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TRADE AND FINANCE,
WooL
p The second of the local wool sales held
m this city en Monday posed off more sa
tisfactorily than at one time seemed likely.
Since the dose of the ooenine auctions
there has been a slight ?weakening of the
position in Bradford, and it was feared
that this would be reflected here even ?with
respect to good wools. On the whole com
petition was keen, buyers showing that they
.'wanted supplies, and' often indicating that
they ivere determined to get them. The
quantity withdrawn was larger than at the
li-Su sales, this being due to owners pkrin;'
too high a reserve upon their clip. Good
merinos did not exhibit much alteration,
the general .opinion beins that they were'
no lower. Prices were, however, more ir
re^ilar, and anything of an inferior nature
was sold for less money. In Sydney the
sales have been proceeding without change.
Prom American advices we learn that at the
beginning of September there was a steady
enquiry fcr the staple. The requirements
of the marie! were calling for supplies,
and fair business was pat through. Oon
Fumption was said to be unquestionably
larger than for some time past, and an ab
sence of speculation was ncted. There was
moderate enquiry for Australian fleece,
,both merino and' crossbred.
—The Federal Tariff.—
A meetinjr of merchants and others inte
Tested in the tea trade was held in Ade
Ltide on llondav, when a letter addressed
to the Federal Treasurer was drawn up and
imnnimously signed, protesting against the
differential duties on tea, and advocating
tlie reintreducrion of a uniform tariff. A
fimilar meetins of tea importers and tra
ders has been neld in Melbourne, and the
«=jme action taken.
—British Trade Prosperity.—
The four main tests of the condition of
trade in Great Britain are the Board of
Trade returns, the London bankers' clearing
house figures, the railway traffic receipts,
end the state of the skilled labour market.
The first-named show that during Septem
ber imports, for the second month in suc
cession, declined as compared with last
year. During the nine months they were
valued at £38i.u3.453, a decrease of
£5.472.009 on the three quarters of 1900.
To the same dare last year the value of
poods received was £23,16S,252 larger than
in the nino months of 1S99. Smaller pur
chases of sugar this year are affeenng im
fort totals. Exports during September re
vealed the largest decline of any month this
year. It amounted to £2,5S3.509. For
the nine months the assjegate was
£209,363.000, or £9,108,665 'smaller than
during the corresponding period of last
year, when, as compared with the first nine
months of 1S89, there was an. increase of
£24,120 j5S. From these figures it will be
Been that, measured in sterling, trade is not
as active this year as last. An allowance
irrast be made for lower price?, however.
Thus last month the value of coal ship
ments was £1.250,000 smaller than a year
previously. The bankers' clearing house re
turns from the commencement of the year
to September 4 exhibit an inereas:* of
£505.3w on the corresponding period of
last year, when there oecurrtd a decrease
as compared with 1S99. At most
provincial centres there were deoixsises.
The report of the labour department of the
Board of Trade for July shows that June
i-ondirions were maintained, though em
ployment w;is still not as good as a year
i'teviously. These particulars may be sup
plemented by the statement that during
ihe first half of the British financial year
receipts were £4,424,019 larger than in' tlie
corresponding period of last vear. Customs
yielded £1.961,000 more; excise. £777,031
additional: stamps, £30,000 less. '
— Insurance. —
*Vhen the Federal Council of Marine Un
derwriters c£ Australia and Tasmania was
i.-.rmed some time ago it was arranged that
'he meetings should be held in succession
iu the several capitals. Marine insurance
i:-en will be pleased to note that the nest
gathering wilt take place in Adelaide on
December 9.
— Breadstuff*—
The foreign wheat markets are keeping
very dull, and in face of the commanding
position of America tills season the course
vi events is somewhat puzzling even to
those in the trade. Latest private cables
thaw that buyers are not prepared to give
more thn 2S. 3 for prompt cargj3s, but
tiealers here arc holding for 29/, ar.d there
is pretty much of a deadlock. Some busi
ness has l)ccn been brought oS for Souih
Africa. The Atlantic, at present at Port
Adelaide, is to proceed to Port August! for
a cargo of wheat, while the Rothesay Bay is
to go to Port Pirie also for grain. A fair
amount of tonnage has been taken for new
Ecaj»u'-s loading -with Victorian and South
Australian option, but just at present there
is not much disposition to do business.
Charterers are now talking of 26/3.
