COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1980, 10 February 1914, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

IHVESTKENT SHAKES. No business was done- yesterday in investment shares. Mic quotations were as under:— . Buyers. Sellers. £ s, d. £ s. d. Bank New Zealand „ 12 2 6 ' — Bank N.Z. (rights) - 5 3 6 National Bank 5 7 0 6 & i> Equitable Building — ' 815 0 Well. Trust end Loan.,.. 7 S 0 — OhtistoiluTch Qas 612 6 — TVellineton Gas (£10) — 16 15 $ Well. Gas (preference) ... 0 !9 9 -* S.B. Insurance -4.2 6 — Gear Meat (£4) IS 12 6 Gear Meat (£1) ; 3 10 0 — Moat Export (525. 6d,} 3 2 C - Union Steam (ord.) 14 6 15 0 Union Steam (pref,) 1 0 0 10 4 Moegiel Woollen 311 6 - Wcstport-Stockton _ 0 4 0 Gohlen Bay Cement ..... 0 i? 0 0 18 0 N.Z. Con. Dental 116 12 0 Ward and Co 5 0 0 — W.F.G.A. (£1) ;. - 16 0 ' ' CONSOLS WEAKER, v ' According to a. Mecnt cable mesfajje Consols aro \Teiaker, sales for cash beiiij* sio/de at £76. Consols have-had a sharp riw during, the past two or three weeks. In the ilrst-.week in January they were auoted at £71 155., and in. the middle;- of last week they were at £77, a rise or £5 ss. In about five wseks. Tho advance was too rapid to be. permanent, a.«d the usual cet back, which no doubt is taia|?.oTary, has taken plaee. Bargains or deals in" Consols and a few kindred securities are freauentlr done for "«wh." that- is. for imnwdiato payment, cither on ths eamc tloy, or withia a. few days. Transactions ttone for "account" ore for "Con Sol settlement, 1 once every month. ' . BRITISH TRADE. . The trade of tire - United Kingdom in January, as compared" with the figures Xoi the corresponding month o£ tlic three previous ream, is disclosed in tho teble ap'ponded!— ■ , . imports, Esporta. ■ £ £ January, 1914 ... 68,018,267 47,ffi6,165 ' January.' 1913 ... 71.243,489 45.M5.69* January, 1912 ... 66,954,948 40,416.812' • January, 1911 ... 62,693,421 37.760,851 The re-exports decreased from £10,705,951 i\ January, 1913, to £9,595<>43 last month. The figures do not show any striking evidewco ol declining trade. The Shrinkage in Uio imports may bo due to lower values, many commodities having dropued in price during tho twelve months. COMMONWEAIiTH .GOtD PEOOTCfION. It will.be £oen from the figuras that fallow that tho gold production of tho Commonwealth reached its zenith ninco Federation in 1903. when oter 3.800.K0 fine ounces wore pre-ducetl, valued o.t over 161 millions sterling. Since that year -there has been a shrinkage of fiie.ro thai o, million and a, hall ounces, v-9l«.eii at near!? seven millions sterling. Tho f»Ho-ssing"de-tails may bo giTen:— Pine ox. Value. 1901 _ £14,005,732 19D2 3.437.030 14.811.948 1903 3,830.095 16.294,684 19.14 ' 3.742,549 . 15.f9?'.557 ' 1905 3.fff1,995 J5.550.91fl 1906 3.W.657 ' M.651.M5 1907 3.1g4.1« 1J.51i.4f6 , I9ca i; - 3.w0.*8s Mitim 1909 2.949,671 12,f50i0M . 1910 2,736.485 '' 11.63.P42 1911 2.4R4.45? 