COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1522, 19 August 1912, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAEES. The • sales recorded on Saturday wcro National Bank, £6; N.Z. Loan and Mercantile, 95.; N.Z. hnd Eivcr Plate. 395. 9d.; and Leyland-O'Erion Timber at 275. Tho buying and selling quotations were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Well. Trust and Loan — 7 17 6 Ohristchurch Gas - 810 0 l'oiitluiK Oas 10 6 — Well. Gas (£10) 17 17 6 18 5 0 Well. Gas. (third issue) ... 13 5 0 13.12 6 Well. Gas (pref.) 10 0 - Well. Meat (525. 6d.) —. 3 2 6 Union Steam 2 8 0 — .Mosgiel Woollen — 3 8 0 Well. Woollen (ord.) 3 14 0 - Taupiri Coal 12 9 — Wi-ntport Coal , — 18 6 Taringauiutu Totara ...... 2 5 6- • —. liolcien Bay Ceifluut ' — 116 Manning and Co 3 19 0 — Kluii'tand's ordinary — 13 0 Sharland's preference .... 12 6 13 5 •Wilson's Portland Cement 116 0 — LLOYD'S SHIPBUILDING EETUENS. Tho returns compiled by "Lloyd's Register of Shipping" for the quarter ended Juno 30 last, -iow that, excluding warships, there wore no fewer than 529 vessels of about 1,774,000 tone gross under construction in the United Kingdom at the dose of that period. This number is made up of 492 steam vessels, constituting a gross tonnage of ahout 1,762,900 tons, and 37 sailing vessels, with a tonnage of 11,100 tons. Compared with last quarter, the tonnage, now under construction is about 87,000 tons more, while it exceeds by some 298,000 tons tho figures for the corresponding period of 1911. It is interesting to note that the present figures are tho highest ever recorded in the society's quarterly returns. Of the vest-els under construction in tho United Kingdom at the end of June, 589, with a tonnage of about 1,247,600 tons, are undor the supervision of the surveyors of "Lloyd's Register," with a view to classification by the society, and. in addition, there are 102 vessels of 381,400 tons building abroad under the society's survey. This makes the total number of vessels building at the present time under supervision of "Lloyd's Hegister" 491 and a tonnage of 1.629.C00 tons, which figures represent the highest ever reached by the society, .tho previous highest being for the Marat quarter of this year, when the returns showed a total some 220,000 tons below thoso now reached. In the principal centres of tho • industry ample evidence is forthcoming of activity in the various yards by figures Tclatinc to the work in hand. Among these. Glasgow, Liverpool. Newcastle, and Sunderland all show a. larger tonnage under construction than for either the previous quarter or the previous year, while the Belfast figures, though not up to the March returns, are some 500.000 tons higher than those for the same period in 1911. In the statistics relating to tho size of vessels under construction, 25 are entered as building between 10.0W and 40,050 tons, while two of over 40,000 tons arc also included. Tho figures relating to war vessels also constitute a record, the total tonnage at present under construction being about 503,000 tons, the previous highest total being about 454,100 tonG in 19C0.

NOTES. As a result of a short crop, restricted harvest through heat and consentient hish prices for the (lowers, the price of otto of roses is likely to be unusually high this season. Advices give the Bulgarian crop at 125,C000z.. against 170.0000z. • last year, but other authorities consider this estimate to be overstated. by 100 per cent. At any rate, distillers lm-ve had to pay as much as 2Sd. per lb. for the flowers, as compared with 13d. per lb. last year and new ccaEon's otto is being ouoted at 90s. net per English oz. It is estimated that 2251b. of flowers will be roouired to produce loz. of otto, as against Hie average rouuiremeut or 1601b. Local attempts to corner the supplies. threaten to advance prices still further. The sales of wheat in September last year were the largest over returned for that month since the passing of the Corn Keturns Act in 1882, states a volume eontaininc agricultural statistics, issued by the Hoard of Agriculture and Fisheries. The previous highest Quantity returned as told in that month was 455,000 Quarters in 1905 Tho report states that the carline&s and rapidity of the harvest of 1911 and the excellent condition of the wheat when eecurcd appear to be reflected in the returns of the (urantilics sold at the scheduled towns. Only 88.000 nuartcrs of wheat were returned as sold in July, but T n AuKiist the sales rose to 222.000 ouarters, imk! iu Scntcmlicr to 585.000 nuartcrs. Tho July quantity wa6 exceeded so recently as 19)0 and 1903, and also in 1900; but the August Kilos have, during the present century, only been exceeded in 1908. The United States Steel Oorporatlon'3 unfilled orders on hand on June 30 amounted to 5,807,000 tons, compared with Mav 31. S7e>«-i. 30, 5,565,000; March si, 5,305,000. The average area under cotton in India fl-.r- -i' tua seven years 1901-7 was about 18,0' ,|,r on aci-*.. rn.n.-»iii!r from 14.000,000 acres in 1900-1 to 22,500,000 acres in 1906-7. In 1910. u mo arca waa Z2 ( soo.oOQ acres, and la

1911-12 a. little under 20,500,000 acres. The crop of 1911-12 was affcutod by the lateness of tho monsoon rainfall of 1911 and its deficiency in Western India. ' , An estimate- has been made of the probable position of the international export trade in iron and steel and their manufactures at tho end of 1912 in 60 far as' tho three principal countries of production arc concerned. On tho basis of tho tonnoßo already exported ill tho expired months of this year, it is calculated that Germany will head tho list with a"total of 5,800,000 tons for 1912, as compared with the definite quantity of 5,337,000 tons in 1911. he second place is credited 1o Great Britain, whose exports are computed at 4,600,000 tons, as azainst 4,591,000 tons in 1911; and the third position is apportioned to the United States, with 3,000,000 tons, as contrasted with 2,170,000 tons in 1911. The lamest share of tho American exports is in tho hands of the subsidiary of the United .States Steel Corporation, while that in Germany is divided anions tho various syndicates and individual producers on a largo scale.

