COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 960, 29 October 1910, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES'. • There wci'o no transactions in investment shares yesterday, • and no ouotable changes, in values. The quotations were as Jinder. ' - Buyers. Seller,T .. , ' , - . £ a. d. £ s. d. National Bank — 5 17 0 Equitable Building ' 9 12 6 — g.Z. and Eiver Plate — 2 10 it ell. Investment Oil- 0 — Well., Deposit - • o 8- 6 Well. Gas (£10) — 19 2 6 Christchurch Meat .; 14 2 6 — Gear Meat (£4) 12 5-0 Gear Meat (£1) 3 2 6 — Meat Expurt (525. 6d.) —.'. 3 4 0 Well. Woollen (ord.) ...... — 316 0 Well. Woollen (pref.) 2 15 6 — Taupiri Coal 10 0 — Westport Coal 6 ,7 0 — 1 Manning and Co 4 2 0 — N N.Z. Con. Dental" — 12 0 N.Z. Drug _ , iu,s N.Z. Paper Mills 13 0 — Taranaki Petroleum — 010 6 Ward and 00. — , 5 '4 0 LUXURIES INfU.S:A. Some explanation of .the adverse balance of the oversea, trade of the United States during .recent months is furnished in the statistics. published by' the-Department of Commerce and Labour at Washington. SB, figured .;to- tho extent, of over £51,000,000 in the country s imports-for tlio llscal year 1910, and in comparison with tho value of similar articles imported in 1907

an increaso of £5,000,000, or nearly 11 per cent., is shown, if the figures o: lyuo bo taken as a standard of measurement, importation of luxuries in tho year just terminated lias expanded by more man ICO per cent. Uiamuiius anil precious stones licad tho list with £lu,oil{j,liuu, or moro than threo times tho vaiuo credited ten years ago, whilst cigars and tobacco weio second with £7,61)11,11)0. Other leading articles of luxury wero cotton laces and embroidery, £7,400,000, , furs £5,Ju0,01j0, whilst wines represent only £2,600,000. It is evident from these details that tho American woman is largely responsible for the national extravagance. The class of articles, which shows the greatest increase comprise works of art, which in 1910 were eight times tho value of the importatons in 1900. This is attributed to the removal of the duty on works of art that were >20 yearn old or over. When to the value of these imported luxuries is added themonoy spent abroad by travelling Americans, the payment of freight to foreign owned vessels, and tho interest on United States bonds, etc., held abroad, an adverse balance of trade becomes a serious matter for the debtor nation. The difference has to bo settled either in gold or securities, and the process Is apt to create financial complications at times. Customs revenuo collected at the port of Wellington yesterday " amounted to £1649 10s. 2d. WELLINGTON MARKETS. .The New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Distributing Company report prices, for .tho week as follows: —Potatoes, prime, local £10 to £11, Australians £10 per ton; potatoes, seed, specially selected, Canterbury Up-to-Dates, £10 per . ton; onions, Australian," £8 10s. per ton; cabbage, choice 3s. 6d. to 45., .ordinary Is. 6d. per sack;- cauliflower, 65.;.6d. .to Bs. per sack; Nelson green peas, Is. 2d. to Is. - 3d. per peek; carrots, Itutt, choice 9d. per dozen and ss. 6d. per sack, others 35.; turnips, white sd. "to 6d. dozen, swedes ss. per sack; pumpkins, .6s. to 7s. per sack; lettuce, -choice 3s. 6d., fair Is. 6d. to 2s. per case; spinach, best, -2s. 6d. per . case; spring onions,. Bd. ■ dozen bundles; asparagus, sd. to Bd. bunch; rhubarb, outside, 2s. to 4s. 6d. per dozen; apples, cookers, large, ss. 6(1. case; apples, dessert, well coloured, Bs. to 9s. 6d. per case; butter, separator, 93d. to lCd, bulk,- 10Jd. pats, dairy 91d. to lOd. per. lb.; cheese, best ' factory mediums, 61d. per lb.; loaf, 7d. per lb.; dressed pork, 70 s to 90's 4Jd., 90's to 100*3 4Jd., baconers 4d„ choppers (heavy) 2Jd.; eggs, fresh, 10d." to lid. per' dozen; bacon, factory sides 7d„ rolls Bd., hams 9d. per lb.; honey, 3£d. to 4d. per lb (slow of sale); beeswax, Is.' Cd. -per - 'lb.; fungus, 5Jd. per lb:; , walnuts, sjd. per lb.; tallow, tins, 28s. cwt.; poultry, cockerels ss. 6d.- to 6s. 6d; for good birds, small 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d., table roosters 55., table hens 45.; ducks, largo 6s.' to 6s. 6d.', small ss. per pair; turkey gobblers 9d. per lb., hens Bd. per lb.'live weight." ■.

