Islands Produce

npHE following quotations were obtained in -*■ Sydney in mid-August:—

Coffee

Java: Robusta, f.a.q., Imported on firm conversion of exchange, c.i.f.. prompt shipment Sydney (Sterling): Quote No. 1: 45/-. Quote No. 2: 43/9.

Boengie (a good quality Java coffee), c.i.f.

Sydney, 62/3.

Kenya, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., per cwt - (Stg.): Quote No. 1: Grade “B”, 71/-; “C”. 68/-.

E a st ™ fr [ ca: Robusta - f-a-q.. c.i.f., Sydney, 46/6. Mocha (Standard Billy), f.a.q., c.i f Sydney, 54/-.

Mysore, f.a.q., c.i.f., Sydney, per cwt. Quote No ;> 1: Grade “A”, 84/-; Grade “B”, 82/-; Grade C , 74/-.

Arabian (Aden) Hodeidah, f.a.q., c.i.f., Sydney.

No. 1 quotation: 82/-.

NG and Papua: Quote No. 1: 9V 4 d. per lb. (delivered store, Sydney), medium quality.

Quote No. 2: gVad.-lOd. per lb. (delivered store, Sydney). Quote No. 3: Sales recently at 9%d. per lb., c.i.f., Sydney.

New Caledonian: As there is no Government grading system in the Colony, New Caledonian coffee coming into Australia varies considerably in quality, making it difficult to give general quotations for either Arabica or Robusta grades.

Each parcel, agents state, must be treated on its merits. The following are quotations obtained from several different sources in August:—Quote No. 1 (in store, Sydney): Arabica, Grade “A”, UVad.-l/-; “B”, 10 7 / B d.; Robusta, 9%d.-10d. Quote No. 2 (c.i.f. & e., Sydney): Robusta, 4d. per lb.; Arabica, Bd. per lb. Quote No. 3 (c.i.f., Sydney): Arabica, Bd. per lb.; Robusta, 4d. per lb. Quote No, 4 (c.i.f., Sydney): Arabica, £56-£6O per ton; Robusta, £34-£4O per ton. Quote No. 5 (c.i.f., Sydney): Robusta, £37-£4O per ton. As all French colonies in the Pacific now have been brought into the sterling bloc, New Caledonian coffee has been removed from the licensing list.

New Hebrides (c.i.f., Sydney): Quote No. 1: £36 per ton. Quote No. 2: £37-£4O per ton.

Quote No. 3: £3O-£33 a ton (f.a.q.), c.i.f. and e., Sydney. [Note: Importers of all coffees—except NG and Papuan—pay additional charges, including exchange, duty (4.4 d. lb.), primage (11 per cent.), landing costs (1/- per cwt.), war duty (10 per cent.)]

Vanilla Beans

Tahiti: Quote No. 1 fc. & f., Sydney): Approxi mate market price, white label, 30/- a lb.; green label, 23/6 a lb. Quote No. 2 (c.i.f., Sydney): White label and yellow label (July or August shipment); 25/- a lb. Quote No. 3 (c.i.f. & e., Sydney): White and yellow label, 25/6 a lb.

Kapok

Quote No. 1: Average Java 6 3-16 d. per lb., c.i.f.; Prime Japara, eVad. per lb., c.i.f. Quote No. 2; Average Java, 7d., c.i.f,; Prime Japara, 7-5/16d., c.i.f. (Prices sterling and subject to exchange 25y 2 %, duty 2d. per lb., 10% primage, 10% war duty, wharfage. Kapok may now come into Australia only from sterling sources (includ ing Netherlands East Indies and India).

Ivory Nuts

Owing to war conditions, Sydney agents are not quoting for ivory nuts. The last quo tations, some months ago, indicated that a nominal rate was in the vicinity of £7 per ton.

Cotton

New Caledonian, c.i.f., Sydney. Quote No. 1: 9d. per lb. Quote No. 2: 10-lld. per lb. Quote No. 3 (delivered store, Sydney): lOd.-lld. (ap proximate market price) per lb.