Accordinc to tho President of the Board of Trade, since August 28, 1908, when Section 27 of tho Patents and Designs Act, 1907, oame into operation, up to tho end of June, 1912, there have been 83 applications for Mio revocation of patents on the ground that the patented articles or processes have been exclusively or mainly manufactured or carried on outside tho United Kingdom. In 20 of these cases the patents have been revoked. ■ Section 24 of the. Act, which deals with compulsory licenses, came into operation on January 1. 1908. and from that date up to tho end of June, 1912, one petition has been presented for tho grant of a compulsory license. This petition was subsequently withdrawn, an arrangement havinc been made between tho parties. CUSTOMS. Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington on Saturday amounted to £1132 16s. Hd., the total for the week being £9114 9s. 4d. Tho returns for each of tho past eight weeks, compared with the figures for the correspondinc periods of last year, show as undor:— 1912. 1911. , A £ Juno 29 21.73?. 9.087 July 6 10,382 21,442 July 13 22,931 27,889 July 20 9,067 13.426 July 27 11.292 21,343 August 3 12,348 11,508 August 10 10,479 25,136 , August 17 9,114 11,592 '107,345 141,423 The beer duty collected for the week amounted to-£193 165., as acainst £227 Is. for tho corresponding week o£ last year. FEILDING MARKET REPORT. Messrs. A. H. Atkinson and Co., Ltd., on Friday's market report:—Wo sold some 150 head of poultry at top prices. A fairly largo yarding of pigs 6old at considerably increasod rates, weaners mailing up to 17s. 6d. We sold a quantity of tools and farmers' simdriea at good prices. Potatoes are slow of sale -at £5 10s. to £6 per ton. Wo quote:—Weane- pies, 155., 165., 175., 17s. 6d.; stores, 18s., 245„ 255., 255. 6d.; porkers, 325.; purebred boars, to £3 35.; hacks, £4 ss. Poultry, at per pair: Hens, 3s. 6d., 3s. 9d., 45., 4s: 6d., 4s. 9d., ss. (average 4s. 6d.); chicks, Is. 6d.; cockerels and roosters, 3s. 6d„ 4s„ 4s. 6d., 4s. 9d„ 55., ss. 3d. to 65.; ducks, 45.. 55., ss. 3d.: turkey gobblers, 145... 16s. 6d., 175., 17s. 6d.; hens, 13s. Damaged wheat made 3s. 6d., Bs., 9s. to 12s. 6d. per bag; maize, 6s. 6d. per bushel; parsnips, Zs. per bag; cabbages, 45.; apples, 4s. per half-case; potatoes, 10s. to lis. 6d. per sack.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ' Oamaru, August 18. There has been a, little more life in the wheat market during the week, caused by the better tone at Ilomc. Sales here have not been on a largo scale, but more business has been done. At the beginning of the week sales were made at as low ae 3s. sd. net at country stations for mixed lines of Velvet and Tuscan, but at the end of tlie week as high as 35.. 7d. was ruling for the same class of grain, and red chaff moved up to 3s. 6d. •.'■■■• What;business'is: being done in oa ,f H ; 6 solely for local consumption. A-grade Gartons have, been sold at Is. lOd. net at country stations, and il-grade at Is. lid., ex store. No coastwise husiness ie being done. Oatsheaf chaff sells at £2 10s. , ,:, he rise in the Sydney potato market has had its rolk-x here, and the price, which opened at £5 10s.. at the beginning of the week, closed at £6 10s.. at which figure a coneiderable quantity changed hands, one buyer in particular having to cover sales previously made. In one case it is reported that £6 15s. was given, but this is not vcriiiabio yet, LONDON COMMERCIAL CABLES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Eco. August 18, 5.5 p.m.) London) August IT. Oopra.—The market is active. South Sea, in bags, £24 12s. 6d. per ton. Cotton is Quoted at 6.44 d. per lb. Rubber, fine hard Para, ss. Id. per lb. Jute—Native first marks, August shipment, £24 10s. per ton. Hemp is unchanged. WHEAT. (Rcc. August 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, August 17. Wheat is slow of _ sale, and is tending in buyers' favour owing to improvement in the weather m Western Europe and heavy exports from North America; 395. 9d. is asked for Victorian, May shipment, and 38s. 3d. to 38s. 6d. for parcels afloat. Liverpoor futures, October'7s. 51d„ December 7s. 3id. Chicago, September, 93 3-8 to 941 cents, December 923't0 933 cents. ' ; SILVER. . London, August 16. Bar silver is quoted at 29d. per ounce standard.