COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1713, 2 April 1913, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAKES. A eale. of Taupiri Coaleliarcs at 22g. 6d, was tho only, transaction recorded yesterday. ■ The quotations were as under:— Buyers, Sellers. '£ *. d. ' £ d. National Bank (rights) .. 0 18 6 0 19 0 Squitaole Building .. — I 910 € N t .m. Loan aud Mercantile 0 9 9 —: N.Z. and River Plate 1 ..... — 2 0 6 Well. Trust and.Lean ... — 7 2 6 Napier Gas (£10) — 19 0 0 tfapicr Gas (£5) ; — - 95 0 Well. Gas '(pref.) 1 0 0- 1- 0 9 N.Z. Shipping — . 17 0 0 Union. • .243 Well. Woollen (ord.) 3 11 6 ~ Well; Woollen (pref.) -- : 216 3 Westport Coal ; 16 9 — • rnrin?amutu Totara — 2 :6 0 Jlannins and ,Co • 3 18 0 — <barlanu'<i ordinary...a....- I 0 6 . 11 (1 Ward and Co 416 0 : .5 0 0 kV.F.C.A. 7 5 0 JAPAN'S WOOL TRADE. < • tfapan promises to provide another market -for Australasian wool,, and already t£e' imports are considerable. Tho imports of woo! and woollen manufactures last year, writo3 the "Japan Times," was very large, it 3 total value amounting to approximately £3,10,000; the figures corresponding to the total value of the export of habutaye.' The bulk of tho imports, however, is represented by raw. materials, while maiiufaeturee are rather on the decline. Last year, up to'the end of July, the importation amounted to £947,700 in value, tho figures exceeding the total import for 1509, and showing an increase of £285,528 on tho returns for the corresponding period of last year. On the other hand, the import of wool manufactures wa3 on tho decrease, tits total value during the seven months under review showipg a [jonspicuoua decrease of £841,657,. againot £1,038,636 of last year. This changing situation in, the import trade was brought about by the.cnforccmcnt'of the new tariff in July last year, which has had the result of impeding the importation of wool Fabrics, meanwhile stimulating the sudden growth of the domestic manufactures. • lurtced, the operationiof the revised tariff has proved a great rfelief to the national woollen industry, and has called forth an increasing demand for raw materials, resulting in a sudden activity of the import of wool. Japanese woollen manufactures are now largely exported to China, especially since the revolution, and the increase of the import is not to be attributed solely to the increase of. domestic consumption. Still tho demand for mousceline-de-laine has increased at a somewhat astonishing rate • among Japanese women recently, the article commanding the market over the homo-spun graceful silk maiiufaeturee. The import of. rayr materials is fast increasing year aftor year, despite the high duty imoosed by the new tariff. The r total, value* of imports, both, raw materials and manufactured goods, durin" the last year stood at £2,907.355, showing an increase compared with the figures of seven years ago. The, growing tendency of the import of raw materials against tho gradual diminution of . the manufactured goods, which was witnessed a s earlv aa seven years ago. is tho result of the naoption of a protective' tariff. And as tnriff CS °- . e , nforc « I "ent of tho-now tariff, the imported roods have to r>av n. uglier duty than before, and accordingly tho future will witness a further decline in the importation of foreign manufactures, a. prospect which bids fair for th« domestic manufacturing industry. . There wo at present eiprht important concerns in lolao and elsewhere encoded in the uianutactura of woollen fabrics with a combined « mown a f Bres '1 t ; ln " J8i.330.0rP. of which £1,030.000 IS paid up. I = tl'e-e circrnn r T , Ce t 9 i, tll . 0 - rtomratlc production in fu ™o sannot but increMe, and it is expected that tllo fi t ? niouossline-de-laine will in the near future .be increased to 70,C-00.COO ycO , T V • 8110,1 ev 'the ira- ? -°, rcisn , manufactures wiU be ♦ rct^n C ? i ll in tile long run tho [iountry will be freed from relying 011 tho l?rprl nrtl E | oo - s aS u' ar 115 t,lc "'anufac- &,? il rticl ° ! a cohcernedt On the other hand, tho market price of tho woollen fabrics is gradually going up all through. TIIADK IN ALLKX STREET.; Potatoes.