COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1832, 19 August 1913, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAKES. There ivcro no transactions in investment- shojos-yesterday.-* Tho quotatione vrero as under;— , . ... ' '""Buyers. 'Sellers.- . ■ £ s. d. - £ 6.- d Bank' Kcw'Zealand 10 7 6 .10 11 0 Rational Bank 5. 3 6 — N.Z: Loan and Morcantile 0 10 4 — Wollinfrton Investment ... — 0 11 8 Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 1 .6 — Peildims Gas '. — 0 16 0 Well.Gas -(£10) ; 15 15 .0, ; Kati'onal Insurance 2 6 6-- — N.K'. Insurance .;... S 6 0 Standard Imnirnnee — , 1 13 0 Heat Export (525. fid.) ...... 3 0 0 < — If./,; Shipping — 1511 0 Union Steam 12 3 0 — Well. Woollen lord.)- 3 13 0 — Wostpor.t Coal 13 0 — Lcyland-Urien — 14 6 Golden Bay Cornant — 1 0 .0 'Manniing and Co. 4 4 0 ' .— • Bha.rla.nd'B preference) .... — 119 W.F.C.A. (£sl .'. - 7 2 6 ,W.F.C.A. (£1) - .18 3 THE WOOL MARKET. Just prior to the opening of the London wool sales on Jnly 1, the expert correspondent of the ''Economist" wrote interestingly in that.Journal'of th» position of v.-00l as It then btood. ltuferring to the shortage from Australasia during the past wool year, he remarked that the falling-oif in supplies was a substantial one, "and a (superficial observer" would have expected this shortage ih shipments to have been relleoted ia a. similar shortage in supplies , In London,, and in all consuming markets at, Home, on the Continent, and in the United States. Nothing of the kind, however, obtains-, for. supplies overywhere seeni to be ample. So far as consuming, markets'are concerned stocks of colonial wool, ■ according • to somo accounts, havo lievev been , so larg# at thu great Yorkshire centra-a« they are to-day.. In fact, iusti-before tho auctions in Coleman Street commenced, «, West Riidng authority ap-. pealed to holders not to force supplies oh the market., but to hold over a substantial; quantity of . the available -supplies until the September series. In the United .States, whilst stocks of wool are . much larger than they were at this -time last year, consumption is much less, and already the tariff ia so far inoperative, that all classes of tho raw material can lie bought 011 a free-wool basis. It is said that wool in to-day cheaper in Boston than\

in Bradford. It wns because of tliese coadiitious that the last London sales were curtailed by thrco days.

TilE WORLD'S SILK. Since the beginning of tho year there has been an increaso in silk prices of about 15 per cent., and tho particulars of consumption and output, contained in a British Consular report Irom Lyons will be of iiltero.it to many. Tho world's production of silk in 1912 is estimated at 6a,828,C00 lb., an incrouso oi nearly 4,?75,(K0iU. as compared with 1911. which in its turn had been the highest on Tccord. The world's consumption is estimated on the b.iiiis of United States and Indian imports of silk, 66 per cent, of-the European conditioniughouso returns, plus the imports of various countries overseas, and tho provisional total of 1912 amounts to tho record total of 60,189,2721b., which is nearly 4,500,0001b. above the previous highevst figure—that of 19C9—and over 7,250,0001b. higher than the 1911 total. Of this, remarkable increase the lion's share—nearly 2.CC0,0C01b., or over 20 per cent, on tho previous year's figurestands to the credit of .United States. Less iii volumo, but no loss remarkable, are- the Indian imports, which wero nearly double the figure of the previous year, while Europe is responsible for the more modest growth of some 750,C001b„ which is' to be explained by the understating of many of growth of some 7E0,CC31b., equivalent to about 5 per cent. It will be noticed that tho consumption totals exceed the estimated production by over 3,5C0,0001b., which M to be explained by the understating or maiiy of the crops, and by the fact that, whereas the consumption figures are for tho calendar year, those of production are for tho silk year, which is calculated from Juno to Jur.e. A more accurate view of the position is, therefore, obtained by taking two or three yectre, and striking an average of both consumption and production. By applying this method to the years 1910-12 a mean consumption of 55,282,4241b. is obtained. as compared with a production of 54,824,G0P1b. —a discrepancy that- can easily be accounted for by the understating of cropa referred to above. Though the word

