Exchange Rates

FlJl.—Through Bank of NSW, ANZ Bank, Bank of NZ, Bank of Baroda.

Australian dollar on Fiji pound, buyer 2.0235, seller 2.0576. Fiji-London, £F104.5 to £Stg.loo.

WESTERN SAMOA.—Through Bank of Western Samoa, controlled from NZ, seller SAI to SWS Tala 1.2470.

Norfolk Is., Papua-New Guinea.

—Australian currency used: no exchange payable in transactions with Australia.

French Pacific Colonies.—Pacific

francs (CFP) are used in New Cale donia, New Hebrides (jointly with Aus tralian dollars), Wallis and Futuna Islands and Fr. Polynesia. French Bank, Sydney, on June 25, quoted; Selling, Noumea and Papeete, 98 Pac. francs to $ Aust.; approx. 90 Pac. francs to US $; Noumea 18 Pac. francs to 1 French franc (conversion rate: 1 Pac. franc equals 0.055 French franc). Paris-London; Buy ing 11.86 francs to £Stg. Also, £Stg. equals 215.50 Pac. francs.

$126 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 market. Price on June 21 was $95 (9,500 Pac. Francs). French price was 1,337 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 July, August, and September, have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ229.32 first grade, hot air dried; $NZ227.22 first grade, sun dried, and $NZ225.66 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quoted F 2- (4 in. to 7 in.) to F3/- (9 in. to 11 in.) lb for “Sucuwalu” and “Loaloa” varieties.

Honiara. —Live slugs, over six inches, black —six for 10c, other colours —12 for 10c.

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

On June 24 they were £Stg.2B3/5/- per ton, c.i.f., UK Spot.

On June 25, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $470 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $535, and steady. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $530, in store NG ports $474 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. Latest price quoted in Sydney, on June 23, was; Grade 1, £ Stg.2Bs; grade 2, £Stg.2s7/10/-.

New Hebrides. beach, Vila, Santo, $250 per ton.

Solomons. —4 cents a lb delivered to a fermentary, SVSz cents a lb at buying points.

COFFEE.—P-NG; June 25, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 39c to 42Vic per lb; B grade 37Vi to 41 Vic; C grade 35c to 37c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 33Vic to 34Vic (ex-store Sydney).

Crocodile Skins. On June 23

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, first grade quality as follows: P.-N.G.— $2.80 per in., f.o.b. main ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $l.BO per in. 8.5.1., Honiara; $1.89 to $2.10 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—In late June Australian buyers reported very little demand from Japan, Europe and the US.

Prices were not quoted. 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 June 24, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

PEARL SHELL. Torres Strait Pearl shellers’ Assn, recently quoted these prices for MOP: AA grade, $A1,250 per ton; A $1,450; B, $1,800; C, $1,900; D, $1,220; E, $B4O and EE, $6OO f.o.b. Thurs. Is.

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, 1969, are—P.-N.G.: Dried brown rice, 112 lb bags, $136 per ton, f.o.w. Sydney or 56 lb bags, $153 per ton, f.o.w. Brown, Melbourne. Vitamin enriched white rice, 40 lb bags $146 per ton. Other Pacific Islands; Polished white (56 lb baes) dried brown rice (112 lb bags), $l6l per ton. f.o.w.

Solomons. —$160 per ton (orders over 2 tons), $l6B per ton (under 2 tons), f.o.b. Honiara.

RUBBER. P-NG price is based on Singapore rates, which on June 24 were: Prompt nominal shipment 53% Malayan cents per lb; July, M 53% cents per lb and Aug. M 53% cents per lb (all about 17 Aust. cents per lb).

SANDALWOOD.—New Hebrides, landed on the beach, Vila and Santo, $3OO a ton.

SHARK FINS; Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers P4/6 per lb for well-dried fin* 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.—A Sydney buyer indicated the following quotations to Islands ducers: June 24 Papua $175-$lB5 per ton Honiara 4 cents per lb, f.o.b. Islands ports—direct shipment to overseas markets.

TURTLE SHELL.—BSI: first grade un marked 60c to $1.50 a lb at Glzo.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karo Tulk ff Co.. Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers Prices on June 25 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.30, green label, $5.20, c.i.f., Sydney.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, June 24, Philippines, in bulk, SUS 234 per long ton, c.i.f.

UK/Nth. European ports; US Pacific coast, SUS2OS per short ton.

Coconut Oil: London, June 20

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.l62 per ton c.i.f, UK/Nth. European ports. June 2£ —unquoted, market unsettled.

Rubber: London, June 24, Spot

19d Stg. lb; July 19-l/16d Stg. lb; Sept 19% Stg. lb.