COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1869, 1 October 1913, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

•INVESTMENT SHARES. There were no transactions in investment shares yesterday. The quotations were as under:— Buyers. Bellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Bank New Zealand 10 17 6 — National Bank — 5 8 6 ■Well. 'Investment — 0 11 9 Well; Trust and Loan .... 7 10 — Ohristcliurch Gas — 7 10 Gisborne Gas — 2 2 6 Wellington Gas (£10) ... 16 0 0 — Standard Insurance — .1 !2 3 Gear Meat' (£1) 3 6 0 - • Kaiapoi. Woollen (pref.) ... 5 0 0 5 3 0 Taupiri Coal 116 Westport-Stockton — 0 4 2 Leyland-O'lMen — 14 6 Taringamntu Totara .... 2 5 0 — Golden Bay Cement — 10 0 N.Z. Con. Dental - 12 0 Ward and Co — 5 10 W.F.C.A: (£5) -. - 7 2 6 W.F.O.A. (£1) - 18 3 N.Z. Govt, Beb. 4 per cent. • 1922 • 95 10 0 - ■ Tho course of sales during tho past month- was-as under:— -Bank of New Zealand. £10 10s.. £10 IDs., £10-' Us., £10 16s. 6d.. £10 18s. . Union Bank, £54" 2a. 6d. N.Z. Loan and Mercantile, 10s. Sd., 10s. sd. Wellington Trust and Loan, £7 2s.', £7 2s. Christclrurch Gas', £7., Feilding Gas, 12s.

Wellington Ga-s, preference, 19s. 9d„ 19s. 9d National Insurance, £2 Bs. New Zealand Insurance, £5 6s. 3d. ChristchuTch Meat, £15 10s., £15 10a, ■ Meat Export (525. 6d.), £3 2s. I N.Z. Shipping, £15 12a. 6d. Union Steam,''44s. 6d., 445. 10id., 455., 455., 455., 455.. 455„ 455.

Wellington Woollen, ordinary, £4 35., £4 Is., £4.

Wellington Woollen, preference, £3 la., £3 2e.-6d., £3, £2 19s. 6d., £3.' Taupiri Coal, 21s. 6d., 21s. 6d„ 21s. 9d. Westport Coal, 28s. 9d., 295, 3d., 295. 3d., 295. 3d.. 295. 6d.. 30s. Westport-Stockton. 4s. 2d., <o. ljd., 4s. lid., 4s. 2d., 4s. Id. , Taringamntu Totara, £2 6s. W-ard and Co., £5. £5. Wilson's Portland Cement, ordinary, 295. 3d. W.F.C.A. (£5), £7 23. 6d.

SOUTH BRITISH INSURANCE. The balance-sheet of the South. British Insurance Company ■ for the year ended August 31 chows that the net premium income totalled £395,507; tho losses amounted to £231,701; equal to 58.53 per cent, of tho premium income: the expenses aggregated £119,797, equal to 30.29 per cent., leaving the underwriting profit at £44,009, equal to 11.13 per cent. The available net balance for the year is made up of:— . £ Underwriting profit 44.009 Interest and rent 39,006 Brought forward 53,295 136,310 And this has been allocated as under:— £ Interim dividend 20,000 Final dividend 20.CC0 Reserve fund 30,000 Leasehold sinking fund 425 Ofllco furniture 3,814

Officers' provident fund 4,456 Carried 57,615

136,310 , The assets of the company include loans on mortgage £274,864; - fixed deposits, £74,000; stocks and debentures, £31,349; municipal and harbour board debentures, £64,300; Government securities. £51,100; cash and bills of exchange, £35,483; and balances at branches and agencies, £81,423

TEADE IN ALLEN STREET. Fruit.—The Maunganui, due from Sydney to-day, is bringing the usual weekly shipment of loauats, pineapples, mandarines, passion fruit, Seville oranges, lemons and sweet orangee. Lemons havo been in extremely short eupply, and higji prices are ruling. The first consignment of hot-house-grown tomatoes readied tho market during the week, and realised extremely Tiigh prices. A shipment of Canadian-apples, ex Niagara, at Auckland, reached Wellington on, Friday, end comprised ten different varieties. A variety new to this market and known as "Jeffrey" opened up in excellent condition, the colour being exceptionally (attractive. Regular weekly shipments of Taemanian apples are reaching the market every Friday and meetwith good demand. The supply of New -Zealand-grown apples is almost exhausted. Vegetables.—Cauliflowers are in heavy supply, large shipments coming from tho Canterbury district. Spring cabbages have good inquiry, whilst for winter cabbages low prices havo to be acceptcd to quit. Pumpkins and marrows meet with ready pale at high prices. . Hothoueo-grown French beans are coming in weekly mostly from tho Hutt district. Tho Hutt district is sending daily supplies o£ rhubarb, which meet with good sale. Onions—The market is over-supplied with Californiau and Japanese onions, and prices rango from £10 to £11 per ton, according to quality. Potatoes are in rather lighter supply, and the market has advanced in the south. The Wellington quotations for cood sound tablo potatoes are £3 10s. to £3 15s. per ton. Seed- potatoes: Up-to-Date and Gamekeeper are selling at £3 10s. per ton for first-class samples. Flour is without alteration at £9 per ton, f.o.b. south. . Bran is in fairly heavy supply, and is quoted at £4 Its. to £5 per ton. Pollard tea good inquiry at £6 to £6 Ids. per ton. ■ Oatmeal.—Leading brand/5 are selling at £14 per ton, ex 6tore, Wellington. Rolled oats, in 4£lb. bags, Thistle brand, 10s. per dozen. , ... . . Oats—There is very little business doing. Short feed, 2s. 9d. to 3s. per bushel; feed Algerian, 2s. Bd. to 2s. 10d.; seed Algerian, 3s. to 3s. 2d.; heavy Dun oats, 3s. to 3s. Id.: discoloured, 2s. sd. to 2s. 6d. Chaff.—Prime aatenshcaf chaff has fair inquiry at £5 to £5 ss. per ton, sacks in. Fresh eggs have declined a penny, and are now quoted at Is. per dozen. 1 Butter.—Tho market is slightly weaker; prime milled' in bulk is quoted at lid. to Hid. per lb. , Partridge peas.—Fa.ir quality is ruling nt 4a. 3d. per bushel. The bulk of tho milling samples have been exported. Prussian Bluo peas are dull of sale at ss. to se. 3d. por bushel. Feed barley and. Cape barley meet with vory little business at 3s. to 3s. 3d. per bushel. Poultry is in exceedingly 6hort supply. Hens, 4f. 6d. to 6s. per pair; cockerels, 4a. 6d. to 75.; ducks, Indian Runners, Es. 6d. to 6s. 6d.; large, 7s. 6d. Turkey gobblers, Is. por lb. livo weight; hens, 9d. to 10d.

