COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 649, 28 October 1909, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

. . , i jv,.,;;n7ESTMENT.snAEES.■-'••' -..'.-'■ Sales 'were-reported yesterday- of Napier. Gas, ■£5 paid, at £12 2s. 6d., and Leyland-O'Brien Timber, at £1 3s. National Bank,..buyers £5 195., "sellers £6; National Mortgage, buyers' £2 17s. 6d., sellers £3; Wellington Investment, buyers Us., sellers lis. 6d.; Wellington Trust and Loan, sellers- £7.' 25./6 d.; Napier Gas, £5' paid, buvers £12; Wellington Gas, £5 10s. paid, sellers £14 55.; ChristcharoTi Moat, buyers £10 12s. 6d.; ■ Gear Mcat, : £4 paid,'. buyers £10'. 55.; • Meat ■ Export, third issue, '.buyers £2 155., sellers £2 165.; Wei-, lington- Woollen, buyers £3 2s. 6d.; Hikurariel Coal, buyers 19s.,'.sellers 19s. 9d.; Westport Coal, Sellers £6 -ss ; ; Leyland-O'Brien Timber; buyers £1 2S. 9d.: N.Z. Consolidated Dental, scllers n £l 4s. 6d.; Sharland's'ordinary.'sellci-s £1 os. 9di; preference, buyers £1 Os. 6d.; Taranalu Petroleum, buyers 7s. 6d., sellers.Ss. 6d.: Ward and Co. (brewery), buyers £4 10s.; sellers £4; Us.; Bycroft.' Ltd., buyers 145., - sellers 16s. 3d. . . LLOTD'S AND GERMAN '■ DREADNOUGHTS. , An'-important insurance contract order 'was offered .on September 1Q at Lloyd's on a valuation of' £750,0C0,' being only a moictv of her completed • value, to' cover'the construction of. the hull of the latest ■ German Dreadnought. The battleship, which is to bo built at Bremen, will be named "Ersatz Docwulf," and the period.of .the policies extend for nineteen months.from the date of laying .the'.licel. It is usual in cases'of this description- for tho insurance to continue until tho vessels arc finished, and delivered to the; Government after - the satisfactory, trial trips have been In. this instance, however, underwriters arc not required to, cover the risks incidental to /trials, these adventurcß being .presumably protected in Germany. Tho insurance market, especially in. Hamburg, lino been marked by exceptional activity as records, warships midcr construction in German yards, and for this reason enhanced rates havo hnd to bo paid for reinsurances. There were rumours in th "Room" that an insurance order misbt soon. be expected, to cover £10,000,000 on battleships and gunboats -for another Continental Power. , ... ACCIDENT OR 'DISEASE? , -. A case reported in tho current "Insurance Law Journal" .aptty illustrates .the legal distinction between a death duo entirely, to accident, and one* in which disease" is a contributing cause. Tho insured was injured in tho leg while alighting from a car, there being an abrasion of the skin, which required bandaging. Erysipelas set in, and the injured died as the result of-blood-poisoning. If was Contended that: the disease was at least a contributing factor, that it might have already existed m the system, or might have been in some, way communicated from the hands of those manipulating the wound,-and therefore the - death was not. duo ..to accident independent of all other causes. The Court overrules this argument on the ground dint, according to .the medical testimony, .erysipelas is a disease which can only result from a gem introduced-from- without, and the only way shown by the evidence through which this could take' place was through the'abrasion itself. The disease i was, according to the view of tnc Court, a mere feature.of.the accident itself, and the latter was the. offlcialcause of death. Bach would bo the popular view expressed as a death caused'by an accident-resulting in blood-poison-ing. In'fact, the reasoning, which ran : through the mind.of the Court in reaching its decision really expresses ;tho -legal meaning. of:thcterm "cause," about which such subtle arguments have, been made-in insurance cases. There are ■no sharp boundaries separating the various classes of ' causes so. often -.referred' 'to .in- insurance" cases. The 80-called . efficient cause, and formal • cause, apd immediate cause, and-the rest, are. but various links in the-chain which connects the events with the various precedent conditions which have operated to produce it. It is the preaomin'anco of, one or another of these antecedents-in the-mind of the ordinary observer which determines which- link in .the chain should bo deemed the actual cause. A'passerby struck by a stono dislodged'from a hillside charges the injury to tlio stone. But if the dislodgment is effected by an explosion the latter is deemed the cause. i But if the explosion in turn is tho malicious act ! of a lawless party,' the lattor.in turn is charged as the cause. The mind picks out the most prominent'link in tho chain; measured by its proximity, and fastens on this as.the starting point in the endless chain of causation that precedes tho event.- Tho truo legal rule followß tho same course. ■ .-,-,,'. ■.-. -,■...

