COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1529, 27 August 1912, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. There were no transactions in investment shares yesterday. The buying and selling quotations wore as raider:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ a. d. National Hanlt 6 0 0 — Ediiitablo Building — 10 O' 0 Foildinc Gas 10 6 — Well. Gas (£10) — 18 2 6 Well. Gas (prof.) — 110 Meat Export v'62s. 6d.) ... — 3 2 6 Well. Woollen (ord.) 315 0 . - T.iu-piri Coal 12 9 13 0 Westporf-Stockton ..: 0 2 0 — Golden Bay Ccmont 10 6 12 0 N.Z. Con. Dental — 12 0 N.Z. Portland Cement ... 1 6 6 — Sharland's ordinary — 13 0 Sharlnnd's preference ... 1 2 6 13 3 WELLINGTON WOOLLEN CO. The gross profit earned by the Wellington Woollen Company for tiro i>nst year was about tlie larseet In tho history at

the company, but the net profit was less than in 1910, but in that year the amount written off for depreciation was onlv £2000, while for 1912 £5000 was written off. The profits and expenses for the past four years ■ compare as under:— Gross Net profit. Expenses, profit. 1909 18.253 13,027 5,226 1910 23,896 13,292 10,604 1911 21,287 ■ 13.152 8,135 1912 26,104 16,418 9,686 The expenses include .the amounts written off for depreciation. In 1909 the s\im so applied was £1000. in 1910 £3CCO, in 1911 £3500, and this year £5000. The average net profit for the four • years is £8412, which is not unsatisfactory when the conditions of the trade and the kecu competitions aro taken into acconut. TJjnON BANK. The accounts of the Union Hank of Australia, Limited, for the half-year ended February 29 show a net -profit of £168,256, against £135,321 for the previous half-year, or an increase of £32,935; whil# deposits show on increase of £652,267. and advances an increase of £825,003. The following is a comparison of some of the leading figures for the past five half-years:— Net profit. Deposits. Advances. Feb. 28, 1910 ... 136,048 21,349,025 14 356.W1 An?. 51, 1910... 141,454 21.449,290 14 079 767 Feb. 28. 1911 ... 135.807 22,817,958 16/83 033 Aug. 31, 1911... 135,321 22,576,644 16,454.910 Fob,. 29, 1912 ... 168,255 . 23,228,911 17,279,913 To the net profit of £163,256 is added balance brought forward £42.510, raakiug a total of £210,766. The usual 1 dividend and bonus at tha rate of 14 per cent. p»r annum absorbs- £105; the sum of £30,000 is transferred to reserve fund, which is thus raised te £1.4C0,CC0; a. bonus to the staff of 10 per cent, on the salaries absorbs £23,C00; and, after applying £10/C0 in reduction of premises account, tho balance of £42,766 is carried forward. The balance-sheet shows that liabilities to the pronrietors, including ranital paid un ,£I,KO,OCO, reserve fund. £1.400,000, and profit and loss balance, £147.766. amount to £3047.766. Adding circulation, £224,524, deposits (inclv.dins inscribed stock deposits) £23.228,911. and hills payable and oth<T liabilities. £2035,439. the balance-sheet total is £28,536,641. Assets compare as follow:— Feb. 28, Feb. 29, 1911. 1912. £ £ Coin, bullion, etc. ...' 5,933,718 5,456,534 Investments in public securities 2,010,056 1,751,344 Remittances and draft 3 in transitu 3,738.591 3,536.209 11.682.365 10,7*4 PB7 Advances , '16.1K5.!Wt 17,',79.913 Promises .-. 536,189 512.641 Inoluded i'n, the first item is money at call and short rtolice in London, £615,K0, against .£570,000 on August 31, 1911, and £930,000 on February 28, 1911. Tho report refers to the closing of four branches sinco tho last meeting. • Customs duties collected at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £5404 Is. 9d. / HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLEGRAM. Tho 'Department has received the following cablegram from the High Commissioner, dated London, August 24, 1912. (NoteQuotations, unless otherwise specified, are average market prices on spot):— Mutton—Thero is a good demand for all qualities. Moderato supplies are comingforward. Tho market is firm at last Quotations, viz.:—Canterbury, 4Jd. per lb.: North Island, 4Jd. (lights), 32d. (heavies). Lamb—The market is slightly wcakor, with less demand. The weather continues unfavourable. A small supply of Scotch lambs are marketed at an average prico of 6d. per lb.; Canterbury, 5Jd. per lb. (light-weight), 5?, d. (heavies); other than Canterbury, 63d. (light-weight),i/!2d. per lb. to' sd. per lb. (heavies). Heavy-weights are diSJcult to sell. Bocf.—The market is quiet. A good demand' for hinds. New Zealand hinds, lid. to 4d. per lb.; fores (slow), 3Jd. per lb. Butter.—Tho market is quiet, but steady. Banish, 128s. per cwt.; Australian, Ills.: Siberian, 107s. Cheese.—The market is steady, with a moderate demand. Prices are firm, at about quotations already given. New Zealand white and coloured. 655. to 665. per cwt.; Canadian, white 645. 6d., coloured 655. 6d. Kemp.—Tho market is firm, but little d"iug. Spot, New Zealand, good fair grade. £27 ss. per!ton: fair grade. £26; fair current Manila, £26 10s. Forward shipment: New Zealand, 'good fair, £27 10s.; fair. £26 10s.; fair current Manila, £27. Tho outnut from Manila for the week was 34.0T0 bales. Wool.—The market Is firm, with more inquiry for crossbreds. WHEAT AND FLOUR. . By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, August 25. Australian wheat cargoes aro firmer. One sold at, 395. 9d., which prico is also asked for Victorian ApriH-May tlhipmont; 40s. has been paid for South Australian April: and:37s. 6d. for a parcel-of New Zealand long-berried. Afloat for Liverpool—Futures: October, 913 d.; December. 891 d. Chicago— Sept-ember, 93g cont-s and 94J cents; Decomber, 93 cents and 931 cents. The wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom totals 2,500,000 quarters: for the Continent, 1,635.000 quarters: Atlantic shinments, 338,000; Pacific, rjl. The total shipments to Europe during the week amounted to 1.125.CC0 q,uarfc>rs. including 32,000 from the Argentine, 235,000 Russian. 220,000 Danubian, 123,000 from India,", and 115,000 from Astralasia. LONDON MARKETS. London, August 25. Hemp.—Market quiet. August-October, £27 10s. . . Jute—August, £23 15s. per' ton. Cotton—August-September, 6.33 d. per lb. Rubber, ss. 2d. per lb. STDNEY PRODUCE MARKETS. (Rec. August 26, 9.15 p.m.) ■ Sydney, August 26. Tasmnnian potatoes are quoted at £14 IBs., a rise of 10s. per ton. New Zealand potatoes aro selling at-from £11 15s. to £12 per tori. 1 ' i