COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

.; .-: ' .' INVESTMENT. SHAKES. Transactions, .were recorded yesterday in Wellington Gas, £10 paid,.at £18-6s.;.South-British at £2 14s. 3d.; aud.lfnion'Steam at £1:12s. There wore a fair number of buying quotations, sellers appear-to be -scarce. - : National Bank, buyers £5 17s. 6d., cum rights;, Wellington l'rust and- Loan,, buyers £7 4s. 3d.;. Ohristchurch Gas, £5 paid, .buyers "£9 12s::,Od.;'Wellington. Gas, j£lo. paid, .sellers-£lB 6b.'; £6'lss. paid,: sell-, ; crs.,£l4 ss. ;•' South British Insurance, buyers £2-14s.,.'sellers £2 155.; NeWi Zealand Shipping, buyers £7,10e.; .Wellineton Woollen, ; sellers £3 4s.;:Hikuiangi Coal,; buyers £1, sellers. £1 - 2s. 6d.; Westport-Stook-ton.'sellers 7s. 6d.; Leyland-O'Biien .Timber, buyers £1: 35.. 3d.. ; :.;'.':, .'.; : : ■-, Vi, PHOENIX ASSTJEANOE. ."■';' <'■ ''..V'. : According'to. advices"to hand by.the last English- mail: arrangements: had been, pro-, visionally/made for, the acquisition- by.the Phoenix Assurance Company of the: assets .and' business ■of 'the Law Life ; Assurance Company.- The Phoenix Assurance Oompany'dates: back to 1762, although it was only registered • under the Companion. Act in November, 1901. As and from July, 1907, the business of the. Pelican and British i Empiro Life Office was* taken over. The capital is : now' £2,688,000, in shares of £50, ..with''. £258,880, or £5 per. sharo. paid up, and: £71,430 in fully paid-up. shares of £5 each.. The Law.Life Assurance Society was established in 1823. The : subscribed capital is £1,000,000, in shares of £20,,0f which £100,000, or £2 per share, has been paid up. This .-had. been; increased, however; a-year ago by accumulations' of profits to £999,378; and there is. still £9CO,CCO liable:to:be. called up. :■'.- .-■..•', .:■ j ;S: ;:;:.-: P.O v SAVINGS-BANKS. /, : /' | ■■'!. Government systems 'of post offlce sayings banks seem to become increasingly popular as time goes' on; and while -'proposals for'the formation of such banks have been | mooted ,in the United: States, these banks have: in more'than ono ■ Continental country doveloped into . cheque-issuing. organisations; One'of the most' progressive is that of the Hungarian Postal Savings Department,' and recent details. of its business .. for. the yeaT 1908 show, that its de-posits-reached £3,900,000, and' the number of :"depositors 700,000, making: 33. depositors per 1000 of tho inhabitants: of -tho country.' The' cheque system had a tnrnovei 0f.205-millions storting, 18,000 accounts' be lug reported, 75 per cent, of which, belonged to -. the clearing-, system. 'The Hungarian Postal Bonk; ■ moreover, is proving a highly i profitable organisation, for it-earned'pro-fits in tho year to the extent of.no.less ■ than .'£Boo,ooo. 'The. . depositors 'do' not directly .benefit from- this .circumstance, ■however, for the reserves allowed by law having, reached their maximum the whole of this sum the Government. '■• The. . combination ■ of. the - encouragement ; . of thrift .and the ] earning of, large profits form such an attractive ono that it is not surprising that. Governments-should' favour .these institutions.■ •■■ .' : •"'

