COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1963, 21 January 1914, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. The. business done in investment shares yesterday comprised Bank of New Zealand (rights) at £5 2s, 6d., and Whitcombe. and Tombs (rights) at 265. The quotations were as under:— Buyers Sellira £ s. d. £ s. d, Bank New Zealand 1112 6 — Bank N.Z. (rights) — 5 2 6 National Bank — 5 7 6 Well. Trust aud boau ... 7 7 6 7 10' 0 Christchurch Gas 6 IS 0 ■ 6 18 9 National Insurance 4 0 0 — "3.8. Insurance 4 0 0 — Standard Insurance 1 12 3 1 13 0 Gear Meat (£4) '. 13 10 0 - Gear Meat (£1) 3 7 6 — Union Steam (prcf.) 0 19 9 10 0 Moagiel -Woollen 3 10 0 — Well. Woollen (ord.) 4 0 0 — Taupii'i Cool 1.. 116 — Taringamutu Totara 2 4 0 ' — C. M. Banks, Ltd 116 - Golden Bay Cement • — 0 18 0 W.F.C.A. (£1) - 16 0 TRADE IN ALLEN STREET. Fruit—The vbandnas from Fiji transhipped at Auckland, ex Navua, came to hand mostly in good condition, but Saturday being a short day the consignment was not offered until Monday, when the whole lot was cleared at fairly satisfactory prices. Small shipments of cherries from Tasmania are coming in by coch Friday ftoainer. About 2tu cases of fruit are duo. from Sydney to-day, consisting mostly of passion fruit and pineapples. About 250 packages of pears from New South Wales were condemned last week onaccount of cpdlin moth, and woro reshipped to Sydney. Califoruian apples are bsing sold nt' prices that littlet more than cover the cost of freight, wharfage, and cartage. Peaches. - apricot.-, (uul tomatoes have improved in value, and consignments can bo recommended. Plums arc in over-supply, but choice plums, however. arc in good demand. New Zealand apple.- are co-iiing in more freely, and a. few New Zealand poars ore now offering on the market. The season for block currants is now finished. Vegetables—A fair demand exists for all varieties, but no phenomenal prices are being obtained for any of the iinos. Potatoes coutinue in good supply, ond tho market rules at £3 to £4 per ton, no cording to sample. Onions are more plentiful, and supplies are coming from the Auckland and Canterbury districts, and also from Australia; tho present market quotation is lis. to 12s. per cwt. Flour is ruling at £10 15s. ex store Wellington, less tho .usual discount. Fowls' Wheat.—The markot has declined 2d. a bushel, and is now quoted at 4s. Bd. to 4s. lOd.-for prime wholo wheat. , Maizo is in slightly better demand at 4s. 9d. to 4s. lCd. per bushel. Bran — The market is dull, and tho quotation is now £4 10s. per ton. Pollard continues in short supply, and is nuoted at £6 15s. to £7 per ton ex. store Wellington. ' Oatmcnl—Tho leading brands, in 251b. bags, aro quoted at £13 per ton in 71b bag,?. £14 10s. Ilolicd Oats.—Thistle bra.nd, in 441b. bags, and crcamoata, in 41b. bags, are selling at. 10s. per dozen bags. Chaff—Now season's is opening up in splendid condition, and is selling at £5 to £5 153. per ton, sacks in. ex store Wellington. Frcsli eggs at Is. Id. per dozen, are with, out change. I Butter.—Prime milled, in hulk, 9*d. to lCd. per lb.; good quality, 9d. Prussian blue peas are slow of sa.le, at ss. 6d,. per bushel. Partridge peas havo Tory littlo domand at 4s, 6:1. to 4s. 9d. a bushel. Poultry.—Ohickcns, Is. to Is. 6d. a pair; hens. 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d., with heavy birds making fa; Indian lltinner ducks, 4s. 6d. to ss. 6d.; Pekin ducks, 6s. to Bs.: tUTkev gobblers, Is. per lb. live weight; liens, 9d. to lid. DANISH BUTTER IN U.S.A. Danish shippers of butter and other twfc:produco havo dispatched a representntiv'o l to America to investigate as to the pro-, spccts of success for trade from Denmark to the United .States presented under tho new tariff in tho latter country. A leading Danish exporter lias pointed out. howover, that prior to the new duties becoming operative American importers entered into contracts to take immense quantities of Siberian. Argentic, and Canadiojibutters. Those ore now in cool stCTos. whero they can remain'for a fairly leiigtiy^

