COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1806, 19 July 1913, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. A Bale of Taupiri Coal shares at 21s. 6d. vrc,9 the only transaction recorded yesterday. The quotations wero as under:—

i NEW ZEALAND STATISTICS. The Customs duties collected in the DoI minion after deducting xefuaids and drawI backs, for tho year ended March 31, 1913, totalled £3,613,436, and the cost of collection amounted to £1 83. Bd. per cent. The net Customs collection in Auckland amounted to £981,583, in Wellington £898,201, in Lyttelton and Christchurch £512,818, in Dunedin and Port Chalmer6 £508,249, in Napier £120,833. an-d in Invercargill and Bluff £113,219. The cost of collecting tho Customs revenue was lowest in Poverty Bay at £1 ss. 7d. per cent, and highest at Kaiixira at £5 Bs. per cent. The cost at Wellington was £1 ss. 9d., at Auckland £1 6s. 9d., at Dunediti. £1 Bs. 2d., and at Lyttelton £1 lis. 3d. During: 1912 the male and female population over fifteen years, including Maoris, consumed 153,611 gallons wine, on which £41,251 was paid in duty, and 296,362 gallons of imported ale and beer, which yielded a duty of £29,636. The consumption of tea by the total population, including Maoris and estimated at 1,102,471 during 1912 was 7,68Q,2831b„ equal to 6.971b. per head. In 1911 the consumption was 7.501b. per head. The adult male nopulation,; including Maoris, estimated at 343,905, consumed 863,797 gallons of spirits, eauel to 2.51 gallons per head, and on which the duty amounted to £691,037, or £2 oa. 2d. per head. The consumption of tobacco was 2,406,097, enual to 71b. per head, and the duty totalled £420,826, equal to £1 4s. 53d. per head. During 1912 the Government Life Insurance.- Department wrote 3966 policies, assuring £1,042,264, being the largest amount of insurance written in any one year since the inception of the Department, and showing an increase of £170,310 on the new business of 1911. At the close of 1912 the Government Life Insurance Office had on its books 60,458 policies, assuring £11,865,462 and £1,406,237 reversionary bonuses at death or maturity, the total business bearing an annual premium income of £356,054, During 1912 the Government Life Insurance Ofiice paid out on 444 policies, which became void by the death of policy-hold-crs, the sum of £143,108. There also matured 579 policies for £151,550, this being the first time in the history, of the office when the amount maturing as claims during the lifetime of policy-holders has exceeded tho amount paid at death. The total assurance, annuity, and on- 1 dowmcnt funds of the Government Lifo 1 Insurance Ofllce, at tho close of 1912, apart from a special investment, reserve of £113,- j 663. Amounted to £4,829,141. On December 31, 1912, the total n?v ; ots of the Government Lifo Insnvnm'c Office were '' £•3,976.948. of which £3,045,274. or 61.2 per 1 rent., were invented in mortgage • of ' fs&l est.fi,t«} of 16.3 p«r loann 1 o& £&£ ceuU jhuj