. ■ ■' THE IMPORT MAEKETS. The improvement in business continues, but this Is noticeablo only with the country: districts; the city and suburban trado'boing'Btill dull. -Itjwill - be"some : little while before the city begins to feel the .improvement, in the .meantime there is an.optimistic feeling that the close of the year will see a goncral revival in trade. .There aro nb;changes in 'values. Arrowroot.—St. Vincent, sd. per lb. Candles.—Tho. domand continues to. fall off. Prices are unchanged. Tho New Zealand. Oandlo Company's'quotations stand "as follow:—Premier stearine and flvo ■ medal, sd.;' British sperm, French sperm, universal' wax, . Excelsior''- paraffin, -Hi,', --.Apollo*sperm and Venus'.'paraffin. ,6d.; Venus,'coloured Ontod,' 6i<l.: piano, bedroom,'and : carriage sorts in cardboard boxes,-, 71d.', less' the •■ usual trado discounts. Price's .London.sperm, 16oz: 63d., 140z., 6id.; Burma, 160z.,6jd.'" ; , ■ ■ Oornllonr.—Steady business passing. .B. and-P./ fild. to 61d.; Johnson's. 21d.; Brown's.' 3d.; Chileago, 23d.;. Buffalo. 21d. ,-. :• ■;- •-.'■•. ■.■ -~-;■:■ i Cocoa.—A steady haud-to-moulh business .' la 'doing.. Van H.Outen's. l's, 35.-2 d.; l's.'3s!'3d.; I's, 3s. 4d. per jib.-, Bensdorp's, l's, &. 10d.; 4's. 'iillil.; J's. 3s.; 1 Pry's.-l's, ls.>4Jd.; Bahla 2s, lOd.. Condensed Milk.—Highlander, 55.; Cowslip, 4s. 6d.; Swiss Milkmaid, 6s. 6d.,t0 6s. lid. per'dozen; Canned Moats— Shuep. tongues,- 10s. 6d.' to Us. for l's; ox tongues,■'ZJ's,-31s.' to 345,; 3'b, 345. to 365. per dozen-,; Gear's assorted, potted,.'4s.6U.;' St. Oeorgc's, ss. -..,,. ... ~ r ', .; .. .„l * High prices in America and a.shortage of cattle have resulted in what amounts, to a cesso-. tion of shipments of ox tongues ■ and - corned meats from!the United States to England, and prices" arc higher, than for 15 years past.'' ! So acute is tho situation'that' the British WarOffice has agreed to disposß'.of some of its supplies to its. contractors-'at a profit, A telegram .from Washington received in London as the mail left said;—" According to the,lnspection Department of the Agricultural Bureau, the British War-Office has again completed a profitable deal •with the Libby..,Co'rporation,."thev Government:: [contractors, whereby certain-stocks'held'in London will be reshipped to America." -. Cream of Tartar, 9d.' per lb.. ", Canned remain' the same. .'Sardines have bad ;a.'-riso on'account of the season yielding a poor".-catch. Herring, in tomato sauce, l's, 7s. to'7s. 6d,; l's. 4s. 6d. to 55.; • kip- - pered horrings,'Si's, 7s- 6d. to 7s. 9d.; l's,-45..,6d to 55.: fresh herrings, l's. 65.-to 6s. 6d.: lobster.' 0 and B, 51b. tins,'l4s. 6d to 155.; salmon, salad, medium reds, lluVUtlß, 85.,6 d. lib. Hats, 9s. to 9s. fid. [silver. Jib. fiats. ss.";<Golden Link. Bockeyo, lib; tails;. 