COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1288, 17 November 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT. SHAKES. A 6alc of Bank of New Zealand shares at £11 15s. was the only transaction recorded in investment shares yesterday. The buying and selling quotations were as under:— Buyers. Eellcrn £ s. d. £ s. d Xatioual Bank - 6)0 liauk of Now Zealand ... - 12 0 0 Equitable Building 9 15 0 - Well. Investment - Cl 2 3 Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 10 0 — Feilding f.as -- 1 2 3 Well. Gas (new) - '3 0 0 Well. Oas (prof.l 0 2 9 Meat Export (£4) - !i 0 0 Meat Export (525. 6d.) ... — Z 0 0 Wall. Woollen lord.) - 3 17 6 Manning- and Co — '10 0 X.Z. Con. Dental - 13 0 Taranaki Pe.trolcum — 0 18 0 Want and Co <! If, I) - Whitcombe and Tombs... -■ <i 13 6 Dominion • Hand-milker - 0 12 6 COMPANY REGISTERED. • In the list of companies registered published in the "Mercantile Gazette" this week, there appears the following:— Champion Company, registered as a private company on November 10. Office. 181 Crawford Street, Wellington. ■ Capital, £80CO, divided into BCCO shares of £1 each. Subscribers: G. H. .lone?. 7998; 11. J. Jones, 1; li. F. C. Jones, 1, Objects; To acquire

and take over as a pninc mncrrn the businr." of rpire an 1 ciTeo merchant.-, manufacturim: ocmfrrtioiHTf. i-lc. c-:irricil on In- ('. 11. .limcf. a? tin- \\'ollint!U.ii Hi:--ruil I-:,.. M;|.. in fnwfovil Stnnl.-inil the I)i:ininnil Cimlnciioncry l"o. in Wnltn- mid Alicl SiniMi Street:. AKSTIIAIiIAN AI.I.IANI'K. AiTM'iliiis in tlif Melbourne "Akc" tindiivrtnntc. <.r tin- An.-.lnli:in Alliiiir.' Asunimv C\im|.:i>i.r ■uin: l uivn :i. |ii-,iiii::.il for tin- incre:i:ip or th;' c;init:il «>f the i-iim-IKiny I'ri)ii|..t'2s.l,ofo l» .Cjf.n.ora liy the I'l'r.i. tinn i,r m.riM ,wx th-.u-n in-J:.'i I'ni'li. In I"' if.illccl and ili.s|l;h--;..-l (if ill till' (|i;.-||.|iii|l nr thp liiiiirrt. II will In- ic.Mi-niliiiiMl IhU. in ICr.9 li»- ],nii:|i>ii -111(1 1,-iiii-:i hiri- lii.-nr-iiiici' (J)inii-iH.v Mvincil v.-lial \MiH niMi'l.iially n ) iri-ivjiiil..i-:!iin K \»l,-r::-\ in Ih.- foniri'ii llr.-l. iiic.'ilin.'ifil, mill il if cvlil'-nl Mini 111!- MiliMMim-nt I'MiiiiisliiM » f I'" , biiwl. m-:-:( r<mli-rs ihto ; ,.-.-i ry Ilir in I i.KI ml i"ii of'further ninjril ii.nv t-riiit•■■niilit•■-•!.

