COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1827, 13 August 1913, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. The sales recorded yesterday were: Wellington Gas. at £15 155.; N.Z. Insurance at £5 Bs.; .and Meat Export (525. 6d.), at 60s. The quotations wore as under:— Buyers. Scllors £ e. d. £ 8. d National Hunk <oM 5 3 6 — N.Z. Loan and Mercantile 0 10 4 — Wollinrton Investment, ... — D 11 3 Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 1 6 — Christchurcli Gas — 7 2 6 National Insurance 2 6 6 N.Z.. Insurance 5 7 6 5 8 6 SB. Insurance 3 15 9 — Gear Meat (£4) 12 8 0 Well. Woollen lord.) 3 13 0 — Hikurangi Loal — 010 6 Westport Coal 18 0 . — Golden Bay Cement — 10 0 Mannillp and ■Oo 4 4 0 — Sharland's preference .... — 119 Ward and Co 4 19 6 5 1 0 W.F.O.A.- (£6) - 7 2 6 W.F.C.A. (£1) - 18 3 GRAIN SUPPLIES AND SEA ROUTES, Messrs. Montgomery, Jones and Co., of Liverpool, ; have l-ssuod. an interesting pamphlet dealing wit lithe imported grain supplies "of Great Brituin, • and the sea routes >by which they reach their destination. It is stated that the *rain imports averaged rturing the past ■ thrfco years, 10,216,u00 tons, valued Qt £82,CCO,CCO, and consisted of 5,744,CC0 tons of wheat and flour 1,939,CCD tons maize; 1,109,000 tons barley; 899,CC0 tons cats; 199,000 tons beans, peas, and rye; 277,W0 tons meals and offals. Tlicso grain supplies came from tho following countries:— t .>• To°s- - -. 1,606,000 Canada 1,207,000 Argentina 1,985.000 Australasia 728,000 ' Russia 1,658,000 United States 1,486,000 Rumania : 590,000 Various, ' 956,CC0 10,216,CC0 From British, possessions there were ■ received 3,541,000 tons, and from foreign countries 6,675,C00 tons. These huge quantities came mainly by thrca long sea. routes:— 1. Through Straits of Gibraltar—from Japan, China, India>, Persia, East Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, via the Suez Oanal; from the Azoff and Black Sea ports, through tho Dardanelles, and from Mediterranean countries.

2. Up the South Atlantic—from Australia ■and New Zealand, rouund the Cape (only one—thirtieth part of AuGtralia's grain shipments coming via- the Suez Oanal); £ rom the Paciflo Coasts of v Xorth and South' America, round the Horn; from tho Bliver' Plato and Brazil, South Africa, and the West Coast of Africa. 3. Across the North Atlantic—from Canada; from tho Atlantic ports ■ of the United Stato3; and from the Gulf of Mexico. The total annual onantitics bv each sea route, and the periods of heaviest movement, vary accordin-' to outcome of harvest, but durin? the past three years they have been as follow:— 1. Gibraltar route, 4.478,C00 tons, April to Deccmbor. ; 2- South Atlantic, 2.796.CC0 tons, January to October. 3. North Atlantic, 2,696,CC0 tons. Mot to November. The prrain fleet actually afloat on .Tune 1 consisted of 303 steamers and 105 sailing vessels. Of the steamers 69 came via th« Straits of. Gibraltar, 182 steim up the South Atlantic, and t.he romninin" 5?, across, the North Atlantic. All the 105 sailing, tossels are .from Australia and-tho Pacific. TRADE IN ALLEN STREET. Fruit.-The Aorangi, due from- San' Francisco, via Cook Islands, to-morrow is bringing consignments of Island oranges and bananas, and these should a (jooa market and realise satisfactory ratos. The Manuka/from Sydney, duo to-day, is bringing moderate supplies of mancarmce-, lemons, Seville paision fruit, sweet oranges, and pineapples. MortCTjte consignments of Tasm.-.nian apples are coming forward, consequently prices are ruling htah. Consignments o'f. Isew. Zealand-grown apples, both dowert district, and 'ratromoly hich ' prices are being obtained for these. ' Vegetables— Cauliflowers'-and cabbages a,re selling at very low rates; parsnips are in exrellent demand, and command pood prices. Carrots have fair inquirv; celery meets with keen competition. Very few pumpkins and marrows are arriving, and hinrh rates, oro rulinsr' for these. Potatoes.—Tho southern market is ext.remelv weak. Good sound table potatoes are selling at £4 ss. to £4 15s. per ton. Seed potatoes aro in heavy supply; Up-to-date,£4 . 10*?. to £5 per ton; Northern Star, £5; Gamekeeper. £4 15s. to £5 55.; Beauty of Hebron and Early Eose, £8 ss. to £.8 10s.; Kidneys. £8 lois. Onions.—Viotorian-mrown are ruling at. £10 per ton. and New Zealand at £7 to £9. according to quality. Japanese onions arc duo to arrivo this month. Flour.—Moderate shipments "of Australian arc coming forward, hut the New Zealand product remains nnchangod at £9 per -ton. f.o.b. south, less the usual discount.

Bran.—A moderate business is passim: at £4 15s. to £5 per ton. Pollard,—Reir Zeal«rnd millers liave reduced their ouotation by ss. per ton, and tho price current hero is £6 ss. to £6 las. Maize.—Tho demand is escoedingly slack, and prices, rule from Ea. to 6s. Id. per bushel. Rolled oats, in bags, are selling at 10. -per dozen ba^s. Oatmeal is. quoted at £14 10s. per ton. ex store. Wellington. Oats.—Business is exceedingly quiet Short feed. 2s. lOd. to 3s. Id. per bushel* feed Algerian, 2s. lid. to 2s. lid.: seed Algerian,- Js. to 3s. 3d.; heavy Dun oats. 3s. to -3d.; discoloured and soft. 2s. 6d. to Tlay.—Hand-pressed rye and nlover is in short supply, and is quoted at £5 10s. to £5 15s. per ton. ChalT.—A fair amount, of business is passing at £5 to £5 ss. per ton for prime quality. Fowls' wheat is in Rood demand; prime quality, i-,. 4d. to 4s. 6d. per bushel; medium quality, 4s. to 4s. 2d. Eggs.—A drop of 3d. per dozen has to be recorded, and the price of fresh eggs is now Is. per dozen. ' Butter.—Prime milled, in bulk, is in strong demand at Is. to Is. id.; good quality, at lid. Partridge pom are exceedingly slow of sale at 4s. to 4s. 6d. per bushel. Prussian 'due peas are dull of salo at ss. .to f'S. 6d. Feed barley ia quoted at 3s. to 3s. Id. por bushel. Capo barley meets "with very little business it 3s. 3d. per bucbel. Poultry .—Hen 4s. 6d. tQj 6*. a nair: cockerels, 4«: 6d. to 6s. M.: --taes. 4s. to 5«.; ducks. Pekin and Arlet-hnrv. 6«. 6d. to 7s 6d.: T.ndiin runner. 5». to ss. 5'1. ; turk»v gobblers. Is. por lb., live-weight; liens, lCd. Custom? dutiee rillectod 'at the nor* nf Wellington. ye:tsrd.i.y amounted to £2227 17s. 7d. SILVER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrjnrht London. Ai.—ust<ll. Bar silver is quoted at 27 5-16 d. per ounce standard.