Exchange Rates

I.—Through Bank of NSW, ANZ , Bank of NZ, Bank of Baroda. alia on Fiji, basis £FI: buying 225, selling $A2.26. Fiji-London, basis

.100: B. £Fii2, S. £Fiio/15/-. Nz

basis £FI; b. $NZ1.7923, s. 8147.

STERN SAMOA.—Through Bank of ;rn Samoa. Australia-W-Samoa, basis

: B. $A1.2363, S. $A1.2454. Nz-W.

a, basis SNZI: b. SWSI.OOSO, s. par.

V. Samoa, basis £FI: SWSI.BIB2, s. .8018. W. Samoa-London, basis

.1: B. $W52.0200, S. Sws2.Oioo.

Rfolk Is. And Papua-New

EA. —Australian currency used; no ,nge payable in transactions with alia.

Ench Pacific Colonies.—Pacific

s (CPF) are used in New Cale , New Hebrides (Jointly with Aus n dollars), Wallis and Futuna is and Fr. Polynesia. French Bank, :y, on Sept. 28, quoted: Selling, ea and Papeete, 98 Pac. francs to st.; 240 Pac. francs to £ Stg., x. 90 Pac. francs to US $; Noumea ic. francs to 1 French franc (con n rate; 1 Pac. francs equals 0.055 h franc). Paris-London: Buying francs to £Stg.

SOLOMON IS.: All production marketed through official BSI Copra Board, at prices based on Philippines rate. Output goes to Unilever, UK; to Australian crushers; and the balance on to the open market. Prices on Sept. 15 were: Ist grade, $120; 2nd grade, $116; 3rd grade, $lO6 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLICE —Production marketed in Europe through official Copra Board, at prices based on Philippines rates less freight, etc. The Copra Board subsidises the price at $67.20 per ton for first grade.

NEW HEBRIDES: —Copra sold direct by planters to France and Venezuela. Official price on Sept. 22 was $6B (6,800 Pac.

Francs). French price then was 905 francs per metric ton, c.i.f., Marseilles.

NEW HEBRIDES: —Copra sold direct by planters to Prance and Venezuela. Official price on Aug. 26 was $6B (6,800 Pac.

Francs). French price then was 910 francs per metric ton, c.i.f., Marseilles.

COOK IS.: —Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operate the only NZ copra crushing mill. Price paid is average London price for previous three months, less handling charges. Prices for October, November and December, have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ132.93 first grade, hot air dried; $NZ130.97 first grade, sun dried and $NZ129.51 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co..

Suva, quote F 2- (4 in. to 7 in.) to P3/- (9 in. to 11 in.) lb for well processed commercial varieties.

COCOA: —Islands prices are usually based on the rates for Ghana cocoa.

On Sept. 25 these were approx. £ 5tg.245 per ton, c.i.f., London (Oct. to Mar. ship ment).

On Sept. 27, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $470 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $520, and declining. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $530, in store NG ports $467 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. —Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Sept. 20, were: Grade 1, £ Stg.2so, grade 2, £Stg.222/10/- per ton, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE.—P-NG: Sept. 27, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 37c to 40c per lb; B grade 36c to 38c; C grade 35c to 36c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 33.5 c to 34c.

Crocodile Skins. —On Sept. 28

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, first grade quality as follows: P.-N.G.— $2.90 per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $l.BO per in. 8.5.1., Honiara: $1.89 per in. Gizo: $2.10 per in.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Sydney buyers quoted: Sept. 28, No. 1, Ist grade, $5OO, f.o.b. Islands ports, 2nd grade, nom., $240 on wharf, Sydney. Honiara: 16c lb.

PAPUAN GUM: New Guinea graded gum $lB5 per ton, f.0.b., Samarai, un graded gum $174, f.0.b., NG.

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.: Sydney agents re ported Sept. 28, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

PEARL SHELL. —Fished by Japanese and Australian interests around Cape York and Broome, North Australia, for mainly cultured shell production. Shells were scarce in July. Two Sydney buyers, on Sept. 28, quoted these prices: Sound $1,650 per ton, D grade $l,lBO, E grade, $650, EE $470 (in store Sydney).

Solomons.—Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 15c lb, goldlip 20c lb.

Cook Islands.—Penrhyn Island, SNZ7OO (approx.), f.0.b., Rarotonga.

RICE (Aust.): Prices, until Mar. 31, 1968, are—P.-N.G.: Dried brown rice, 112 lb bags, $l2B per ton, f.o.w. Sydney or

Melbourne. Vitamin enriched white rice, 56 lb bags, $142 per ton, f.o.w. Brown 40 lb bags $l3B per ton. Other Pacific Islands; Polished white (56 lb bags) or dried brown rice (112 lb bags), $l5O per ton, f.o.w.

RUBBER.—P-NG price is based on Singapore rates, which on Sept. 27 were: Prompt nominal shipment 51% Malayan cents per lb, c.i.f. (14.98 Aust. cents): Oct. M52%c (A15.15c) and Nov. M 52y 2 c (A15.22C).

SHARK FINS: Chang Sing Loong Co Suva, offers F4/6 per lb for well-dried fins of commercial quality. ICEP Pty. Ltd. 22 Taylor St., North Curl Curl, Sydney’ quote 65c to 85c lb., ex-store Sydney according to quality.

TROCHUS.—Sydney buyers indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers; Sept. 28 Papua $175-$lB5 per ton; N.G., 8.5.1.—5150-$l6O per ton f.o.b. Islands ports—direct shipment to overseas markets.

TURTLE SHELL.—BSI; first grade un marked 90c a lb at Gizo.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers.

Prices on Sept. 28 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $6.50, green label, $6.40 c.i.f. Sydney.

Uk, Us, Ceylon Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Sept. 22, Philippines, in bulk, SUS2OO per long ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports. Malayan 1% c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports, UQ. US Pacific Coast, Philippines, SUSI 77 per short ton. CEYLON: Spot, 1,075 Rupees per long ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Sent. 22,

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg. 115/10/- per ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports.

RUBBER: LONDON, Sept. 27. spot 15%d Stg. lb; Oct. 15, 11-16 d Stg lb- Jan., 16-3/16d Stg. lb.