba l iß. ,' ( thc next' heaviest buyer. ■'

Evaporated •'Fruits.—Apricots, -7£d;' to od. psaches, 7d.;?»pears, Bd.;'apples, '- Ginger, preserved, ;r 7ad.,per, lb.' '•.. :«•*

Infants' Food.—Neave's, 9s. 9'd.j .Allan and Hanbury's Nos. 1 and 2, 175.; No. 3; 10s.'fid.; Benger's, 17si», Jtobinson's patent .groats and; barley,; 7s. 6d; Neaye r 3 milk food, 13s. 6d.;'Nestle'a f00d,.175. 6d. Jam.—Nevr 3s. ;6d.. to 4s. 6d. Knifo Polish.—Nixey'sV/4s;'6d.; Okey's, ss. ; •• .- / -• ; ; • •• - • Maizena.—Duryea's, • Mustard.—Coleman's D.S.F., i's, Is. sd. to Ib. 6d.j i's. Is. 31d. to Is., 4d.; Durham, 71b. tins, 7d. to',7id. '- Matchcs.—Plaids, 3s. Bd. to . 3s. : 9d. a' gross; penny • slides, ,Bs. 9d.. to 9s. '6d.; safeties, small foreign, 3s. to; ,3a: * 6d.; Bryant and .May's, . small ,4s. 6d.,,.1arg0, 75." 6d. | Nutmegs, Is. to Is.. 2d. per lb. ' ' 5 Oiivo Oil.—Several-..instances of . adulteration of olive oil with"'arachide, or nut oil, a much cheaper article, have been brought to light. recently- in Liverpool. Tho immunity frolm detection enjoyed :by tho sellDra of the "faked" oil had so emboldened them ;• that. not/only ; were they guaranteeing their oil pure, but 'were supplying analysts' certificates .of purity. The vendors, of the .adulterated article ovidently were relying for the avoidance of trouble .upon tho fact that tho British pharmacopoeia test in. such cases : was ,to 'determino the presence of cotton oil, and therefore would.not be of any use where arachide .was used. It is stated that handsome, profits had been, mado by this adulteration,- the proportion of nut . oil l added having ranged from 20 to 48 per 1 cent.. The adulterated oil : is found very undesirable in wool tops .spinning, . as, arachide, being a drying oil, the effect on the tops is to make them clog and to smell and to take on a bad colour. The inferior oil has been sold also for - tobacco purposes, and hero again, tho effect must be very bad. ; Tho. only remedy avaiiablo -'apparently is for buyers to 'conduct a spccial. test, and where the results warrant it to institute criminal proceedings.

Peel.—New' Zealand lemon, 4id., to 5d.; orange, sd. to 5Jd.; imported lemon, ,7's, sid.; orange, 51d.; citron, Is. to.ls. 2d. Pickles.—Morton's hexagon 10s. 6d., round 12s. sd.' per, Captain \Vhite's, 235. 6d.; Garton's H.P., J-pints, 12s. Cd.; pints, '225. fid.; pure. pickles, 95..' 6d.. to ,10s. - Rice.—No. 1,-15s. 6d.;'No. 2, 14s. 6d.; spe•cial 16s. per cwt. - Salt.—Fine, 71b. bags, ss. 6d. to 6s. 6d. per cwt.; bags, 3s. fid. to 45.; 'coarse, in cwt. bags,'3s. to os. 6d. per-cwt.' . ,

• Sauces.—L. and I'., J-pints, Ma. t0.,145. 6d.; pints, 255. to 255.. 6d.; Holbrook's, 1* pints, 7s. fid.; pints,,los. 6d. to 10s; 9d.; Garton's; j-pints, 7s. 6d.; pints, 10s.' to 10s. 6d.; Eagle brand (New Zealand), i-pints,' 2s. 9d. to 35.; pints, ss. 6d. to 6s. Starch.—Coleman's, lib. boxes, Sid.' to 5Jd.; 51b. packets, sd. to sid.; New. Zealand, lib. boxes,. 38s. to. 395. per cwt.; 51b. packets, 375. to 38s. per cwt. StoVo Polish—Hixcy's, ls.\ 6d.;. Bcekitt's, 3s. per dozen.. Sugar.—lA and No. 1,-56's, £17 155.; .No. 2, £17 55.; No. 3,, £16 ss. per ton.. Tapioca.—Pearl and Odke, 15s: to l lsa. 6d.; seed,-14s. to 14s. ,6d. . , : . Tea,—Kearley and Tonge, Ltd., report-.-inn on the Ceylon tea trade, state .that tho crop for last, year, considerably exceeded the estimate. There has been,, and still is, a i tendency to^bolieve: that, supplies . from ; Ceylon ? ar<S... likely ' to " remain stationary, or oven'decrease: owing - to- tho rubber boom, and there, ia no doubt many acres of tea-are',being destroyed by the' interplanting ;of rubber trees;but, for ever acre: so ■ destroyed, several acres of virgin soil ,in Ceylon 'have been planted with, new tea.."-'ln addition to this,-'tho majority of ■ tea' estates' anticipate, bigger yields per-'acre,-owing to more 'scientific planting and treatment'of. tbo-soil. - There is, therefore, i very - little .. fear that tho steady yearly -increase will- stop. - - , Vinegar.—French, 6s.'6d. to!7s.-6d.; Champion, Bs. 9d. to 95.; OoloniaJ,-'4s. to 4s. 6d.

