COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1684, 26 February 1913, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

; ! INVESTMENT SIIAEES. . Tho sales recorded yesterday were Wellington Gas, preference, at 205.; .Union Steam, at 4£a. ad.; Wo3tport Coal, two talc 3 at 273.. 9d. each. Tho quotations were as under:—.. i Buyers. Sellers. 1 £ s. d. £ s. d. .National Bank ... — . 6 0 0 Equitable Building — 9 12. 6 N.Z. Loan and Mercantile 0 . 9 3 ;— N.Z. and River Plato • ' . — 119 0 Weil. Investment — 0 11 0 Christchurch Gas — 712 6 Feildinif Has — 10 3 Well. Gas (preference) .... 0 19 9 10 3 N.Z. Insurance 5-4 0 5 6 0 Christchurch Meat — 1510 0 N.Z. Shipping : — 17 0 0 Union Steam — 2 9 6 Kaiapoi Woollen (ord.) ... — 5 5 0 Woll. Woollen (ord.) 3 12 0 - Taupiri Coal — 13 0 ■tfestport Coal 17 6 18 0 Loyland-O'Brien 16 0 — Goldon Bay Cement — 10 3 N.Z. Portland Cement — 0 19 9 Sharland's ordinary — 110 W'hitcombo -and Tombs — 6 3 6 W.F.O.A. (£1) ; , - 19 0 •JROZEN MEAT.. According to Messrs. W. Weddcl and Co.'g annual roview of tho meat trado of Croat Britain, tho total imports of chilled aiid frozen meat into tho United Kingdom last year, were 643,0C0 tons, of tho value of £22,949,000, as comparod with 628,200 tons of the value of £20,336,400 in 1911 "and 611,C00 tons or tho vol 110 or £21,050,200 in 1910. Thia gives' an average of 3Ee. 7d. por. cwt. for 1912, as against 325. Cd. in the preceding yeat and 343 . sd. in 1910. Home supplies wero almost stationary, for though there was so much forced telling in the autumn tho quantities marketed in other parts of tho year were below the average. The increased imports practically nil came from Argentina, though this time the New Zealand exporta. which for some years had shown a falling off, were also larger. Consignments from Australia were 63 per cent, lower, whilst thopo from New Zealand went u.p -85 per cent. The shipments of mutton and lamb from South America, likewise exhibited some contraction, but the weight of beef exported substantially advanced; North America, which up to 190S..vkw actually tho principal outside source ot supply, has now ceased to bo a factor of importance in the trade. This is not due to the driving of the United States producer out ofnhe market by comnetition: it is attributable to the increasing quantities taken by the homo market, eounlcd .with the fact that less is beinq produced, as rastoralfets tad it, at all nvents for tlio time being, moro remunera^

tivo to mise grain than cattle. The effect on British supplies has not been so very great hitherto, but is likely to be more pronounced in the future as tho output in Australasia and South Amorica becomes less elastic. Messrs. Weddel give an interesting analysis of tho present sourccs 'of supply, from which it appears that of tho imports Australia furnishes 14 per cent., New Zealand 18 per cent., and Houth America 64 per cent., tho remaining 4 per cent, coming from other countries. Over 38 per cent, of the South American shipments is produced by two Argentine refrigerating establishments, and this proportion accounts for. nearly 25 per cent, of tho imports and for over 9 per cent, of tho total consumption.

MEAT MARKET REPORT. Messrs. Gilbert, Anderson and Co. (Mossts. Mellsdp. Eliott and Co., agents), writing under date Londou, January 17, report as follows:—, The weather has been all against the palo of meat, but prices continue to rule high. New season's Wellington lambs liavo arrived, and fetch from GJd. to 7d. to tho Tetailer. The quality is not as good as usual end shows signs of tho wet season in tho district, but tho future arrivals are expected to be much better. Home-grown. —Beef: Scotch, 6£d. to 62d.; English, 6d. to Irish, s!d. to 6Jd. Mutton: Scotch, 7d. to 72d.; English, 62a. to 7*d.; Irish and Dutch, fid. to 63d.; Scotch tegs, • Bd. to Bid. Lamb: Englisn (new season's), IOJd. to Is.; Irish and Dutch, 63d. to 7id. No.Scotch lambs. Pork, 7£d. to Bd.; veal, Bid. to 9d. Chilted Beef.— I The choapest article in tho trade; fores 3 3-Bd., hinds, 32d. Frozen beef.—Prices are exactly as last weelc. New Zealand fores, 3§d.; hinds, 3 il-16d.; Australian, 3d. to 3id.; Plate, 3d. to 3(jd. Frozen Mutton.—New season's "W.F.M. •are in great favour, and fetch 43d. to sd. Ola season's Now Zealand are 4gd. Australian small sheep 4d. t owes 33d., Plate, 4id, Frozen lamb.—Canterbury lambs of last season , are still on the market, come quite decomposed. Sound one3 4 fetch 53d. to 52d. Australian, best-, 5Jd.; fair, s£d.; poor, 5d.; Plate, nil. . .

