COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1405, 3 April 1912, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SIIABES. Union Stnani, shares were again in s'.rong demand yesterday, and there were two sales at 475. and two at <7s. 6d. Sales of New Zealand Shipping shares ot £15 2s. 6d„ and Westport Coal at 275.. were aUo recorded. The buying and selling quotations were as under:— Buyers. Seller,. £ s. d. £ s. d. Bank New Zealand 11 3 6 11 10 0 Naional Bank 517 6 519 0 N.Z. and ltiver Plate ... 1 19 6 2 0 3 National Insurance — 1 18 -6 Christehurch Meat - 15 10 0 Gear Meat (£4) : - 13 0 0 Union Steam 2 7 0 2 8 0 Taupiri Coal — 119 Wesltport Coal 16 9 17 3 Leyland-O'Brieii — 19 6 Taringaumtu Totara, — 2 9 0 C. 31. Banks. Ltd. — 10 0 Crown Brewery — 1 15 0 Donaghy Hope and Twine — 1 2 £ Golden Bay Cement - 14 9 Manning and Co - 4 11 0 N.Z. Con. Dental - 116 N.Z. Drug - 211 6 HUDDART, PARKER, LIMITED. A statutory report has been issued by Huddart, Parker, Ltd. This states that the total amount of cash received in re spect of the shares issued wholly for cas.b was £125,000, being 10s. per share on :lib 250,000 issued to the public. Against tlrs receipt on capital account payments towards preliminary expenses absorbed £4090. the balance invested in sundry securities being £120,910. An estimate of preliminary expenses includes brokerage £3630, advertising £170, legal expanses £250, and sundries £483, making the total estimated preliminary expenses £4533,

IMPERIAL TOBACCO COMPANY. ' The Imperial Tobacco Company of Great Britain- and Ireland, Limited, did pretty well las'; year, as it made a not profit of £2,341,328, after paying debenture interest, providing £50,000. for pensions, and £125,000 for special charges. Of this, £500.000 was carried to reserve fund, making it £2,500,000, and, with £128,986 brought forward, there remained £1,970,314. Out of this the preference dividend iv. 55 per cent, absorbed £272.759.' the preferred ordinary dividend at t5 per cent. £315.628. the A deferred dividend at 10 iv;r cent. £263,822, and the B deferred dividend at 30 per cent. £792,594. Then, after providing £88,922 as a bonus to customers, there remained a surplus of £236,589. The ( Imperial Tobacco Company is an amalgamation of W. D. and 11. O. Wills, Lambert and Butler, Adkin and Sons, Hignc;t's, .John Player, Ogdcn's, and about a dozen other firms and companies, the concern holds a large interest in the British-American Tobacco -Company. Its capital, including debenture stock, is something over £17.000,000, and the warkci valuation is more than double. OIL STEAMERS. 1 The "Liverpool Journal of Commerce" of February 21 states:— "We are in a position to record one of the most remarkable developments in shipping since the advent of oil fuel, and it is of much significance in the present general dependence upon coal. The development consists of contracts compbtcd :his week for the building of no fewer than twenty-one oil tankers of large dimensions, which will be adapted for the consumption of coal or oil. Several are for American owners. The whole of the contracts have been placed'on the North-Eai-t Coast, and nineteen of them, we believe, have been apportioned as follows:—Sir W. G. Arms' rong Whitwortu and Co., Ltd., two of 15.000 tons capacity and one of 9000 tons capacity: Swan Hunter and Wigham-Eich-ardson, Ltd., two of 15,000 tons capacity and four of 9000 tons capacity; Shipbuilding and' Iron Company, two of 15,000 ions capacity and four of 9COO tons capacity: William Doxford and Sons, two of 15,000 tons capacity and two of 90CO tons capacity."

TRADE IN ALLEN STREET. Fruit.—The Aorangi, from the Cook Islands, reached port two days behind time, and ,her fruit cargo consisted of oranges ami bananas, which arrived on a bare market, and excellent ra.es were obtained. In anticipation of the holiday demand, the ■ marlvßt has advanced for dessertapples, pears, peaches; and grapes. The warm weather recently experienced has ripened the tomato crop, and -.hcri! arc now heavy supplies on the market, and prices have eased. ■ The fruit markets will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday, but- will be open on Saturday.