period without fear ox deterioration, due partly to the uso of prescrrativce. In point of "durability," therefore, it would WMJtn that the Danish exporter, who is de» Hatred by law from employing artificial preservatives. is ot a dccldod disadvantage. Jf the distance botweon Denmark mid tho Spates were; the only matter-to be considered, it would constitute no obstacle to trade; but. before any extensive businesa could s be established tho priccs in America would have to go up and tho Copenhagen quotation would have to £o down, and not a little either way if a reasonable margin of profit were to remain for the trader. It is stated that- butter merchants in New York arc rwoiviris numerous letters from European shippers offering butters of aft descriptions in an. endeavour to oren up trading relations,_ and samples of Siberian brands, wrapped in parchment and packed in small paper boxes, ari being sent in liberal quantities as an introduction. N.Z. CASDIiE CO. It is understood that negotiations are in progress between Leve.r Bros, and the r*e\y Zealand Candle Company, which wi)) probably result .in the talo of the business of tho latter company. Lever Broe. havo also an option, over -the company's property. Any contract oT f«lc that, may be entered into will, of course, have to be ratified by tho shareholders. •EXPORTS OF PRODUCE. ■The values of the principal product 6 exported during January totalled £1,826,507, a« compared with £1,704,810 in December. Tho values of tho exports for the year 1913 amounted to £22,400,832,. as aEainst. £20,078,606 in-. 1912. The values of the vari ous products show aa under: — 1913. ' 1912. ' Butter ......... 2,062,834 2,094,789 ' Cheeee 1,760,491 1,683,692 Beef .i 347.605 ' 331,448 • Mutton, carcAEteo 1,663,240 1,518,069 Mutton, legs and pieces ..: 34,320 55,192 I<amb . .... 2,307,821 1,925,740 ' Wheat 11,816 95,702 Oats 29,172 484,546 Potatoes 6,378 150,209 . Hemp 727,439 380,093 Rabbits 76.063 . 65,578 Tow '. 65,138 32,083 Kauri gum 549, MS W. 305 ' . Grain and pulse 90.535 173,045 Hopo 22.936 21,101 Hides 265.185 221.696 . Skins 084,373 836,761 ' Tallow '. 657.760 688.129 Timber 320.649 491,843 ' Wool 9,080,843 7,092.932 Gold 1,437,119 1,344,754 " ' Totals 22,400,832 20,078,606 Customs duty collected ot the port, nf Wellington ye6terday. amounted to £4402 •os. 6d. COMMERCIAL BANK OF AUSTRALIA. By Teleeraph—Press Associations-Copyright (Hcc. January 20, 8.15 p.m.) Sydney, January 20. The. report of the Commercial Bank of Australia for the half year ended December 31 last shows a. net profit of £66,774, to which is'added the unexpended balan.ee, £7675, making tne total amount available for distribution £74,450. The directors propose to pay a dividend of 3 per cent, on tho preference shares, and to appropriate £30,000 to the reinstatement of capital, £5000 to the reduction of bank premises account,' and to carry forward the balance of £7689. , The bank lias acquired substantial premises, in Wellington, and also during tho half-year opened a branch at Christchurch. The balance-sheet diecloees & steady advance in business. ■' " BEET SUGAR. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, January 19. Herr F. O. Licht the sugar expert of Jiagdeburg, in his monthly circular, states that the production of beet sugar in Europe shows a decrease of 289,000 tons. Ho estimates thit for t.ho campaign there will bo a surplus of 146,C00 tons. BUOYANT AfOXEY MARKET. London, January 19. The stock markets are very buoyant, especially for gilt-edged securities. Owing to the cheapness of money tho most or colonial Government stocks has advanced 203. The A'ew South Wales loan is quoted at 1 per cent, premium, and tho Victoriaii at, half per cent. Consols ato now quoted at 733, an advance of £2 2i=. 6d. on the prico last Friday. LONDON WOOL SALES. By Telegraph—Press Austin tlon-^Copyright ' London,-Jaiiilary 19. The wool market is Arm for all ports'. There is strong l'orli6hiro competition. Messrs. Murray, Roberts, and Co., Ltd., liave received the following cablegram from their London friends. Meesrs. i-anderson. Murray, and Co.:—London wool sales: Market strong with a. hardening tendency; greasy, good, par to sper cent, advance. AUSTRALIAN WOOL SALES. Sydney, January 20. fho wool sales opened with a particularly strong demand for good classes,'whilo mcdmma were on a par with closing rates last week. Meibourne, January 20. The second series of wool sales opened with competition keen "and well sustained throughout. Prices,' compared with De. cember, were in sellers' favour. . SILVER. London, January 19. •.Bar silver is ijuoloa at 26 9-16 d. per'ounce standard. VICTORIAN LOAN. (Use. January 20, 9.40 p.m.) London, January 20. Th<> public has fully subscribed the Victorian loan.