10s. 6d.; lib.; flats,'lis.; South" em Cross, lib.,- 6s.' 6d. Herringlcts. in oil. Senator brand, Bs.-tb'Bs. 6d.;-in tomato sauce, Bs. to 3s. 6d.:sardines,'..Skipper,. 311).; tins; ss."to 5H.'6d.;l's, 9s. 9d. t0'103.; "King Edward,"'J's 4s.'-9d. to 55.; 1'5,"83.. (id.; ling. Snicthurst brand, is making 555. to 565; per cwt.'.Now season's salmon is expected to reach this market in about a fortnight. \i ■.- . .'.'■■,".'■•■ Canned fruits; aro quoted, at Bs. 6d. to 12s. 6d.; according to quality. ■-.;■'■ Dried grade fruits.—New prunes, are a farthing dearer, the. quotations for par-' ccls.to arrive is 1 .-3d. to 3Jd. Prices" are nomin* ally urichanged.,;Currants, finest provincials, 3Jd.; cleaned.Ainalias,*.3ld. per lb.; lib. cartons,33. 9d. per dozen; sultanas, selected 31d„ choice4d., golden 4Jd., lib. cartons,'. 4s. 9d. per duzen;- dates, in bulk'2id.- neijdb., cartons, 3s. 6d. per dozen; figs,-natural, in bags,'23d. to 3d.-, seeded'raisins,' fancy lib. packets 4s.', choice, 3s. 6d. per dozen. Muscatels are 'slow of sale,, stocks ..aro. comparatively large:; Oaliforhian,' 51b. boxes, 6d,; 10lb. boxes',- Sid.;. 201b. boxes, ,41d. per-.1b.;; Malaga,' 51's, at'.fid. per. lb.'-'.American figs.and prunes have reached, the Dominion,'and it is expected that supplies will be available on. th* local market in,-a . day ' or two. Dessicated cocoanut, 4Jd.in chests. :.. - '" Evaporated Fruils.—Tho quotations, aro unchanged, apples,'apricots, and peaches making from 71d. to Bd. per lb. -~'• ; ' Jute—The consolidated final forecast of the 1909 . jut crop < for Bengal and-Eastern Bengal and Assam' shows-a total acreage, including Cooch Behar, of 2,732,700 acres, against - 2,856,700 acres for 1908," and 3,974,330 acres for 1907, which was-the largest, on record; The decrease as', compared with last year is attributed to .unfavourable weather.in many districts at the,time of sowing, and ;to the fall in price of, jute.- According to the estimates of the district _ officers the .total-.outturn of the two provinces 'will be 84.5 per cent,'of a-normal crop; but after'the district returns were received both directors of Agriculture, had > special inquiries made, and:' formed tho - opinion that some of .the- estimates were unduly'pessimistic. After careful calculation or. the basis of these inquiries, the directors estimate a crop, yielding 7,206,584 bales.'.or. 88per cent, of abnormal crop. To this,are toibe added 88,800 bales for Nepal,. Upper.lndia, and Madras. -.Very- little, of last years' crop' remains in the districts.'-.'except perhaps in Cooch' Behar.'. From a'noto,furnished,bv- the Bengal Chamber, of Commerce it-aripears that exports from July 1, 1908,' ,to June\3o,"; 1930; I amounted: to' 4,630,611' bales, and-the.-ouantity taken by .local-mills to . 