QIMI'ANMKS l>; I'JIU. The .iiiiiiuil report, of the Ciiinplri'llcr of the Compaiiiea lli'partinciil "f Ih" llnanl of Trade for 19111 shown Mill: , falHtm nil' in activity in ioinl Mocl; chili-". 'I'lll< was to be'expM.loil from tin , ib'liiilK of 10pistratioiis and m-w i.-iaics publi.di'il fnini lime to ti:ne. 'I'iit- iiiimber nf I'i'i'i.li icvistrations in Knirland and Waliw w.is Wl.O. an.-l. dedm-tins lli|iiiil:ji!.ioii» ami icinovnlt, the net f.-iin for Ihe yt;<i- lvii.t 291'(1,- lh<> actual number on the riTfolcr as at Hecumber 31 was about 47,™. Tim nnmiinl ■capital or 111-.' CTM new c.mrcnh' w.n £205.1«,6C0, (jivinK an averaiso or IM.ttO per coinp.-iny. In 11H9 tin- inimbcr or ru-gistni.t-ioiis JBC<J ami tin: capital involved .C102,K3,2C0, or mi iweraK.- ol .1.22.71.0 por eomnaiiy. 11l Scotland and Irclmnl rcfistrntioiiH las!, year vsliibited ». .Jcdin". I'rosnoctnslcr.s iiiidert.iUiiiK.-i iipplyini: lo tin- St-.ck Kxchance Tor special i-cl.ll<Miieiil showed ?, sllitht increase, the ratio or MU'h ventures to concerns with imisp"ctiii-r.< h«ins 41. an compared with 39 per rru'.. Registrations ill Cluermc.v also c.vliibllvil n:i upward iandcnvy. The Coniplroller ob'crvations on i-oinpanica wounil up Uiiriii't Ilia year are specially inteivstliiu'..ris I tn-y covei- a. number of ■insurance olllce:i, the Lam-ion 'i'rnti'inp liaiili. tlie Syria-Dtt im.'lli Railway eroup nud the roUvr skatini; boom. With reparil to the last liasncil. the Comptroller states that the craw for roller pkatiiiß produced a crop of eoinpnnies based on unround liinncc, which after a short life cauie to a ilisa.-truiis end.

CHILD ASSUKAXCE. The 'Tinmirhl Thr.cs." in . ilealine with the above Eubicct, remarks that twenty years hence there will be a fircat marn o, current assurance which lnd been talteti out in H'.cse present years by ihouirMfiil iwronts for the benefit of their infant children •at nrciniums wiiio!). _to thoro urown-np children will be miraculously low. It is not ca?y to fnrm nil opinion rs to the effect which this will have on the now- business of the various ofi;ccs at that time and later. A v.-ist liordo of yomiK men "will hold tioln-.es of larger amount than thav would.have thoucht of takins out for ther--elves, and tliim in h 53HSO they may be immune to the wiles of the canvasser; but. on the other hand, they will have a wider marsiii of inconn than if they were pnvin',' the usiinl lush premiums on a smaller sum. m ' aiij event there .can ho no couot as to the scrl!rt^^n^^ a d:iiy a, ra o r e at &nv offices wiiicli hr.ve atlopted the £hemc have applied ii only lo iiou-profi -i.-'-nrances -but there ure .» number of tlio'o v-liich ifr-ua sv..-h policies on the p.-ir-ticiratius scales, which n.ro a dutiuctly better bargain than the otner.

EMPLOYEES , LIABILITY , . A<rordins to (igures which have boon published recently relating to the employers' liibi'ity and accident business ■ of British insurance companies, the premiums received in WlO showed a siibrtaatial increase when corapsred with tlio.w for earlier'years. Ths total premium income of 52 companies was £<Uo.119 or an improvement of nearly 17 nci , ca:il. on the \M.ii for tha immediately_ prsreding vcar. Lo£S<w amounted to .S5/,.0.5M, and commissions and other expends rcacbcl £3 569.925. From thc.-c items, it would appear that, there to a surplus. on (radinp; account ropre;cntm;: a'nii*. 6.Z ii-et cr-jit. of tbr- nreminiiis, but it is e<jr.=iderc.i doubtful if any real out pins reinnm-d when adcminlo allowance Had been mad? fur iißPiniral liability. Ml dnsres of accident ii'-i'iranc" ava included in the cilruilntion, an'! the « r ;r;OTceof the office in rc-pet of employers liability Ininiiers is that tb that dcpri.rtmont is attributable generally the foir.ewhaf. unsatisfactory result revealed. In AmoriVa. I lie toistr.T-y is said to be the case, that elafs of insurance in the United States proving much more profitable tn tho companies, than is the same branch in tne "United Kingdom.