CUSTOMS. The Customs' duties collected at Wellington* yesterday totalled £5406, and tho collections for the mouth of September amounted to £85,328 14s. 9d. The returns for each of tho past nine months, compared with the figures for tho corresnonding months of last year, show as under:— ' 1913. - 1912. . £ s. d. £ h. d. January 96,827 2 4 84,856 14 6 February'....,. 8'.918 16 5 72,741 10 6 March 77,483 3 4 74.484 3 6 April 68.444 17 9 67,986 6 3 May 67,998 5 2 61,666 15 8 . Juno 68.565 3 7 63.9P0 16 3 July 75,657 13 5 60,602 5 0 August 80.726 10 10 69.192 8 8 September ... 85,328 14 9 76,989 13 6 £702,950 7 7 £532,600 13 9 . The bcor duty collected last month totalled £1115 10s., as against £1044 Bb. Id. in September' of last year. Tho figures for the quarter are £2995 9s. 9d., against £3140.18, Id. OIL REFINERY PBODUCTS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.! Now Plymouth, September 30. The Taranalri Oil Wells, Ltd.. which has no connection, with the Now Zealand Oil Wells, Ltd.. subject of recent cablegrams from London, has already marketed a considerable quantity of refinery products. It has now ready for delivery over 20.M0 gallons of kerosene, benzine, and other oils, and 17,5C0 gallons in process of refining, besides 60 tons of- paraffin wax,' twothirdsi of which will be ready in a few days. Drilling prospects ore also bright.

WAIUAKAPA FARMERS' CO-OP. , Masterton, September 30. The annual meeting of shareholders of the Wairarapa Farmers' Co-operative Association. was, held this afternoon.

The chairman of directors (Mr. ■M. Gaeelberg), in moving tho adoption of' the report, congratulated the shareholders on the result of the year's operations. He said, however, that his anticipations of twelve months ago—that there would bo an exceedingly prosperous year—had not been fully realised. This ho attributed to the Balkan War and European complications, which had resulted in a scarcity of money. The association liad pursued a conservative policy, and its strong financial position had enabled it to be of great assistance to shareholders. Mr. Casclberg predicted that the coming year would be a prosperous one, 03 money was easier and produce was bringing good prices. Messrs. A. and J. Oaselherg and Y. E. Donald were Te-olected directors, cund Messrs. Badliara and Ghennells auditors. Votes ot thanks wore passed to tho directors and staff.

CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) Chrlstchurch, September 30. The inquiry for wheat is not quite so pronounced *as it was last week. Pearl and Hunters aro most in demand, but these two varieties aro scarce, while Tuscan is plentiful. There is nothing offering from farmers. There is no change m oats, but there has lately been moro demand for'chaff, chiefly for West Coast and Auckland, luit, for the latter market there is great difficulty in getting shipping STiace, and tho price is still £3 at country stations. Potatoes aro rather firmer m consccitienco of there being fewer olfcrraE. Growers are too busy with spring work to troublo about delivering potatoes at tho low prices ruling. Up to 30s. is now baing paid for delivery within a week or ten days, and' 275. 6d. beyond that time. LONDON WOOL SALES. By Tolcgrap'h—Press Association—Copyright London, September 29. At tho wool sales thero was good competition, and prices were well maintained. Thero was Blightly moro American bidSeptember 30, 11.30 p.m.) London, September 30. At the wool salca the following prices were realised for the fleece portions of tho clips named:—"Doonside." top price 13d., average 12Jd.: ''Severn," 13d. and 113 d.; "Retreat," 12} - and 113 d.: "Mcadowbank," 12d and 11 3-Bd.: "Waihi." 11M. and lOj-d.; "Waihopai," 22Jd. and 15 3-Bd.

Messrs. Murray, Roberts and Co., Ltd., havo yceived the following 'cablegram, dated September 29, from their London friends, Messrs. Sanderson, Murray and Co —Greasy' merino, wasty and inferior descriptions, market weaker anil irregular; crossbred, market improving, and has advanced a shado; for a,ll other descriptions of wool, market very Arm.

SYDNEY WOOL SALES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. Ootober 1, 1.15 a.m.) Sydnoy, September 30. At the wool sales to-day, "greasy" pricos ranged to 12& d.; "scoureds," to 20|d.

SILVER. London, September 29. Bar silver is auoted at 28! d. per ounce standard.