3,649,845 bales";'.; and; fallowing,.': as.' usual, 500,000 bales for. country con'sniaptibn;itn,e:totalcomes to 8,760,456; ( ba1e5i ' The-'.W.crop was estimated by the departments at 6,399,600.ba1e5. The largo discrepancy .between, the . figures. is" attributed partly. to:'ah ..underestimate- of the surplus'jute from/the 1907 Crop, and; partly, to ; the unexpected heaviness of the 1908 crop, due'> to-the latc'harvest,;as':it'. was-anticipated that..a ; nor.-. tiou of- the crop- would be: lost-through. t an insufficiency of"\vater:for 'retting/but drivers -rose unexpectedly,' and-'flUed tho-khals- after.- the' figures for the - forecast' had. ; . been collected. Messrs. John. - Miller and Co.;' in their, circular, dated Calcutta;'' September :27, ; atatc that .fresh business in gunnies .was more or.'lcss demand M>elng limited, , and'-mills exhibiting, groat apathy -as ■■■ regards ■-■ discounting . their prices; • Messrs.'- Gillanders,; 'Arbulhnot, •. and Op. stato that the, effect of'the; forecast ,has".bcen' to steady heavy .'goods,''- butv.Hessians; are"; weak, na it is antidriated-'that until. trade.-improves. the supply, owing to the discontinuance of short time, will bo ; ih',excess; of, tho. demand... . ■ . ■.;'.'; Infants' FoodsZ-'Noavo's,'. 9a;. 9d.;f i Allan; ahdIlaubury's Nbs'., T.-and 2,, ;17s.;\Nb; ; .3/ ,10s.: 6d.; Ilcuger's, 175.; ltdbiiison's. patelit-'groats-and bar-, ley, 7s. 6d. Ncayd's milk .food,-'l3s.■'6d.^Ncs'tlo's' , milk food, 17sV':.6d,'■-'•',*■ ~•".;''':.--: '■; -)' .> j Knife Polish.I—NixeyV1—NixeyV 45,; 60.:-Okoy's.: ss. 3d. ■■■, Matzcuo.— Duryea's," sid- ~ >-'r .-,- ..-■'-'-,-.-.'."--.: Mustard.—Fair.'sales. < li- : sid. to Is.'■6d,"r!;J's,'ils.',:3W. 'to 4s. :4d. ! ;-:Durham ,: 7tb. tins. 7<i.'.to..:'7id. •,'.;.■; ..> ■.\: : t''-'<:'.\-...-. .: "-iV, •. Matchcs.-Pik"jds'.".''3's.'ißd-;;lo, ionny 'slides.- 6V;9d.„„td,.9s. J ,6d.'; < : safeties.", small,,, foreign,'3s. to i .35.T,6d.';-'Bryanr,an'diMay's,'■ etnalll "Is! 6a.; large, ' ''v'-'.,. V;.:,V-' '"--■ -~' J .- Nutmegs,. 9d: l: ,lp' v ls;;'pbr.rlb;V. :, ?', > .i;-;\;.••..'■; ;,■!;', , Pool. -LombdVncoli.'.jV'.SJdii "drangeji' Sld.r' cii- 1 1 jon, Wid,. per., lb.-.y...''i.,.. .i...■■.."...;•<;■' „. -J h ..;;„j

Pickles.—Morton's hexagon lOs. 6d.. round 12a.' 6ii. pur dozen; Captain White's, 235. ,6d.; Gap. ton's H.P., J-pints,l2s.. 6d.j pints, 225. 6d.: puro pickles, 9s. 6d. to 10s. "'.••■. Klce.-No. 1, 15s. 6d.; No. 2,. Hs. : 6d.V special Japan, 16s. per cwt. ; .' * ■'.. Salt.-r-Finc, 71b. bags. ss. 6d. to ■ 6s.'-6d. .pet cwt.; bags, 3s.;lid. to: 4s.;>coarse, in cwt., bags,33. to 3s. 6d!'pep:cwt. .Bauces.—L. and 1'.,. j-pints, Ms.' : to; Ms; 6d.;' pints. 255. to 255.