—Kegular shipments aro nov,comnie jii from tlio south almost daUy Thn , 0 ' wmples nro excellent, The market is ruline at £6 15s. to £1 5= per ton. ■ °" OnioiH aro rather, mure plentiful now and aro selling at £7 to £7 10s. per toil lir'poHbV PlcklinE oniol,S aro Flour.-The market continues at £8 IDs. to f-o-b. eoltth, less the usual nt r °i7 a in c7 e^ d dem<lnd ' and is rulins at £7 63. to £7 10s., cx store. Bran.—Supplies are plentiful, and a fair business is passing «t £5 to £5 Eg. i) Cr ton. Maizo is in poor demand' at ss. no* bushel. 1 , - Oatmeal meets with moderate inquiry at £13 to £13 10s. per ton. Itolled oat 3 in 41b. bags are selling at 9s. per dozen, and oatina at 9s. 6d Oats—Tho market has a tendency to 1 Arm. Short feed are ruling at 2s. 9(1. to 2s. Ud.; feed Algerian, 2«. 9d. to 2s. ICd.: 3s. to 3s. 3d.; and Dun oats at 2s. lOd. to 33. nay.-Primo finality is selling at £4 lCs. to £5 per ton. Oliaff.—Prime oaten shenf is rulinß at £5 to £5 fe. per ton, sacks in. Fowls' wheat-Good whole wheat is quoteu at 4s. 4d. to 4a. sd. per bu-shcl Eggs.-Frosh egg«, well-known brands, make Is. 6d. to ls. 9d. per dozen; preserved, Is. 4d. to Is. sd. . t Butter-Prime milled, in bulk, is ouoted 9jd PCr Rood quality at *9d. to Partridge peas liavo good .inquiry at Z* 9d. to Is. per bu6hel. Prussian Uluo peas axe dull of sale at 6s. per bushel. Capo barley is sellinic at 3s. Id. to 3s 3d per btißliel, and feed barley at 3s Id ' ' Poultry.—Hens, to/ 6d. to 3a. per'paircockerels, <s. to 55.; duclilings, to is' 6(1.; turkey pobblers. lOd. per lb li™ weight, liens 9(1. Fruit.—Very little fruit, is n«w cominr from fiytlnav. The Tahiti, which orrived the other day, broueht, o. large sliipnienl, of lslnnil oraiiim; iir.d bpnniinn, (.ho v.'i.dc of whteli spcedilr passed Into, the hands' pf retailors. Peaches aro in lighter bud-

ply, and the demand is cocd. There i; {food inquiry for choice pears, also foi choice coloured apples. Green eookinj opplCH arc in very cood demand. 80 fai tlio grapes from South Australia hav< opened up on the small side. Tomatoes.—Tht market fluctuates daily pnctts depending upon tho- quantity on of for at the time of sale. Supplies are com lmr entirely from the Hutt district. vegetables.—Cauliflowers-are in good de raand; consignments of green pcae are re commended. Cabbages, carrots, and par snips meet with a fair demand. Cho.ic< while celery, is wanted, and consignment; are lecommendcd. ' CUSTOMS/ T l le Customs-revenue collected at ,Uv yon of Wellington yesterday, tot-allct £<+320 17s. 9d. ihe revenues collected du.r mg rach of the past three .months, com pareo. with the 'corresponding periods 0 last year, show as under:—. 1 , . 1913. 1 1912. • T . X" s.d. • £ s, d. January ....... 96,827.2 4.. 84,85644 8 February 81,918 16 0 72,741 10 5 Jfoich 77,483 3. 4 ' . 74,484 3 6 ' ' 2561229' 2' 1' 232,082* 8' 7 The beer duty collected during the -pasi month £1207 -2s. 9d. r again6t'£l23( 6s. "2d. in March, 1912. / ■ . (By Telegraph.—Press -Associations ■ ' ' . , \ Chrlstchurcii, April 1. There is <i decidedly firmer tone in-the grain markets, but the only advancc thai can be chronicled is for oats that liav< hardened up Id, for A-grado Cartons, ant about the same amount for B grade. Then as increased demand, with very limited of fering, but, judging from the opinion ol South landers, the reecnt floods should nol haro the cffcct of advancing prices much ij at all, for tho area affected is comparatively small. In wheat the offerings an also small, but there fe ready demand al late prices. There is ample scope for trade with the North Island, but freight rates tc the United Kingdom and Australia do not permit) of business being doue at present values. SILVER. Bv Telegraph—Press Associa-tion—Copyrighl „ . . London, March 31. Bar ; silver is quoted at 26* d. per ounec stands,rd.