Exchange Rates

FlJl.— Through Bank of NSW, ANZ ink, Bank of NZ, Bank of Baroda. astralian dollar on Fiji pound, buyer 0235, seller 2.0576. Fiji-London. £F104.5 £Stg.loo.

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

Norfolk Is., Papua-New Guinea.

Australian currency used: no exchange yable in transactions with Australia,

French Pacific Colonies.—Pacific

ancs (CFP) are used in New Cale nia, New Hebrides (jointly with Aus ilian dollars), Wallis and Futuna lands and Fr. Polynesia. French Bank, dney, on July 25, quoted: Selling jumea and Papeete, 98 Pac. francs to Aust.; approx. 90 Pac. francs to US $; »umea 18 Pac. francs to 1 French franc onversion rate: 1 Pac. franc equals )55 French franc). Paris-London: Buy g 11.9 francs to £Stg. Also, £Stg. uals 215.50 Pac. francs

$126 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLlCE:—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 July 16 was $75 (7,500 Pac. Francs). French price was 951 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—l2 for 10c.

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

On July 22 they were £ Stg.2B3/9/- per ton, c.i.f., UK Spot.

On July 25, Quote No. 1: in store Rabaul, export quality $490 per ton ex wharf Sydney, $555, and steady. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $555, in store NG ports $493 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. Latest price quoted in Sydney, on July 25. was: Grade 1. £ Stg.2B2/10/-; grade 2, £Stg.2so.

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

Solomons.—4 cents a lb delivered to a fermentary, 3V 2 cents a lb at buying points.

COFFEE.—P-NG: July 25, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 39c to 42V 2 c per lb; B grade 37V 2 to 4iy 2 c; C grade 35c to 37c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 34y 2 c to 35y 2 c (ex-store Sydney).

Crocodile Skins. On July 25

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 July 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 July 25, 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 bags) or dried brown rice (112 lb bags). $l6l per ton, f.o.w.

Solomons.—sl6o 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 July 19 were- Prompt nominal shipment 55 Malayan e ”, tS o Pe 5 lb: Aug - M54V 2 cents per lb ?7 d An 6 f Pt ” S V /a cents per lb (all about 17 Aust. cents per lb).

SANDALWOOD.—New Hebrides, landed on the beach, Vila and Santo, $3OO a ton. «5.,v? AR 4 t Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers P4/6 per lb for well-dried fin* So commercial quality. ICEP Pty. Ltd 22 J ay l° r St - North Curl Curl, Sydney, quote 65c to 85c lb., ex-store Sydney according to quality. y ’ fv, TR f°n HUS '~ A Sydne y buyer indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers: July 25 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 Gizo.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk <fe Co Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers Prices on July 25 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5 55 green label, $5.45, c.i.f., Sydney.

Uk, Us Quotes

C 9. P^ A: LONDON, July 23, Philippines, SUSI9S P er long ton, c.i.f!

UK/Nth. European ports; US Pacific coast, $U5182.50 per short ton.

Coconut Oil: London, July 23

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.ls6 per ton, c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, July 19, Spot

19Vad Stg. lb; Sept. 54%d Stg. lb.