COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1205, 14 August 1911, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAPES. No sale 3 of investment shares were recorded on Saturday. The buyine and sell-

PEODUCE AND TIIE STKIKES. The strikes in London arid Liverpool have, of course, made a sharp difference in the position of produce. There is an accumulation of perishable produce in steamer holds at the London docks, and, as soon as the strike it settled, a vast quantity of meat, butter, cheese, and fruit will be made .available. The present shortage will be followed by a plentiful supply, and prices must fall under the circumstances. It may nlFcct the position later on. for the accumulation must be worked off before there can bo a return to tho normal. But it will not bo so easy to work off the escoss supplies, for the owners of tho produce will_ not be anxious to incur heavy losses. Very perishable goods, such as fiuit, will no doubt be sacrificed, but there is no reason to suppose that cold storage goods will bo sold, at knock-out prices. Tho effect of the accumulation is likely to be felt for some time to come.

SHIPPING EEStI/rs. After paying all charges and providing for depreciation, the Australasian United Si.c.im Navigation Co., Ltd., shows a balance of -£29.<52 at credit of nrofit and loss, as the result of its operations during the twelve months ended December 31. An interim dividend of 3 per cent, was naid in November, and it is now propose;! to distribute 5 nor cent, on the paid-up capital making 8 per cent, for the year, or 1 per cent, more than that of the orecedinz term The company's fleet comprises 21 steamers! etc., valued at ££94.458. Notwithstanding that freights were, low during the twelve months ended Februar , - 28. the British India Steam Navigation Co' Ltd., made net working profits of £140,118! after allowniK for depreciation on steamers. -This compares with £131,5<0 in the nrenedine term, and with .£129.919 in 19C819D9. The return to shareholders wns maintained at 7i per cent, on the ordinary and at 5 per cent, on the preference stock' leaving a, bahira of £15,608 to co forward The insurance fund now stands at £502,735, and tho company's fleet consists of 518 tons gross.

BBITISH MANUPACTURKUS. Recent mail advices indicate that the tendency of British manufacturers to open branch establishments in the United State: is steadily increasing. The latest, instance of this determination !o share in the ben--fits (if nrotc-tiou is given by the loading carpet firm of John Crossley and Sons, Ltd., Halifax. For some years pant the steady decline in. the United States rtcmand for foreign carpets, coupled with the fact that the American consumption of woollen floor coverings is the lamest in the wurld, has attracted considerable attention in the textile trade in fircat Britain. The suc'tos attendir.ic the erection of factories ill Uussia and Austria has induced John. Crossley and Sons. Ltd.. to cuntcinphitc' similar action in other parts of the Continent, in America and Canada. Offers have heoii received from the I.i«t. mined of free land and reduced taxes in order lo persuade the firm mentioned to build in the Dqmiaion, and it is stated

