Exchange Rates

[JI - —Through Bank of NSW, ANZ k, Bank of NZ, Bank of Baroda. tralian dollar on Fiji pound, buyer 35, seller 2.0576. Fiji-London, £FIO4 5 £Stg.loo.

ESTERN SAMOA.—Through Bank of tern Samoa, controlled from NZ seller to SWS Tala 1.2470.

3Rfolk Is., Papua-New Guinea.

istralian currency used: no exchange ible in transactions with Australia.

Lench Pacific Colonies.—Pacific

cs (CFP) are used in New Cale a, New Hebrides (jointly with Aus an dollars), Wallis and Futuna ids and Pr. Polynesia. French Bank, ley, on Oct. 24, quoted: Selling tnea and Papeete, 98 Pac. francs to Jst.; approx. 90 Pac. francs to US $• nea 18 Pac. francs to 1 French franc version rate: 1 Pac. franc equals 3 -,,^ nc . h fr anc). Paris-London; Buy £> ar l CS to , £Stg ' Also - £ S^ls 215.50 Pac. francs.

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 Japan. Official market price in October was $B2 (8,200 Pac. Francs). French price was 930 francs per metric ton, c.i.f., Marseilles.

COOK IS.:—Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operates 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 $NZ184.06 first grade, hot air dried; SNZIBI.9B first grade, sun dried, and $NZ180.42 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

AMERICAN SAMOA:—Copra Board buys all copra, for export to the US; Oct. price was US6V4 cents per pound, dry.

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: —Islands rates are based on Ghana prices. Ghana price on Oct. 22 was £Stg.372 per ton, c.i.f., UK Spot.

On Oct. 22, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $660 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $725, and steady. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $730, in store NG ports $648 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. Latest price quoted in Sydney, on Oct. 16, was; Grade 1, £Stg.33o; grade 2, £Stg.3lo.

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

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

COFFEE.—P-NG: Oct. 22, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 38 Vic to 42c per lb; B grade 37c to 41c; C grade 34Vic to 36Vic; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 34c to 35Vic (ex-store Sydney).

Crocodile Skins. On Oct. 22,

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. On Oct. 22

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 Oct. 22, 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 a ton (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 Oct. 22 were - Prompt nominal shipment 57 Vs Malayan cents per lb; Nov., M57V 4 cents per lb and Dec., M57Vs cents per lb (all about 18 Aust. cents per lb).

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

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

TR f °£ HUS—A s y dn ey buyer indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers; Oct. 22 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 & Co Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers.

Price on Oct. 22 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.80, green label $5.70, c.i.f., Sydney. Tonga.— $T14.20, f.0.b., Nukualofa: $4.50 Mel bourne.

Uk, Us Quotes

• c OPRA: LONDON, Oct. 22, Philippines.

SUSI9S Per long ton. c.i.f.

UK/Nth. European ports; US Pacific coast, SUSI 64 per short ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Oct. 22.

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

Rubber: London, Oct 22 Snot

T' 20 - 13/1M st «- ib - *“>•