COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1001, 16 December 1910, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

- INVESTMENT SHARES. There were recorded yesterday sales of National' Insurance 'at £1 14s. 9d. and Taranaki Petroleum: The quotations wero as under;— • Buyere., Sellers Sale! £s. d. £s. d. £ s.' d. National Bank ... 516 0 — — N.Z, Loan and Mercantile , .; 010 0 . — . — Well. Gas (£10) .... 19 0 0 — ' - Well. Gas (£6 155.) 13 10'0 - • National Insurance ' — — 114 9 Union Steam 116 -9 — — " Well..Woollen (ord.) 3 15 0 — — "Well. Woollen (pref.) 214 6 — — Taupiri Coal 1 0 0 1 0 6 — Wcstport-Stockton — 0 7 0 — Leyland-O'Brien ... 1 6 6 — — • Manning and' C 0.... 4 5 0 — — Miramar, Ltd. — 02 3 — • N.Z. Con. Dental ... 1 2 6 1 3 6 — \ N.Z. Paper Stills ... 1 '33.-. — Sharland's ord." ... 1 1 9 — — . Sharland's pref. ... 1 19 — — Taranaki Petroleum 0 9 9 — 0 10 0 Ward and-Coi 5 4 0 5 5 6' r Whitcombo and • • Tombs '. — 6 7 0 ■-*— .• BANK OF! NEW SOUTH WALES. V The balance-sheet of the Bank ,of New South Wales'for the half-year ended September 30, appears in another, column. In referring, to tne deposits, at .' the meeting of shareholders the chairman pointed out that'there was a largo increase, in rpund figures, £4,000,000, and "what is rather unusual the, September figures show a substantial increase on those of March last.". Continuing, he said; ."I need' not .repeat hero my remarks at previous meetings with regard to - the continued accumulations, of-deposit money,..and: - will only'say now that a fair proportion of- the increase is in fixed-deposits. The greater portion,, however, is in tho current accounts." r - /.•■'• ' Referring' to the advances, tho chairman .said:. "Advances show an increase of £1,600,CC0, a fair proportion of which* arises -from' the negotiation of mercantile bills. It is not our policy to age speculative enterprises, but to follow ste'adiiy and watchfully tho legitimate developmental requirements of our various spheres 'of action. The increase, in' advances now referred to is well spread throughout Australasia, and chiefly consists of small and ' moderate advances to tho settlers who are gradually filling up the farmiug lands throughout Australia and New . Zealand."

' ■' NIIS/b MONTHS' TiIADE. ~ , THE DOMINION AND BRITAIN. Tho following is a statement relating to the external trade of the United Kingdom during the nine months ending September ' 30, 1910.. It has been compiled by the Board of Trade, London, with special reference to the trade with New Zealand:— The values of the imports, exports, and re-exports of the United Kingdom (merchandise only) for the third quarter of 1910 have each been greater than has been recorded for the,third, quarter of any previous ;ycar.: The totals' for; the nine ■ months of 'the year 'wero : . as follow :~lmVorts, £457;311,000.-.'- Exports-United Kingdom produce, £316,577, CM; foreign and. colonial produce,V£7B,44l,ooo. The increase on tho figures for tlio first nine months of the year 1909 were:—ln imports, £37,530,000, or 8.3 per cent. In Exports —Of 1 United Kingdom produce, £41,240,000, or 14.9 per •cent;;- of,, foreign..and,'iCplpnial produce, 'aw; Wl WW-* ' . .. "Raw' materials :,and "articles mainly unmanufactured" account for more'than £26£ millions of the increase of £37i millions in imports. : £36' millions of the increase.- of £41 millions 1 in' exports of' United Kingdom 'produce are accounted for under tho head of "articles wholly or mainly/manufactured." 'Some'part of the increase must . be attributed to tho. fact that prices have been higher this year than last, but this consideration is not sufficient to account for the bulk of the increases, which, reflect a, real and substantial growth in the volume of trade. The total value of the-merchandise imported into tho-United Kingdom from New Zealand during tho nine months was £18,926,000,-and'.that of tho produce, and' United Kingdom ex . ported to "New Zealand £6,298,000. Foreign and colonial merchandise to the value of £577,000 was also exported from tho United Kingdom to the Dominion during the same period. The' figures -for the corresponding period of. 1909 were: Imports'from New Zealand, £15,805,000; exports to ."Mow Zealand of United Kingdom produce. £5,436,000; of foreign and colonial merchandise, £548,000. The growth in imports from Now Zealand has thus been neaTly 20 per cent., and that in exports' thither of United Kingdom produce 16 per cent.' on last year's figures. Among the principal imports and exports were, the following :— Imports from New Zealand. . Value 9 months ending Sept. 30. 1909. 1910. Articles. ~ £ Mutton (frozen) 3,232,000 3,974,000 Bc=f (frozen) 556.000 742,000 Butter .'. 1,151,000- 1,543,000 Oheeso 997,000 1,203,000 Wool, sheep's or lamb's .' 6,694,000 8,204,CC0 . Tallow and stearino 616,000 -734,000 Skins (sheep) 526,000 521,000 Hemp 192,C00 368,000 Exports to New Zealand (U.K.. Produce). Iron and steel and manufactures thereof" (so far as separately distinguished in the monthly accounts) ..' 590,000 759,000 Cotton Piece Goods... 506,000' , 559,000Woollen and Worsted Tissues ■ 226,000 ■ 253,000 Apparel ..' . 370,000 420,000-'

