COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1524, 21 August 1912, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. A sale of W.F.C.A. (£1 shares) at 29s was tho only transaction recorded yesterdav The buying and selling quotations were as under Buyers. Sellers. £ S. d. £, g d National Bank 519 0 ' Equitable Building — ion n Well. Trust, and Loan ... - 716 o Christchurch Gas — B m n Foildinc Gils 1 0 S _ Well. Gas (£10) — 18 2 6 Well. Gas (third issue) 13 12 6 13 17 fi Well. Gas (pref.) .-. 1.0 0 _ Meat Export (525. 6d.) — 3 2 6 Jrosgiel Woollen! 3 8 0 Well. Woollen (ord.) 3 15 6 _ Well. Woollen (pref.) 2 18 0 2 19 0 Taupiri Coal 12 9 _ Westport Coal — 18 3 Golden Bay Cement 10 6 — N.Z. Don. Dental — 12 0 Sharland's ordinary — 13 0 Sharland's preference .... 12 6 13 3 W.F.O.A - 1 10 0 BUTTER IN BRITAIN. Imports of butter into the United Kingdom during Juno were 329,116cwt., against 400.263cwt. for June, 1911, or a dccroa«e of 71,147cwt., smaller quantities being received from Denmark, Russia, Sweden, Victoria and New South Wales, but larger quantities from Queensland and New Zealand. Total imports of butter into the United Kingdom for the Fix months ended June 30 compare as follow:— 1911. 1912. P™" l - . Cwt. Cwt. ' Victoria 277,428 197,153 New South Wales... 226.7C0 154 002 Queensland 132,249 70*803 New Zealand 228,489 275,702 864,866 697J40 Donmark 913,350 814 139 Russia 236,444 213,302 Sweden 188,112 170,210 Netherlands 51.C61 France 87,237 82*837 United States? 10,(-22 21596 Canada 2,030 ' 95 Argentina 7,74 7 3 5 601 Other countries ... 36,294 28,527 Total 2,397,163 2,05bT02 - The total Tor the six months shows a do- [ orcn.€o of 299,fl6tc\vt., as compared with tlm first half of. last year, imports from Aug tralia showing a decrease of about 214 339 o\vt„ New Zealand an increase of 47 2130wt. and Denmark a decrease of 99,211cw't A good season seems very likely, but the buyers of butter for export are experiencing considerable difficulties, for a* tliev say it is impossible to buy at reasonable prices or at prices 011 a par'tv with London quotations. Some factories arc askmu I very big prices, according to ono buyer 'as much iw 1245, f.0.1i, Wnlllnelon. wltfeh B»y be admitted h an cswutiwmllj'

price. The output of butter will in nil probalrlity bo less than last year, owine to so many factories taking up the manufacture of cheese.

