COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1738, 1 May 1913, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. A! solo of National Banlc, new issue, shares, at £5, was tho only transaction recorded yesterday, Tho Quotations were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Equitable Bull-ding — . 9 10 0 N.Z. Loan and Mercantile 0 10 3 — Well. Trust and Loan 7 0 0 — N.Z. Insurance 5 0 0 — South British Insurance 3 12 0 — Meat Export (£4) — 5 0 0 Meat Export (525. 6d.) 2 18 0 — Westport Coal 17 0 17 6 Taringamutu Totara — 2 5 0 Golden Bay Cement — 10 3 Manning and Co 4 2 6 — Sharland's ordinary 110 — Ward and Co 4 18 0 5 0 6 Tho coureo of sales during the pa*t month was as follows:— National Bank (old), £5. National Bank (right©). 195., 195., 19gs National Bank (new), £4 19s. 6d., £<f 19». 6(1., £5. Bank of New Zealand, £11 7s. 6d. £11 7s 6d., £11 7s. 6d. Union Bank; £58 14s. Metropolitan Building, £12 10s.. .£l2 10a N.Z. Loan and Mercantile, 10s. 3d., iCe. 3d 10s. 3d. Wellington Trust and Loan, £7 Is.. £7 i* Wellington Gas (£10). £16, £16, £16 £lfi' New Zealand Insurance, £5. £5 Oe. 6d.. £5 os. 6d., £5 Is?. Ohristehureh Meat. £15 10s. Meat Export (525. 6d.), 58s. 9d. Union Steam. 425. 6d., 425. Wellington Woollen! ordinary, £3 lfo j f l Taupiri Coal. 23?. Sd., 23?. 6d. Westport Coal, 275. 6d., 275. Cd., 275. 6d Taringamutu Totara, 4ce. Golden Bay Cement-, 20s. 3d. Sharland's ordinary, 215.. 215., 21s. 21s. Sharland's preference, 21s. AMERICAN MEAT TRADE. Evidence is accumulating that Uvo United States will, in the near future be an importer of meat. Already moderate 6upplibs have been drawn from Australia, and in America itself it is believed that this trade will develop, for, according to a contemporary, a company is being formed under the laws of the State of Texas called tho Gulf Moat and Produce Co. it has a capital of I.CCO.CCO dollars, in shares of ono dollar each, whereof 10, COO fully, paid-up shares arc to be allowed to the promoter, and 99D.0C0 are ottered to tho public for subscription, payable 20 cents on application and the balance in calls as mjuired. This company is being formed for tho purpose of import-in? frozen mutton, mainly from Australia. New Zealand, and other territory, to be sold in Texas or elsewhere. to wholesalers, butchers, and the public generally. Australia hns well over one hundred million of sheep, from which the company w.ill draw supplies. Two cents per pound, the prospectus states, paye the grower for the mutton in good seasons: shipping charge, freight, insurance, and duty to be added, and fcha meat can be .'■old considerably under the current market, prices. Frozen meat is no new departure, as Britain has been importing cargoes for many yearf. nllowcd in from any country frc3 of duty. If the United State# duty bo repealed the meat can bo *old nt ono cent and onehalf cheaper per pound. Mi»:it will be imported in refrigerator steamers to Beaumont, Port Arthur, Houston, Galveston. New Orleans, one or all of these port*, or any port, at the option of Ihe directors. who will be elected by the shareholders. Existing -cold storago facilities will be need at the start. Carcasses are wrapped in cotton cloth, and. being frozen, will carry considerable distances by freight or express without injury. During a recent journey to Ceutra! America, Mr. Marshall saw opportunities for business iu the Republics of Mexico, (Inatennla. Salvador. Honduras. Nicaragua, Costa Kic<i Panama, and the Canal' Zone. Tho ~o m! ranv would supply n". tho.-e territorio-. Arthur Henry Marshall \< promoting this compauy, mid. nn he ha? had great com. merciai wpprijWA m England and J*;o

U.S.A., Ijnsidr* having a thorough hnowUileo of tho Anistruluni mont trade, gaino'l <»■< ofihT man <ind .salesman iu lciidint? Diivlc i ntr /inm-\ tin? bntdiioM will bo can - (ItU'lrd on t=;ifo liiuv, ond Uu> company should regular riividomls. Tho coinjkui.v will 1m imliMWiidont, mid all tho mom\v tuhf>oribod will bo iih<ml in tho wilh no outlay bcyoml tho preliminary expense.?.