. ATJSTP.ALIAN'"WOOL' TOPS: -The- total, quantity -of wool tops exported'from Sydney from Motf of last-year to .'about a week ago was : 1191 bales, ofwhich ■: 1146. bales were shipped to Japan, and 45 bales to. tho Continent..'l'riero was no shipment to the United Kingdom. Each balo : -weighs'iibout.4501b. net, tua. quantity being ioS,9iolb., .valued approximately at, £W,OUO.' As tho. average yield of tops from greasy wool is 40 per cent, tho weight of greasy wool used .in tlic manufacture of that quantity .was, ; . suy, . i,3s9,9Dolb.—approximately 4000 bales, and' representing tho output of the Botany Combing Mil! during, the .first seven months of its career.; According to the "Sydney Morn-, ing Herald," now that the mill has proved itself, and a .market is readily found, for tops of pure Australian wool/the plant is in process of being trebled. Whenthe enterprise'was mooted it was predicted that .Australian tops would'not bo ablo to coiupeto with tho Bradford, blended article, made up from wool raked; from all the corners 'of. .tho globo. Even if tho tops were made, it was said that there would bo; difficulty: in iinding a market., Altogether, the scheme was put into an icehouse, as if it were bound; to turn out so much frozen rabbit instead of high quality tops. However, that stago has'been passed. Tho machinery installed, and to be added to, is entirely, for combing merino wool. No crossbred tops have been produced, and no plant,'so. far,, installed for producing any., The supply of Australian crossbred. wool 13 limited.. The first installation of tho new plant is duo to arrivo ' during this month,- the scc'ond."installation in March, and the third to bo in.working order by. August of the current year.. The machinery of the mill is of tho Continental type, and of the very latest design. Y/hon. .the three installations nro complete, tho capacity of. tho mill will be equal to the absorption of about 22,000' bales of greasy wool, yielding an output' of about threo and a half million pounds weight of wool tops. Thero is an export-bonus of ljd. pel' lb. on wool tops'under. tho 1907 Bounties Act for three years, one year, of which has expired, and Id. per lb.': for tho following two years, tho maximum amount available in anv ono year being £10,000. When the mill-is in full swing; it will be equal to producing half as • much again as is needed to absorb the amount of bonus available each year.. The buildings and motive power

for,the additional plant are well 1 forward. Tiiero was some, delay .through the strike owing to difficulty in obtaining bricks, cement, etc. Leeway is-now being made up. A suction gao plant, is installed; the engines arei coupled to a ( dynamo, generating electric power throughout the works by means of motors. No expense has been spared to make the mill as efficient as possible.

WELLINGTON TETIST AND'LOAN CO. ■The report of-. the Wellington Trust, Loan and Investment Company for the year ended December 31, 19i,9,' states that the sum at credit of profit and loss amounts to £10,451) 17s„ which, with £llu6 ss. lid. brought forward from tho previous yc2j:, gives ah available balance of JE11.56G ,25." lid.,, out- of;. t7hich -an interim dividend of; 4 per cent:, absorbing ' £4C50, has already been paid. . Out'of the. balance the directors. recommend that £2CCO be added to. the reserve.:fund,! making it £46,000,, and that, a further dividend of £4050 should be paid, making B.per■ cent, for >tho year, and that £1466. 