COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 18 March 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

WOOI, EXPORTS. 1 T imn ff0 4 01 °r :l ?° rts of Australasia from July 1., 1910, to February 28, 1911. as rnmnnrpH with the corresponding period of !ar;t reason, show as under, the figures being compiled by Dalgety and Co., Ltd.:-

There is an increase Tor tho who'e of Australasia of 19,019 bales, and tlio whole lncrcaso is shown by Australia. Tho New Zealand .exports are less by '23,246 bales. arc four months, of the wool vear still to come, but the total increase" for iS? , Ec i lson 13 not likely to amount to ,ICO.CCQ bales, of* the authorities estimate. The New Zealand short-ago of 23,246 bales 13 inexplicable, unless we assume that tho wool being lighter than in the previous season fills fewer bales.

AUSTRALIAN" GOLD PRODUCTION. Tho gold production of the Commonwealth continues to decrease. The output . E lO * as ss than in 19U9, and that year yielded less thau in I9uß. If the figures for January aud February ati'ord any guide, the, yield for this year witl show a further shrinkage. For the two months thero is a w™ s ? 01 43,122 flne oz " tho tota l being 397,2(4 fino oz., as against <K0,396 fine oz. In neither of the' states lias the decline in the yield been arrested. -The output in Victoria has diminished to the evtent of Ncw South Wales has „o. dnced 2624 fino oz. less, the decrease in Queensland is 12,796 fine oz., and in West Australia 11,852 fine oz. The aggregates aro shown below:—

THE EMPIRE IN FIGURES. Some instructive figures relating to tho British Empire have been made available 111 tho 47th statistical abstract recently published as a l!luo Hook. Accordinc to tho latest returns, the total area of the Empire is now 11,199,000 square miles, and tho population 343,748,000. 11l 1909 tho revenue of India amounted to "£74,374,500 and and the expenditure to .£74,084,700; the revenue of tho Australian Commonwealth was £40,831,274, and the expenditure £40,404,240; of Canada and Newfoundland, .£'21,470,003 and £10,929,477. The amount of public debt in India is £290,156,260. Australia, £240.628,641, Canada and Newfoundland £101,486,811, and tho West Indie 3 £6019,992. The value of the imports in 1909 was as follows:—lndia, £106,781,239; Houtll Africa, £29.842,056; Canada and Newfoundland, 82,891,312; total, £366,266,000. From the United Kiugdoin coods to tho value of £66.628,565 were sent to India, £16.853,996 to South Africa, 6,462,000 to West .Africa, £20,180,118 to North America, and £3,084,900 to the West Indies. ■ Tho colonial exports amounted to £403,785,000, India leading with £!29,472,024l Amontr tho exports from the colonies to the United Kimrdom were the following:—From Ceylon 189,368.90511). of ten to the value of £5,889,505. 1.796.734cwt. of Btiftar (393,G3Ccwt. from Mauritius. 646,988 mvt. from the West Indies, and 664,440c'wt. from British Gu:\ma), 60,350,7521b. of rawcotton from India, llu,2l0!b. from Ceylon, and 856.6391b. from the Nyassaland Protectorate. 244,521,9041b. of wool from Australia, 180,908,00511). from New Zeahsd, 62,800.1791b. from the Cape of Good Hope, and 57,454,P6i lb. from India, ,Tlie quantity of wheat produced in British India increased from 200.866,101 bufticli- in 1895 to 357,940,800 in 1919. In Australia tho increase was froin 10,270,548 to 50,413,597 bushels,

scote other figures.