WORLD'S WOOL AND MUTTON. The world's wool supply does * not seem to be growing as fast as the population which uses wool, and the European mutton supply seems to be diminishing. The "Textile Mercury" state's that in 1895 . tho production cf wool was 2,692,986,7731b., and the wool-using -population at that tinlo was 528,386,225. -At the-present time the wool-using population has increased to 610,391,508 . people, an iricrhase of 81,555,283, while' the wool production in tho same period has increased by 111,149,7751b. The per capita' production was thus 4.£61b. in 1895, as against 4.271b. at the present time.. - : . The decrease in the numbers of sheep in Europe during the past half-century has been as remarkable as tho increase of wool-growing in Australia. France had 32 million sheep' in 1840, now the total i 9 under 17 million. In Germany tho decrease is still more marked. In 1870 the flocks numbered 25 million, whereas now they barely number 7 million'. In 1869. Austria-Hungary could, muster 20 million; to-day the flocks to not', number half that figure. ... The United Kingdom, on the other hand, seems to hold its own well. In 1871 there were 33 million. In 1909 the figures wero 31,335,917. So far ns England is concerned, the stud sheep- industry has led to a steady export. demand- both from . Australasia and the • Argentines and in British breeds old world breeders have gone'close •to perfection. " ' . JOHNSONYILLE BUILDING SOCIETY. An-appropriation .byvballot, in the JohnBorivillo No. 2 ' Co-operaltive 'Building Society took place last evening. No. 6, representing three shares held by Mr. Jesso Taylor, was tho fortunate number drawn. Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £4092 18s. Ud. CONSOLS. By TeleEraph—Press Association—Copyright. 1 \ (Rcc. December 15, 11.45 p.m.) • London. December 15. Consols are-quoted at £79 12s. 6d. WHEAT. Uf Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright; • London, December 14.:' Tho American visible.- wheat supply is 75;457,000 bushels. •••. s ' London, December 15;, Wheat.—Two Australian'- cargoes- have been sold, at 355; 9d... and 355. 10Jd.," respectively. , •

