COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1693, 8 March 1913, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

' INVESTMENT 'SHAEES. The snlcs recorded yesterday were Union .Steam at 48s. 6d. and <95.. and Union Steam rights at 13s. 6d. Tho quotations were as> under:- ?

EXPORTS OP PEODUOE. The values of the principal products-ex-ported from New Zealand for the first five months of- the current produce year, compared with the figures for the corresponding period of last year, ehow as under:—

For the currcnt year there is the (substantial increase of £1,741,598. ' ' 1 Customs duties collected at the port, of Wellington yesterday amounted to £4523 15s. 4d. NAPIER WOOL SALE. (By Telegraph—Frees Aeeociation.l Napior, March 6. A clcaning-up wool sale w.-is lield this afternoon. About one thousand bains were offered. Priccf were well maintained, notwithstanding thai, l>j! wool was rather of a roush nature. A fair number of buyers I were present, the Continental market being well represented. '

CANTERBURY PUODUCE MARKET. Cliristchurch, March 7. The offerings of grain during the week have been on the small side, farmers evidently not being keen to sell at present prices. Wheat is firm, with no change in values. There is a little more inquiry for outs, and up to 2s. is being again offered for prime "A"-grade Cartons. Barley shows no change, the demand being for prime only. Little business is being done in oatsheaf chaff, as it is being offered a little more freely for immediate delivery; £2 15s, is being paid, and for forward delivery £2 10s. to £2 12s. 6d. is offered. The cocksfoot market is somewhat easier, though price arc without change. Early varieties of potatoes arc now worth up t-o £4 10s., and £4 15s. for delivery this month. Onions are easier, and £4 10s. is now being paid for them. LONDON' MARKETS. Mc*;rs. Dalgety and Company, Limited, Wellington, have received the following cabled information from their London office, under date March 6, as follows:—Wool sales: Woo! sales continue firm, and lately reported rates are fully maintained. Frozen meat: Better demand, but prices are tending cjownwanls. Laiub: Prices are Jd. lower. Beef and mutton: Market weak, but without quotable change. Habbitskius: For secondary quality furriers fair demand. Cutters firm, without change In price <is compared with lust sales. Tallow: Mutton, at present limited demand. Other descriptions 'irrr., at last quotations . SILVER. ' London, March 6. Bar silver is quoted at 27 5-16 d. per ounce standard. BIDES MARKET FIRMER, Melbourne, March 7. Hides are in moderate supplies, and the market is firmer, having recovered last, week's fall. VICTORIAN PRODUCE MARKET. Melbourne, March 7 Wheat, 3s. 7d. to 3s. Ed. Flour, £8 Oats, 2s. 6d. to 2.-. 7d. Barley, English & 9d. to 4s. 4d.; Cape. 3s. to 3s. 4d. Maize 3s. 9d. Bfnn nnd pollard, £5 15s. Potatoc« £4 to £5 10s. Onions. £7 sg,

LONDON WOOL SALES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, March 6. Thero is fitronp and keen t competition, and opening rates were maintained for aJI sorts. (R-ec. March 8, 0.10 a.m.) London, March 7. The following are the priceis realised for the fleece portions of the clips named:— Top pricc. Average. (1. d.

BANK OP AUSTRALASIA. (Rec. March 8, 0.10 a.m.) London, March 7. The Bank of Australasia has declared a dividend of 14 per cent., ££O,CC3 is added to the reserve fund. £20,C00 to the premises account, and £28,548 carried forward. BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. (Rec. March 7, 8.55 p.m.) London, March 7. The Bank of England return issued for fiie week-ended •'Wednesday, March 5, is as linden: Isswn DEpjUvrstGyt Note Issue £54,892.000 Gov.dahb ... *11,015,0W Other sacurU lids 7.^4.000 , Gold 86.413.000 £54,892,003 £51,89-2XOO Banking Department. PropriMoi-s' Govt, ucuvl* capital £14.553,000 ties £13,035.090 Public d«- ©ther stcuriposits • ... 24,640.000 ties 42.530.009 Other deposits ... J0.486.00Q Notes ... 2C.775.003 Rest, 7-day aud other bills... ... 3.800.000 Coin... ' ~, 1,139.000 £53.479,00J £83.470, OtO The leading items of the Bank of England return afford the following comparison:—

GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The following are the latest quotations f6y Government securities, with a comparison of those ruling last week:— *