10-;553.3?2 1912 2,521.000 9.855.0C0 1913 i,?m,m 9,365,050 WELLINGTON GAS CO. TOWN WORKS TO BE CLOSED. The forty-foui'th anttua-1 report al the Wellington Gas Company is to hand, aad the directors congrattjlaio eltareholdcife on the steady growth that hu's tak-eu plaoe in tho sales of gas.' Eofeicnceie m.ade to tho reductions made during tho year in the '. prices of . gas for nianufacturing . : and poiycr ■ purposes ' (in April) .and for lighting' and aomesti-o purposes (in.Septembel). JJurtug the year only 65 chains of now mains were required to be laid, as moat of t-ift outlyias dietricts had been -reticulated in previous yearn The plant had been maintained- in efficient etate. Ordinary shftres ail bewimo fully paid-up. £10 per sha-ro in March 15 last, During . tho yc«r 609 now -services and SW gas cookers were fitted. The directors iecommend a- further payment -of 5 per cent, dividend, making a, total of 10 per ccnt-i for tho year on the ordinary shales. Profit and loss account shows a balance of £40,537 10s. 3d., , which the directors' tecdmmend should bcotepsieed of os follows:—To suspense account for retort settings and .renewals, £1250; for liquidating Josses, arising through'coal purchase, £3000 ; and for part coEt of diomanttine Totv Street worke, £2CpO; totalling £6250: profit aft-er payioent of interim dividend on ordinary shares <j.nd year's dividend-'on preference shades, £34,387 10s. 3d); payment oj proposea dividend, £11,789; balance, to be cauiod forward, £22,493.105. 3d. The follrswing ■ partieslaM are' gathered from the balance-sheets of this and tho previous two jeafsi— Bos mormfactirro and distribntitra and other chn.rgce-1913, £67,654; 1912, £66,796; l>ll, £68,723.. ' Sales 'of gas, etc.—l9l3; £102.142; 1912. £97,123; 1911, £92,045. Tho system of pas-making at IHrfttAQT %7 vertical retorts is so Eatiefacte'.v ttat the directors h.avo added a second unit of tho plant: This, when erected, will ojinbjo tho whole of the gas to b_R made at Mirs,.mi.r, nnd tho City works will he closed and' dismantled. . Customs duty collected at the port o? Wellington yesterday amounted to £3ia 12s. 9d. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLEGBJUI 'ruo Department of Asticuiw.re, induetries, aim oonuncrce hoa revived the tol' lowing cablegram irom the iiiga Ooinmis.sioner for i\e\v Zealand, dated' Louaon, i'ebruary 7. (Quotations, ualeiL's otacrwit>ii speciuen, are average inafKetr prices an 6p«t);— • . „ Meat Generally.—The prices for mutton and lamb have , declined oifj account of the dull trauo and owing 1.0 largo sliipmc-nts of Australian and i\esv feeauusd, 'i'Mse siiipments last monui w«o ?u jicr ccut. abovo tliose of January last year, iluiton—Norm Island, fia. pel- ib.; 4Jd. Lamb—Other than Canterbury, 63d. per lb. Beef—Stocks,of New Zealand beef on nctnd aro light, With a very moderate demand. ]>i'ew Zealand 'hinds, 4kA. per lb.; fores, f!d, Chilled hinds, 4Jd. per. lb.; foree, 4-jd. Eivcr Plate shipments received during tho month of January; 1914:--Mutton. Lamb. London 63,925 36 U3 Liverpool 73,934 32 094 Hull 5,059 B. 41& Southampton 1-4.2C5 5 493 Plymouth 1,820 ■ 221 Total 3, Jan., 19H ... 153,923 76,335 Totals, Jan., 1913 ... 272,839 75,766 Butter.—The market Is -unchanged , . Tho demand is improving, but prices aro unchanged for New Zealand. Dafu'sh, market quiet but steady, per sift.. 1255. to 1265. s Now Zealand, market quiet but s-tead-v , , 113s. to 1165., unsaltcd life, tg lifts.; Australian, in fair demand, 3095. to 'Ms.; at- 1 gentino, market steady, life to 1125.; Siberian, in good demand, iiOe. to 1123. ' Cheose.—The market- is weaker and pt-kee slightly lower. Complaint Is made by th& trade that Now Zealand factories do not act in accordance with instructions of.jiicr- i chants in making the jirojrartian of white I and coloured. Canadian fifty white, tw.r cwt., 68s. to 695.; coloured, 7is. to 725. New Zealand, market slow, white 635. to Ms.; coloured, 655. to 665.; deep red, cEs. to 7Pe. Estimated stocks of CcuuMlisin chec-p at London, Liverpool, and Bristol, on February 2, were 123,000 boses, against 210.K0 at ; the sa-nio time last year. Jfew Zeoiam] and Australian stocks at Lemdoii Mi Brietol, 12.700 crates against M.OMI at th-o Eoma time lost yeAr-