Government securities, and £171,169, or 3.4 per cent., in local bodies' debentures. Since its inception to the end of 1912, tho Government Life Insurance Office issued 121,813 policios, assuring £29,576,704, with reversionary bonuses of £2,907,530. During tho samo period tho policios voided totalled 71,355, assuring £17,711,242, with reversionary bonuses of £1,501,293. Customs duties collcctod at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £1855 17s. 9d. GRAIX AND PRODUCE MARKET. Messrs. Lacry and Company, Ltd., wholesale produce merchants. Allen! Street, report prices ruling on the Wellington market Fowl's wheat-, 4s. sd. to 4s. 6d. per bushel: fowl's barley, 3s. Id. per bushel; Cape baa-ley seed, 3s. 4d. per bushel; oats, short feed, 2s. lid. to 3s. 2d. per bushel; oats, seed Algerian®, Js. to 3a. 3d.; Duns, 35.; maize, ss. to ss. 3d. per.bushel; Prussian Bluo peas. ss. 6d. per bushel; partridge peas. 4s. 3d. to 4s. 6d. per bushel; 6UCTO- - £7 per ton; flour, Atlas bTo.nd, £9 17s. 6d. por ton; oatmeal, £15 per ton; pollard, £6 15s. to £7 per ton; bran, £5 to £5 ss. per ton; chaff, prime oatensheaf, £5 10s.. por ton; chaff, straw, £3 15s. per ton; straw, £3 per ton; factory bacon, shoulders 9d. per lb., sides lOd, per lb., hams lid. per lb., rolls lid. por lb.; factory cheese, loaf size, 7d. por lb.; factory chcose, medium size, 6d. per lb.; honey, hulk, in 561b. tine>, 6id. per lb.; margarine, in 281b. tins, BJd. per lb.; whole linseed, 16s. per cwt.; linseed, ground, 20s. cwt.; ■ 1 in;cod cake, 14s. per cwt.; linseed nuts, 14s. per cwt.; basic slag. £4 per toni; superphosphate's, £4 15s. to £5 por ton ; rolled oats. 9s. 6d. per dozen;. potatoes, table, £5 to £5 10s. per ton; potatoes, seed, Bearity of Hebron £8 10s. ner ton, 'Early Rose £8 ss. per ton, seed Up-to-Da.tcs £5 15s. per ton, seed Breezo's Proliflo £6 per ton; seed Gamekeeper £4 per. ton, seed Northern Star £5 10s. per ton, eeed British Ouoeni £6 10s. per ton: Onions, Victorian, £9 10s. to £10 10s. per ton. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Chrlstchurch, July 18. There is still no move in the local gram and produce market, and tho only hope of improvement in the export trade lies in the possibility of obtaining cheaper freights to the United Kingdom. So far, nothing has been dono in this direction yet. There is, however, not any large quantity of grain available for export, and prospects of-a shorter harvest next season will in>duce holders to remain, firm in. their ideas of values. Tho potato market Is dull, and £2 15s. is now the general prico oifered at country stations. There Is an_ improved inquiry for seed potatoes, especially early varieties. BANK OF ENGLAND. RETURNS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. July 18, 9.35 p.m.) London, July 18. The Bank of England return issued for tho week ended Wednesday, July IG, is as under;— Issue Dep4rtjiemt NotelfSUt X 65,103,000 Gov.dab! ■" i 11,015,000 . Other securities 7,434.000 Gold 30.660,000 £55.109,000 £55,109,000 BixsiNs Department. proprietors' Govt, eecatlcapital £14,653.000 tios £12,757,000 Public do- Other securlposits ... 10,<00,C00 ties 29.123,000 Other deposits ... 40.709.000 Netll 25.718.000 Rest, 7-day and other - bills 3,005.003 Colo- , ... 1,570,000 £69,107,003 • £69,167,000 The leading item 3 of tho Bank of England return afford the following comparison ' This waok List wtek East y«ar Bullion 36,660,000 35.810,000 39,520,000 Reserve 27.288,000 26.220,000 30.063.000 Note circulation 29,331.000 29.621,000 29,314.000 Public Deposits 10.400.000 10,734,000 17,581,000 Other Doposits 40,709,000 11,057.000 11,376,000 Proportion of resorvo to liabilities... 63.35 ' 50.23 ■ 60.98 GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The following are the latest quotations for Government securities, with a coal' parlstm of those ruling last week:—

BANK BATES OP INTEREBT. The Bank of- England rats was. on February 8, 19IZ, reduced from 4 to 34 per cent., and on Hay 9 it was further reduced to 3 per cent. On August 29 it was raised to 4 per cent., and on October 17 to 5 per cent. It was roduccd to 44 per cent, on April 17, 1913. The Bank of Franco rate was reduced from 34 to 3 por cent, on January 23, 1908, and continued at tho latter figure until' September 12. 1911, when it was raised to 54 per cent. On May 17, 1912, It was reduced to 3 per cent., on October 17 it was raisod to 34 per cont.. and on October 30 to 4 por cent. , MARKET RATES OF DISCOUNT. Tho following are tho market rates for best three months' bills:—