t I • BANK RATES OF INTEREST. I The' Bank of England rato V/ was, on i February 8, 1912, reduced from 4 to 3i per cent., and on May 9 it was further reduced to 3 per cent.-On August 29 it was raieed to 4 per cent., and on October 17 to 5 per cent. The Bank of France rato was reduced from oj to 3 per cent, on January 23, 1908, and continued at the latter figure uritil September 12, 1911, when it was raised lo ?J per cent. On May 17, 1912, it was reduced to 3 per cent., on October 17 it wa6 raised to 3J' per cent.; aud ou October 30 to 4. per cent. / The Imperial Bank of Germany reduced lte rate from 5 to 4J per cent, on June 11, 1912; on Oot-obcr 24 it was raised to 5 per cent., and on Notamher 14 it was further raised to 6 per cent. - - 1 ■ \ MARKET RATES OF DISCOUNT. The following are -tho market rates:-for. best three months'? bills:—••• London Fa.ris Eeilin rate. . rate, rate. . per. . per . per • cent. cent. cent. This, week 4 11-16 33 ■ - 53. Last week 413-16 3J 5 3-8 • Last year -3 7*16- 3 • 4i Short loans are quoted at 43 per cent'., as against 43 per cent, last week, and 35 per cent. last year. COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. . Wheat.—There i 3 little demand, and cargoes are fairly steady. Liverpool futures, March delivery, 7s. • 6*d. per cental; May delivery, 7s. 3 3-Bd.; July delivery, 7s. 2£d.; .September delivery, 7s. 2 3*Bd.; October, 7s. 13d. Australian and New Zealand, on sp'ot, arc not offening. Flour is quiet and unchanged. Oats.—There is a poor . demand. La Plata, March-April, 15s. 4£dBeans and peas are dull and unchanged. Butter is dull owing to warm weather. Danish is unchanged. Choicest Australian, loßs.-to 110s.; a few 1125.; unsalted, 114s. to 1165.; secondaries, 100s. to 1065.; choicest New Zealand, 114ts. to 1165.; unsalted, life, to 118s.; secondaries, 106s. to 110s. Cheese.—New Zealand, 61s. to 625. SugaT.—German beet, 88 nor cent.. net titre, 10s. per cwt.; first marks granulated, f.o.b. Hamburg, 12s. 3d. Bradford Tops.—The market is very firm, especially for crossbred counts. Sixtyfours, 30Jd.; super sixties. 29id.; common sixties, 282 d.: fifty-sixes, 247,-d.; fifties, .22£ d.; forty-sixes, 18d.-; fortios, 16Jd. METAL MARKETS. Copper.—On . spot, £65 IBs. 9d. per ton; three months', £66 3s. 9d.; electrolytic, £69 10s. Tin.—On spot, 355. higher, at £217 10s. per t-on; three months', £4 15s. higher, at £214. Pig-iron— Middlesboro* No. 3, Is. lid. higher. at 635. 4d. per ton . Lead.—Soft foreign, lie. 3d. lower, at £15 15?. per ton. Spelter, £25 per ton.

Buyers. Sellers. 4 ,• , „ , £s - d - £ s - d - National Banlt — 519 0 Iianl< N.S. W'alco 39 17 6 — Equitable Building — 9.12 E Well. Trust and Loan .... — 7 3 0 Christchurch Ga 7 8 0 7 10 0 Napier Gas (£10) - 20 0 0 Napier (las (£5) — 10 0 0 Palmcrston North Gas ... 9 0 0 — N.Z. Insurance 5 2 9 — K.li. Insurance . 3 16 3 — Christchurch Jlcat 15 5 0 — Meat Export (52s. 6d.) 2 17 6 3 0 0 N.Z. Shipping .. — 16 10 0 Union Steam 2 9 0 — Union Steam (rights) 0 12 6 — ' Well. Woollen (ord.) 3 10 0 — Well. Woolbn (pref.) — 2 16 3 Taupiri Coal ..., ' — 13 3 Wcsr.port Coal . — 17 9 West.port-Stoclrton — 0 4 3 Ijsylaml-O'Brien Timber — 16 9 N.Z. DriiK — 210 0 N.Z. Portland Cement .... — 018 0 Sharland's ordinary — 110 W.F.C.A. (£5) - 7 5 0

, 1912-13. 1911-12. £ £ October 953.202 614,C07 November 1.1JS.C94 1,146,503 December 1,704,810 1,285,122 January 2,826,257 2,490,165 February 3,629,785 2,984,753 10,262,148 8,520,550

Piaka • 5-8 Tukurongo 12J U7-B Haka 13i 117-8 Jiillersdcu 14J-8

Tbiswaek Last weak Last yaai' £ £ £ Bullion' 3G.443.0K 3S.II45.003 37.642.000 Reserve '27.814.U03 23.4S3.OUO 2'J,275,OUO Note circulation a8.117.iyfl '27.70!!,COJ 28.233.000 Public Deposits 24,MI.U(X) 23.rilS.0J0 23,663,000 Other Deposits 40,486.01*) ll.tiG7.UOO 43,455.000 Proportion of liabilities... 4-2.70 43.61 44.26

Variation — coupaicd Prici. with last week. £ s. d, Imperial Consols 7G 15 0 7/6 higher 4* ,.N.S.*\V. 1933 Jau.-July 101 0 0 Undmnscd 3i , t N.S.W.19J0-50Mr.-Sp 9iS 0 0 iJnclmnged 3* „N.S.W.-1930-5U 00 0 0 Unchanged 3 ,,N.S.W. 1925 Apl.-Oc.t 5- U 0 40s lower 4 Vic. 1920 Jan.-July t 100 0 0 Unchanged 3$ „Vic. 3921-13 Jan.-July 93 2 6 Unchanged 34 „ Vic.-W&Mfl 91 0 0 40s lower 3 „ Vic. 1929-49Jan.-July 78 o 0 Unchanged 3$ „S,A< 1916 Jan.-July 01 0 0 Unchanged 3 „8.A. 1»116 Jan.-July 75 0 0 Unchanged 4 „Q'l'dl915-94 Jan.-July 100 0 0 Unchanged 85 „ Q'l'dl922-47Jan.-July 94 0 0 Unchanged 8 ..Q'l'd 192'2-47Jau.-July 78 0 0 Unchangod 4 - „N.Z. 1929 May-Nov. 100 0 0 10s higher 35 „N.Z. 1012-40Jan.-July 00 0 0 Unchanged 3 „N.Z. 1920 April-Ocfc. 7B 0 0 40s lower 3i „W.A.1915-35 May-Nor 90 0 0 Unchanged 3 „Vv'.A,191o-35May-Nov &4 0 0 Unchanged 3i ,,'1'aa. 89 0 0_ Unchanged 3 ..Tas, 1923-40 Jan.-July b3 t) 0 Unchanged