COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1881, 15 October 1913, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAKES. A efllo of Union Steam ordinary aV 265. was the only transaction recorded in. investment share yesterday. Tlie quotas tions were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Bank New Zealand — 1017 6 National Bank 5 7 6 6 8 0 Weil. Trust and Loan ... 7 2 0 — Standard Insurance 1 12 0 1 12 b Gear Meat (£4)" 13 -0 0 — Gear Meat (£1) 3 9 0 — Union Steam (ord.) 15 5 16 3 WestportrStockton — 0 4 0 Leyland-O'Brien — 14 3 Taringamutu Totara. 2 5 0 — Golden Bay Cement — 1 0 0 iS'.Z. Con. Dental — 12 0 Wardi and Co. 4 19 0 — W.F.C.A. (£5) - 614 0 W.F.O.A. (£1) - 16 0 THE WORLD'S NICKEL. Two-thirds of the world's supply of nickel comes from Canada. Tho Canadian nickel ore deposits occur in Ontario, and the only other extensive deposits from which large outputs are obtained are in New Caledonia. The wines there, which produce practically tho remaining third of tho world's supply, are controlled by France, and tho Krupp Company has succeeded in obtaining some control in the interests ,of Germany. Since 1905 or 1906 the industrial uses of the metal have increased greatly, the most important use of tho metal is in the manufacture of nickel steel, largely required for the manufacture of guna Tho Canadian export, therefore, would be of extreme importance in case of war, and other European countries might be seriously crippled should the output bo curtailed or stopped. The metal is also used for many other purposes. Combined with steel, It Is required for bridgc-bulldlnif and other constructional iron or steel engineering works. Tho nickel-plating industries absorb large quantities, and many countries havo now a nickel coinage. It is important to note that there is Tory little stock of the metal, to fall back on. During recent years nickel coinage has been adopted In Brazil, Turkey, the United States, and France. Turkey has decided to issuo 530,000,000 nickcl coins, having a, coinage value of about £366,000. The French nickel coinago proposals are on a much larger scale, and the recent action of tho United States in adopting nickel for new three cent, one cent, and half-cent coins will result in an oven larger expansion in tho use of _ tho metal. It follows that any restrictions on the export of Canadian nickel might, lead to very serious consequences; but the possiblo extension, of competing supplies has to be considered. Deposits of the ore are being developed in North and South Carolina in the United States, in Greece, and other countries. AUSTRALASIAN WOOL EXPORTS. According to a. statement compiled by Dalgety and Co., Ltd., the exports of wool from Australasian ports from July 1 to September 30 have been as follow Bales. Bales. ' 1913. 1912. New South Wales 84,673 69,641 Victoria 15,551 16,718 S. Australia 30,413 21,772 Queensland 126,976 58.676 W. Australia 7,063 , 9,195 Tasmania — —. Commonwealth 264,676 176,002 New Zealand 32,670 29,683 297,346 205,685 The Increase for the three months Is 91,661 bales, of which the Commonwealth accounts for 88,674 bales, and New Zealand, for 2987 tales. Queensland shows the enormous increaso of. 68,300 bales, from .which it is to be inferred that the new clip from that State' has been secured very early. WELLINGTON HARBOUR FERRIES. 1 The seventh annual report of- tho Wellington Harbour Ferries, Ltd., states that after deduction of working expenses, and a proper allo'wa,nee having been made for depreciation, there remains only a balance of £94 13s. 7d. to be carried forward to the current year's account. The increased cost of wages and coal mainly accounts for tho poor working results, coupled with the faot that bad weather conditions proyailed upon nearly all the public holidays during the year. The presentation of the report and balance-sheet, and the date of tho annual general. meeting, have been delayed owing to the negotiations which were pending for the sale of tho steamers Duchess and Co bar to the Eastbourne Borough Council. These negotiations resulted in the sale of the vessels named a 6 from September 1 last, and tho company duly received payment of tho price, £50 in cash, and £13,200 in Eastbourne Borough debentures having a currency of 21 years, bearing interest at 5 per cent, per annum, payable half-yearly, secured by a special rate of 21d. in the £ on the unimproved value of the rateable property of the borough, to cover interest and a sinking fund of 1J per cent, per annum. Tho company has also effected a sale as'from September 1 ofitho steamers Admiral, Karalta, and Pilot, for.tho sum of £4400, £3000 of which has. been received, in cash, the balance being payable on March 31, 1915, interest at £5 per cent. Tho only vessel now remaining to tho company being tho Awaroa, and thjs company's business being practically at a standstill, the directors recommend that the company bo wound up voluntarily. TRADE IN AXLEN STREET. , Vegetables.