llemp.-Kow 2sa.lanil: The marh«t is dull on account of heavy arrival*. . Salt's this lfeelj ißcludc good lair in. dock at ££> lEs, per tan; fciir, £J3; January to March, good fair, £25; fair, £23 15a. Manila; Tho market ia quiet, etid priced a.re slightlv wca.ksi'. Consumers ate lioldinE off. Fair current, on spot, per ton, £28 55.; January to March shipments, £28 10b, The ei-npii* from Manila for the week was 23,060 boles. Tew.—Tow In near positions ho* sold at £12 ss. per ton, first grade; second grade, £11 Sβ,; thirjl grade, £10 10e. to £10 15s. Forward shipment, sellers- W - e liolding off. Oocksfoot.—The market is ciuicS, but. steady, and thero 19 a better demand fop Now Zealand, owiu-ff to the- absence- of DoMisli off«M. . ■ . - Hop,?.—The mdrk«t is dull, and there i» very little business; 151J croPS-Knglish, per cwt., MOB. to lBOs.; Continent, 12C3, to 2285.; American. 5Ss. to 126 a. Wool.—Business in tops is α-pparcnfly lmorovinf, and the market is steadier. Tho current Brac?ford tjMotations are:~o6's low erossbreds, 15Jd.; Ws lov; crossbreds, isU.\ 4-4's medium crossbfedij, 16jd.j 60's halfhteds, 19»d.; S3's Quarterbrcds, 213 d.; 60's merino's, 27}. d, MEAI SIAHKBT. Messrs. Gilbert Andetson and Cβ. (Siessrs. Eliott and Co., Jocal agents) ic port under date January 2:— Hometgrcwn: Sales daring the past week and immediately before Chrietmae have, been made at very high prices, the supply being moderate. Beet": Bcoteh eidee, 6jd,, 6Jd.; English, 6d., 6Jd. Utttton: Scotch, IH.. 81d.; Engiiah. 7*d., Bd.; Butch, Sid., TJd. Bvfes vey starco and dear, 6d., 614. Tegs: Scotch, Sid., 9d.t' English, 7jd.. Bid.; Du'oli, 63d.» lid- Pork is a bad «le at 5*4., 7Jd., but veal vety firm, prices ruling from. Bid. to -as high, as 9Jd. New Season's English lambs, about lla, I'reien: AU-ho-iigh bnsinees has been ol tlio usual slow nataito at this season, values have been fully maintained, ana' in most eases have advanced. Arrivals of Australian. lambs ot British ports during tho past moath wore About 452.0D0, but the coDSumpti&n has beep very Sood, and t&ere is no accumulation in London etor^s. Mutton: The lew New Zealand efaeep availahlo liavc ari€«n to 6d. for grades 55-54, heavier grades being Jd. to 3d, lets, and ewes 4Vd. Australinn wetlvcre, 36-50, 4Jd., 60-70 4id., ewes 30-M South American wethers, -40-55 ftjd., 56-72 4Jd. . Lamb: The iisrht-iveig-ht of the fair atid inferior Anstralian-s e&ablo thetn 4o be sold at tho sains price as best, which are now coaias to hand heavy in weight Best lambs,' 28-42, 53d.; .{air, 28-42, 5Jd.; inferior, 5Jd, Canterbury N<ysv Zealand lambs have advanced further 28-36, 6 3-Bd.; 36-42, 6}d.; 42-58. 53d. South Americans, 28-36, 6M-; 36-42, sid. Beef: Tliew was an animated demand Prior to Christmas, and ae j-nueh oa 61d. for chilled; lunds was reacfecd, but s-lnca then very little business has b<wa- done, and valuer Title-on 4vera-gc at 43d. hinds, 3 13-16 d. Jores. Frozen, unitltered. Kew Zoalnnd hinds 4-Kcl.. fores 4d. AneirMiufi hinds 4 3-Bd.. cronS 4d. South American hinds 4id,, fores 4d. .Advice of Monthly Frozen Meat Shipments. Chilled Mutton. Jjamb. Beef. Issef. Kovembor, i9i3 395,550 467,2=0 118,120 257,250 November,. 