NOHTU CSEMAN TJjOYD. Notwitli.vlMiidinif tint tho earnings of pome of thru* liue.s were prejudiced by political disturbances, the North' (iorniau hloyd (lonipany i-how irro>- receipts last yo-ar abnut 25 per cent-. abo\o those of 1911. After providing for all out-roiiics, writing .i;i,238,440 oil' llect, el;?,, and addiup £67,91)5 to insurance, nvprve.s there is <i Mirnlus of .C 734.332, as ou'ainfct £395,716 in tlio preicilinc trrni. To irotternl reserve i:3fi.775 mid to renewal fund £227,500 are placed. The dividend is raised 2 prr cent., to 7 per cent., and ab.-orb* £437,5C0. Tho report .states that, in order to eopo with the heavy otleriim. outside vessels had I'reiiiieiilly to be chartered, not always with profitable results. The cargo tra.ille Ju tho mail v'-lcumship Jmo to Aui> Irnlia inerc<»-e.d considerably, nnd tho passenjrer trade was also very nclivc. Tlio bonl.i in Mir Auidral-.Japan line also did irood liusiiuvu in eonseriucnco of the e:cron.xiou in the export of copra, from New <«uiu<*a. about 116,000 tone# cross of new boal.» are under construction, and klx vessels were K>ld at prices superior to their book value, Tho licet, now comprises 117 ocean r-tea mors and minor craft, acfrro K<i-flni: l»7'/,097 loiih fcross. tttaudiwr in tho liookii nt, £11,131,220.

lIHKK l'Olt TIIK UNITED STATES. , The Hliorlngo of beef iu tlio Tlnitcd States hi I CTOiniiig ii. (-.eriiuia matter, and the iiui'sliciii ill' nit Mo supplies lias been before tlin public there Tor some considerable lime. The attention ot the authorities lias hiwu drawn to Hie fact, that the Jarge number of cows slamrhteretl, as welt as en Ives, ii detrimental to tile interests of lliii country. In discussing the matter, an American journal Htntea that the shortace in en tl io has caused the price of meat to advance CO per cent, in a, few years. Thin cuttle shortago is becoming more nlarmiiiK', and il is that it will be felt to n greater extent ill 1913, than waß tho c!i,se In 1912. A 1 tlio convention of tlio tionai I.ire Btock Exchange, held in June Ins!, one opoaker st-ated that while tho increase of population in ten years was 21 per cent., tlio number of cattle in tho emtutrv decreased 9 per cent.. The slancliIrr of calves increased 6CO per cent, during tlio snuie period. The Chicago Stockyards statistician states that, tho slaughter of calves during 1911 totalled lully nine millions.

This shortage of beef, addod to the prospect. tliut the present duly which stands at 2 cents (id.) per 11).. will in all probability be reduced, has induced an American firm to import beef from Australia. According to the "Sydney Morning Herald" of a recent, date, which states that- the first shipment of 100 bodies from New South Wales was dispatched two months ago; the second of 50 bodies wm sent forward during March, and tho Tahiti, which left Wellington yesterday, had space booked for 150 bodies, and it is believed that the number is on board. Other shipments arc bound to follow, and if the duty is removed or reduced, tlio trade is likely to assume somo proportions. A'ow Zealand ca.nnot participate in this beef trade to anv extent, bccauso of tho shortage of cattle here, but there id no reason why a trade in mutton and lamb should not also be developed, in which case New Zealand should have an important share. CUSTOMS. Customs rovenuo collected at tho port of Wellington yesterday totalled £2231 Us. 2d., and for the month pf April it amounted to £68.444 17s. 9d. The revenues collected during each of t'le pool four months, compared with the corresponding periods of last year, show as under i— 1913. 1912. £ s. d. £ s. (1. January 96,827 2 4 84,856 14 8 February 81,918 16 5 72,741 10 5 March 77,483 3 4 74.484 3 6 Avril 63,444 17 9 67,986 6 3 324,673 19 10 2CU.068 14 10 The hear duty collected during the nnst month totalled £909 6s. lid., against £1048 19s. sd. in April last year.

OHAU LAND 'SALE. Tho Levin Town Hall was filled' with farmers and others yesterday afternoon, when Messrs. Abraham and Williams offered Mr. A. Hall's Kaku Estate, situated at Oilau, for sa)e. The aim submitted to auction comprised eomo 450 acres of good dairying and fattening land. Its subdivided aroaa range from 50 acres to 62 acres,. Six of these areas wore sold under tho hammer at an averts price of £<9 2s. 6d. per acre; £45 was bid for the other two, and although the price was not quito up to tho owner's resefve, tho firm hope to effect the sale "to tho vendor's satisfaction and thus to. quit tho whole block. Tho following were the sales:—Section 1, of 60 acres, to Messrs. Bishop and Nicholas, at £46 10s. per -acre. Section 2, of 62 acres, to Messrs. Moore Bros., <it £47 per acre. Section 3, of 59 acres, to Messrs. Cottle and Hall, ,at £46 per acre. Section 4. of 61 acres, to Mr. H. L. Greig, at £52 10s. per acre. Section 5. of 51 acres, was passed. Section 6, of 50 acres, was also passed. Section' 7, of 50 acres, to Mr. J. I'. Brown, at £45 10s. per acre. Section 8, of 55 acres, to Mr. E. Hose, at £55 per acre. In conjunction with Messrs. Dalgety a.nd Company, the firm also submitted the foalanco of the Panaitonga Rotate, consisting of 100 acres, subdivided into four sections of 25 acres each. Tho demand for tliis was very keen, and the land was sold under the hammer. »Sectiour. 1 and 2 wero cold to Mr. B. L. Horn, for £41 15s. per acre, and Sections 3 and 4 to Mr. I\ Mungavin.