tint an American syndicate uroposed to furnish half the capital if the Halifax company would no to the United States. At one time Crnssluy and Rons, Ltd., had a. business worth £475,000 per annum with the latter market, hut last year the total carpet exports to the republic from Great Britain wen- valued at the triflimr sum of £51.000. It is understood tint a site has been selected in Pennsylvania, and that It. is the intention to carry on the whole process of carpet manufacture from spinning to weaving. The first line of (roods from the American mills is expected to be pitted on the market next year. CUSTOMS. The Customs revenue collected at, the port, of Wellinston on Saturday totalled £2068 (Is. 5d., the amount for the week being £25,136 18s. sii. The returns for each of the past cishfc weefts fas compared with the figures for the. corresponding periods of last year! show as under:— 1911. ' 1910. £ £ June 24 9.565 9.578 July 1 9,095 17,434 July S 21/44 10.250 July 15 ...: 27,889 22,2,52 July 22 13/26 9.C80 ■ July 29 21,343 23.362 Aug. 5 11,5C8 18.262 Aug. 12 25.137 23.055 139,337 133.273 The besr duty for the week amounted to £205 45., as against £228 for the correspond, ing week of last year. FROZEN MEAT. Us Telegraph—Press Association-Oopyrieht Bee. August 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, Aueust 12. The Incorporated Society of Meat Importers states that it cannot itive reliablo quotations owing to the strike. WHEAT. By TelecraDb—l->es= Associati-on-Oopyrieht Eec. August 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, Aubhsl 12. Australian cargoes sold at 355. lOid., and 365. respectively. METALS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyriebt London, August 12. Silver.—Bar silver is quoted at 2<d. per ounce standard. Antimony, £7 lCs. LONDON MARKETS. By Telccraph— Press Association— Oouyricht (Rec. Auitust 13, 5.5 ! p.m.) London, August 12. Copra.—The market is active. South Sea, in ba=s. £24 to £24 10s. nor ton. Jute.—August shipment, £18 7s.- 6d.. September shipment, £18 7s. 6d.; September shipment, £18. Hemp is unchanged. ; Rubber.—Fine.hard Para-, 4s. 75d. per lb. Cotton.—August-September shipments, 6.32 d. per lb. Rabbits are unchanged. FEILDING JLMIKET REPORT. Messrs. A. 11. Atkinson and Co., Ltd., of Foilding. report on Friday's market, as follows:—We had a medium penning of poultry with very little of quality for table use. There is keen demand for good cockerels, and young turkeys. The pie entry was limited to some 30 or 40 stores and a few slips. Buyers were present from a distance, but no suitable linos wore offering. Wo sold some tons of carrots at from 3s. to 4s. per sack. Good oaten chaff made £5 per ton; straw £3. Several horses were sold at from £1 to £6. Potatoes were dull of sile at 7s. to 11s. per basr: pie do., 2s 6d. Quotations:—Parsnips. Is. 6d.. to 3s. per basj: Nelson Stunners, ss. per half- , case; other apples, 4s. to 55.; oranses, 45.; cauliflowers, Is. 6d.; pumpkins (scarce), 55.; marrows. .3s. 6d.; good quality seed Algerian oats. 4s. to 4s. 3d. per bushel; feed, 3s. 3d.; barley, to 45.; wheat, 4s. 3d. to 4s. Cd. Good store pigs made from 15s. to 175.; inferior, 7s. to 10s. 6d.; slips, 55., Bs., to 9s. 6d.; sows, 255. 6d. Poultry (at per pair): Hens, 35., 3s. 3d., 3s. 6d. to 3s. 9d.; pullets, 3s. 6d. to 75.; cockerels (poor), 2s. 6d. to 35.; roosters, 45.; ducks. 4s. 6d. to 55.; Aylesbury drakes, 65.; pigeons.. 2s. 9d. per box; roll bacon, BJd. per lb.; hams, 7d. to Bd.; honey, 4d. per lb. A quantity of new and second-hand harness, whips and saddlery .was disposed of, also trap and gig, etc.

NORTH OTAGO GRAIN. (By Tcleeraph-Presa Association.) Oa.maru, -August 12. The overseas advices of advances in the price of wheat have induced a greater eagerness to ■ buy in this market, and a good amount of business has been done at rates niucli above the level of quotations current at the beginning of the week. The 3s 6d. a bushel level, that some growers have been holding for, has bucn unexpectedly realised, and at that figure, a considerable quantity has changed, hands at country stations and ex stores. Lines of ICO sacks and over have been included in the transactions of the past, two clays. Inquiries still come in for wheat, and the incoming week seems likely to witness a. hrisk business unless fresh advices from' London have a depressing or quietening influence. iPbtitoc3 still move- very slowly. ITn to £2.125. 6d. has been.'paid for prime Up-to-Dates delivered in Oamaru, but, at country stations, sales have been made as low as £2 on.true!;?. "

ing quotations were as under:— Buyers Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. K.Z. and River Plate 2 0 0 - Well. Deposit — 0 8 3 Christchurch Gas — 9 17 6 Feildinc; Gas -- 12 6 Well. Ga3 (£7 103.) - 15 10 0 iNT.Z. Insurance 4 8 0 - W«!l. Woollen (ord.) - 4 0 0 Hikuranni Coal ;... — 0 19 3 Taiipiri Coal - 12 0 Westport Coal 18 9 19 3 Los-land-O'Brien 1 8' 3 - — Manning and Go '— 4 6 0 X.Z. Druj: 2 10 6 2 11 6 N.Z. Paper Mills - 115 Sharland's ordinary. ... — 1 5 1) Taranalii Petroleum .... — (1 17 0 Tarmgamutu Totara. ... — 2 7 0 Ward and Go 4 19 0 — Well. ODora House — 7 5 0