—Cauliflowers are in short supply,, anal consignments are recommended. Cabbages are in plentiful sup.ply, and prices are low. The supply of Huttgrown rhubarb has fallen off considerably, but daily consignments are comiiiE from Canterbury. Heavy supplies of new potatoes are coming in from tho Auckland district, and extremely low rates are ruling Lettuces, aro in heavy supply. Fruit.—The Sydney steamer, due to-day, is bringing a moderate shipment of pineapples, sweet oranges, passion fruit, lemons, loquats, and Seville oranges. Cali- ' apples and bananas from thn Cook Islands arrived in excellent condition, and satisfactory rates wero obtained. Moderate consignments of New Zealandgrown apples aud pears, ex cool stores, are reaching the market. Weekly shipments of Tasmasnian apples and llildura lemons aro being marketed. Prussian blue peas arc moving oft slowly at ss. to ss. 3d, Partridge peas.—Fair samples are making 4s. 3d. to 4s. 6d. Butter, prime milled in bulk, has fair Inquiry at lid. per lb. Eggs.—Fresh eggs aro moving out freely at is. 3d. per dozen. Poultry.—Hens, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. a pair; heavy table birds, up to 65.; cockorels, 4s. 6d. to ss. 6d.; Indian Runner ducks, ss. to ss. 6d.; Pekin and Aylesbury, 6s. to 75.; Turkey gobblers, Is. per lb., live-weight; hens, 9d. to-lOd. Chaff.—Primo oatensheaf chalt is in good demand at £5 to £5 ss. per ton, sacks in. Oats.—Moderate business doing. Short feed, 2s. 9d. to 35.; feed Algerian, 2s. 7d. to 2s. 10d.; seed Algerian, 3s. to 3s. 2d.; heavy duns oats, 3s. Id. Rolled oatG, Thistle brand, iu 4Jlb. bags, moving off at 10s. per dozen. Oatmeal is selling at £13 10s. per ton, ex store Wellington. Pollard has good inquiry at £6 to £6 ss. per ton. Bran.—Stocks aro heavy in the south. Tho Wellington quotation is £4 10s. to £4 15s. per ton. £9 10s. per ton, f.o.b. eotuh. less the usual Flour.—Now Zealand is without change at discount. Potatoes.-Good sound table potatoes aro selling at £4 to £4 ss. per ton. Onions.—The market is well supplied with Californian, and prices range from £10 to £11' 10s., according to quality. Customs duty collected at tho port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £3391 Bs. sd. CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. (Br Telegraph.—Press Association.) Chrlstchurch, October 14. , There is a littlo inquiry for Tuscan wheat from the North Island, otherwiso there appears to be littlo doing. Very few lots of Svlicat arc offering by farmers, and tho opinion is growing that there is now not a very largo quantity of wheat held in the country. A few largo farmers aro known to hold a stock, but tho total quantity is not considerable. The potato market is again easier, as merchants will not buy, except for actual orders, at this late period of the season. A shipment is going from the Bluif, and as the new season's early crop is now coming on tho market in tho North Island, tho demand from there is limited. Tho highest price now paid ia 375. 6d. at country stations, there being no more buyers at 40s. 6d. FROZEN MEAT. Messrs. Gilbert Anderson and Co. (Messrs. Mellsop, Ellott and Co., local agents), writing under date London, September 5, report as follows:—A moderate trade, but nricos firmer. Scotch hill lambs arriving ?"good quantities, selling at 53d., 7d„ diverting trade from frozen lambs. Homegrown" beef; .Scotch, 6d., 7d.; Irish, Sid.,

6Jd.; Canadian, 53d. f 6 5-Bd. Mutton: Scotch, 7d., 7Jd.; English, 6Jd., 7*d. (ewes, 5d. ( 51(1.); Dutch, 52(1., 7d.; veal, 7d„ 10d.; pork, 7(1., 72(1. Chilled beef lower thruugh increased supplies. Frozen unaltered. Frozen mutton in good demand, ©specially heavies. Stocks of lamb in London arc believed to ! be heavy, and may cause a weaker market when sold. Smithfield. prices, are as fol. low:—Mutton: Canterbury, u-48 4Jd., 48-56, , 4 3-8 d„ 56-64 4 3-Bd,, 64-72 4?, d.; beet North ! Island, 6-43 4 3-Brt., 48-56 4*d., £6-64 41d., ' 64-72 4£d.; Southlands, u-48 4 3-Bd., 48«£6 4Jd., 66-64 4d. f 64-72 4d.; ordinary North Island, u-48 4 3-Bd., 48-56 4Jd., 56-64 4Jd., 64-72 4£d.; ewes, N.Z. 48-64 313-16 d.; Australian, 30-50 3 13-16 d., South Amercian 48-64 33d.; Australian, 30-50 33d., 50-70 3?d.; South American, 56-72 4d. Lamb: Canterbury, u-36 s|d., 36-42 5}., 42-50 6d.; befit-' North Island, n-36 ssd., 36-42 ,5Jd„ 42-50 4gd.; Southland, u-36 5Jd., 36-42 5d. t 42-50 4£d.; ordinary North Island, u-36 5Jd„ 36-42 5d., 42-50 4gd. Beef: New Zealand forcw. 3d.; hinds, 4|d.; Australian, crops, 2 15-16 d.; hind?, 3 lM6d.; Bouth American fores, 22d.j Iliads, 4d. (chilled, 2 13-16 d. and WHEAT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Eec. October 14, 9.45 p.m.) London, October 14. The whoat market is slow, with prices unchanged. Cargoes are neglected. •