Vegetables.—French beans and green pens are in excellent demand, and there is good inquiry for pumpkins and parsnips. Cabbages are 9AM very cheap, but choice cauliflowers are scarce and in good demand. Poultry is in heavy supply; hens. 2s. 6d. to ss. per pair; young roost;rs,'3s. to 45,; ducltE, 4s. to ss.' Cheese meets with a good demand; medium. 7d.; loaf, 7id. Butter—Prime milled and factory, in bulk, arc in good request at U*d. 'to Is. per lb. ' Fresh Eggs.—The demand is hardly equal to the supply, and the current quotation is Is. 7d. to Is. Bd. 'per dozen; preserved, Is. 3d. Hams and bacon are in good demand; sides, 9jd.; rolls, IOJd.; hams, 9d. Maize has bad a- sharp advance, and is now quoted at 4s. lid. to sa. 3d. per bushel flabd straw, is in ample supply, and is quoted ot 50s. *.o 655. per ton. Feed barley is in fair demand, at 3s. 6d. per -bushel. Carpe barley has poor inquiry, at 3s. 9d. to 43. per bushel. ... ChatT.—A large portion of the consignments reachiriE the market is of inferior quality. Chaff, in nrirao condition, is selline at £4 10s. to £5 'per ton, sacks in. Oafs.—"A" grade Cartons are quoted at 2s. 10(1. to os. per bushel; "R" grade, 2« 9(1. to 2s. 11(1.; Algerian, 3s. to !s. 6d., according to sample; Duns. 3s. Oatmeal.—The demand is improving, and the current quotation is £13 10s. to £!4 per ton. Oatina is quoted at 9s. 6d.. and rolled oats at Bs. 6d. per dozen 41b. bags. Flour— llast-known brands rule at £8 IPs. per ton f.o.b. south, less the usual discount. , Rrnn meet* with a moderate demand, -at £5 10s. to Pi per ton. Pollard.—"Owing to the high prices ruling, the consumption has decreased, the prices current are £7 ss. to £7 10s. psr ton. Onions.—A large proportion of the supplies coming forward is of inferior grade, and sellintr at 4s. to 6s. per cwt.. whilst prime quality onions arc in good demand at Bs. -o Es. 6d.: pickling onions arc sclliii" at lid. r"r lb. Potatoes.—The market has a tendency to harden, and prime samples are selling at 4s. 6d. to Js. per cwt. Customs duties collected at ".he port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £6070 Bs. 7(1. FROZEN MEAT. (By Tclcgraph.-Prcss Association.) Chrlstchurch, April 2. Tin British and New Zealand Company's London cablegram states:—Mr*on: Canterbury is at 37,(1. to 4 3-8(1.; North Island. 33d. Lamb: Canterbury, sijd. to 53d.; North Island, fiid. to 5Jd. Beef: Hinds, 32d.fores, 3Jd. WHEAT AND FLOUI!. By Telegraph-Press Association—Copyright London, April 1. The wheat, and flour afloat for -.he United Kingdom totals 4.1E0.K0 quarters; for the Continent, 1,930,0C0 quarters: Atlantic shipments. 195.000; Paeille shipments, 20,000. The ;otal shipments to Europ: during the week amounted to 1,175,000 quarters, including 354.090 from the Argentine. 135.f.00 Russian. 193,W;0 llanubiaii. 47.CC8 from India and Persia, nud 125.0C0 from Aus- ' tralosia. ITtocoK-jd April 3. 0.4S n.m,.' aydnov, April 3. WhMt U Tor? firm V. it. Hid. and 4s.

SILVEfi. By Tclegraph-rrcsß Association-Copyright London, April l. Bar silver is quoted at 273 d. per ounce .itamlard. LONDON SHEEPSKIN SALES. The Bank of New Zealand has received the followiiiß cable advice, dated April I—"Prices for all kinds of sheepskin:!, compared with the averages for la:,, soles, are practically 5 per c;nt. higher.