-6 d.: Holbrobk'e,, S-pinU. 7s. 6d.i pints, 10s. 6d. to 10a. Sdl; garto'n's, 1-pints, 7a. 6d.; pints, 10s. to 10s. 6d.j Eaglo brand (N.Z.), 1-pints, 2s. 9d. to 35.; pints," ss. 6d. to 6s. Starch.-Colman's, lib. boxes, 5Jd. to 55d.;.51b. packets, sd. to Sid.; Now Zealand, 'lib.''boxes, 38s. to 395. per cwt.; slb."packota, 37s.'to 38a. pet cwt.- ..■•'■.''•..' '•••■ ': Stove .Polißh.-Nixey'B, Zs. . 6d.;'Keckitt's, Js. per: dozen. .... .-,- .' . .• .. .Sugar.-1A and No. V56 , 5,.£17'55.';'N0..2, £16 15e.; No.. 3,. £15 15s. per ton.. .. • '-.-- .-':. . Tea.-Tho Ceylon toa market continues to show an upward tendency, for low'grade; teas, while tliejhighcr grade teas are notnp to the quality ot last season, and.values' are' weaker. ■Vinegar-Midland-Eed flock, quarts, Bs. 6d.; Champion, quarts,'9s. 6d.; lied Seal, quarts. 4a.: MvJland. concentrated, Boz. bottles, lis. 6d. per dozen; cpneentrated, -6gal. casks. 9s.- 6d. per I gallon-, puro wall, iagu., . casks,, ,2s. Jd. •per gallqu. :-,., .;.. ■ ..'..-,. .

■'. . WELLINGTON.MABKETKEPORT.; Mossrs. Lacry .and Co., .Ud.', Wellington, reWhLt h? ] csa ,'° ? nco^rulin ß- on lh « market:Wheat,. fowl, ■ 4s. ■ Bd. .to 4s. ,lCd.; feed ? ?"• '-.¥■• t ' > ; 2s - 5(1 -i idun oats,: .2s. .3d. to 2s. 4d.:-seed oats. 2s. 4d. to 2s. ed.; algori:m ..oats i _2s.,2d.-t0,.25. Cd.; maize, 4s. Id. to-4s. 3d.; crushed, malt,,7s.; fowl barloy,.-2s; 4d. to 2s. 6d.;;. Oape barley seed, 2s. 6d' to 2s. 9d.; flour. New,Zealand,£llss. to'£ll 10a.; Australian,£l2; bran, ±3- 15b..' to ,£4;. pearl barley. 155.; peas. ? r i"? 61 A?;? llne; 5s - 3d. to ss. 6d.; fowl peas,.4s.; Spilt, 4171(18.;. bonedust, £5155.;' superphosphates £a'to .£5 55.-. pollard; £4 155.-' to' £4 ■ 10s., basic . 6lag, £4 10b.;-' ■chaff,: oaton-sheaf £3 55.-to :,£3 155.;, oatmeal, £10 10b. 'to £11; potatoes, table, £3 10s. to £4 10s.; Now Zealand .seed potatoes, Op-to-Datcs, £4 5s to £4 10s.; Californian onions,' £17; molasses, fodder, £5; bacon, factory, sides. 'l Jd iV h .s m !'' J M-> ' : roUs ' ' 8 i d -= Gutter,, prim<r balk. 8d..t0 81d. Poultry: Hens. 4s. 6d. to 5s 6d.; ducks, 6s.- to 75.; turkeys, gobblers. 18s. to 205.;-. hens, 10s. to 145.; fresh eggs,: Is. dozen; cbcese, 6d. to 6jd. per-lb.: loaf, 7d. to 7Jd. Ocr lb.; Akaroa machine-dressed cocksfoot, 73d. to, Bd.; farmers' dressed cocksfoot. sd. to 6d. ner lb.; ryegrass. 3s. 3d. to 4s. 6d.' per bushel: Italian ryegrass, 35..6 d. to Is. Cd. bushel; white clover,. 705., to 755. cwt.; red clover. 755. cwt ■ cow grass, iss. cwt; alsike - 82s. 6d. cwt.;' mW tard, 40s cvrt.; trefoil, 375'.. 6d.' cwt:; rape 1 seed 265. cwt.; timothy, 325. 6d. cwt.; Swede and turnip seed. 50s. to :605., cwt- '.'.' '•-.'••■■ BANK SHARES. "',..- '. \' ■• "'f ' (By Telegraph-Preas Aesocla'tlo'n-CopyrlEhti. mv. , ,', • '■' '" . London,'October'-26. The following are the latest quotations-- -V -• .Banks. ; - ■ V' - < Australasia - .fn. n. o ,f, B n a ; &ai"of;N;zz:r-: — "Ifl fU Ncw.zeaiand.......::;:::;:::::■;;;;;;;.