IKONAND'I STEEL ' GOODS; ; Messrs. -Dntkie- and-: Co.;have" cable, advice of advances in : price on' English and American fencing ■' wire,; galvanised; corrugated iron, i steel-joists- and* girders, 1 ship and boiler plates, steel' .bars . and angles;': standard; bars/ tinplates,; wire nails- and staples, white.lead;-linseed oil,;::tram-rails,, Carron pig-iron.;, .i.,„. .... .. .. - Customs'■ rovonuov collected' at Wellington yesterday -'amounted.: to- £2416-17s. 7(1. ■ ; ■■ GRAIN,- MARKET. (By Telegraph.—Press ' AssociationJ ■ ' ; Chrlstctiurch, February 2 V Tho recont rain, and: the consequent injury to grain in .sto'ok, has-'caused buyers to turn their attention more to old wheat; the price of- which has appreciably hardened. During.;tho; la,st few days. sale's have i been made on a basis of from 4s.

3Jd. to 4s. 6d. f.0.b., tho demand-has increased. No difficulty is being found in placing lines at these quotations, and at tho close of the market buyers were ckcu. Well-saved stook-threshed samples also receivo increased attention, and tho tone of the market is considerably flrmer, as? high as 3s. lQd. at country stations keen. Woll-faved stook-thresljed ' samples which, however, are not in plentiful BUpply. ill connected with the grain trade recognise that "the result of the late unfavour-. able weather will be to place wheat of secondary Quality on the market later, whilo'there is a danger that the number of first-class samples will bo small. In order to bring the grain back to good condition, it will be necessary to leave the wheat in ctook a considerable time, and this will seriously : curtail deliveries during next month.. Offerings have been within narrow limits, and it is not anticipated trade will assume . largo • proportions for several weeks. In the mean-' time, holders of wheat display little eagerness to place . parcels. Oafe are in very limited supply. Probably owing to the nnticipatcd injury by rain the market is slightly better, prices having shown an advance of about ono halfpenny per bushel since last' report. Crops in many; localities aro. reported as giving unsatisfactory returns/ but generally it is expected the gross yield of the province will ejxecd that of last year by a considerable amount. Numerous inquiries have been received for parcels. Prices range from Is. 6d. to Is. 8d.,. tho former for light Danish. .'

LONDON WOOL . SALES. ' Messrs. Dalgcty and Company, Ltd., report having' received , tho following cable advices of realisations of wool on account of their clicnts ,at the January series of wool sales now being held in London:— 22 bales wool, Breezemcre, Mr.. A. Fleming 14d.; 21 bales wool,' ID., Mr. J. Jl'Givern, 13.3d.; 166 bales wool, M/Otairi, Messrs. Morton Bros, 12.1 d.; 167 bales wool, JW., Mr; William Melhuisli, 11.4 d.; 24 bales wool,, Three Diamonds, Mr. Thomas Hunt, JLld.; 14 bales wool, KJD/Kopjos. Mr. J. Didsbury,. lid.; 7 bales wool, YEIY, Mrs. E.> C. Irving, lid.;' 26 wool, Flat Point, Mr. C. A. Cameron,, 9.95 d.; 7 bales wool, Howbes, Mr. J. Bowie, 9£d.; 11 bales wool. PUKE/RW, Mr. W. E. Waldin, 12.3d.; 93 bales wool. KAWA/DS/H, Messrs. Mollsop. Elliott and Co., 9i<d.; 153 bales wool, Okirae, Mr. James Campion, 12.0 d.; 43. bale 3 wool, various brands, lid.