LONDON WOOL SALES. By Telccraph—Press Association— Copyright London, April 29. At tho wool sales there was a large selection of New Zealand poris, and cood competition. Prices were unchanged, (Rcc. April 50. 11.20 p.m.) London, April 30. At' the wool sales tho following prices wero realised for tho fleece portions of tho dips named:—"Papanui," top price lid., o.verage 10 5-Bd.: top price Hid., avcraEc 10Jd.: "Waiota," top price 12id., averapo lid. Messrs. D.-iljety and Company, Ltd., have received cable advice from their London ofiieo dated April 29, as follows:—The wool pales continue animated. For good ehaft.y merino combing wools, prices are 7'ather higher. New Zealand merino heavy earthy and wasty in condition, prices aro lower. For New Zealand scoured merino and half-bml wools, prices are rather higher. jlessrs. Murray, Roberts and Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegram, dated April 29, from their London friends, Messrs. Sanderson, Murray, and Co.:—Wool market stronger, scoured wool market very firm, eonrso crossbred greasy advanced a shade.' WHEAT. , By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Rec. April 30, 11.20 p.m.) London, April 30. Wheat is steady, near Australians are easier to buy. Continental resellers rao asking Ms. 3d. for January shipment. Official quotations arc: Prompt, delivery, Mj. Gel. to 38s. 7Sd.; on paseage, 395. to J?s. 3d. MBTAIj MARKETS. (Roc. April 30, 11.20 p.m.) London, April 30. Copper is quoted at £67 2s. 6d. to £67 ss. Electrolytic, £71 15?. Tin. £229 10>. to £221. Lead. £17 I.V. SILVER. London, April 29. Bar silver is quoted at 27 15-lGd. per ounce standard. MINING NEWS. WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET. At the morning call yesterday two sales of Waihi at 31s. each were reported, and in tho afternoon a sale at. 31s. 3d. was reported. The quotations were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ «. d. £ =. (i. Con. Goldfields — o 12 J New Dig River — 5 2 6 New Sylvia 0 0 8 0 0 10 Talisman 1 18 0 1 19 0 Waihi 1 11 0 - Wfl.ihi Grand Junction ... (I 16 3 0 16 9 Wnilawri 0 0 41 0 0 5 Tho coui'L-e of rales during the past imnth was as under:— New Sylvia, 93d. Ross Reconstructed, ss. 3d. Talisman, 57*., 3S-. 9d.. 355. 9d„ 375.. 375. 9d.. oils., 3ts. 6d., 38s. Gd., 3?,j. 6d.. 3E,=. 3d., 3?,3. 3d.. 3P>.;. 6d. ' Victoria, 2Jd. Woihi. 315., Ms. 9d„ 315.. 315.. 31s. 3d. ■ Wa.ihi Grand Junction, 2ts., 16s. 9d., 17* Gd.. 17s. 6d., 17s. Ed„ 17.;, 9d.. lE,-.., 18s„ 17= 9d.. 17s. 9d„ 16.-. 9(1., lfc. 9d., 16s. 9d. ' Waihi-I'oeroa, 2?;-, 295., 295. Gd. Weiiotnhi, Is. 9d. Waitangi. s*rt., s?d. STOCK EXCHANGE. (By Telegraph.—Press Araocintlon.) Christchurch, April 30. Sales were reported on the Stock ftchnjige of Canterbury to-day:— Booth. Macßonald and (Jo„ at pnr. Nc-'.v Zealand Portland Cement, 1. Gd. ' Dtinedin, April 30. The following silica were mode ou liie Stock Exchange to-day:-Union Stcom. .£2 3s. <two parrel.-:). Tlio following tale was reported:- Wailii, £1 Its. (lIIAND JUNCTION. . Auckland,' April 30. Tim lira ml .lunvtion return for tho four weeks was £10,CS0, from 81C0 torn of oi'O,