2s. lid. bo carried forward. .The directors regret to. report that during the year Messrs. Ohas. Tringham and ,0. T. . Eichardson re-, signed from the board. The vacancies were filled by appointing Messrs. John Alfred. Plimnier and Walter Scott Eeid. Tho directors aliio express their deep regret, at-the .death of Mr. C. T. Eichardson since his resignation. Tna retiring directors, by rotation are. Messrs. C. li. Izard, J..P. Maxwell, and Dr. A. K. Newman, who, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. Mr. .0. P. Powles offers' himself for re-election as auditor; . Tho directors, regret that.Mr; D. T. Stuart has intimated that lie. docs, not intend to stand again for the auditorship. :. The items of tho profit and loss account, with the figurea for 1908 in parentheses, are as follow:—To interest, £11,752 14s. lOd. (£12,541 6s. 2d.); .investors, £96 15s. lid. (£Bl 16s. 4d.); directors, £262 10s. (£262 10s.); auditors, £73 10s. (£73 10s.); furniture, '— (£B6: 75.. 6d); freehold property. written off — (£1700); added-to reserve fund, £2000 (£2000); salaries, £1113 7s.' (£1291); license, £100 (£100); printing, advertising, etc.j £130 15s. lid. (£149 103. 5d.); law charges, £119 15s. sd. (£lO 10s.); oflleo expenses, £71 195.6d. (£7l ss. 3d.); rates and insurance, £05 16s. 10d: (£BS 165.'10 d.); land and incoino tax, £505 ss. 3d. (£695 15s. lid.); interim 'dividend, £'.050 (£4050);, balance, .£5516 2s. lid. (£5156 55.. lid.); total. £25,958 13e. 7d. (£28,355 14s. 4d.): by balance brought forward, £1106 ss. lid. (£2334 Cs. 2d.); interest, rents, fees, etc., £24,052 7s. Bd. (£26,021 14s 2d.); total, £25,958.105. 7d. (£28,355 14s. 4d.). - Customs rovenuo collected .at Wellington yesterday amounted.to £2155 14s. Id. WELLINGTON, MAEK33T.EEPOETS. [■ ...Messrs. Laery. and Co.,'; Ltd.,, Wellington,' ■ report wholesale prices ruling on . the market:-Whoat, fowl, 4s. Bd. to 4s. .lOd.j feed oats, 23. 2d. to 2s. 6d.j dun oats, 2s. 4d. to .28.- 6d.; seed oats,- 2s. 4d. to; 2s. Bd.; .maize, 45.; - crushed malt,' 75.; fowl barley,.. 25.- : 4d. to 2s.' 6d.; .Cape barley seed, 2s. 6d. to 25.: 9d.;'flour, New -~ Zealand, £11 ■ 55.; : Australian, £12;, , bran, . £3'. 15s. !to £4; pearl barley, 155.; peas, Prussian 'blue 55.. 3d. t0.,55. '6d., split £17 10s.;. bonedust, £5.155.; superphosphates, £5 to £5 55.; pollard, ; -£ 4 15s, to.£s 10s.; basic slag,. £4 10s.;. chaff (oatenshcaf), £3 55. - -to. £3 155.; oatmeal, £11. to . £11, 10s.; potatoes, - old table, ; £2 .to. £3; potatoes, now. £5 to £/ per.'., ton; ..Victorian onions, Bs. ■ cwt.; molasses fodder, £5; bacon (factory),' sides 73d., hams-Bid.,rolls BJd.; butter, prima bulk, Bd. Poultry-Hens, 3s.■';. to 3s. 6d. ; ducks, ss.- to- ss. 6d.; geese,, ss. to 6s. per pair;- turkeys, -gobblers,'.'. 18s; •to 205., hens,, 10s. : to 14s.;.fresh eggs, Is". Id. to Is. 2d. doz.;'cheese, .5Jd. to,6d. lb., loaf 7d. : to 7Jd.; Akarpa/machine-drcssed cocksfoot, 73d. to 8d;. per lb:;, farmers' dressed cocksfoot, sd. to. 6d. per lb.;,.ryegrass, 2s. 9d.' to ,45.-6 d. per bushel; .Italian ryegrass, 35.:6 d. to ;45.6d. bushel; white clover: 70s, t0.755. per cwt.; red clover. 755. per cwt-: cow grass,'7ss. per cwt;; alsiko, 82s. 6d; :cwt.; ■ mustard, ■~ 40s. cwt.; rape ' seed, 265. cwt.; timothy, ;325. 6d.-cwt.; Swcdo and turnip seed, 50s. to 60s. cwt.

