COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1238, 21 September 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. No transactions in investment shares took place yesterday. The buying and selling quotations were as under:— Buyer?. Sellers. ? fl £ s. d. National Bank 6 2 6 — Equitable Buildm? 9 12 6 — Well. Trust and Loan 7 9 0 — Ohristcburch Gas — 9 15 0 Oisborne Gas — 3 2 0 Napier Gas 12 5 0 — Well. Gas (rights) 0 0 4 0 0 6 Christchurch Meat — 1515 0 Union Steam — ! 1 0 Well. Woollen (ord.) — 4 0 0 Taupiri Conl 116 — Leyland O'Brien 18 9 — Sharland's ordinary — 14 9 Taranaki Petroleum — 0 18 0 Wurd and Co — 5 10 Customs duties collected at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £71W 9s. 3d. .

WORLD'S TRADE FIGURES. The activity of the world's trade during the first half of the year has been well maintained. As regards imports, France shows the largest increase, the total of that country being £176,459,K0. or rather over 33 millions more than for the first half of 1919. The United States registered an increase in imports of 13 millions with a total of £173,131,C00, and Germany an advance of Hi millions at £232,205,000. In the ease of Great ilrit-ain the imports wero practically stationary, the total being £334,124,000, or £252,000 less than for the first half of 1910. In respect of export?, however, Great Britain holds second placc for the amount, of increase, the United States being first with an improvement of £36,911,000, and a total of £197,858,000, and Great Britain next with an advance of £19,084,000 and a total of £223,669,000. Germany recorded an improvement in exports of rather over 13i millions with a total of £190,495.000, but the exports of France .were nearly three millions lower than last year at £121,005,000. .

I THE WEALING INDUSTRY. A Christiana report draws attention to Uie marked development which has occurred in the Norwegian whaling industry, and the I'argo proOts being made by those engaged in it. Technical improvements have considerably extended the rango of operations, and about eight years ago expeditions began to go out to the Antarctic Ocean. The financial results obtained by thesc were very satisfactory, and in 19C4 dividends ranging from 20 to 50 per cent, wore paid. During the past three years still better results have been shown. New undertakings have sprung up rapidly, and from 1904 to the end of last June no fewer than fifty joint-stock companies representing an aggregate'capital of thirty-five million kronen have been formed, in addition to numerous • private undertakings. All have paid large dividends, ranging between 20 per cent, and 100 per cent. New companies continue to appear, threo having been brought .forward in July which will work in Australian waters. Fears arc being expressed that tho industry is alrcady ovcrdone. LONDON" WOOL SALES. By.Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, September 19. To date, for the forthcoming wool sales 130,000 bales have been received, of which 43,000 have been forwarded direct to tho manufacturers, leaving 127,500 bales—including a quantity held over—available for tho sales. WHEAT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, September 20. Tho wheat market- is again easier at 3s. 6Jd. per bushel. LONDON QUOTATIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, September 19. Tho following are the latest quotations:—Bank of Australasia, £120 (buyers), and £122 (sellers); Union Bank, £60 10s. (buyers) and £61 10s. (sellers); National Bank of New Zealand. £5 10s. (buyers) and £5 15s. (sellers); Bank of Now Zealand, stock, £101; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, £98 10s. GERMAN BANK RATE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrisht . . Berlin, September 19. Tho discount rate of the Imperial Bank of Germany has been raised from 4 per cent, to 5 per cent.