COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1749, 14 May 1913, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

IX VESTMEXT KIM RKS. The «ales rceorclctl yesterday tt'dlineton (ins, prefercncc. at 20.-\ M.. and Wcstport Coil iat 2 is. od. Tile f;UOi.wiollb wore, an under.— JSuycrs. Fniicrs. £ s. d £ x (I. X.tf. I.nan mill Mercantile 0 111 '1 Xapftn- Cas i£lo' - }f '!> f Sopier Cas (£9l " '' '! [j Xapier O'a-. (.£sl "I , 0 Well. (las I preference) ... I 0 i ~ i\'.Z. lji.~jii jtin.-e 5 " S.H. Insurant;' ■' '•* ' Clear Meat !£1) ' '' Union Steam (new) - ■> u — Well. U'milU'H (ord.) 3 I' 0 \V«*slport Coal 17 0 „r „ Torinifamutit Totara ••• » •' » Golden Hay Cement. • ■ J « o Maniiint; ami Co , Wmil and Co " * I.ONUON'S nitK IXSVRA.NCK. Notwithstanding Hie stonily flow oT liopulation from the inner to the outer suburbs and nth.. 1 !' mure t-'ic-ittrit places. observe* the "I'oot. Magazine and liii>uvav.<o lloiulor" Iho (ire insurance-" in the County of I .on lion continue to inercaic. ami Huntress amount has readied one thousand one hundred and (Utccii million pounds. these tißures aro in rcspcct of 1911. and leeonl an advance of about 201 millions, per cent. over the imtvioiis year, when i.he increase \vn.< eleven nnltiouf or uuilei' 1.1 per cent. In regard to the coittrtbiit.u.r.s to the lire brigades' "" lIKUIT-. the total is .€J9.OM, anil lb companies contribute to the totnli t'tpoUnv with underwriters :il l.loyd s. Hk 1 iumuanoos held by the IhM mx companies arc under-.— Alliance . — 1i9.0-18 r 24J CommOlYial V U . lU ! oniccH absorbed b.v Minn) J'-Mjit.J»n ft", r:::::::::::::::.:::: wSi&S PhoeniN *•« North British and Mercantile 44,300,84/0 Contribution to the llro briwue i« osswoil nl .C 35 per million, imd the payment-* vary from X 6266 U* Id

CKK MAN Y'S NY All OIIKHT. Kmli?U- liiw to. hand jfivo further information with rel'oren.'o lo tho propound for Uvblm? the i'omous war nhcv.i»l t20,c03.c:0 nnrks (£6,oo'.j.oofl> in the Juluw To Ivor nt Sp:unlnu. Tho l-J autliori»sCil to nun tho sum of IJO.iM.wu marks in silver nml to i>sni« Tren.-uu-y uot-os of the denoniiirnMoils of five nml ti*u innrks to the* «mount, of a nuMlitT Tlio notes will be W.m-tl in return f ">r pulrt. Tlu* smu of 240,000.000 tnurlin, hilf in trolil timl luilf in silver t.lius olrttiinc.'l will bo luliird to Mio wnr oficst. hut. for renins of will he h>. »»* 1,1 tho Julius Tower, hut in tho oMUt' Itc'chsbanU i» llerlin. oml will bo Kept sfrk'tlv from the other monuya ol tho brink nnrl may not be u?oil to r«ner the i :, >ue of banknote*. The (.overMuieMt, will be allowed six year.? to lirmu' »)> the Fold and silver reserve to the new total of ofO.OTO.OCO nnrks (XIO.OCOXW. i\fjn\nst. which, if odviFnblc in c-ve of niobihsiti-.n. the KeiehsbanU eould legally ifsue t.illce th:it amount, of banknotes.

THE USES OF PLATINUM. Platinum when first discovered-thc first, reference to it- if in iv bpi\nijii worK ol WC-waci little clsa than a tinisnuee lo the Eoldminsrs, and it was not till early -nine liineteeitlh century that it nunc into u?e. For mieiblcs nnd ret-ovt?. for wlueh ii.-e it. was especially tit ted by vcoson of ito iutusibility and rssisUiiwc t" cn't". Lieljin even ('.Oelareil in M mat without platinum tho compnsition ■>£ r.i-iny minerals would regain u-nknown. Ho need for the metol ne fairly met. unlit within the last t.wo .or throe deeadef. ,'n whicli tims the demand has enormously increased, fliid id now made f;rc<iter th<\it tho supply by spcci-al niftnutocturi iff uses—particulaTly within tile last, ten years, for. jewellery. In about cO ]ei cent, of the platinum of conniierec w : — tired for dental work. 30 per cont. lor electrical and chemical lnjluatrics, anil Ji fir cent, lor electrical manufactures rni'i .icwoilerv. In 1819 Humhodlt found plntinuin worth about 335. a. pound at tlio tnlumbia mines; in 1567 the market price wa'i about £5. and £8 in 1877; in 1902 platinum inputs were quoted at £3 lfe. per t-w ounce; in 1906 at £9 93. 7d. per ounce, fit .no w-1) U production of 260,932 ounces Hi '910. Ili.ssia Fupplieil 275.C00. the reminder coinins; fiom CV.lumhiQ. California, Canada, e.Ld a lew ' otlicv localities.

AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING. , According to the "Financial Times," die Federal authorities are. prepared to oil or subsidies to those shipowners who will agree to construct- new tonnage .in accoruauco with the views of the Australian (*o\onunent, anil who will a.oo encourage thoso particular elapses of traiiic, wnich the authorities are anxious to stimulate. Jt hau been stated in sonic quarters that a-State-owned lino might oe created. but this snwEcstion. is not regardod eenously in shipping oirclcs. and the view most generally .expressed is that if tho Federal authorities will oiler suitable terms they will Ecrmre all ths tonnage thoy require.. run Gchcmo is quite independent of the similar project of which Mr. Walt, the. Victorian Prime Minister, has given certain details, jju i, it seems probable that the two "chcuivw will be merged eventually. A* regards Me attitude of English shipowners to the :n.Uter. they appear to feel that, m ncv. ol tho record pricea now ruling for n-w t 'linage, it is erecntial that they should receive some guarantee regarding• terms 01 employment 011 a basis which will remunerate them for contracts given on. at on exceptional period in tile. liisior.s of the shipping: trade. The pro.icci, is _ not. w'J. 011 c of very great intcrsst, but is al-o. 01 con=i<lerablo importance. and the niK'rtol of tho Australian Governments action will he watched witlrexceptional, interest. There is little doubt that, if earned out. on practical lines, it will yield results at least as good as arc anticipated. 'TRADE. IX ALLEX STREET. Fruit—The market is quite bare of Messina. lemons, and should any arrive during th- next few days they are certain to realise high prices. Island oranges arc in plentiful supply, and low prices have to be accepted to quit. Pears and apples ars both in heavy supply, and only moderate rates are rulins. Tho season for crapes is almost over, and only light suplilies are available now. The Sydney, boat due to-day is bringing about lufl packages consisting mostly of passion fruit and pineapples. ... I Tomatoes.—Daily pupplics arc vtil arm-j \ins from tho Ilutt district, the bulk of tho consignment's. however, are green. A s;\ 1 0>1 demand exists for choice coloured tomatoes. •Vi-eetablrs.—Cauliflowers are hcmgmg satisfactory rates. lloth table au.l red cabbages arc selling at low rales. Ull- - and paivsnips are in fair der.ioncl. whilst. - 'the market for choice ei::ery if on tho low side. Marrows and punipljus are selling well. , ~. , , Potatoes.—Buyers are holding bz< k 111 anticipation of lower prices. Toe current quotation is £6 to £6 ss. per ton. Onions.—Owing to the high prices now beiii" asked in Canterbury, the bulk of the supplies are being ordered from Victoria, and these ehould bo here in about ion day. The present pnoes ran Ixo from J.B to '£9 per ton, according to quality. Pickling onions arc extremely dull ot sale at. 's' quoted at £9 f.o.b. south, but millers are not anxious to iivitc s»los. The quotation e.\- store is £9 17a. od. i.tr ton, Jet." the usual discount. PollSrd.—l>ow quotations have been submitted from Australia, and in consequence hcavv shipment? ore expected tins vvtok. Th" quotation for New Zealand po '«r:l is £7 ss! to £7 IC'S. per tot': Auetrahrm will probablv rule, at £6 15s. to -1.7. . Bran continue- in_ heavy supply, and is licllinp at £5 to £5 ss. Maize is in light supply, and is ruling at ss. to ss. 3d. per huehel. ■ Oatuieal is quoted at £1j per ton 1.0.b. south, and £16 ex fllore Wellington lor leading brands. Oatina has advanced 6d„ and is i.ew quoted (It, 10s. 6d. per dozen Mb. bagi. Oat" -Tho market, continues i=t(«dy. Short feed. 3s. to os. 2d. nor bushel; Iced Algerian, ?e. 9d. to 2s. lid.; seed Algerian, 3s to to. 3J.; heavy Dun oats, 2-. lid. to 3s.' Id. , nay—A good demand exists lor unino quality ryo and clover hay, at £5 It's. to £'6 per ton. Chaff —The market is extremely ti.-m, the ex store quotation being 35 is. tid. to £5 10s pe" ton, sack* in, according to quality. Fowls' Wheat.—The southern market lia« advanced Id. per bushel. The Wellington prices range from 4*. 4d. to 4s. 6d. Eggs—Fresh aro selling at ?s. 3d. per doien, and there aro prospects of an early decline: preserved eggs aro quoted nt Is. 4d. to Is. sd. ■ , „ , „. , Itutter—Prime milled in bulk is selhur at llid. to Is. per lb., Willi second quality at 10* d. .... . Partridge peas have fair inquiry at to 5d per bushel for prime samples: broken nets, suitable for poultry, are selling at oe-. sd. „ . Prussian blue peas are offering al ss. a bushel. , , , Cape Barley w- dull of rale at. 3s. id. pel bushel; and feed barley is at 3s. Id. Poultry.—liens, 3s. to 3s. 6d. per pair: cockerels. <s. to ducklings. 4s. to 5s Cd.: large white ducks. ss. to 6«. Turkey gobblers lOil. per lb.; hews, 9d., live weight

CAXTETMVnTiV IMJODUCK }L\ItKKTS. fKy Telegraph.--Preys A'^ociatiufl.) Chrfslcliurch, May !3. The* grain market- is without oiianpo, both wlitxit- iuhl ln'inj? firm, but rin» limit-oil. The polato innr- J kot is clmrieilly v»»aki?r in sympathy with . l)jj» northern ninrUnt*. ouil nu'irhant* art' hurling i?- iur,»")r nhle to do on tho of kito (iiiot-itioi!,:. A? pol.it.ocs I from the south are hoing. offered flt lower I rote-. bnyors nr« therefore olVcriiisr only t .£3 10s. to A3 12-'-. 6il. ut country station?. I Onions <\ro firmer oral art; now ouoiol c»t. £5 3 r »s. There l>(>i»ir a litnik.l (lcniaiul hi Kwjlnnil ot prp.sunt for Mm: i'rus-Mnn pcn>\ pricr.> *tre <•;!-it-r. and 4*. now «nl\* olFoml, h»f pniMritiirc :iv<» with' otf 1 clKHifTf-'. brills worth and id.