■'...'', PBUIT AND PRODUCE EEPOET. '~ _ The.New Zealand Fruit and Produce Co., Ltd., report for tho:week ending January. 14, as.follows:—A good domand exißtsfor practically-all-'kinds of fruit and voge-.' tables.'..Tomatoes and. green plums are' easier, as the,supply is very heavy. , All' other fruits: are firm, and we anticipate: much better. prices • this • year than last;' Quotations:—Potatoes, ss. 6d. x to. 7s. 6d; owt.; cabbage, 65.. to 7s. sack;\pnions, 8s:. : 3d. to.9s. cwt.; cauliflower, Vs..to Bs. 6dl sack; French.beans,:'4s. to .'6s.- 401b.; peas' (12 pecks), 83.. to, 12s.;'carrots; Bs. to 9a;'. 6d. sack; turnips,.3s. to 55."6d.-sacU;. beet-:' root, 6s; .to', Bs. sack; marrows, 2s. to 3s;; case; lettuce,. 2s. to 3s. ease; apples, cook-" ins 4s. .to-ss.'case, dessei't 6s: to Bs. 6d.j' plums, blue 4s. to ss.'. S-case, green 23. 6d' to, is., greengages, 45.. 9d. to, 6s. 6d!, Bur-; bank 2s:.Cd. to 45.; peaches, ss. to Bs. fid.': apricots, ss.- to 6s. 6d.; nectarines, 4s. to ,7s'.; 'tomatoes, 4s. 6d..t0.' 65.:6 d.; pines, 65. ; to;.Us.6d.;, bananas, bunch 2s. p 9d. to 4s.i' case 6s'.. to-3a. 6d.; oranges, 'Oaliforhiani Navalo.lEß. to 215.; lemons,.Messina, lis. 6d;! to 135,; eggs, Is. 2d. to Is. 3d. doz;; bran, 1 ! 9s. per sack; oats/2s. 2d.-, to 2s. 4d; bushel; chaff, £3 Ss.to £3155.; ducto, ss.'6d. to 7a. 1 ' pair; hens, 4s;. 6d.to-ss. 6d. pair; wheat,!' 4s. Bd.-bushel; peanuts, 20a.-.6d. sack;

_ The New Zealand lai'mers'-Co-operativo! Distributing Company ibporte as follows':—! Vegetables of all kinds' maintain a strong.! demand at good prices. Pruit is now com-' ing in in largo .quantities, plums, particu-1 larly; suffering, a fall in; values, thereby.! Ihere is a very keen.demand lor grapes, and wo could do .with much larger supplies. Easpberries arriving- shortly would rpaliso high prices. Eggs have lallen as anticipated, iu last week's .report. Wo have heard of .'sales as low as.ls. Id.,- but we aro.. inclined to think that '-.values will bo maintained at Is. 2d. Potatoes have weakened .somewhat in price owing . to largo arrivals, but if recent rains''cause', a Bpread' of the fblight an immediato rise' for clean lines may bo .looked for. Poultry is in good demand at fair pressed .porkers are. slow of sale, only light-weights'• commanding, the- higher value. For. tallow wo.have always au excellent demand at steady prices: Now potatoes,, best Huti £6 105.,. medium £5 per ton: cabbage, .choice 75., ordinary 4s."per sack; green ;peas,,7d. to lOd. per peck;-car-rots, llutt. Is. £d., dos., excellent demand; turnips, ■ white, '7d. to 9d. 'doz., excellent demand; vegetable'marrows;.. 2s. to '4a doa.; good demand: lettuce, choice '2s. 6d.' fair Is. 6d. per ease; spinach, host,' 2s. per case; French beans, choice Hutt Id., other lots id., to'.3d. .per ,Ib.; cucumbers, house 2s. to ,45.,. outside-grown,. Is. to> 2s.' fa. per doz.; broad beans, 3d. to Id. per' lb.; spring onibnjs,: 10d;' doz. bundles; rad-' ish, 6d. doz. buudlcs; tomatoes, Hutt 5s to 6s. 6d.',;;Nelson .4s. to 55., 6d.