|lS • 10 i S . BANK EEPOBT-6 PEE CENT. DIVIDEND. . inftio B a^ss^^r» Bh^i of fi n^°^r" B £ 'W°° to '"servo, a dividend fit™ 1 >* recommended, with payment of hh? eT ni Rat on. deferred' depoaitsT ah- £„?}?.- ' 57Z ; Pl e sum: of £10,788 Ir devoted to % «ifl m° n °f, iet S mi deposits, £2000 is added Vh* -hfel'S"" 1 ; ai L«'«Cl« carried forwara i.?.. -. ala^^-R ncot shows . fixed deposits and Zu°A wZ" 1 * £ /-"H- m ' i»«stmorits. £1,61S bills £1,102,000, and advances £4,855,000.. . :■ :■•;-,.; • ,- . •■*■■.■ -tp»..TcleeraDh-Pre«a Association.!. n „ „" , .."■'" ■■': Wanganul, October 27.. The o,nnual meeting of the Wanganui Freezing pr n P r y » Wa l- h £ ld^ a y' Th " «Po"t and hi Bnce,sheeVwhich showed that tho company, last Mnlf s lf' were adopted. It'-.was refolved il.i n ?^ a6e the capital, by 8000 shares: at £5 t« td %™ Sta A ed y" at th > directora intended niJ k£ -. J' ma^t?r forward; some nine months ago, hjit it had been decided that the time .was. not opportune to put-shares on: tho market. 1 rherc was evident desire on the part of sharelioldern to-day to take up their quota of tho new issue. Sle6srs.,Kodweir.and Sjlk were selected ADELAIDE - Messrs.■-IJalgoty and Co., Ltd.,-report having l i. B foIIow "iB cable messago from their Adelaide house, under dato • October 26 :-"34,(100 bales•offcred.for sale. Withdrawals amounted to it per cent.. Competition general from all soctions of-buyers. Prices for good wools aro Id. •ower, and for vroqls of other descriptions id. to Jd. lower, as-compared with. sale-of October 11. Strong demand- and spirited: bidding." ' - :-. DIimEpINV'GEiIN:?iIi.AEKET. , - -Dunedin grairi;,mark"ct' Js■'.'• as follows:-whoat-rLpcal 'conditions 'aro.-.'favourable, and each wc,ck -that.,p'asßeß,i,vfithout. opposing- influences renders.,:realißatiqn*'of '-'pfescnt;prospects more. assured;,vThC's'quantity.';now''cin J Btores is within verysm.all 1 compass;'- and'' a' 1 fair demand exists, but, owing.to the firmness of the holders, little has,been on. offer, and conecouently little business iB-passing. Prime milling velvet,'4b: sd. „to.4s. 6d.;'best tuscan,'4s.'J4d. to 4s. sd;; medium to good, 4b. Id. to 4s. 3d.; best whole fowl feed,"3s. lOd. to. 4s;'medium to good. 3s 3d. to 3s. 9d.. Oats—A slightly better domand has been experienced,-and; considering that stores are ■almost-bare, and that very few consignments of oats are cbminsr forward,. indications point to an upward tendoncy in price. Prime bright feed and i milling, ls. : 9d.. to Is. 10d;; medium to .good,, is:. 8d; to Is. Bjd,; inferior to medium, ,Is. 6d.t0.1a.-71d...'. , : -. , •: Mining News and Live/Stock. Sales - ; will -be found onpage r 9 of thia-issue. ■'■■ ' ■-■'