COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 696, 22 December 1909, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

- : .INVESTMENT .SHAKES. ~ . . Sales of National Bank Bhares at.£s 19k 6d.i Westport-Stockton at 7s. 3d., and Sharland's preference at 20s. 6d. were recorded yesterday.' National Bank, buyers £5 19s. -6d.; Equitable Building,'buyers £9 2s. <d.;'-National Mortgage, sellers £3; Feilding Gas, sellers £1 Is. Sd.; Wellington Gas, £10 paid. sc!!srs>£lß 2s. 6d.; £6 15s. paid, sellers £14 55.; South ■ British Insurance, buyers: £2 135.; Kaiapoi Woollen, preference, sellers, £5; Wellington Woollen, sellers £3 4s. 6d.; Westport-StoclUon Coal, sellers 7s. 3d.; Manning and Co., buyers £3 165.; Miramar, preference, sellers 19s. 6d.; New Zealand Brug buyers £2 6s. 3d., sellers'£2 ,7s. 6d.; New Zealand Paper Mills, buyers £1 2s.'; Sharland's, ordinary, sellers, £1 Is.; Wellington Opera House, sollera £7 17s. 6d.'■:■ ..'... ,- . , .

. • ; . NATIONAL-MUTUAL LIFE. ' :-' Tho fortieth, annual report of tho National Mutual Life Association of Australasia, Ltd., shows that the association established a fresh, record in the new business transacted. Altogether 12,589 policies, assuring £3,214,483 were issued on advances on the preceding year of 6C4 policies, and of £124,606 in tho amount aesured. The year's results were helped by the fact that . the association undertook the reassurance of the Australian Alliance life business, covering an amount of £253,206. The new business. for the■year compares with that' of tho two previous years as follows;— > •'•■'.■■■ '■ .'--.'■ '■ . Sept.3o. Sept.3o. Sept.3o. '■•■■■■ •■■■■ ■•; ■■. ■ ' * 1907. 1908. ~ ,1909.. Policies issued . ....:. 11,840., . 11,996 ■ ' 12,589. ■ ■.'■ ■• . . £•■ ■£• ',• £ Amount ; 3,080,128 3,090,227' 3,214,852 Average per policy ..'. 260 -. 258. .: 255 Now ann'l premiums :'■ 110,070,. ij.1,049 112,328 The income of. tho association for the first-'time has exceeded a million, the total being;£1,219,960,' of which premiums on policies represented £962,023, and.interest,-etc., provided £257,723. The average rato of interest carried on the funds, after deducting rates and taxes was 4.72 per: cent. The expenditure for the year was £607,104, of which £449,957 was paid to policy-holders or. their representatives. Claims ■ under policies show a slight reduction. Endowment assurances have increased by £18,350, and Surrenders to repay: loans and premiums-: advanced are £25,320 more. }Annuities are larger, and. there is a reduction in tho bonuses paid in cash. The effect of the year's transactions was to add the substantial sum of £612,876 to the funds, which now stand at £5,857,979. .The assets include - Government seenrities. £271,905: -municipal and other debenture?, £71,671; cash, : £162,185. on . dep'oeit, •against which there is an overdraft of £16,120. Loans'on mortgage amount to £3,369,666, or over .amount: to £821,774; -building society, shares, £46,311;' properties ' acquired by foreclosure, £96,945, ■ a reduction of £21,148 in the. twelve months.- Freehold and leasehold properties represent . £717,671,. and : outstanding • premiums £339,888. . ' . -.'. ■•....' ■■■■ '• .;.- ;r <■