-per J-case' good demand; rhubarb, 15..t0 Is: 6d; doz'. bundles, poor demand; Oapo gooseberries.'' 6d. to,d. ,per lb., keen, demand; apples cookers, large 4s. 6d., small 4s. case;, ap- ; pies, dessert, well coloured 95., others 6s per case; apricots, choico largo 6s. 6d. H 75.,; medium ss. to ss. 6d.; small 3s. to 4s S-case; peaches, choice dessert 65..,6 d u 7s. 6d., medium 55.. to 65.,: small 4s. to 4a td.-J-case; plums, cherry.2s. 6d., Blue Diamonds 2s. 64.-to 3s. 3d., Ogans 2s. to 2s 9d-., Burbank3 2s:. 9d. to 4s. 6d,, Victoria ■ss.to 3s. 6d„ greengages 45.-' to ss. 6d. ~r 5-case;, butter, best separator, printed wrappers. W. to 9d., separator.,bulk-YJd. io Ed., aairy pats 7d. to Bd.; cheese, best factory mediums, old; 6d., uow ogu. per ib loai_6Jd.; per. lb.;; dressed pork,. 70's to 9fs t'd., 9a's to ICO's. 3id.; baconers, 3d • choppers (heavy), . 2d. Eggs, is. 2d per. doz., gooa. domand; .bacon factory, sides 6id., rolls 7Jd.; hams, 7d. per lb.; honey, demand is weak - now jam fruits available," 60's,. 4d.: per lb.; beeswax-,, strong inquiry; consignments would .realise.lugn values;'..fungus, keen demand at 6id. per lb.; jwalnuts,, scarce; car'y lots v:ould.'realise high values; tallow, tins 21s. to 225. per.owt.; wool, sheep skins, and" hides, :special'sale on- January 28, 1910onions, Melbourne Globes, £8 Ks. per ton' strawberries. 13.; per lb.; raspberries, 6s' 6d. per buckot, wanted; currants,' black, 7s. 6d. per half-case; nectarine',s, choice 6s 6d., medium 4s. Cd., small 2s. ;per A-casc grapes.'ls. sd. to-ls. 6d. per lb.,.strong demand. Poultry-Oockerols, ; 6s. 6d.'to 6s for good birds; small, 3s. 6d. to 45.; tabid roosters. 4s. 6d.; table, hens, 45.; small, 3a. to os. 6d.; ducks, large, 6s. 6d.'; small,'4s! 6d; to 5,1. 6d. per pair; turkey' gobbler" 9d.iper lb.; hens, Bd. per lb. livo. weight. Maize, 4s. 3d.,per bushel; wheat, 4s' led per ,bushcl; barley (feed), 3s. 3d! per bushel; barley, Cape, 3s. 6d. per bushel; horse beans, 4s. per bushel; .partridf-d peas. ss. per bushel; Prussian blue pea's : Es.'6d. per bushel; barley meal, £5 no- 1 ton; pollard,: £5 to £5 10s. Ncr ton; bran, £4 to £4 10s. per ton; chaff, primo oaten sheaf, £3 ;ss. to £3 15s. per: ton; hay prime, £3 15s. to £4 10s. per.ton; s'uero-' sine, £6 10s. per ton; strnw, wheaten £2 ■6s.- per ton, oaten St 2s. 6d. per ton; linseed oil cake, genuine, £13 nor ton: oata feed 2s. 3d. to 2s. M. per .bushel, seed, Gartons. Dunß, Js. Bd. per bushel;, Algerians 2a. 2d. to 2s. 4d. per r bushcl, crushed 23. 7d per bushel. ' ■