The work of tho colonial postal Departments has shown an enormous increase in C- recent years. During ISC9 the 18,393 pust is olhccs m India, dealt with 767,922,728 letters 't and cards, 101,192,285 newspapers, book nacy *<!'•; ""d circulars, 6,113,819 pared;, and 13 1,344.097 telegrams. The ligures for Ausa tralia arc;— Letters, 372.501,3'3; newspapers, S- etc., 201,639.873; parcels. 2,517.< M; telegrams, a 13,590,277. Canada: Letters. 479,670,000;' nev.-s----d papers, 35,940,K0. The Canadian figures if have been more than doubled in nine years, o Tho minerals produced included the follov:s, ing:—lndia, 57*1,8160z. of gold, 03/56 tons of iron ore, 63 tons of tin, 11,870,C64 tons of coal; Australia, 2,967,3540z. of gold, 1,718,005 07.. of silver, and 8,203,221 tons coal; Transy vaal, 7,295,1080z. of gold; and Canada, 27,y 878,590 oz. of silver. In 1895 the amount, of j, silver produced in Canada was 1,578,275 oz. f. The tonnage of vessels entering the prin5. cipal colonial pert:; was in 1539:—India, . 11,773,107 British. 2,823.984 foreign; Australia, .' 6.189,496 British, and 2,527.255 foreign; Canada, 15,579,960 British, and 7,082,514 for- ■ eign: West Indies, 9,257,950 British, and 5,152,799 foreign. 0 — '• Customs duties collected at the port of - Wellington yesterday amounted to £1199 1 17c. 4d." j BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. 1 By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright 3 (Rec. March 17, 8.40. p.m.) London, March IG. 3 The Bank of England return issued for j the week ended Wednesday, March 15, is as under;— ' ISSUE Department i Kote Issue... £57,323.000 Gov.dobt ... £11,015,030 1 • Other securities ... V, 434,000 GoU „ 38.574.000 • £57,323,000 £57,323,C00 ; BAXKKB DEPAniJtEXI. > Proprietors' Govt, securicapital £14,553,000 ties j514.635.000 1 Public do ; . Other Bccuriposits ... 23,370,000 ties... ... 35.605.000 ; Other do- ; . posits ... 40,071.000 Xote3 ,„ 30.-213.C00 I F.cst, 7-day > . and other \ hills... ... 3.735.000 Coin.» ~ 1,278X00 £31.735.003 £31,735,C00 The leading items of the Bank 0* England return afford the following comparison:— This week. Last week. Last year ££ . £ Bullion 36,874.000 37,42-2,000 33,112,000 Reserve 31,41)1.1)00 39,846,000 1M,043,000 'Note circulation 2r.ilU.ooJ 27.24H.C00 Public Deposits 1i3.37ti.C00 21.503,000 0.044.00J Other Deposits J0,071,T0 36.868.00J 40,tiSS,UJJ Proportion of reservo to liabilities ... 59.60 61.20 49.32 GOVERNMENT SECCItITIKS. The following are tho latest quotations for Government tecurities. with a comparison of those ruling last week:— Variations ' — v cowpaiod Price. with ___ last week. . £ 6. d. : 25% Imperial Consols 80 17 6 .; s .Gd. lower 1 1 „N.S.\V.l933Jfin.-July 105 10 0 Unchanged < 34 „S r .S.\y.lols l »iar.-Sep. .90 10 0 Unchanged 3 vls .S.\N. iujj Apl.-Oct. S7 U 0 Unchfiivc r \ « t "y- c- Jau.-Ju'y 101 10 0 Unchanged ; 3j „ wc. lJifl-b Jan.-July US U 0 Unchanged i ■H "J'f t's 10 0 Unchanged a" M H' ! nr'i au -"'J uly 03 0 0 10s. higher 7 wlO 0 Unchanged = i 10J iu 0 Unchanged '. 0 2 "M, "-Wan-July t-7 10 0 Unchanso.l J & 1 =5 0 o Unchanged 1 y '- N ' 0T ' 103 10 0 10s. higher » "v'lHnP Jan, - J; dy 0 0 Uuchansed 1 ■ i April-Oet. S7 0 0 Unchanaod ) S „ V.A. iWHUAIay-Xov 03 0 0 103.higher 1 ..j} ' W 0 (I Unchanged ) 3a " Tas. l»>ioJau.-July iff 10 0 Unchanged 6 „ ias.lJiJ-u Ja&.-July 65 10 0 "Unchanged

BANK RATES OF DISCOUNT. J The Bank of England rate was reduc- ■ ed on Jrne 9 from 4 to 3 per cent.: on > September 29 it was advanced to •! per 1 cent., and on October 2Q to 5 per cent, n On December 1 it was lowered to Q per 1 cent., oa January 2'l to 4 nor cent., and t on February 16 to 3J icr cent., and on r March 9 to 3 per cent f Tho BanI; of France rate was reduced ' from 3J to 3 per cent, on January Li. ISB3, b and remains at the. latter fiEiirc. r Tho Impcriai Bank of Germany on January 21,19L9, lowered its rate from sto per v cent., and on February 11) to 4 rcr cent f But on September 26 it was raised to 5 h per cent., on February 6 it was reduced to 0 41 per cent., and on February 19 to 4 per MAIIKET HATES OF DISCOUNT. Tho following aro the market rales for best three months' bills:— London Paris Berlin rate. rate. rate, percent, perccnt. percent. r This week 21 .23 31 Last week 21 2J 3J _ Last year 3 9-16 2£ 3 i= Short loans aro quoted at 3 per cent., 'as 0 against ojl per cent, last week, and 2J per 6t cent. last year!" ol

COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. Wheat—Tiio market is inactive with few buyers. India, Argentina, and Russia, are pressing sales. Australian is offering sparingly, and holders are liriii. A cargo of Australian. sold at 345. 7sd„ South Amtralian, per sailer, November shipment, oftpred at' 3<y.; February-March shipment, MS. B*d.; Victorian, per sailer, February shipment, 335. 6d.; March-February shipment, 335. 9d. Now Zealand, per steamer March shipment, 525. to 325. 3d.; steamer parcels, March-April shipmer.t, sold at 32a. 9d. to 335. 3d. There is small inouiry for Australian on spot at 355. 6d. to 365. Flour is dull, with no forward business doing. Australian patents, 245. 6d. to 255. Oats are quiet. La Plata, April-Mav shipment, 13s. 3d.; New Zealand Cartons, 19s. to 21s. 6d.; sparrowbills, 18s. 6d. to 203. 6d. Beans are slow of sale. New Zealand. 345. 6d. to 355. 6d. Butter—There is a sliprhtly improved demand for best butters, other sorts are very dull. Danish, 119s. to 1215.; choicest Australian, salted, 10te. to lC2s.; uasalted, 1045.Now Zealand, salted, 106s. to 1075.; secondary Australian, 90s. to 985.; manv being of poor flavour. Cheese is firm. New Zealand, white, 595„ 595. 6d. to 60s. . Sugar.—German beet, 88s. per cwt.; net titre, unchanged, at 1C«. 3d. per cwt.; first mark, granulated, f.o.b. Hamburg, 2d. higher. 12s. 2d. Bradford Tops—Tho market is strong, at full rates. THE METAL MARKETS. Copper, on spot, 31s. 3d. lower, at £53 3s. 9d. per ton; three months, Bs. higher, at £55 16s. 9d.; electrolytic, Bs. 9d. lower, at Tin, on spot, £11 lower, at £173; three months, £9 15s. lower, at £173. Pie-iron.—Middlesboro' No. 3, 6Jd. lower, at 48s. lid. per ton. LONDON WOOL SALES.

CONTINENTAL BUYERS OPERATE. By Telegraph—Prijss Association-Copyright London, March 16. The Continental buyers operated freely. Sales included the following clips:—Ngaio, top pricc, 9J<l.; average price, 85d.; Waihuka, top price, 10d.; average 93d.; Kaputone, top price, 19d.; average, 17Id. Later. Bidding is animated, and prices show a hardening tendency. Continental buyers are operating freely for medium and fine crossbrcds. Messrs. Levin and Co., Ltd., report the following prices from London at the sales now current:—l.S.. Carterton, 10d.; T.C.H.. Weber, 9d.; PR.E. over T Mangahai, 8 11-16 d.; To Whiti over W in square, Masterton, 9Jd.; Burton Fields, Tenui. 9Jd.; S.L. in square, Pahiatua. 9 3-16 d.; W.A.8.. Carterton, 9Jd.; J.W.S.. Carterton, 9*d.: P over Otawhao, Woodville, 8 11-16d.f MB, over T, Pahiatua, 8 11-16 d.; Linton over W Linton, 9d.; Cross Keys, Masterton, Old.; W. Cross Kcvs, A, Casilepoint, 9 l-16d. ' SILVER. By Tdcgraph—Press Association—Copyright London, March 16. . Bar silver is quoted at 241 d. per ounce standard. CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, March 17 There is no change to record in the local wheat market. There is-- not a very active demand for export, and buyers are only giving 2s. lOd. to 2s. lid. at country stations, according to distance. There' is 'a fair quantity offering, and the quality excellent. Oats are very firm and scarce', and increased supplies cannot apparently lie looked for loyally. Tho market is like'lv to be. ruled by Southland, which lias the bulk of tho oats crop available for coast"! shipment, or exnort. Oatsheaf chaff's without change. Partridge pens are ip good supply, and prices are fairly steady

1910-11. 1SP9-10 v . . Bales. Bales] J'g 40 "?, 470.279 <80,627 ft.b. Wales. 751,766 724.119 Queensland 183,152 ■ 183 444 w Australia 165,815 152/10 W. Australia 68,111 59,431 Tasmania 18,730 15,597 w „ , . 1,657,873 1,615,608 flew Zealand 307,608 390,854 2,025,481 2,006,462

1910. 1911. Victoria- 94.285 7<U35 JJ.S. Wales 04,160 31,336 Queensland 64,064 51,263 W. Australia 238,3B7 2?o535 S. Australia ■ 2,000 i 8C0 Tasmania 7,500 7]COO WO,396 397,274