NEW ZEALAND AND ATJSTBALIAN LAND 'CO. Tho extent of the operations of the New- Zealand and Australian Lo^d'Company, Ltd., 'are shown by its holding\of. 698,059 acres o£ freehold and 1,197,650 acres of leasehold in New SouthWales, of 2,595,000 acres- of leasehold in Queensland, and 60,999 acres of freehold and 332,52/ acres of leasehold in New Zealand. The total value of its property and its Socks, herds, and stores is £2,677,171, of which. £628,577 represents the .-value, of live stock.'- As theresult; of good'seasons; the. company during 1908-9 earned a net profit of £295,300. This was after the payment, among, other items, of £117;494 for woridhg expenses, allowing £33,931 for depreciation; and £29,041 for interest on debentures. With £4318 brought forward, tho directors had at the credit of revenue account the-sum of £299,618. A dividend on tho Sreference'.stocU "of '4 -per- cent.'-took '£40,000, a ividend of 7 per cent, and a bonus ot 5 per cent, on the ordinary stock £66,CC0, and■-: £188,500 was transferred', to the reserve- fund, leaving £5118 to.be carried forward. To raise the total of the reserve fund to £450.000 r ,thc / .BUm of £11,500 was taken from the sußpenso'vaccpunt. Tue intention of the- directors is to , - 'capitalise the reservo fund aa ordinary stock, : so' as to raise tho total ; issue of .that.'class of stock to £1,000,000.. This •will be done early next year. Dividends in future will' be paid half-yearly. This wool clip covered'by the aqcounte amounted' to 25,991 bales.ior 1398-bales more than in 1907-8,-and the •net return , , was £14' ss. sd. per bale, or Ba. 9d. pei , bale less than in tho preceding year. From' .the sales of sheep, profits amounting,to £115,111 wero earned,;- or £26,805 more than in the'previous twelve "/months. The lambs bred on the estates numbered .370,717. Cattle, sold for £35,629. Capital expenditure ol £82,144 ! \vas .representedalmost entirely by money: paid for runs in Australia or; outlay on the properties. The .com-. pany has sold'portions of its Walhallow .Estate, in Now South Wales, lor'closer'Bettlement.'- aDd has bought the Oateood run of .350,000'■ acres, 40 imiles north .of. : Oharleville, "in' Queensland, to serve as a-resting-place for stock travelling from the northern runs en route to the better fattening country, in tho south.' .This 'estate carried,a flock of 90,000. sheep and 110 horses. Tho capital of the company is £1,550,000, and the debenture debt £715,100. '.; , ,- ;.