.CAKTEER.UItY GRAIN.. MAKKET. ..■-.' (3y Tctc'craiiU.-Prcss Association.!.... Christcluirch, January M. The demand i'or wheat during, the week has been limited,- and sales havo fallen oft', only, one line of 600 bushels of Tuscan and Hunters at As. Id. at. country station uoing reported as having'changed.hands A Bamplo of now: wheat has been' shown' and, though the grain-was small, it was of. good quality. ■ If is. oipectad that samples, from tho northorn- district will bo on offer InHho courso of, a few days, One small lino ; of inferior new wheat is reported to have been sold at.. 3s. 7d. Now oats are' now offering: mora, freely, and several sales havo been mad'o at prices ranging from Ib. 5Jd. to Is. 7d. at country stations for Duns, Gartbns,. and Sparrowbills. Sorao of the>samplcs seen wero of nico milling quality, but, generally, they wore not equal to tho early-threshed oats of last season. -No fresh business Is re-

ported in barley. A Bample of. cocksfoot,, bright heavy sc;d. has been shown, but, at the . prico asked (sd. per lb.), no business resulted, BANK OP ENGLAND BETUEN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. .. (Eec. January 14, 9.20 p.m.) London, January 13. . Tho Bank of.England return issued for tho week elided Wednesday, January 12, is .as .under:- .. .'.' . ' Issue Department. Note Issue... £5-2,293,600 Gov. debt ..." £11,015,000 Other securi- -. • ties ..'.' -.V.434,000 Gold ... ■ 53.8 M.000.. .... .£C3,2?3,030 ..' JC52.2D3.C00 BANED(G. Depaktuest. Propriotors' -.' * Govt, .securi- ■ ' ■capital £H,553,000 t105... : ... £11,703,000 Public do- ■ ... Other securi- . ■ • posits ... 6,001,030 ties... . ... 30,7-10,030 Otherdc- ' :: ': posits': ...15,491,000 Notes. ... 21,016,000 Eest, 7-day . '. andothor Coin.., ;„' 003,000 . bills'..., ... 3,154,000 £70,31-3,000 .;' . £70,3T2,0X - Tho leading items of the Bank of England return atford the following com-: parison:— - | ; . This week. Last week. Last year , ■'■".!. :-£ £ £ ' I Bullion ... ... 33,841,000 32,791,000 30,254,000 Eessrve 24,9i!4,0u0 23,585,000 '22,031,000 Noto circulation 28,277,000 26,5GG,000 '29,003,000 Public Deposits 6.C04.000 ' 9,937.000, 6,6 M,OOO Other Deposts 45,491,000 40,130,000 '. 43.880.000 Proportion, of .; . .■ .i -. reserve to . : • liabilities ... 47.51 50.40 ', 43.26 . -'GOTOENMENT SEOUBITDiIS. :'; ■ The following, aro tho latest quotations for Government securities. ..with: a.'com--parison of those ruling last week:— ';..-". - Variations ■. ■—-.■'' im..'' .'complied'.' -. '■•-:■. Pr ' V: with ■ "- - ' '■..,- last week. . ■ £e.a. ~ 2}% Imperial Conßolß 8-3 12 6 si, higher i „N.5.W.1933Jan.-July 107 0 0 Unchanged 34 „N.S;W.WlB;i)ar.-Soii. 90 10 0 -Unchanged 3 „N.S.W,I933Api;-Oct. 86 10 0 Unchanged 4 „ Vic. 1920 Jaa.-July 10110 0 . Unchanged 34 „ Vic. 1921-fi Jao.-July 'S 0 0. Unchanged 3 „ Vic. 1029-49 Jan.July 85 0 0 Unchanced Si „ b;a. 1916 Jan: July 07,10 0 Unchanged 3>' „ S.A. IJI6 Jen.-July .83 10 0 ; Unchanged 4 „-QTai9ls-94Jan.-July 103 0 0 6s,hiuhor „3§ „ Q'l'dl92l-30Janrjuly S8 0 0 Unchanged. 3 ,; QTd 1922-47 Jan.-July 85 '0 0 ' Unchangod i\ „ N.Z. 1029 May-Nov.: 105 10 0 Unchanged' 85 „N:Z. 1940 Jan.