COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

FROZEN MEAT. An interesting comparison showing the shipments of meat from Australia, New Zealand, and Argentine for tho "United Kingdom during xho. month of November iu 1909 and 1910 has beer, compiled by John Cooko and Co. The hgures are given in the table which follows November, 1909. Besf, Beef. Mutton. Lamb. Frozen. Chilled. Crcs. Ores. Qrs. Qrs. Australia ... 281,500 555,100 12,250 - Argentine ... 161,5C0 32,410 161,225 101,000 N.Z. .... 80,000 43,000 14.4C0 - Total .... 523,000 630,4C0 187,875 101, COO November, 1910. Australia .... 336,338 7£8,505 32,437 - Argentine ... 291,C00 66,500. 112,t00 168.000 N.Z. ...v.; *50,000 40,000 6,000 - Total .... 677,338 • 595,005 150,437 168.CC0 ♦Approximate. There have been substantial increases in tho shipments from Australia and Argontina. v The former dispatched last month 54,838 • carcasses • of frozen mutton, 233,505 car.casses of lamb, and 20,187 quarters of beef inoro than in November,* 1%9, Argentina's increases being ,130,500 carcasses of mutton and 34,100 carcasscs of iamb. .Tho re-exports from New Zealand show approximate decreases of 30,000 carcasscs of mutton, 3000 carcasses of lamb, and 84C0 carcasses of. frozen beef. Tho shipments of chilled beef from the South American Republic showed expansion last month to tho extent of 67,000 quarters. The aggregate increases in the later period under notice were 154,338 carcasses mutton, 264,005 carcasses lamb, and 67,C00 quarters chilled.,beef, whilst in frozen beef thero was a decrease of 37,433 quarters. It is stated further that,. whereas at the end of November, 1909, there were heavy of mutton and lamb in store, 'hero wero now only light stocks of, mutton and no supplies of lamb go retained. FRUIT. EXPORT TRADE. Tho "Financial Times" of a recent dato gives the following interesting information:—"There have recently arrived in London, wiihin seventeen days of their being picked, some heavy consignments of pippin apples from California. Considerable animation has-boon aroused in the English iTuit- trade by this performance, for the time talfen cor-sti'tutes a record, and opens up immense possibilities. This year, tho apple season in California lias been a particularly good one, the crop having been of exceptional' quality and o t unntity, and the Californian growers dccided to fiend some of their output to the London mar-

bet at express rpeed. With the assists ance of the railway companies in America, and England, together with the co-opem-tion of the shipping liner?, tho apples havo arrived at CoVcr.t, Gardea simultaneously with i]io mail*?. During vut> past six weeks no fewer that 160.CG0 cases havo been marketed, tho moderate prico and excellent quality having created a hrink demand." Californian apples arc finding an cxcellcst and ready market iu New Zealand just now. NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN LAND. The report of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company.' Ltd., for the year CDded March 31, 1910, states that the net profit, after charging interest in debenture debt, amounts to £257,341. The directors recommend a. dividend on tho ordinary stock of 8 per cent, and a bonus oi 4 per cent., and that £ICO,OOO be carried to contingency fund, raising it to £480,000, leaving a balance of .£2459 to be carricd forward. The balance of profit shown la not so large as last year, as advantage has been taken of the present prosperous tiinc3 to rcduco th© valuations of live stock, i NOTES. A factory for the manufacture of lead pencils has been started at Tollygunge by i the Small Industries Developing Co., Ltd., of Calcutta, and is, now engaged in turn-; ing out many gross of cheap black lead 1 and coloured pencils daily. It is reported that the International Export Co., which was started in Hankow two years ago, and established refrigerating stores there, has bc-on making large additions to its premises. This company wore tho first to ship Chinese frozen meat and poultry to London. An Indian journal reports that the Bengal Preserving Company, which has established works at Muzutt'arnore, is a Swadeshi enterprise of considerable interest. Tho company is seeking to develop a market in canned fruits, notably mangoes, lichis.Jand pineapples, and already gives employment to some 85 persons. A German newspaper reports tho establishment of a company, tho Russian Flour Milling Co., with a capital of £42.CC0, for the construction and working of steam flour mills in Manchuria and the Amur district, and for trading in com and flour. Mr. Taft has issued a commission which is to visit Australia, New Zealand. Souxa Africa, and South America, to learn whether tho wool industry in those countries is carried on under sweated conditions compared with those admirable ones which obtain in tho "U.S.A. The Sydnev gas companies are to reduco tho price of gas to 3s. 9d. per IOCO on Januarv 1. The Australian Gaslight Company lowered its charge to 4s. twelve years ago, and the. North Shoro Gas Company ten years ago. Batliurst supplies gas at 3s.

Tho United States aro reducing tho size of tho paper constituting its note currency to by 6 inches, so that it will contain 1 15 square inches of paper. Tho Commonwealth notes aro to contain—£s, 26 square | inches; £1, 24& square, inches; and 10s*, 23 ] squaro inches, so they will be much larger | than tho now American notes, which 'will i be a disadvantage. j Customs revenue eollcctcd at the port' ! of Wellington yesterday amounted to £2124 | 6b. 2d. | CHItISTCnUF.CH GRAIN MARKET. J (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Christchurcli, December 25. There is some wheat on offer, but millers arc inditferent about buying, and onlj prime tamp'les attract their attention. A lir.e of prime unweathered Tuscan has changed hands at 3s. 6d. at a country station, and f.a.n. wheat of the same variety "at 35., the latter being a tamplo that would probably have made 3s. 3d. a short tiroo ago. Thoro is do business -doing in oats, and chaff is also quiet. A rubbed-out sample of barley of nice Quality has been shown on tho market, but no business in new grain is reported. , There is not likely to lje much doing in grain or produce until after the holidays. Mr. Newton King's weekly stock report is as follows:—At Urenui on Monday,yearling steers made £2 15s. to £3; yearling to 15-months heifers, £3 35.; 18-moutlis do.. £3 10s.; 18-months steers, £3 9s. 6d. to £3 135.; 2-year steers, £4 55.; 2J to 3-year do., £5 Ss. *6d.; store cows, £2 15s. to £3 155.; forward do., £4 6s. to £4 lie. 6d.; fat cows, £5 to £5 2s. Gd,; springing heifers, £4 10s. to £5 2s. 6d.; cows and calves, £4 65.; bulls, £3 to £3 14s. At Stratford., oil Tuesday, there was a small yarding.. Yearling heifers made £2 19s. to £3 ss. 6d.; store cows, £4 os. 6d.; forward do., £4 Bs. 6d. to £4 10s.; fat do., £5 93.; 2 to 21-year steers, £4 145.; dairy cows, £ 575. 6d.; ewes (mixed ages), 16s. 6d.; bulls, £3 to «,3 ICs. At R-ahotu on the same day, weaner heifers made £1 Bs.; yearling heifers, £2 13s. M. to £2 19s. 6d.; yearling steers. £2 9s. 6d.; store cows, £3 10s. to £4 35.; forward do . £4 9s. 6d. to £4 155.; fat cows, £5 to" £5 Us.; springing heifers, £4 7s. 6d. to £5; bulls, £2 15s. to £4. '