■•;/.;' ■ OUR. IMP.0BT8PE01I: BRITAIN.:; ~ The following is a return of the principal lines of goods of British manufacture exported to New Zealand during the month of October, 1935; ahso'for the ten months ended October 31, 1909, with" the figures for 1908 6hown for the pur-. poses of comparison. . Compiled iromi the Board of Trade returns: — . : .■ . '■'-~ •.. : ■; ' : ' Month ended Teh montho ■'... :■■ •■■-:■-■ October ... ended .': ' . 31. ' ,'■ • October3l.. -v-•■;:.■-...•-■.••'.. .;, .',1908... 1909.' 19t8. 1909. ■•i.--- '-■; :'■"•': ".:■' ■■••' •'■'"£ ' ;■■ ■£"■■-'-.:&.. . £ Beer and'ale ..;......... 2,692 2,507 33,996 29,690 Spirits .........:.:...•....... 15,242-. 24,372 197,892 184,411 Iron ■'- and steel, and ■! ' ,r .',..■:. .' i, ; -■ ,' ■i m : anufaotureeV•" '-■' ■"' ■•' .■.■■' ' thereof ■.'...:............. -89,300; 80,961 846,399 675,019 !Oopper, .wrought,and .-' ' : .' /. • •; manufactured. ....... -2,781 .1,825 36,945 22.334 Cutlery -..'.;...;:...:.-....,. 3;263 ~3,676 .33,564 236,602 Hardware ,;.:....,,..;..... ,11,727, .8,979 115,073, 81,32(1 Cotton piece , ' goods--,-' ' ' j • ' •of all kinds' ..:..•. 27,590. 37,720 527,615 ■ 544,179"Woollen and worsted .■■.;: : ' manufactures ■'. .... 13,425 10.900 318,507, 277,736 Haberdashery . and ■ ■ •-.■• : ,: . - millißery ....:.;..:.. 4,701 2,736 69.033 62,269 Juto mauufacturcs ..., 4,029 - -3,641-. 31,686. 31,365 Linen piece (goods ;■: ■ . of all Itinds-".'...;.......' 9,868 . 5,499 82,256•• 71,759 Apparel ........;...:;..... 17,477 19,008 395.CC6 389.373 Boots-ahd shoes■ ..-.V.:: 19,515 9,955 16!.697' 145,086 Haddlery and. harness 4 L 494 "4,002 i>,7.88 30,012 Earthenware: ; :and ■■ • . .■■'.. .ichina ■;...:■.;.■.;....:.:.".;.--14,184 .11,172 95,642 74,996 Writing'"ahd print'. <:■ . : . ;ing paper .:;.■;.■.:..■:.■.:.'•• 10,956 9,773. 104,967 94,903 Coinent ....'..........■...•... ; 4,193 2,634 ,36,618 22,888 Stationery other'.. '■■ ' ■" ..•?-.- .■ ' ■■ than paper. "• 7,382 6,593 . 58,767. 49,861. ■ Customs revenue collectetl' at Wellington yesMerday amounted-to JE3094 ■•145."3d. i> /. . .: 'TBADE IN 'ALLEN JUSTD' BLAIE BTEEETS. : , New Potatoes.—Owing to;the'.low.prices ruling lately, 1 - supplies" havo fallen 'away,', consequently ■ there is now a firm' market-at'ran- advance of I £2 ';per.-ton'.-.for good isound tubers. -':.; ,-■ . ',! Onions.—Supplies: aro on: the. light side, but be replenished by. the '.consignment per Moeraki. The quality of. the supplies-forwarded is * improving, weekly. - -■-.' .. ■■■■:'. •..'.\ ~.•': Flour.—Much-lower- duotations are now being quoted by;' Australian shippers, ; .and immediately the holidays are over -.some : good bueiness ehould.be done. ..' ~ j, '-~'•..., ,/Oats—Several low-freights have-been on the herth from'the Bouth, , and merchants have imp'orted more freely.'- •■ : ;.' ;'^.'i'' , ■ .'. iiOhaff.—New' chaff'-will be available> from the ■\yairarapa , early next; month/and.. thoiopening prices will , be on. a-par-with those, current riowr :-- ■' ■' ■' '■: ''■"'■'■■ •''- N "';:v ; .-: : • ; I Butter.—Stocks of bulk ..pastry ;butter in-mer-chants' hands ara extremely;.low,- and.' the demand is excellent. i ■•;■.:■":: i> . .Fresh eggs are in-rather-shortsupply, and the , ,market continues firm.. ~.-■ ..- ■■ '■"'Haine.—Most of the factories aro-now sold' out\of light weights, and hams" under 161b. are difficult to ; procure! . • '' .. ■. ■ - ■ ; Sides and rolls continue to meet with good de.mand, but'there is no alteration.in the quotations; ■ ''!-■' ! Poultry.—Supplies are fully equal; to' requirements, and sales aro more -difficult to. effect. |Presh * Fruits.—The ' Hauroto, from , the Cook Islands, reached'hero on.Monday with a consignment of.•■bananas, which were landed in excellent condition. .Shipment's from tho'islands via Auckland invariably coine, tb.hand in a rotten condition, and, futthonriore, i.'instancca' are on record of transhipments being, delayed-seven: to fpurteen'dayß."-Tha'Haurbtb.aUo 'brought' Cali-fornian-"oranges.and..apples, arid :the whole ot the transhipments for the. south-were; dispatched within twenty-foiir'hours: ThoCalifornian fruit reached a bare i market, ■■ and Tpalised highest rates. 'lTio ;M6cf aki;- is -duo -to-day with fur-' ther> shipments of Australian-fraite','to meet the requirements' , of -the. Clii'istmns trade. : ,-'-. :Btraivb6rrios— A small' consignment- from the tower p Hutt;yesterdaymado.-.25.' 4a.' per pint basket. -N , ':.'.'- : -.■' -.-'■■ '■".'': : '',' : .-^, : '■'■ ■■ ' . Vegetables— Thesa v continue in full'supply, and prices aro on a par vrlthtbose.-atoent.laet vreuk, Prenoh beana-are'somawhat'Karoo.'.;.::■

:. :■ ... wheat Alii) ,Fi6Sttf : 'f : ■'„■■' : (By Telegraph— i'reSa Association—Oopyrlchl.l I - ' ■'■■■■ London, December 20.■'; The wheat and flour afloat (or , the United tingdom ia 2,145,000 quarters; >for the Continent, ,200,000; Atlantic shipment*,' 333,000; Pacific, 0,000 Quarters., The total shipment to Europe or tho week amounted to 1,125,000 quarters, Deluding 3000 (? 300,000) from Argentina and Urumay. ■• • ■; .■• ;-,.■ ;• • ;• ■ SILVER. ■'.■.. London, December 20. SilTor is cjuoted at -24Jd. per ounce standard. . . THE METAL MARKETS. ■ - (By Tclecraph—Press ABSociation-CopyriEhU (lice. December 21, 10.35 p.m.) London, December 21. Copper.—On the spot. £60; three monthe, £61 !s. 6d.; electrolytic, £iZ. ■ .'■ Tin.—On the: spot,'£ls2 12s. 6d.; three months, E154. Eastern markets are steady, but the British is excited owing to a persistent demand for Ibrward delivery making sellers very shy. The narket dosed firm. • Lead, £13, 2s. Cd; per ton.