Messrs. John Darling & Son, m their
weekly market report d.ited Adelaide, Oc
tober 14, write as follows:—
Wheat.— European markets continue very dull,
Trilh no animation in ihe trade, and quotations
arc more or less nominal at 2S 3 per qr. for ear
po«5r prompt shipment, O.L'.K.orContiKnt. Values
or parcels to Lor.dcn isay be given as ili-6, and to
Liverpool -27/ per 4S0 Ib. c.i.f., which repre
sents extreme value to-day. In our lo
tal markets there is not much busi
jyss doirc The quantity of wheat
cS'eriEr has somewhat increased lately, but the
demand from millers and ethers has hardly top:
pace with the offerings, and under these circum
stances an easier feeling has prevailed in the mar
ket, and buyers do not care to exceed * SI to 2,0
per bushri for fanriTs' parcels, and for large lots
?.-9J per bushel at Pert Adelaide. Victorian mar
ket is quiet, and values are 2 9; per bushel to 2; 10,
fit which a moderate amount of business is being
carried through. Sydney market is steady at
2 10! to 2 11 per bushel. Flour.— This article re
caics quiet, with but little disposition on the
part of the trade to offer freely and an absence
ct orders en anything like a liberal scale. Quota
tions, therefore, nay be given as nominally £3 15/
to iS per ton tor ordinary, and £6 5;' to £6 7 6
per ton for bea patent roller f.o.b. Port Adelaide.
Sydney market is quiet, at £6 2 '6 per ton fcr
ordinary and £6 10/ per toa for bt-t patent roller.
Melbourne market is steady, vrith a moderate busi
ness doiny at £5 17,0 per ton for ordinary and
?t:6 2 6 per ten for best patent roller. Bran and
Pollard.— So change to report in the markets,
vrtiieh are reported to be quiet, and ales are
being effected at S^d. per bnsliel f.o.b. for export.
Pollard, tor delivery in Adelaide, docs not exceed
M. per bushel. Victorian markets are reported
to be qniet. at Old. to Ujd. per bushel. Svdnev
market dull, at tld. per bushel. Oats.— Only a
srall bn?iness is doing, and stocks being light
tjuocation3 must he taken as more or less nominal
at 2/2 to 2 3 per bushel for Algerians and dim
sats. Victorian markets are steady, and valn'-s
are 2 5 to 2,5 per bushel for fair samples, and 2/7
for prime samples of Algerians. Oomsacks quiet
ind quotations more or less nominal at about 5-\
per dozen in all states. Brjnbags quiet at 3 SJ
to 3 9 per dozen.
The local market continues quiet. We
ido not hear of any large lots of wheat
changing hands, and for thess 2/91 is the
limit obtainable. Other business is being
put through on basis of quotations. Flour
is steady, but there is still no agreement
ivith regard to offal, and various rates rale.
iVe quote thus: —
Wheat— 2/8 to 2/8J for farmers' lots;
2/9) at Port Adelaide for parcels.
Flour.— Leading brands, £6 7/6 to £6 10/
I-er ton.
Bran.— 9d. to 9'.d. per bushel.
PollaivL-9!d. to KM. per bushel.
Oats.— Dun and Algerian, 2/ to 2/3:
iwhite, 2/6 to 3/.
Chaff.— 50/ to 52/6 per short ton, bags
extra.
Sheared Hay.— 45/ per ton.
— The Import Market. —
_ There is steady volume of trade in most
imported lines, regulated by consumption,
but a decided absence of buying for stock,
as the feeling is gaining ground that radi
cal alterations will be made in the federal
tariff before it is passed by the Parliament,
end to avoid further worry and extra work
distributing and retail houses will pro tem.
T.-oric with stocks reduced to lowest pos
sible minimum. The splendid rains have
mne a long way towards assuring a (rood
harvest, and with the tariff trouble settled
decided improvement in all branches of
trade should ensue.
— llisceDaneous.—
^Messrs. Xankiveli & Co. are in receipt of
cable advices from the head office of the
Union Insurance Society of Canton, Limit
ed, advising that for the year ended Decem
ber 31, 1900, a dividend to shareholders of
£23 per share has been declared (equal to
ifl per cent, on paid up capital), and that
S75.000 has been added to reserve fund,
which now stands at $1,500,000. This, in
conjunction with the bonus of 20 per cent,
paid to contributors in June last, consti
tutes an excellent result for the year's
operations.
$