COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1129, 17 May 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. Sales of investment shares recorded yesterday, were Union Steam at 425.,. and Taringamutu Totara at £2 10$. The. buying and selling quotations were as under:—

HEMP AND TOW. Tho quantities of hemp and tow graded at tho different ports in tho Dominion during tho month of April arc to hand from the Agricultural Department. Tho total number of bales of hemp graded was 6478, as compared with 14,528 for the corresponding month of last year, a decrease of 8050 bales. For the twelve months ended April 30, the number graded was 105,473, as compared with 112.C00 for the previous twelve months, or a dccrcas3 of 3522 bales. Worked out on a percentage basis the quantity . of each grado dealt with during the month was as follows:— Fine, 4.66; good fair, 48.42; fair, 39.6; common, 5.82; rejected, .83; condemned, .68; total, 100. During the month 1590 bales of tow wcro dealt with as, compared with 4515 for tho corresponding month of last year, a decrease of 2925 bales. TABLE OF IMPORTS FROM HOME. Tho following iB a return of tho principal lines of goods of British manufacture exported to New Zealand during the month of March, 1911, also for the quarter ended March 31, 1911, with,figures for 1910 shown for purposes of comparison. Compiled from the Board of Trade returns:— Month ending Quarter Mar. 31. ending Mar. 31. ■1910. 1911. 1910. 1911. Beer and ale 3,238 4,345 7.825 11,137

Customs duties collected at. the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £1546 lis. 3d. .

TEADE IN ALLEN STREET. Oats.—A further advance of one penny per bushel has taken place since last week, and a fair demand exists.

Chaff.—Supplies- are coming from tho Wairarapa and Marlborough districts, and also from Victoiia. A fair business is doing in this line.

Maize is in excellent demand, the price locally being 3s. 2d. to 3s. 4d. per bushel. Cape barley is dull of salo at 3s. 6d. per bushel.

Fowl Barley.—There is very little business doing in this line.

Fowl wheat finds Teady sale at 3s. lid. to 4s. a bushel. -.

Flour.—The market has advanced 10s. per ton, and is now quoted at £3 10s., f.o.b. south. -

Pollard .is ruling at £6, f.o.b. south, whilst bran is quoted at £4 10s. Onions.—Fairly heavy shipments aro coming forward from Victoria, and supplies of New Zealand-grown arc reaching the market almost daily from Christchurch. Potatoes.—The market continues well supplied, and prices range from £5 10s. to £5 15s. per ton, according to quality. Butter—The: market for prime milled in bulk has advanced, and is now quoted at 10Jd. to lid. per lb. ' Cheese' continues firm. Medium is selling at 63d. to GJd., according to brand, and loaf at 63d. to 7d.

Eggs.—There, is .fair inquiry for fresh eggs-at Is. lOd. per dozen, whilst preserved at Is. 3d. are neglected. , Poultry—Hens. 3s. to 3s. 6d.; cockerels. 2s. 6d. to 45.; ducks, ss. to 65.; geese. ss. to 6s. per.pair; turkey gobblers, Bd. to 9d. per lb. live weight; hens, <<&. to 7d. All classes of poultry are in good demand.

Eice Hour, an excellent substitute for pollard, is selling at £6 per ton, sacks in.

Boiled Oats.—The usual winter demand is now being felt, and the prices range from fls.-6d. to 9s. 6d.- per dozen. 41b. bags.

Bacon and ham arc in good demand, Sides and rolls have advanced Jd. per lb.

Hay.—Prime clover hay is in good demand, at £5 par ton, meadow hay has a value of £4 10s. per ton. Partridge peas aro in moderate demand, at 4s. 9d. a bushel. ■

Vegetable.".—A good demand exists for prime white cauliflowers at 7s. to 9s. per sack; French beans meet, with keep competition at 7s. to 9s. per half-sack; swedes are selling at 2s. 6d.. to 3s. (id. per cwt.: carrots and parsnips fetch 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. per sack. Fruit.—Choice dessert pears ' and apples a.re in very good demand; for choice pears 13s. was obtained at auction yesterday, and for choice coloured dessert apnles lis.: eood cooking anples range from ss. to 6s. For tomatoes the market varies from 2s. l/i 55., according to the d;?rec of ripenosji. The market is well supplied with Austra--lian lemons, which range from lis. to 123. per case. LONDON WOOL SALES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrieai London, May 15. At the wopl sales there was spirited competition at late rates. (Bee.. May 16. 10.25 p.m.) London, May 16. At the wool sales the Tekoa clip ton price was 13d., and the average price 12d. . WHEAT. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyrieh! (Eec. May 16, 10.25 p.m.) .',..'■ London, May 16. Wheat.—An Australian cargo has been sold at 375. 7»d. GEAIN AND PRODUCE. . (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Christchurch, May 16. The cabie advice received a few days ago stating that a cargo of New Zealand wheat, now crop, had been sold at 355. 6d. is not accepted as correct by grain merchants in Christchurch. The best offer 3 they have received are 335. 3d., and they do not consider that more than two shillings per quarter more than this could havo heen mid. The market remains firm, but with.little. as farmers aro still refraining from offering their grain. The price of lirau for local consumption has ho«i raised. . ChalT is very firm, and tho local demand has increased with the advent of colder weather. Potatoes are now heing pitted, and the offerings have, therefore, eased off. The demand is cm.iet, and the best prices now offered are 60s. and 655., at country stations.

Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s d. National Bank — 6 ° 5 National Mortgage : — 3 9 0 Well. Investment Oil J - Well. Trust, and Loan ... 7 14 0 ' 7 16 0 Well. Deposit 0.83 089 Well. Gas (£10) .— 19 0 0 National Insurance 116 0 — N.Z. Insurance 4 8 0 — South British - 3 10 6 Standard .Insurance 110 0 — Meat Export (£4) , ; - 6 7 0 Meat Export (52s. 6d.) ... - 3 7 0 Union Steam , 2 19 2 2 6 Well. Steam Ferry (18s.) 0 12 0 - Well. Woollen (pref.) 3 0 0 . - Mrraraar, Ltd ;.; — 0 2 6 N.Z. Drug 2 9 0 —: N.Z. Paper Mills 12 0 13 0 Taranaki Petroleum ... — 014 0 Taringamutu Totara ... 2,9 0 2 10 0 Ward and Co 50 0 — ■

Spirits 17,152 17,603 44.8C8 61,225 Iron and. steel and manufactures thereof 103,354 117,099 230,796 333,895 Copper, wrought or manufactured 2,264' 4.202 6,746 14 446 Cutlery 2,462 3,071 7,228 9119 Hardware ... 8,572 13,142 25,526 39,239 Cotton, piece goods of all kinds 35,955 51,802 158,376 194,137 Woollen and worsted manufactures 15,714 27,128 97.590 140,240 Haberdashery and millinery 3,924 3.946. 17,059 17,926 Jute manufactures 2,430 3 620.. 8,312 13,281 Linen, pieco goods of all kinds 6,724 9.524 25,813 29,340 Apparel 21,965 33,822 150,596 196,714 Boots and shoes 14,033 18,476 52,255 69,045 Haddlcry and harness ... 3.005 4,452 8.058 12,308 Earthenwareand glass ... 9,604 10,598 21,561 30,699 Writing and printing paper... 11,305 14.697 28,440 40,812 Cement ...... 1,439 2.431 4,711 7.294 Stationery,other than paper- 3,042 2,769 9,370 10,769