Short loans are auoted at 23 per cent., as against 3 per cont. last week eard 24 to 21 per cent, last' year. COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. Wheat—Good general rains have improved the British outlook, and a good average crop is anticipated. Tho Continental demand ia less active, though the i markets aro steady. Australian', on spot, is selling at 395. to 395. 6d.; off-coast cargoes aro oßered at 366. 9d. to 376. 41d.; February shipment, 375.; March shipment, '375. 3d. ...... Flour.—Large arrivals of Australian . patents are being stored pending an improvement in the market. First-class patents on passage aro selling at 25s ,9d„ c.i.f. , Now ZeaJand long-berry wheat, JulyAugust shipment,, is offering at 366., whilo 355. 6d. is bid for delivery in London. Oats.—Tho market is quiot. "A"-grado Cartons. now crop, July-August shipment, is being offered at 25a. per auarter, but buyers suggest 235. Beans are slow o! sale, and lower in value. Peas are neglected. Butter.—Good quality Is In steady demand. but the cheaper sorts aro more difficult to sell. Danish is unchanged; Siberian is quoted at 925. to 100s.; Australian, good, unsalted, 106s. to UOs.; salted, 104s. to 1063.; secondaries are quiet at 925. to 100s. Cheese is quieter, but values ero unr changed. Sugar is active, though weaker. German, beet, 88 per cent- net titre, 3d. lower, at 9s. per cwt.; first-marks, granulated, f.o.b. Hamburg, IJd. lower at lis. IOJd. Bradford Tope—Tho market is dull and featureless. Sixty-fours, 291 d.; super sixties, 295.; common sixties, 28Jd.; fifty-sixes, 4d. lower, at 23d.; fifties, id. lower, at 21d.; forty-sixes, 17d.; forties, 16d. THE METAL MARKETS. Copper.—On spot, 7s. 6d. higher, at £63 7s. 6d. per ton; three months', ss. higher, at £63 Bs. 9d.; electrolytic, 255. lower, at £65 16s. Tin—On spot, 60s. higher, at £182 per ton; three months', 60s. higher, at £182 15s. Pig-iro-n.—Middlosboro' No. 3, 7d. lower, at 545. lid. per ton. The market is disturbed over the proposed formation of a limited liability compa.ny to» handle the Cleveland output, despite the strong protests of merchant houses. Spelter—ss. liigheT, at £20 15s, per ton. VICTORIAN PRODUCE MARKET. Molbourno, July 18. ■Wheat, 3s. Bd. to 3s. 9d. Flour, £8 15s. Bran and pollard, £5. Barley. English malting, 3s. 9d. to 4s. Id.; Oapc, 2s. lid. to 3s. 2d. Oats, Algerla.il milling. 2s. 3id. to 2g. 5d.: feed, 2s. to 26. 3d. Maize, £4. Potatoes. £2 10s. to £3 15s. Onions, £6 to £6 ss. __________

Buyer* Sell«r». £ d. £ b. d. National Bank 5 0 6 — Metropolitan Buildi_ng: ... — 12 7 6 N.Z. Loan, Mercantile 010 4 ' — N.Z. and Biver Plate 2 0 0 — Well. Investment 0 11 10 0 12 0 Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 1 -0 — Well. Deposit 0 5 6 — Wellinsrton G0.3 (£10) 16 3 9 — National Insuamco 2 4 9 — S.B. Insurance 3 14 0 — Ohristchurch Moat 15 3 6 — 1 Gear Meat (£4) 12 7 6 — Gear Meat (£1) J 4 0 - Meat Export (526. 6d.) 3 0 0 3 5 0 Well. Woollen (ord.) - 3 13 6 Westport Coal 17 6 Ta.rineamutu To tar a 2 3 6 — Golden Bay Cement — 10 0 Manning and Co 4 2 6 — Sharlojid's preforonco ... — 119 W.F.O.A. (£6) .... - 7 2 0 W.F.C.'A. (£1) - 18 3

Variation —' compared Prlca. with ' last weak. £ «. d. 2§% Imporial Consols 72 15 0 lOe higher i „N.S.W.1033Ja.n.-July 101 0 0 Unchanged 34 „N.S."W.1930-60Mr.-Sp 97 0 0 Unchanged 3i M N.S.W.-103O-5O 89. 0 0 Unchanged 3 ,,N.S.W. 1925 Apl.-Oct 62 0 0 Unchanged i „Vic. 1920 Jan.-July; .99 5 0 5s higher 81 „ Vic. 1921-6 Jan.-July -93 0 0 ' Unchanged" 3i „ Vic,-1929-49 • 00 0 0 Unchanged .3 ,,Vic. 1929-49Jan.-July 77 0 0 Unchangod 2ri- fl B,A. 1916Jan.-July 89 0 0 Unchanged 3 ,,S.A. 1916Jan.-July 73 0 0 .Unchanged i[ „QTdl915-2i Jan.-July 100 0 0 53 higher 35 „QTdl9-22-47Jan.-July 93 15 0 5 S higher 3 „QTdlW2-47Jan.-July • 77 0 0 203 higher i „N.Z. 1929 May-Nov. 100 0 0 Unchanged 3i „N.Z, 1912-40Jan.-July 90 0 0 Unchanged 3 „N.Z. 1920 April-Oct. 77 0 0 Unchanged 3} „W.A.1915-35Tvlay-No? 83 0 0 "Unchanged 3 ,,W.A,1915-35May-NoT 80 0 0 Unchanged 3} „Tas. 1920 Jan.-July 83 0 0 Unchanged 3 „Tas.l920-40 Jan.-July 81 0 0 Unchanged

London Paris Berlin rate, rate. rate, per per per cent. cent. cent. This week i' 4 33 44 Last week 4 5-16 33 , 4j Last year 3 2j 33-8