The New Zealand Fruit and Produce Co. report as follows:—A good demand exists for both fruit and vegetables, with'the exception of dessert apples, tho marlcet being glutted with American apples. Owing to the severe restrictions imposed on "Sydney shipments, the quantities have decreased considerably, . prices have correspondingly risen. -The last two shipments realised very high pricos. New potatoes from local growers have coine to hand mor.e freely,, and have : sold at 3d., per lb., or £28 per ton. Old potatoes in New Zealand, are practically , exhausted, and we are now depending entirely on Australia,, though some, arriving . from there have not been satisfactory. This will cause tho price for. new potatoes to keep up for some considerable time. Tho following are • this week's prices:— Potatoes (Now Zealand) lis. 9d; to 13s. 6d. cwt., new 3d. lb., or '£28 ton, Australian 10s,"-to lis; cwt.; onions, 7s. to 7s. 6d. cwt.; marrows, ss. sack; 'peas, Is. to'ls. 3d. peck; carrots," Bs. 6d. to 10s. 6d. sack; parsnips, 10s. to 12s. sack; cabbages, 2s, to 4s„ 6d. sack; turnips,'ls.. 6d.. to 3s. sack; cauli-

flower, 10s". to 11s. 9d. sack; pumpkin, 7s. to Bs. 9d. cwt.; tomatoes. Is. ldd. to 2s. lb.; asparagus, 6(1. to Bd. bunch; spinach, 2s. 6d. to 3s. case; lcttucc, 2s. to 4s. case; cucumbers, lis. to 13s. case; rhubarb, 2s. 8(1. to 4s. dozen;-Ilobart apples; scarlet permains 10s. to lis., stone pippin Vs. to Bs., French crabs Bs. to-9s„ stunners 9s. to 10s. 6d.; lemons, 9s. to 10s. 6c'..; pines, 10s. to 125.; bananas, 15s. to 18s.; oranges, 17s. to 195.; passion fruit, lie.' to' 13s. 4d.; mandarins (bushels), 18s. to 195.; mandarins (gins), 205.; mandarins (packers), 14s. to 155.; eggs, Is. dozen; cliaif, £5 to £5 15s. ton; oats, A grade gartons ,20. 6d. to 25." 7d.; bran, Bs. 3d. sack; wheat, 3s. 9d. to 4s. 3d. bushel; straw, 2s. to 2s. 3d. bale; rice,'6s. Gd. (561b.), mat; pollard, £6 ton; ducks, 4s. 6d. to 6s. pair; peanuts, 235. sack; hens, 3s. to 3s. 6d. pair. AMERICAN WHEAT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, October 27. The r corrected figures for the American visible supply of wheat are 67,846,000 bushels. (The figures published yesterday were 66,646,000 bushels.)- ■■ ■ SILVER. London, October 27. Bar silver is quoted at 25Jd. per ounce standard. - TIN. (Rec. October 28, 10.30 p.m.) . London, October 28. Tin.-On spot, £165 15s. per ton,. not £163 '17s. 6d„ as cabled yesterday. BUTTER MARKET DEMORALISED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Rec, Oct. 28, 9.15 p.m.) London, October 28. The butter market is demoralised. Danish, 114s to His: per cwt. " Australian, choicest salted, 106s. to 108s. per cwt., exceptionally good parcels malting 110s. Unsalted is scarce, at 114s. per cwt., and occasisnally 116s. per cwt. Secondaries are quite neglected, and are quoted nominally at from 100s. to 104s. per cwt.'. New. Zealand choicest salted, 112s. per cwt. ■ . ... . „ Mild weather is prevailing in Europo and prolonging supplies. 1 AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. . By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Rec. Oct. .28,'9.15 'p.m.), London, October 28. The markets are fairly steady, but there is no pressure to sell, as buyers are only filling their immediate- requirements; 365. 9d. is asked (for South Australian OctoberNovember shipments;' 36a. 3d. at ports.for December-January-shipments; 365. 9d. for New South Wales on steamer afloat; 345. 3d. has'been -paid'for a near South Australian parcel. There is small inquiry for, Australian "on spot , at 37e., 375. 9d. ;to 38s; Flour is inactive; Australian patents, 265. 9d. to 275. Oatß.—La Plata, November-December shipment, 13s. LONDON MARKETS. Messrs; Dalgcty and Company, Limited, have received the following cable from their London house, dated .October 27:— Frozen moat—Mutton: Poor demand, and prices are maintained with difficulty. Lamb: Demand limited, but prices are Jd, per. lb. higher. Beef: There is a scarcity, and the position is unchanged. Tallow: Since our last cable mutton is 6d. per. cwt. higher/and beef'9d. to Is. cwt. higher; GRAIN AND PRODUCE. !Br TeleEranh.—l'rcss Association.) , Chrlstchurch. October 28, . Business in connection with all branches of the grain and'produce trade is exceptionally qyiet. Second quality" wheat is changing hands for. shipment by next

steamer for West of England ports. The outside price for prime wheat is now ■about 3s. at stations. Oats are very firm, but none are offering. In fact inquiries have been mado by farmers for oats for feeding sheep ill conGaquence of the continued dry weather. Chaff is also firm and scarce for tho same reason, and is now up to 70s. per ton at country, stations. Potatoes are worth from £9 to £9 10s. per ton at country stations, and supplies are scarce.