COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1753, 19 May 1913, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAKES. Sales of investment shares recorded on Saturday were:—Napier Gfls (£5 paid) at £3, Union Steam (old) at 425. 9d.-, and Westport Coal at 275. 6d. The Quotations were as under:— . Uayora. Sellers.

DAIRY PRODUCE. Messrs. W. Wcddel and Co., Ltd., in their dairy producc circular, dated April 4, report as under:— Butter—Thero is good demand for, Australasian butter of strictly "choicest quality, but of this description tliero is very littlo on the market, mainly r due to the temporary absence of . New Zealand parcels. Unfortunately, strictly "choicest Australian is also short, owing to the droughty conditions which have prevailed so long now in tho best butter-making districts of Victoria and New South Wales. The proportion of first grade butter now being landed from Australia- is smaller than in almost any yeaT in the past decade. Prices this week of the very best baited butter from Victoria and New South "Wales range from 108s. to 110s. per ewt., with an exceptional 112s. for some• , thing extra choice, be3t ordinary from 1 the other States brings 106s. to lOEs.,* but there ia a- largo number of factories i whose butter is not worth more thou IGOs. to 104s. Inferior quality may be purchased below these figures. TJnsalted ranges from 2s. to 4s. per cwt. over the above prices. Supplies of New Zealand are very limited in quantity and will remain so until next week when the 37,480 boxes of the Corinthic will be on the market. Tho demand for foreign butters in our markets, especially Scandinavian, has .fchown> no improvement this week, owing to the reduction of 35. 6d. per cwt. at the cud of last week, and a, reduction of a further 3s. 6d. woe made yesterday. Now season's Siberian button? made from fodder have begun to arrive, and axe giving satisfaction. Irish new seaEon'o is making its appearance on our markets, but is too early yet for it to possess a good body. Cheese.—The demand for Canadian is quiet, while that- for New Zealand is a little flot. Prices for best qualities of both kinds arc a- shade easier, and offflnvoured New Zealand is offering at 6d. to Is. por cwt. below best first grade, which brings file. The usual list of stocks of Canadian and New Zealand cheese in London, Bristol, and Liverpool on April 1 haa been published, and shows the total of Canadian in tho three ports to be 115.0C0 boxes, and of New Zealand to be 50.CC0 crates (equal to 100, COO boxes). Thus the total stock is 215,0C0 cliccsc. For the previous fours year? the average . stock on April j was 190.CC0. If kwt year be omitted (as owing to tho drought it was quite abnormal) the average stock on April 1 for the previous three years 1909 to 1911 wa« 216.000. As regards prices tho list shown the average for the three years to have been 625. <?d. So that on the basis of cupply and demand the present price of 61s. is below ite normal level.

FEILDING MARKET KEPORT. Messrs. A. 11. Atkinson and. Co., Ltd., of Feilding, sold on Friday a emo.ll yarding ot pigs at -quotations. Poultry showed a marked ri c e in values, and ducks, turkeys, and cockerels were in keen demand. A largo quantity of grain oud general produce »Id nl (rood prices. Potatoes wero easier in value, with large supplies coming forward, Suckcr piss, 3s.

6d.: stores, lis.; wcancr boar, 15=.; light porkers, 17p. to 2H.; heavier sortF, 245. to 305.; baconer?, 425.; aged pony, 255. Poultry at, per pail': Purebred roosters, ICs.; pullets, 4s. 3d., 43. 6c1.: liens, 3s. 9(1. to 4s. 3(1.; ducks. 4s. 6d, to Ee. 6d.; cockerels, 4s. to se. Pups, 7s. Otlier lines: liycgrasi? seed, 3s. per bushel; pig potatoes, 3s. to 4s. 3d. per bag; table do., Bs. 6(1. to 10s.: wheat, to. 6(1. per bushel; pollard, lis. 6d. to 1&3. 6d.; oranges, 5?. 6d. to Bs. per case; apples, 2s. to ss. 6d. per half-case; full cases, 7s. to Bs.; cabbages, ss. per sack; pie melons, 35.; pumpkins, 6s. to 7s. CUSTOMS. Customs duties collected at tlio port ol Wellington on Saturday totalled £1045 2s. 9d„ the amount for the week Vieinp £16,644 9s. 1(1. The returnn for caeli of tile past eight weeks, compared with tin, figures for the corresponding period of the prtrioua year, show as uuder:—

The beer duty collected for tho past week totalled £209, as against £229 18s. for the corresponding week of la6t year. GEAIN AND PKODTJCE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.! OamaVu, May 18. There is no animation in the produce market, neither buyers nor sellers being anxious to do business. Still, a fair quantity of wheat has changed hands. A lino of "1500 sacks of velvet was sold at 4s. 2d., delivered at mill, and less commission. Other sales have been made at 4a. net on trucks, and 4s. Id. .net delivered. For rod chaff 3s. Bd. has been paid net for long railage, and 3s. Bid. and 3s. 9d. for short railage. Solid straw Tuscan has been disposed of at 3s. 61d. and Js. 6Jd. not at country atations; Marshall's white, 3s. 6W-; and Bordier, 3s. 7d., tho latter less commission. Transactions In oats have been email. For forward delivery, 2s. 3d. has been paid for A grade, and 2is. 2d. for B grade net., country stations. Other sales have been made at 2e. 2d. net at country stations. Oatsheaf chaff lias been sold at 705., less commission, delivered at Oama.ru. The potato market is lifeless. Merchants cannot give the prices asked, and holders will not relax. A few odd lots have been taken at from £4 to £4 Es. to fill requirements.

LONDON MARKETS. (Rcc. May 18. 5.15 p.m.) By Tcleeraph—Press Association—CoDyrlaht London, May 17. Copra is in small supply. South Sea, in hags. May-June-July shipmont, is quoted at £27 10s. per ton. Cotton—May-June shipments of Amencan middling cotton' are clearing at 6.45Jd. Jute.-3fativo first marks, May-June shipment, ero' Quoted at Dundee at £29 ss. per ton. Now Zealand Hemp.—Tho market is quiet and unchanged, at £33 per ton. Kubber— Fine hard Para rubber is quoted at 3s. 9>d. per lb, Antimony is quoted at £9 ICe. per ton of 50 per cent. ore.

uuyors. Beuers. £ 6. d. £> b. d. National Banlt (old) — 5 3 0 Well. Investment 0 11 0 "T Well. Gas (£10) - 16 2 6 N.Z. InsuTanco. 5 1 U — Gear Heat (£1) 3 2 6 Wcstport Coal — J ' J Taringamutu Totara 2 2 6 , „ , Golden Bay Cement — Manning and Co ' ® ® Word and Co 4 19 f 0 W.P.C.A. (£5) - 7 4 0

1913. 1912. £ £ March 29 19.126 25,256 April 5 16.402 18,597 April 12 W.ffit 10.9'/1 April 19 11,297 22,803 April 26 .... 16,0o0 12,150 May 3 15,172 16,095 May 10 17.143 10,339 May 17 16.644 18,298 129,235 134,507