METAL MARKETS. Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, December 4. Copper.—On .the spot, £56 13s. 9d. por ton; three months, £57 Bs. 9d. Tin, £175 17s. 6d. per ton. Lead, £13 ss. per ton. Imports, 17,414 tons; exports, 5349. Silver.—Bar silver is quoted at 25 3-16 d, per ounce standard. (Rec. December 15, 11.45 p.m.) London, December 15. Copper.—On spot, ££6 12s. 6d.; three months, £57 7s. 6d. Tin. £175 15s. TALLOW, At the tallow sales 361 casks were offered and 275 gold. Mutton-Fine, 395. per cwt.j medium, 375. Beef—Fine, 38s. Gd.; medium, 365. AUSTRALIAN PEODUOE MARKETS. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright. (Rec. December 15, 11.45 p.m.) "•mi. V Sydney, December 15. Wheat, buyers, 3s. /id. to 3s. Bd.: sellers want-a halfpenny more. Flour, £9. Oats, T&smanians. 2s. 6d. to 2s. Bd.; Algerian, feeding, 2s. 3d. to 2s. 4d.; milling, 2s. 7d. Barley, Cape, 3s. 3d. Maize, 2a. 7d. to 2s. lid. Bran and pollard, £4 ss. Potatoes. Tasmanians and new (local), £11. Onions, £4 10s. to £5. Btfttcr, 945. Cheese, 6Jd. Bacon, HJL', Melbourne. December 15. "Wheat, 3s. 7jd.- Flour, £9. Oats, Is. lid. to . 2s. Barley, Cape, 2s. 3d.; Chevalier, good malting,'3s. 6d. Maize, 2s. 6*d. Bran and pollard, £4 10s. Potatoes, £6 to'£6 IDs. Onions, £3 10s. to £4. Adelaide, December 15. Wheat.—The' market is disorganised by. the strike, Quotations are 3s. B£d. Flour, £9 ss. Bran and pollard, 12d. Oats, 2s. OJd. MELBOURNE HIDES MARKET. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. .(Rcc. December 15, 11.45 p.m.) . . ■ . • Melbourno, December 15. At . the hides sales to-day supplies were moderate,- with a good demand, and prices were-firm. -BUTTER REPORT. Messrs. Foley Bros., Limited, Tooley Street," London, cable their New Zealand representative's, • Messrs. Harry Kember •and Soil, Wellington, under date December 15, as follows:—Danish, finest salted, 115s; to 1165.; New Zealand, finest salted, lC6s. to 108s.;. .Victorian,'-finest salted, 102s. to lC4s.; Victorian', unsaltod, 104s. to '1065.; New South ; "Wales, finest salted. 100s'. to-1025.;. New South' Wales, unsalted, 102s. to 1045.; Queensland, finest salted, ICO3. to 1025.; Queensland,, unsalted, 102s. to 1045.; New Zealand; cheese, white, 565. to 575.; New Zealand- cheese, coloured, 575. to 58s. The Board of Trade returns show imports of butter into the United Kingdom' for the last' week .as 83,209cwt. For the corresponding week .last year, tho amount was 66,194cwt.,' showing an increase of 17.615 cwt. • .-Prices aro very irregular, and the market closed' with a downward tendency. ' . LONDON MARKETS. The -New, -Zealand Loan .and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., liavc received the following. cablegram from • their London house' '.under' dato December 14:—Tallow: We• <jubte present spot values for the fol-, lowing descriptions :-rGood mutton, .£1 'is; 3d.; good beef, £1 16s. 6d.; mixed, £1 15s. 6d. per cwt.':' market quiet. Wheat': We quote 35s. 1 6d. c.i.f. for Australian- cargo. Market weak, with very little demand/and outloolc - discouraging owing to . increased supplies.

PALMERSTON MARKET REPORT. .Mr. Harry Palmer reports very big entries at liis last market sale at Palmerpton. The usual rush of Christmas entries has now sot in, and'consequently tho accommodation was taxed. • Thero was a fair demand for pigs of' all classes, more particularly good porkers. There is a good demand for all classes of poultry that arc'young and fat, more particularly'turkeys and . cockerels.. : Quotations;— Pigs: Weaucrs, 65.,175., Bs. 3d., 9s'., 103.; slips, 10s.; lis., 12s. 6d., 135.; stores. 155., 165., 175., 18s.j ;light porkers," 18s., '195., 215.; heavy do., 235. fid. to 265.: cockerel?, As. 6d. to 6s. 6d.; chicks to half-grown, 9d. to 3s. 6d. per pair; ducks, 3s. 6d. to ss. 6d. per pair; •hens, 3s. to 4s. 6d. per pair; turkeys,"from 6s. .6d. to 14s. each; geese and goslings, 2s. 6d. to 4s. each; hens and broods, 4s. to 7s. 6d.; , ducklings, Is. 7d. to 3s. ner pair. New potatoes and other vegetables are now coming in more freely, and'aro improving in quality. New potatoes, 12s. to 14s. per cwt.; green peas, 6s. per sack; cabba'gc,,.3s. per-sack; rhubarb,-4s. to ss. per dozen; carrots, 7s. 6d.; cucumbers, 3s. per ease; lemons, 6s. per cnte*, gooseberries, 6s. per case; onions, 9a.; ~ig potatoes, 2s. 6d. per sack.. We held a 1 very successful sale on account of Mr. P. Dftniell. Jersey heifers, .£18; cows, £11, iflO, £6; boy's pony. £10, £5; furniture dnd sundries at good prices. We also held a most successful sale on account of ]tfr. B. Cronin. The cows were a splendid lot, in prime condition, with the result that a very high average was obtained, more particularly when the time of the year is considered. Twenty-three sound , covrn averaged £11, selling from £6 10s. to £16 2s. 6d?; bull, £6; two to 18-months heifers, £6 15s. each; seven wcaner calves, at 18s. saven-do.'at 345.: sow and litter, £6 -js.; Devon boari '£1 10s.; trap mare, £7 lOfi.; trap horse. £6 2s. 6d. All farm sundries sold equallywell, .