TEADE IN ALLEN STEEET. . Vegetables.—Cabbages and green peas are in plentiful supply. Carrots and parsnips have declined in value since last week. Green peis are in Rood demand,' and.consignments are recommended. Potatoes.—Supplies from tlio Hutt district are exhausted. The bulk of the shipments now on tho marltot are from the Auckland district'. Supplies from Canterbury should be available next week. ( Onions.—Owing to most of tho AucklandBrown onions having been sold for shipment to Vancouver, tho market is at tho moment baro of 3npplics; new season's Oanterbury-gTowir are expected during the next week or two; in. the meantime the market is ruling at 9s. to 10s. per cwt. Pickling onions are in excellent request at lid. per lb. Flout is without alteration at £8 10s. to £5,15>3., f.o.b. 60uth, less the usual.discount.' Pollard has advanced 15s. per ton, and is now quoted at £7 ss. to £7 10s. Bran continues in heavy supply, and is now quoted at £5 to £5 s=. per ton, ex store. ■ ' Maize lias moderate inquiry at 4s. 9d. to 4s. lOd, per bushel. Oatmeal is in moderate demand at £12 15s. to £13 IDs. ' Boiled oats, in 41b. bags., at 9s. per dozen and oatina, 9s. 6d. Oats.—Tho bulk of supplies now comrns forward is new ieason's.- Sliort-feed is anoted at Zs. 9d. to 2s. lid. per bushel: feed Algerians,. 2s. 9d. to 2s. 10(1.; seed Algerian, ss. to'3s. 3d.; Dun oals, Zs. lOd. to'3s. Hay meets with very little demand at £4 10s. to £4 15s. Oliaff.-New season's prime oaten 6heaf Is quotod at £5 10s. per toil, sacks in. Fowl's wheat is witho-ut alteration at te 3d. to 4s. 4d. per bushel. Fresh eggs have advanced Id. per dozen, and are now quoted dt l<s. 5d., with prospects. of a further advance. Butter—Prime milled, in bulk, is in good demand at 9)d„ fair quality at 9d. per lb. : Tomatoes.—lncreased supplies are com-, ing in from tlio Hutt'dlstrict, and moderate supplies from Nelson. Fruit.—The Ulimaroa, duo from Sydnoy to-da-y, is'bringing consiunmeUts of grapes, passion fruit; and pineapolcs. Plums aro in short supply, o,nd con-siEnmenta are recommended. Apples, peaches, and peoja aro ruling at low rates. ■ ' Poultry.—Hens, 2s. 6d. to Js. 6d. a paar; cockerels, uo to ss. a pair; d-ucklings, ss. to 65.; Indian Kunner ducks, 4s. to 65.; turkey gobblers. ICd. 'to le. per lb. live weight; hens, Bd. to 9d. . : Customs duties collected at the port of ■Wellington yesterday amounted to £2545 Ice. Hd. GEAIN IfAEKET. ' (By Tolcgrapli.—Press Association.) , ■ Christchurcli, February 25. The local wheat market Is a little Armor, though the demand is purely local. Tho fact that, besides the', area being shorter, the yields a.re much below thoso of last vcar, is affecting the position. The grain, however, has been harvested under generally favourable conditions, and beyond Homo of the samples being on tho thin side, there will be little or no damaged groin. Tuscan is now quoted at 3s. sd. and 3s. Sid.; Huntors, 3s. 5Jd. and 3s. 6d.; and Pearl, 3s. 6Jd. and 3s. 7d, Tho oats market, on the other hand, lm still an easier tone, as no business can be done with the North Island on the basis of present values. Buyers for the tamo being are therefore not operating, and at the samo time growers axe not prepared to accept lower prices. • The cocksfoot market :s much easier since it opened, and for Peninsular seed 3d. to 3}d. is ell that, is being offered, aud the demand is not very keen. Very little business is being done m new ryegrass, as samples are too light to command any attention. Offerings of .goad seed are unusually small this eeason. - . LONDON WOOL SALES. Br Telegraph—Frees Association—Copyright - • London, February 24. For the next series of wool sales, opening on March 4, the •arrivals total 420.0C0 bales. Of this amount there has been forwarded to the manufacturers direct 270,C00 bales, leaving 155,000 ~ bales available for the Bales. BEET SUGAR. London, February 24. Herr F. 0. Licht, the well-known sugar expert, of Magdeburg; in tho monthly circular,'states. that the production of beet in Europe bliowb an increase of 2,438,000 tons. , Do estimates that for thocampaign there will he a, total increase of 2,176,000 tons. ; SILVER. London, February 24. Bar silver is quoted at 28 l-16d. per ounce standard.- '