cost or Livisn. Referring to the upward trend-of tha value? of commodities, "The Grocer" (London), of a recent date say*:— ■.." "Burin? recent months we hare ei!ly drawn attention to the increased cost, of "certain of the princir&l articles. cuu.iicctwl with the grocery and provision trades.. The outlook is undoubtedly uiipronniing to distributors, and from the conditions prevailing of iatc and their outcome, little modification of : presentprice? is to be anticipated. In the principal consuming countries of the.mjrld rcmurcmentj go on steadily increafin?, while the remakablc drought prevalent both in this country and on the Continent this summer has g' v en a very severs cherk to production. These two circumstances together are the main cause of the. present■ ■'enhancement in ■ values. ■ Last year thorp was a record production of sow, which greatly stimulated coarmnption. Am year a heavy .deficiency in the sugar yield on the Continent, is cxpEctcd, but to what extent cannot yet be accurately gauged. Sugar prices since the beginning of 'the year have advanced about 10s. per cvl.,- and it fe doubtful whether the top has yet been reached, ponding reliable, estimates of the crops. Coffee has been dear throughout tho year, and common' ■tea, is nb.v ljd. per lb. hUhcr than at this time in 1510. At present the lower grades of tea- have a tendency to decline, as shipments from Northern India to date this season to the United Kingdom show an increase of million' lbs. over last year, while osnots from Ceylon-are about •S,CC3,CC<iIb. tina-Her. All canned goods are d?arer on shorter supplies. Bico has sharply advanced owing to poor crops throughout the world, and higher • prices are regarded as inevitable. Of provisions, butter and cheese ;-re considerably, higher in value, which is duo entirely to the. hot and dry season. Imports of butter for 1911 are in excess of thots lart year, but consumption has been large, stimulated by the low price; rniins in the first half of the year. Arrivals have recently been below the normal; therefore the position cannot bo relieved until Australian and New Zealand butter arrives freely, which cannot be until the end of the year. The colonial butter season is about a month later than last year, but tha latest cables received sDcak of. the prospects as good. The outlook suggests that butter, prices this winter .will rule above the normal. It must also be taken into account that the stocks in coid stores ire decidedly below those of a year ago. The supply of cheese is also short, and quotations arc about 10s. to 15s. jer cwt. higher than in 1510. The. Eneliri and Canadian makes arc short, and although a prolific make is anticipated in New Zealand, provided weather conditions: arc favourable, contracts for the season's outnut have been made at prices considerably above those of last year. American and Canadian hams are cheaper than in 1310, while lard can .also be bought on more favourable terms. Bacon has been comparatively cheap this year, having been abnormally dear "in 1910. Prices an now about 10s. per cwt. lower than at this time la-.it year, while supplies continue of satisfactory amount. Stiff prices for eggs are likely to rulo during the coming winter."

FAINTED TEA. According to a' San Francisco , corrc spondcnt, there are 2,Gft),oColb. of "painted" tea that some Chinese merchants will ho' eager to dumD in any country that will accent it, and the tca-drinltiug countries of the world should be on the look-out to see that they arc not so favoured. This quantity of artificially-coloured tea. has been excluded from the United Slates by the Customs authorities of San Francisco, preatly to the disqust and cliagriu of the importers. It will bo shipped straight back (o China. The value of the reie-ted tea ia given as . .CICO.OfIO. The technical term for the rejected merchanrlisa is "faced tea." This, it is explained, is tea, that has been so manipulated a« to improve its appearance. It has a glossy appearance, a.nd is misleading to the consumer. This glossy appearance is obtained by ths tea beinir subjected to n. treatment of graphite. The rejected tea is not up to standards that have only recently been set lip by the Custom-house of tha United States. Importers of tea say that hereafter they will not have it examined Hi Han Francisco, but will have it shipped in bond to Chicago, where it is hoped the