1912 656,000 496,500 196,300 186,500 Advice of Shipments During December (to datel. New Zealand ... U4.CCO S3.C«I 6.4C0 — Aicetralian ... 253,2-M itt, 2so .79,400 — Eivep Plate ... 145,000 83*500 , 91,000 D 64 CCO §37,250 352.750 178.5P0 iuVQ Dceembcr, 1912 716.55Q 492,630 $4,990 191.750 FROZEN MEAT. By -rcle£raph—Press Association— Copyright t.pndon, February 8. jlio Incorjwratod Sccioty of Meat impprtcts' Smlthficjd market auo-tatlons for .tho undermetrtioncd classes of frozen' meat α-fo bassd' on actual sales flif not loss tha,n one hundred carcasses of mntton or lamb, or twenty-live Quarters of b-ccf of (air average quality. The quotations are not for selected liacs, but for sorceie fairly representative o.f the bulk of the shipments no-tf oa the ain,rk«t. Tho prices which fallow a,ro on the avtrags a farthinjr per. Ik. moro than th* valuer ei shin, this difference reproscntiag tho avefaee «pont«. handling, conveyance, and selling tho mesti— ■ . : Sab. 31. Feb. 7 Caatetbury, light ■... • ♦ Owiterbury.. medfnm ' • • . Canterbury, heavy • • Southland -. * * North -Island, best ', 45 43 Korth Island, ordinary... 411-16 49-16 •Australian, light 4. A Australian,' heavy 4 4 ltiver Plate, light 4J 4J 'Eivor Plate, heavy 43.S 43-8 New Zealand ewes ..„ * 4-Jt , Australian ewea 32 33 . Eiver Plate ewej * • Lamb- . y , Oftittorbury., '... B - ♦ Canterbury, medium * * Canterbury, heavy * • Southland , • * Sorth Islandj best 6| 6J North Island, ordinary... 68 6} ABstraiiaa, bost 511-16 59-16 Australian, ftxir 511-16 59-16 ' Australian,. inferior 58 s}. ■ ■ K-iver Plato.'first ii ii Hirer Plate, eecond ......... 5 3-8 5 5-10 Berf- '- ' New Zealand, ot fores .-• * New Zealand, ox hinds... v * \ * Attstraliffiß, 01 foros 4146 , 41-16 Anstralian. ox hinda 4S-16 4S-16 River Plate, ox fores 4. 4 Kivor Plate, ox hinds .... 4-i 4|> ■ BiverFlete, cliilled fores 4 4J Eiver Plate., eliilkil hisids 4J 5J ■ ' 'None offerLnt. BABBITS. . ' Loiidttn, February 8. The iflarkct is easier, owing to' the wa,r.m wftathor.. New South Wales blues, lie. to •«5.'-6d. . , • .- . ■ '■ • WHEAT. London, F&hfuary 8. Jforfcet firm, and prices stcady. Sefernl Australian cMgof» sold at 355. Aid. to SSs. 7Jd.; also 6600 tons at 355. 4J4. ,and 13.C00 tons at 355. 64.—both February fih-ip-ments. The wiieat aiid iloTir afloat for the United Kingdom totals 2,955,000 quarters: fftr tho Cofifißent 1.745.000; Atlantic shismimte, 31S,C0a; Pacific 2CCtt. Ihe' shipments to' Europe' during the wecls amotrnted- to UlWSfiO quarter's, ißeluding 226,000 AustTalaeian, " HIDES A 1\ T D LE.ATHEE. London, February B. At th« hides sales prices w ere : firm. Supplies wore small. Queensland, 9 3-Bd. to 9 7-i6d.: New South Wales. 9 3-16 d. to 9}d. (ticather —Good demand. Australiftii, •fea.vsVl4d.-to 16Jd. ■ ■. . - - ' IBaeils—Mftrket st«ftdr. First Sydn.eye, WJdMo 1&3 d.; Hew Zea-ianl, S6Jd. to Zljd. " 1 WOOL .SALES, (Eeo. FebTuary 10, 0,10 a.m,3 S.ycjnoy, February 9. Wool is in el-Tong demand, and the market prices aro'fully. equal to those at the best point of the season for good sorts, with some irregularity in fnMlti.es. Prices; Greasy, to 14d.'; scoured, 23Jd.' ■■ ■ BEAK AKD POLLAED. "(Kec. February. 9, 9.10 p.m.) Sydney, February 9. Bran- aod pollard hdve been tedncc-d ss, a ton.