COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1059, 23 February 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. Transactions in investment shares yes.torday vrcro Christchurch Meat, £15 10s., and Taranakl Petroleum at 13s. 9d. and 14s. There were many inquiries for oil shares yesterday, and tho opinion is held that tho company is considering an offer from a British syndicate. Tho buying and selling quotations wcro as under:— Buvcre. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. National Dank 6 0 0 6 2 0 Bant of New. Zealand... 10 19 0 — Metropolitan 12 0 0 — Wellington Investment ... 0 11 D• Oil 6 Wellington Deposit 0 7 6 ' Christchurch Gns 9 15 0 9 17 6 Pnliucrston Gas 8 12 6 9 0 0 Well. Gas (£6 155.) 13 12-6 - Meat Export (£4) — 5 5 0 Union Steam 1 17 3 J 17 9 Well. Woollen (ord.) ... - 4 0 0 Well. Woollen (prcf.) 2 15 6 — Tauplrl Coal 110' —' Westport Coal — 19 0 Leylanii-O'Brien — 17 6 Mlramar,' Ltd — 0 2 6 N.Z. Paper Mills - 14 0 Taranakl Petroleum 0 13 6 0 14 0 UNION BANK. Tho statement of accounts of the Union Bank of Australia,' Ltd., for the half-year ended August 31 last was presented to shareholder!, in London on January 23. Tho balance-sheet shows a net profit of £141,454, as compared with £135,873 in tho corresponding term in 1909, and. with the balance from the previous half-year, there ts a sum of £181,382 available. From this to. tal the directors set aside £15,000 for depreciation uf investments, and £20.000 as an i addition to the reserve fund, raising it to £1330,000. A dividend at tho rato of 10 per cent, per annum, equal to 255. per share, and a bonus of 10s. per sharo, absorb £105.000. making tho distribution to sharelicldere equal' to 14 per cent, per

annum, and leaving a balance of £41.382 to bo carried forward. In comparison with August. 1907, deposits show an incrc;i6o of £1.569,721, bills payable aro larger by £171,000, and the noto circulation has expanded by £23,228. Tho total liabilities arc £1,CC6,457 raore than they \veru at the corresponding date in 1909, and a similar movement has taken placo in the aaeota. Coin and bullion are larger £826.&)0, investmonta aro higher by £51,9(30, bills receivable have iucreased by £469,370. and advances aro larger by £1,106,773. assets represent 47 per ccpt. of tno Ita" billties. other than to shareholders. DOMINION MONEY CONDITIONS. There is (says. tho '.'Now Zealand Trade Roviow") no. alteration jioticcablo iu flnancial conditions.since tho -timo of our last report. Tho geason s produco- is going forward In good volume and continues ;to realise, on tho whole; satisfactory prices. Wool has been going forward in larger quantity than last season, but. shipments appear to be falling off somewhat now, and it Is anticipated that tho season when completed will hardly equal tho previous ono. On tho -other han<|. iinporte aro increasing steadily, and this will tend to diminish tho available funds-in tho handa of tho banks. • , . Tho Post Offlco Savings Bank returns for 1910 show a very heavy, incrcaso in tho excess of deposits over t )l4 amounting in tho year, to £1,103,424. This and tho bnak returns which wo reviewed in our last issue show that thero is an amplo supply of money available tor all legitimate .requirements. TABLE, OF IMPORTS. FEOM BRITAIN. • The. following l ls tlio- return f of' the principal lines of goods of British manufacture exported to New\Zealand' during the month of December, -1910.; also'for tho •twelve 'months ended December -'JO, 1910, vdth figures tor 1909 shown for/purposes of, comparison; . Compiled;from tno Board ot 'Traae •• BetoiriM^- ■ Month ending Twelvo months Dec. 30. ending Dcc. 30, . 19C9. 1910. . 1909. ■ 1910.

Beer. and ale 3,175 . 2,602 35,231 ' 35,680 Spirits .20,511'-- 30,325224.C94 • 250,924 Iron-and-steel-\ ' 1 , • and manufactures x '• ; • thereof .87,613 -'. 106,756 • 620,208 1,039,195 Copper, wrought- ' , ; ■ and manutac- . . • tured' 4,245 5,835' 28,163 37,365 Cutlerv- ......... 4.088 3,292 32.214 41,388 Hardware.. '..,,8,193' 12,802 96,626" 115,195 Cotton, pioco- -. , mil of all' 1 >' - lilnds 1 ' :... 72,985 ' • 82,934 ', 657,251' 737,842 Woollen'and'. . worsted manu- • factures. ... 52,641 . 74,015 " 354,849 443,299 Haberdashery • ~ and ;mll-- , ,' lluery ...... 7,530 9,058;; 63,740 ,66,079 J td°res mal ;. U .!. a °' 4,483 ' 4,434 37,829 39,1(13 Linen,. piece ' coods. of all " hinds '9.033 14,981 87.9C3 .111.417 Apparel-. 57,752 ' 70,347 . 467,049 ; 637,787 S ;3 and ..;..V 10,197 15,826 . 160,623 , 193,711 Mmrnefs an .?.. 4.2C2 . • 3,214... 33,044 37,389 7.783 11,762 92.100 107,733 Writing and print- - ine paper ... 10,386 11.552 115,778 131,670 Cement 2.451 4,350 27,063 '- 34,803 Stationery,other .. ■' . than paper... 4,837 ,-.3;470 - 58,720 -,'58,528 Customs revenue .collected, at tho-:port of Wellington -yesterday ■ amounted to £7443 ss, -:7d. DEBENTURES ASD SHAKES.. Dy Telegraph—Press AssnriaM'.n inyrijrht • • ; London, February > 21. . Australian Mortgage debenture stock, is quoted at £100, and; Dalgety . and Co.'s shares at £5 15s. (buyers) and £6 ss. (tellers)..