CiiMomj oili'inls will he morn r-oml>lnif-.iill. In thi? ciniiioi'tioii, ,i S-iii I'riiiHsrn n:-w.«-|i:i|ii-r rcmiirki.- tlnit llm Chic-iifii CiiMiinif iititlioritifiM will l'i.y Ihi'inr-i'lvcs npiin \n Mifpiricn if thi'.v itmtfo tlit- niliiiK of the tilllrialii lirTc. 11. iV iit.-il(!il lint lii'i Ininiirl traili- of New Vnrlt w.-is built up nt. thfl (•■\iin:n' i.f iitlirr pi'irt-.i mi the Alhm.ii: court, i.liroucli lh« l';icl thai Ihc Cuslouis Kiilhiirilii'i, Ilicri! liril)c:i lo riv wanl tliPiii for niiili'i'valiiint; uicrrlriinliro. In Iho nisi' ill' siiK.-ir. this was iiotorloiulv Mil- ciihc. Tho ti-i. impr>r{.fi-r> (linin-iv l.'l-i-nl HTulli :il Dip i-rli-iillrin of Ilii; :!.:.ri).(!fl)lli. ill lliin port, and tlif fliTlsliin In i'hl]i It-.-i in lxiittl In Chiivntii in irf»:rif-d In :i" ii. "Imyccll .if Mii; j-'.-in Frnnctero CiiMiim-hiiiiin-." Oiir.lJiiiui duly I'ollirtol -.; . iho port «f WrlliuiiliMi ycsli'i-iliiy iiinoiintfrt lo X235J ":■. '!il. 'I'ALI.OW SAIiKH. llv Trli'craph - I'i'chh Ai --..cinll«ii—Copvrlcht London, N>)vcnihcr 15. AI thp l,nllnw nalin «,.| r.u-.U wito oir.-red mill ::M unlil. I'riri.., rKilitnili-Miitton, Iliii- .\H«. fill., iiii'iliiini i!». 6(1.; hf-pr. line 36b. .•.il., im-liuiM Mh. RlliVKlt. lly ToJi-Krnpli-I'rcso AFMicial.lon-Conyrlirht London, November 15. liar silver is iiunlril at 26(1. per ounce UMIKAT. Tim American vinlhln supply of wheat is IC'l.Oyo.MO Imshels. LONDON WOOL SALES. 'J'lie Now Zculand Loan and Mercantile Aitnic.v Co. liii.vo received advice from Ihi'ir London ollico that the followine fixtures have Ijcfln made for 1912:— l'lr«l nurii's t» commence Ja.nua.ry 16. no limit i.l' iiuantlty. .Scnond BcricH to commence llarch 5. no limit of (iiiaiitity. 'J'liinl scries to comnjcnre April JO, limits, if liny, to be fixed hcrcaft«r. ' Pourlli series to commence July 9, limits. If niiy. to ho fixed hereafter. Fifth penes to commence Sbptcmber 24, limll.'i. ir any, lo lie fixed Inreafler. Sixth neriert (™j commence TTovcnilior 26, limits, if any, to be fixed hereafter. I'lic list or available fresli arrivals, aa customary, to be closed eight days prior lo dale of commencement of f.iles, unle's the "limit" be previously readied. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. tly Tclczraph- I'ress Ay-mriation-Copyrigbt | (Ilcc. November 16, 11.20 p.m.)

Sydney, Kovembcr 16. wheat, nominal; old, 3s. s£d. to 3s. 6d., new. 3s. 6<l. Flour. £8'155.; in the country, a 17s. 6d. Oats. Algerian feeding, 2s. 6a, to 2a. Rd.; milling, 2s. Bd.-to 2s. 10d.; T:i6manians. 2e. 10d. to.3a. 3d. Barley, choice, 55.; English .lualtiiiß, 4s. Cd. to ss. Maize 4j. Id. Bran, £5 is. Pollard, £5 10s I'otatoes, only locals offering, at £4. Onions, £4 10s. to £7. . Butter, selected 1145.; prime, to 110:=. Cheese, 7d. Bacon, 7d. to 7Jd.

Melbourne, November 16. Hides.—Moderate supplies, with keen competition; prices are firm. Wheat, 3s. Sd. to 3s. 8»d- Flour, £8 Ks. Oats, Aluetian feeding, 2s. sd. to 2s. Bd.; milling, 2s. 9d. Barley. Cane and malting, 3s. 3a. to 3s. 6d. Maize, 3s. £d. to 3s. 7d. Bran and pollard, £5 ss. Chaff is in fair do mand; oaten dumped, 80s. to 855.; compressed, uncovered, 835.; covered. 9(jk. I'otatoes, £2 to-£3 .15s. Onions, nriine, £3. Adelaide, November 16. Wheat, 3s. sd. Flour, £7 10s. JJrau, 13* d. Pollard, 13d. Oats, Algerian, new season's, 2s. 3d.; old, 2s. 6d. • OHRISTCHDECH WOOL SALES. (By Tolecrapli.-Fress Association.)