-July 93'. U 0 Unohangod 3 „N.Z. lOlr.April-Oct. 66 10-0 Unchangod 35, „W.A.19i0-40 May-Nov 83 15 0 Unchancoa 3 „W.A,191iM5 May-Nov 83' u 0 Unchanged 35 „Tis. 1940 Jan.-July 07 0 0 Unchanged 1 .3 „Tim. 1920-40Jqn.-Jnly B3 0 0 .. Unchangod : THE'- ItONEr, MAEKET. ' : Tho Bank of England rate is unchanged .at 4 per-- cent., to which.it was reduced from 4J per cent, on January 6. . Short L lbans : aro unchanged at 2i per cent.': ■-.-■■: . -. ■ ; : Three'months' bills aro quoted in London J lower at. 3 3-16 per cent. Tho Paris rate, is unchanged at 2j per cent., and the. Berlin ; rate is unchanged at 31' per .eont. ..:; \ .-■, :■ ■;'..-.- -..•.-.:;; ■ ',: COLONIAL" AND- OTHEE PEODTJOE.;-.! .' ,Wheai—The'markets- are, quiet., ; Oargoes aro olfering -at 3d. to 6d. .below ■ top prices, but, buyers are holding back. Continental markets are very, quiet. .Australian, on spot, none offering, and nomin--ally quoted at 445. 6d. to 45a.' -,- ■'..- .Flour is quiet. Tho spot quotations '■ are unchanged. New Australian January shipment, 30s.' c.i.f., but buyers offer 28s. 6d. Oats.—Thero is a poor demand. New Zealand Gartons, 19s. 6d. to 225.; Sparrowbills, 19s. to-205.; La Plata, January-Feb-ruary shipment, 14s. 9d. ■'. J Butter.—Danish is dull at 118s. to: 1195.,"' colonial is firm, arid-clearing well at lato rates,.,unsaltcd making about'.-Is. abovo salted. 1, -.:' ■' "'...'■ .. ■'[ . Sugnr is steady.'-. German beet, '88 degl; Is. 2d. higher, at 13s. 10d.;.first mark granu- : lated, f.o.b. Hamburg, sd. nighcr, '•.« 15s.' , per.cwt. '.-' '.-...'■.;-',.-'■ ,: ■":':■'-■:- ".'';■•" 1 . Eabbitskins.—Anning and' Cbbb'6 report , on the'rabbitskiris sales states,'that there' is a'strong demand,! urrier's buying largely' at extromo .'prices.. New Zealand'thin,- medium, winter, rose 6d. - to' Is. per-lb'., medium to heavy 6d. to Bd., good outgoing 2d. to 4d., ;other sorts:ld. to 2d.; Australian, fair to good winter,-. 4d. ,to,9d.,'thc remainder;- Id. to 2d. ■• About 1800, bundles woro offered. - ' ' - Bradford; Tops—Prices arc unchanged. Orossbrcds 1 ' aro hardening, but merino counts are quieter.' ,' '-..•; ;... ■._;;... TlOlj METAL •MABKETB..; \ ;>'.' ' Copper—On^'.spot,,; 6s: '3d.: idwer,; at'.£6o 17s. 6d.'per 'VSrii three months',.-6s. 3d. lower,:at.:'£al!.'l6a.'3d.';''electrolytic; : :'£63 ICs.'l ;i Tln.-On:spot, £2 12s. £148 'ss. per ton;. : three months',: £2 ss. (lower; at-£150.\ .- .'■■'■ "■■,.'■! ■,'-.; ' | ■ . |," Pig-iron—sd. higher,'at SleMOd. per ton. Spelter—7s. 6d. higher, at £23 7s. 6d. per . ton. . •, ■■'.., ■■■.-.-'-,.. . • Lead.—lmports of:lead amount t0'18,570 tons, including 5900: Australian; and the oxports to 4855 ! - ; . '.- E. .CAMPBELL AND SONS.).' .; , By Telegraph—Press Assoclatibn-rConyrieht. '::"" ■ ', . ; Lonclohi' January' 13. Eobert Campbell ,an(l."Sons', Ltd., merchants, .of.; Australasia, have paid a, divi-. dend of 10 per cent. •)■'■'■•'■ ■'■:■■ -■■'■■,' ■■■' ,: