COMMERCIAL ITEM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 814, 11 May 1910, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEM.

INVESTMENT SHAJIES.

Sales of Westport Coal at £6. Bs. 6d., and TaranaUi Petroleum were recorded yesterday. National Hank, buyers £5 14s. 6d., sellers £5 175.; Eouitable Building, buyers £9 45.; Wellington DcdosU, buyers 7s. 9d.; National Mortgage, buyers £3; Ohristehurh Meat, buyers £11 135.; Wellington Meat Export, third-issue, buyers £2 1%.; New Zealand Shipping, buyers £7 195.; TTnicfn Steam, buyers £1 12s. 9d.. emn dividend; Hikurangi Coal, ..buyers 17s. 6d.; Westport Coal, buyers £6 6s. 6d.. sellers £6 Bs. 6d.; Westport-StocUton, sellers 7s. 3d • Leyland-O'Brien Timber, sellers £1 4s. 6d.; New Zealand Portland Cement, bnyerH £2 35.; Shnrland's ordinary, .sellers £1 25.; Tarannki Petroleum, sellers 145.; ward and Co., sellers.'£4 17s. 6d,.

BEITISH TRADE. 1 The British trade returns lor April show a substantial increase over those for tho corresponding .month of last year. Im--porls increased by £10,381,697, due probably to the higher prices ruling for cotton, rubber, and wool, and to some other products The exports increased by £6,757,000, and here "again 5 higher .prices account for a considerable portion. At the same time, there is reason to believe that British trade is expanding, and the continued activity of tho shipbuilding industry is a factor in the situation. It- is interesting to Hew ■ Zealand the British export trado expansion, for it means industrial activity. | which, in turn, means good prices for the i food products supplied by the Qomimon.

BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. The "Financial Times" of March 30, to hand by the mail last evening, ■states:--"It is rumoured that the preliminary estimates of the Bauk of New tfealaud for the year ending March- 31 will - show a profit of £330,000, and that, after allowing fot tho bum duo on • the Government shares, the probable surplus will bo. .equivalent to about 55- per cent, on the issued capital. In somo quarters a very optimistic view is taken regarding the > outlook of this institution, and the opinioh is expressed that the dividend wi!l t be increased before very long. As against this, however, must lie set the fact that the directors have for many years past pursued a very coD.«fcfvatiY&\ policy, ami there does''not seem to be much ground for assuming that they will depart from this course just at the present. For 1908*9 the distribution on the ordinary shares ,was made up to 125 per cent., in which was included .a bonus of 2i per cent. This is a very substantial payment,' and is; wo believe, regarded by the board as sufficient for all present purposes.'

TRADE IN. ALLEN STREET. Island Oranges.—Transhipments ex Tal : lino from tho Cook Islands are due here to-day, and further shipments by the direct steamer • Mokoia are expected, tomorrow. , , . . Bananas,—Supplies are due to arrive by the Mokoia to-morrow, and should reach v a'good market, as BUpplies are low. Lemons.—No' Messina-grown are available, but supplies are coming forward from New South Wales. p ,• Apples.—The market continues steady, choice coloured dessert being in good demand. , Pears have again advanced slightly, choice now realising 7b. to 95.; prime, 4s. to;6s.; and cooking, 4s. 6d. to ss. 6d. -./*• Grapes.—The dark varieties are. bringing the highest prices, whilst for the green sorts much lower prices have to be accepted. The bulk of the supplies are now coming forward from Australia. By tho ITatai, due to-day, consignments of lemons, passion fruit, pineapples, and oranges are also expected. Vegetables.—French beans are realising excellent rates; prime-grown making, from 6s. to Bs. per half sack; green peas are exceedingly scarce, and meet'with a ready, sale at profitable prices. Marrows and. pumpkins arc neglected, and low rates have to be acccptcd to make sales. Swedes are selling at 2s. to 3s. per cwt., according to sample. Tho market is being supplied mostly by locally grown. Pastry Butter.—Prime quality lis in rather short supply, and values arc well maiutalund. •Fresh eggs are in good demand at 2s. 3d. per dozen; preserved and chilled, Is. 4d. to Is. sd. ' Poultry.—These are ■ without any alteration in value. > . Oats.— I These have advanced during the past week by'one penny per bushel, ; and t.ho market is now firm at 2s. 2d. f.o.b. southern ports for-B grade sparrowbills. .Oatmeal and Boiled. Oats.—The demand Is more pronounced .owing, no doubt, to the'wintry weather now being experienced. Pollard is in exceedingly short supply, and merchants are finding it a difficult matter lo fill all orders. ' Bran is without change in value. Wheat.—Some fair sales have been' passing. Heavy shipments are being made of second-class milling -wheat to England, and in consequence a slight fall in value would occasion no surprise. ' TOE AT AND FLOUR. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, May 9. The wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 4.255,000 quarter?; for the Continent;. 1,890,000 quarters; Atlantic, shipments, 132,000; Pacific. 15,000.The total shipments to Europb • during the 'week amounted to 1,120,000 .quarters,. including 1203,000 from the Argentine,-' 575.000 •' from Russia, 29,000. from India, and 52,000 from Australasia. LONDON' WOOL SALES. By Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright London, May 9. ' At tho wool sales there was an. animated market,, and everything ' was in strong demand. {llec. May 10, 9.45 p.m.) London, May 10. . At the wool 'sales the following prices were obtained for clips:— Top Average price, price. Ruapapa ; 10Ad. 91d. Kiri llid.. lOjid. Orunmata 12d; ;10gd." ' PRICES OF METALS. . , - • By Teleeraph—Press Association—Copyright ' (Rec. M«[y. 10,. 9.45 p.m.) • London, May 10. , Copper.—Electrolytic. £58 10$. per ton.' Tin.—Three months. £151 ppr.ton.. Lead, £12 17s. Cd. per ton. * • (Rec. May ID, 11.5 p.m.) American stocks of copper are 141,984,059 lbs. ' ■' CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. (By' Telegraph—Press Association.) Chrlstchurch, May 10. '. The local grain market is very quiet, the death of the King, having temporarily' suspended all but urgent business. Wheat is exceptionally dull of sale, no ono seemingly being inclined to buy, except at prices that growers do not see jtheir -way .to,,accept. ..The best offers from. Aucklarid 'are : 2d.' per bushel below ' whiit' they-were, a week or two ago;-and.; fears i*re beginning to- ; be entertained there of Australian flour coming in. Oats are very firm, and only small offerings are being made. Cow grass and white clover seed is now coming in, and for tho former 6d. to 7d., and for the latter 6Jd. to 7Jd. is offered. Potatoes are firmer ,in consequence, of short offerings, ■ .• •• »