A DOOM IN mOX. Tho persistent and steady a (Nance in. the prios of pig-iron is leading the more optimistic to believe that a "boom" in iron is inevitable. The "Ironmonger" (British), commenting on the situation, says that the t conditions are not unfavourable to the 1 appearance in tho autumn of what, is called a "boom." "If it should arrive, and iron 5 and steel prices should rise rapidly, the , question of special interest will be, what will the United States do? There is no likelihood of 'boom' conditions occurring ' in America this year. The political situaI tion iii the Republic will prevent any--1 thing of the kind, for with one of the two great parties in the United .States in the , melting-pot, and the probability that tho official liepublicans will be ejected from office, it is impossible to conceive a trade boom, The dissentient Republicans under Hoossvclt are openly opposed to the great financial interests that have so long had the American Government in their pockets. ( the Democrats have always been heterodox in financial matters', and so far as can bo judged, whoever may win, there will be an end, politically, of Mr. Taft, and with him for tile time being of tho 'bosses' and the trustmongere. A position without precedent may thU6 arise in the iron market. Even to-day finished steel is much cheaper in tho States than it is in Europe; and in the event of a further great rise here the difference in price will become a disturbing and possibly a dangerous factor. There are great practical difficulties in the wa.y of supplying Europe with finished iron and steel from America, and a considerable advantage in prices imiGt eiist before an attempt to overcome these hindrances can be successful 1 . But business men know that difficulties believed to be insuperable give way to the all-im-portant influence of price, and that, given enough money, it is as easy to accomplish the apparently impossible in business as it would have been for Archimedes to lift the globe had he possessed the fulcrum." TRADE IX ALLEN' STREET. Feed barley is dull of sale at 3s. fid. per bushel, and Cape barley ia also du'l at 3s. 9d. Oats are steady. Seed Algerian, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 5d.; short feed and Dun oats arc quoted at 2s. Bd. to 3s. per bti6licl. Oatmeal.—A good business is passing at £13 10s. to £14 per ton. Rolled oats, in 41b. bags, are ruling at 9a per dozen; and oatina at 9s. 6d. Maize has very little inquiry at ss. 3d. to ss. 4d. a bushel. Pollard is ill strong demand at £7 ss. to £7 10s. per ton. Bran meet 6 with fair business at £5 10s, to £6. Onions.—The CaMfomian onions which reached the market last week were not of the best, and their condition was not satisfactory, but owing to the prevailing scarcity, tile prices realised were somewhat hotter than the quality warranted. Potatoes arc in strong demand, and prices have advanced to £7 10s. to- £8 ss. per ton, according to quality; seed potatoes are selling at £6 to £9 10s. per ton, according to variety. Hay has good inquiry at £5 to £5 10s. per ton for prime quality rye and clovcr. Chaff.—'The market is well supplied, prime oaten sheaf £5 to £5 lCs.; medium quality, £4 to £4 10s. ' Eggs-Fresh eggs are more plontiful, and the price has declined to Is. per dozen. Butter.—Tho market is well supplied; prime milled, in bulk, lid. to Hid.; second quality, 9d. to lOd. Margarine, in 281b. tins, Scotch manufacture, Bd. to Bld. per Ib. Lard—Best factory has good inquiry at Bd. per lb. Cheese.—Beet factory, medium size, 7!d. !to _7id.; loaf, 73d. Bice meal has moderate inquiry at £5 15s„ and rice flour £6 per ton. Split peas are worth 17s. per curt. Prussian hluo peas are quoted at 6s. 9d. a bushel. Partridgo peas havcftigood inquiry for seed purposes at <s. to 4s. 3d. per bilshol. Whole linseed is quoted at 17s. 6d. to 18s. per cwt, liinseod meal is selling at 225. por cwt. Crushed linseed cake, 14s. per cwt. Linseed nuts are quoted at 13s. 6d. per owt. Vegetates continno in sliort supply, while the demand is good. Consignments of all vegetables con be strongly rirommended, as priccs just now are ruling high. Fruit,—The Jtamiganui, due from Sydney to-day, is bringing tho usual wecklv shipment of passion fruit, pine-apples, lemons, sweet oranges. Seville oranges, and mandarines. The bananas landed by t-he Hnuroto last week from Fiji did not meet witti tho competition that was expected, notwithstanding that ho quantity available was only moderate. Customs duties collected at tho port, of ' Wellington yesterday amounted to £2795 ' 7s. sd.

I CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. (By Telegraph—Tress Association.) Chrlstchurcli, Augusts. There is no wheat or oats offering, but there is a rather better innuiry for oats. Tho English harvest being late, on account of the wot season, there is a demand for imported oats on naseagc. There is also a little more business doing for local coastal shinroent, but, on tho whole, trade is slow, Tho shipments of oats to Australia are in fulfilment of forward finlos. OaMieaf cliaff is dull of sale, and rather on«ier if anything in price. Potatoes are still rising in value, in sympathy with tho higher priccs ruling in Australia. Offers of £5 10s. for immediate, ar.d £5 15s. for forward delivery, at country stations, are now being made. BEET SUGAR. By Telegraph—Press Associati >u—■Copyright London, August 20. Herr F. 0. LiMit, the well-known sugar expert of Magdeburg, in the monthly circular, states that the' production of beet sugar in Europe shows a decrease of 1,763,COO tons. Ho still estimates that for the season there will be a total falling-off of 1,769,CC0 tons. WHEAT AND FLOUR. London,' August 19. The wheat and (lour afloat for the United Kingdom totals 3,720,000 quarters; for the Continent, 1.760,000 quarters; Atlantic shipments, 342,000. There were no Pacific shipments. The total shipment; to Europe during the week included 138,000 quarters from Argentina, 225.C00 Russian, 190,CC0 Danubia.il, 240,f00 from India, and 14,C00 from Australasia. (Rec. August 21, 0.10 a.m.) London, August 20. Tho wheat market is inactive. Holders aro steady, and 38s. is asked for Australian for January-February shipmont. Liverpool is quiet. Futures are quoted as follow October, 7s. 55d.; December, 7s. 3}d. SILVER. London, August 19. Bar silver is quoted at 28 11-16 d. per ounce standard.