"consumption" is used for convenience, it is somewhat misleading, as the estimates are based on the'amount of silk taken l>v each country, and it. may well happen that of this total quite a considerable quantity is not ronsumcd at. once, hut is carried over to the next year. Cnstoms duties collected at the port, of ■Wellington yesterday amounted to £1937 Car. lCd. TIIGTT COMMISSIONER'S CABLEGRAM.. The Department of' Agriculture. Industries, and Commarco hn.s received the following cablegram from'the High Commissioner for Now Zealand, dated London. August 16. (.Note—Quotations, unless otherwise specified, are average market prices on spot):— Meat.—The market is dull; very little business doing. Trade for all classes of mutton has been very slow, and prices are barely maintained. Canterbury, 4 3-16 d. per lb.; heavy-weight, unchangejl; North inland, 4jd. There is a dull sale for all lamb.,- Canterbury twos, s}d. per lb.; heavy-weight fours, unchanged; other than Canterbury, sf,d. The beef market is .steady. There is no .change in prices.' Chilled hinds. sd. per lb.; fores, 23d. • Butter.—The market is quiet. Danish and Dutch is Is. 2d. per cwt. dearer, and Australian is Is. 2d. lower; others are unchanged. Gheesc.—The market is very firm for New Zealand, the stock of -which is almost exhausted. New Zealand white,, per cwt., 675.; coloured, 665.'; Canadian, white. 645. 6d. to 665.; coloured, 655. to 66*. Canadian mako -to date is 3000 tons less than last year. , Canadian ships are SCCO tons short. Wheat—The market is very quiot at last quotations. Oats.—The market is firm, .with wore inquiry. Thorn is ,i fair demand for better grades. "A" Gartons, 255. 6d. c.i.f. per 3251b.

Peas.—The market is steady, and a fair business is New Zealand peas (Partridge), pc 5041b., 445. i Bea.ns.—'Tile market* is quiet.' Zenland beans, f.a.q. (new crop), nor 5041b.. 375. Hnpioi—The market, is quiet, bpt lir'i. New Z'-nland eood fair grade, per ton,. £32; fair, £2". Forward i»iiii"ncnt- about the same. Fair current, Manila, £31 10s. Forward sli in merit, £37. The output form Manila fir the reck was 13.0W) bales. . Wqo l .—'f'e market is firm, ;but not. advanced. 'Phtro is % 'general confidence in tho maintenance of present price*. LONDON MARKETS.. By ToJegraph—Press A-oocialion—Copyright London, August 17. Rubber.—Fine hard Para rubber .'is quoted at 3s. 103 d. per lb. Cotton—August-September shipments of middling American cotton are celling at 6.11 d. per lb. Copra.—Only rmall sales are being made. South Sea, in bags, £30 2s. 6d. per ton. Jute.—Native,, first marks, August shipment, £31 10s. per ton. ' . N.Z. Hemp.—The market is Arm. Good fair, October-December shipment, £32 per ton. WHEAT : AND FLOUR. . . London, August 17.. ' The wheat and flour afloat for.the United' Kincdom totals 2,525,000 ouarterf< for tho Continent. ' 1.960,C00; Atlantic shinments, 1,960.000; Pacific, nil. The total shipments to Europe during the week amounted to 1,350,000 quarters, including 45,000 Australasian. METALS. Antimony is quoted at £6 por ton for 50 per cent. ore. Lead.—lmports, 14,741 tons .including 3161 tons Australian; export?, 4090 tons. MANUFACTURED METALS. Galvanised Iron—First brands, £16 per ton; seconds, £13 15s. , Iron bar. £8 Ss. ner ton. Angle Steele, £6 2s. 6d. per ton. i Tram rails, £5 12s. 6d. per ton.