Cocoa

New Guinea cocoa: Quote No. 1; £46-£47 per ton—market rising. Quote No. 2: £4O-£46 per ton.

Accra (West Africa): No sales for some months, last quote, £33/10/- (Stg.) per ton for good fermented.

New Hebrides cocoa (delivered store, Sydney): Quote No. 1; £46 per ton. Quote No. 2: £45- £4B per ton. Quote No. 3: Ist Grade, £46-£49 (according to quality) per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Quote No. 4: £45 per ton. Quote No. 5; End of last crop, £4O a ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Western Samoan cocoa: Quote No. 1: No sup plies available until new crop in September.

Last price, some months ago: £4B/10/- a ton, c.i.f., Sydney. Quote No. 2: £57 per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Rice

Australian table rice, packed in 56 lb. bags, £2O per ton.

Rangoon rice, packed in 100 lb. bags, £22/10/per ton; 200 lb. sacks, £22/10/- per ton.

Trochus Shell

Two agents report recent sales at the follow ing prices:—Grade “A”, £5l/10/-; Grade "B”, £42/10/-; Grade “C”, £32/10/-.

Other nominal quotations were: Quote No. 3: Grade “A”, £5O. Quote No. 4; Grade “A”, £6O; Grade “B”, £5O; Grade “C”, £4O.

Green Snail Shell

Sales of green snail shell are reported by a Sydney agent at the following prices:—Ist grade, £62 a ton; mixed parcel, £5B/10/- a ton.

Another agent reported sales of a good quality shell in July at £64 a ton. Quote No, 3: £66/10/-. Quote No. 4: £5O-£55. Quote No. 5 (N. Hebrides, Solomon Is., N. Caledonian shell): £65/10/- a ton, f.o.b. Sydney market firm.

Quote No. 6: Good graded BSI shell approx. £55-£6O a ton, f.0.b., Sydney. This agent states that markets and freights are fluctuating rapidly.

Quote No. 7: £64-£65 a ton.

Mother Of Pearl Shell

Thursday Is. MOP, c.i.f., Sydney. Grade “AA”, £173 per ton; Grade “A”, £173; Grade “B”, £157; Grade “C”, £173; Grade "DD”, £128; Grade “D”, £117; Grade “E”, £7B.

Peanuts

New Guinea peanuts: Dnshelled, 2 a Ad. per lb.; shelled, 4 3 Ad. per lb.

Gum Herol

Gum Herol, which is gathered in certain dis tricts of Papua and exported to Australia, where it is used in the manufacture of varnishes, etc., is quoted by a Sydney agent at £27 per ton.

Norfolk Island's Trade

CUSTOMS returns of Norfolk Island for the six months ended June 30,

1941 (1940 figures given for com

parison) ;

Mr. Marc. T. Greene, American jour nalist, who lately has been in China proper, Thailand, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila, arrived in Syd ney early in August on his way to New Zealand. Mr. Greene recently has been a frequent contributor to the “PIM” on Far Eastern affairs.

Mr. Harold Gatty, trans-Pacific aerial navigator, whose headquarters are now in Auckland, was in Australia in July and visited Sydney, Canberra, and Mel bourne. He left by the “Monterey” for Suva. Mr. Gatty, who has made a study of the early Polynesian navigators and their voyages, has promised to address members of the Pacific Islands Society when he is next in Sydney.

Imports

From From Australia.

Pacific Is. 6 months ended June 30, 1940 .. £13,343 £54 6 months ended June 30. 1941 .. .. £10,850 £39

Exports

To To Australia.

Pacific Is. 6 months ended June 30. 1940 .. £11,422 £71 6 months ended June 30, 1941 .. £9,019 £7

A new Islands trading company, Rob ert Gillespie Pty. Ltd., has been formed in Sydney. The principals are Mr. Rob ert Gillespie, who was a resident in New Guinea until about two years ago, and Mr. A. A. Haworth, both of whom were previously connected with Exporters Pty.

Ltd. The latter concern has been wound up.