Islands Produce

THE following quotations were obtained in Sydney in mid-December: —

Coffee

Java: Robusta. f.a.q., imported on firm conversion of exchange, c.i.f., prompt shipment, Sydney (Sterling): Quote No. 1: 46/9. Quote No. 2; 47/-.

Boengie (a good quality Java coffee), c.1.f., Sydney. 64/3.

Kenya, f.a.q.. immediate shipment, c.1.f..

Sydney, per cwt. (Stg.): Quote No. 1: Grade “B”, 74/-; “C”, 68/-.

East Africa: Robusta, f.a.q., c.1.f., Sydney, 56/-. Mocha (Standard Billy), f.a.q., c.i.f., Sydney, 54/-.

Mysore, f.a.q.. c.1.f., Sydney, per cwt. Quote No. 1: Grade “A”, 68/-; Grade “B”, 66/-; Grade “C”, 62/-.

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

No. 1 quotation: 82/-.

NG and Papua: Quote No. 1: 9%d. per lb. (delivered store, Sydney), medium Quality.

Quote No. 2: KUAd.-lld. per lb. delivered store, Sydney). Quote No. 3: Sales recently at 9V 2 - 9 5/ Rd. per lb., c.i.f., Sydney.

New Caledonia: Quote No. 1 (in store, Sydney); Arabica, Grade 1, HVsjd.-l/-; Grade 2, 10 7 /sd.; Robusta, 9 3 /sd.-10d. Quote No. 2 (c.i.f. and e., Sydney): Robusta, 4d. per lb.; Arabica, 6d. per lb. Quote No. 3 (c.i.f., Sydneyi: Arabica, Bd. per lb.; Robusta, 4d. per lb. Quote No. 4 (c.i.f., Syd ney); Arabica, £56-£6O per ton; Robusta, £34- £4O per ton. Quote No. 5 (c.i.f., Sydney): Robusta, £37-£39 per ton.

New Hebrides (c.i.f., Sydney); Quote No. 1: £36 per ton. Quote No. 2: £37-£39 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.i. landing costs (1/- per cwt.), war duty (10 per cent.)]

Vanilla Beans

Tahiti: Quote No. 1 (c. & f., Sydney): Approxi mate market price, white label, 28/- a lb.; green label. 21/- a lb. Quote No. 2 (c.i.f., Sydney): White label and yellow label, 32/-32/6 p«r lb.

Quote No. 3: This agent reports a firm market for first-grade beans.

Kapok

Quote No. 1: Average Java 6-17/32d. per lb., c.i.f.; Prime Japara, 6-7/32d. per lb., c.i.f.

Quote No. 2: Average Java, 7%d., c.i.f.; Prime Japara, 7-15/16d., c.i.f. (Prices sterling and subject to exchange 25V 2 %, duty 2d. per lb., 10% primage, 10% war duty, wharfage.)

Ivory Nuts

Owing to war conditions, Sydney agents are not quoting for ivory nuts. The last quo tations indicated tfiat a nominal rate was in the vicinity of £6/15/--£7 per ton.

Cotton

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

Cocoa

New Guinea cocoa: Quote No. 1: £53 per ton —market rising. Quote No. 2: £5O-£56 per ton.

Accra (West Africa): £5O per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

New Hebrides cocoa (delivered store, Sydney); Quote No. 1: £52 per ton Quote No. 2: £5O - per ton. Quote No. 3: Ist Grade, £47-£49 per ton. c.i.f., Sydney. Market firm. Quote No. 4: £5O-£53 per ton. Quote No. 5: £53.

Western Samoan cocoa: Quote No. 1: £6O per ton. c.i.f., Quote No. 2: Price at Apia, September, £32/10/- per ton for small European lots.

Rice

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

Rangoon rice, nacked in 100 lb. bags, £2l/10/- per ton; 200 lb. sacks, £2l per ton. (Since Japan entered the war, rice quotations are nominal.)

Trochus Shell

Sales have taken place recently at the following prices: Quote No. 1: Good average parcel of mixed grades £4B per ton. Quote No. 2: Mixed parcels, £5O. Quote No. 3: “A”

Grade. £56: “B” Grade. £46/10/-: “C” Grade, £37/10/-. Quote No. 4: “A”, £57; “B”. £49; “C”, £37. Quote No. 5 (Nominal): “A”, £54; “B”, £46; “C”, £34. Quote No. 6; Mixed

parcels, £5O. Quote No. 7: £6O for mixed parcels. It was reported in Suva (Fiji) in November that trochus shell was selling at £33 per ton.

Green Snail Shell

Sales of green snail shell were made recently in Sydney at the following prices:—Ist grade, £65 a ton. Another agent reported sales of a good quality shell recently at £66 a ton. Quote No. 3: £66/10/-. Quote No. 4: £5O-£55. Quote No. 5 (N. Hebrides, Solomon Is., N. Caledonian shell): £66/10/- a ton, f.0.b., Sydney market firm. Quote No. 6: Good grade BSI shell, ap proximately £6O-£65 a ton, f.0.b., Sydney.

Quote No. 7: £66-£67 a ton. Quote No. 8 (nominal): £64 a ton.

Mother Of Pearl Shell

Thursday Is. MOP, c.1.f., Sydney. Grade "AA”, £202 per ton; Grade “A”, £202; Grade “B”, £202; Grade “DD”, £128; Grade “D”, £117; Grade “E”, £7B.

Peanuts

New Guinea peanuts: Unshelled, 2%d. per lb.; shelled, 4%d. per lb.

Mr. H. E. Tattersall, 47-years-old son of Mr. A. J. Tattersall, an old and highly respected resident of Apia, died recently in Queensland. He was a veteran of the last war, where he was severely wounded.