Christchurch, November 16. Only 3402 bales ' were catalogued for the first wool sale of the lisries, compared with 85Z0 at the corresponding sale last year. There was a full bench of buyers r.ud a brisk sale, the Dominion mills taliing a fair percentage. Crossbreds and threo-qiiarter-breds were a penny to lid. lower than last year, halfbreds lid. to Id. lower. Little merino or long wool was offering. Prices:—Merino, medium (o food. Ed. to 9J(!.; halfbrerl. super, 9>d. lo IK!.; medium, Bd. to 9d.: inferior, to 7*d.; tbrce-nuarter-bred, medium. 83d. to 9id.; inferior, 6id. to Bd.: crossbred, medium, Bd. to Sid.: inferior, 63d. to 73d. Long - wool, medium. 6|cl. to 73d. Corriedale. medium, lldi to 105. Down, medium, Bd. to 9d. l'ieccs: Crossbred:*, to 7d.; halts, to 9d : bellies, to 7d.: locks, 3d. to lid. Tho wool was said to be in better condition than last year.

MINING NEWS. WELLINGTON SHAKE MARKET. Very little- business was done yesterday, but in the case' of several shares there are indications of eariy improvement. The snips recorded were as under:— . Waihi .. Grand Junction, 335. (second call). 335. (third call). Waiotahi, 4s. The buying and selling quotations were as under:— Buyera Sellers £a d. £s. d. Bonanza- 0 0 2 — Blaekwater - 15 6 Kuranui Caledonian 0 13 0 16 May Queen 0 2 1 I) 2 3 Jloanataiari 0 0 9 , 0 10 3lounta.il] King 0 0 1 — Nr.v Sylvia, — ■ 0 18 Occidental 0 1 (i 0 2 0 Raxon 0 15 — Talisman ...:.. '2 10 0 — Wailii ; i 0 6 3 10 Waihi Grand Junction... 1 13 n 1 13. 3 VTnJotahi 0 4 2' — Waitangi 0 3.5 0 34 Watchman 0 19 0 1 11 Murray Creek (55.) 0 7 6 — The Wellington Stock Exchange received the following telecram from the Old Haurn.ki Comnany:—lslb. picked stone from No. 2 Block, 3Coft. level, IMb. from No. 1 Block, 400 ft. level. STOCK EXCHANGE. <l!y TeleiraDh.-Prcss Association.) . '■ Auckland, November 16. The following business was done to-day:— Kuranui Caledonian, Is, 6d. May Queen, 2s. 2d; Occidental, 2s. Id., Is. Si. ■Waiotahi, 4s. Id. to 4s. 4d. Grand Junction, £1 13s. 3d. Mountain King, 2*d. Taupiri Coal, £1. Auckland Gas, £3 7s. 9d. Northern. Steamer (con.), 7s. 3d, The following business was done at the 3.15 p.m. call to-day :— Kuranui Caledonian, Is. 7d. Occidental Consolidated, Is. 9d. Waiotahi, 4s. 3d., 4e: 4d. N.Z. Crown. 2s. 7d. . Waihi, £3 U. Waihi Grand Junction, £1 13s. 3d., £1 13°. Mountain King, 2d. Victoria, lid. Westport Coal, £1 Bs. 6d. Dunedin, November 16. The following sale was reported on tho Stock Exchange to-day:— Wailii. £3 Is. 3d., £3 Is. 6d.. £3 2s. (eight weeks' delivery). .Waihi Grand Junction. £1 13s. 9d. (eight weeks), £1.135. 6d., £1 13s. 9d. • . Lady Roxburgh (con.!, 2s. Waiotahi, ts. 3d. Waihi Extended, Is. 6d. WATCHMAX G.JI. CO. The mine manager's report states:— 1!. Dabb and party for driving a. crosscut, into the hanging-wall of the City.of Dunedin .reef has-been extended 11 feet through;a firm class of country intermixed with stringers and bunches of rhodonite stone. At 'this' point the clay ssani on the footwall of the Parallel reef W2's met with. This face will require a few more shifts to prove its size and.value. Sunbeam Section—T. Graham and party are making good progress with tho timbering of this level, and will probably require six or eight days to finish, when everything, including quartz, will be brought tils side Two men JLre encaged laying a tramline to enable the quartz to be stored in a convenient, place for transmission to battery at the completion of tho Sunbeam Eoad.