COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2001, 7 March 1914, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

' INVESTMENT SHAKES. The transactions in investment shares recorded yesterday were Auckland Gas at 275. 9d., New Zealand Insurance at £5 153. 6d„ Union Steam (ordinary) at 245. 6d.,and preference at 20a. Tho quotations wero as under:— ' • , Buyers. Sellers. £p. d. . fj'il Bank New Zealand (rights) 4 17 6 50 0 >'<>t.ionil >'«nl:- - 5' 8 0 N.Z. and River Plates 2 2 0 ' — Wellington Investment ... i — 011 3 Well. Trust and Loan. .... '7 5 9 — OhriPtchurclrGas 6 15 6 -. S.B. Insurance — 4 7 9 Union Steam.lord.) 14 3 14 9 Union Steam (prcf.) 10.0 103 Kaiapoi Woollen (ord.) ... 5 3 0 — O. JI. Banks, Ltd :.... 12 0 - Oolden Bay Cement- 0 17 3 £ - Word and Co 5 0 0 'aW.F.O.A; (£5) • - 613 0 W.F.G.A. (£1) j - ,1.60

EXTEAQEDINAIiT PEOSPECTUS : . PKOPOSAL.. ' Acwording to a prospectus lately published in,.London, subscribers to thecompany converned were to' take thcii* profits in newspaper advertisements. ■ They were not to receive cash, but ordeiia entitling them to .space in the advertisement columns of newspapers. The company was to be formed to take over tho business of a firm of advertising agents. The-capital was to be £2CCO m BCO shares ,of £2 10s. each, 6CO of which shares wero offered for subscription to, proprietors of hydros, private and family, and commercial hotels, schools, and ■ estate agents. Tho vendors, it was stated, guaranteed ' under. contract 100 'per cent, dividend, to every' subscriber, such, dividend to l be applied by the company in advertising the 'subscriber's, establishment in newspapers free of charge. The establishment .'of each subscriber to be. advertised in - tho ■ sojected newspaper every' Wednes"dav- throiish tho year," or threo : ;dayß a -week for four months of leach ycar,"and, •in. addition to advei-tiFcments, .ttr'.,flisifl'aycU •a.dvertiee.ment of cach,;estobilalme•hi^!l>e'4nseTte^f■|^ f •m^ : .Ldh'do > h>e'wapapers'- supplement' : 'of hotels' and 6eho'ols circulated br.announcemcn.t3 in,daily newspapers. '■..-■• i ■

. Customs' duty, collected at ,thc port of Wellington yesterday amounted. to £1974 4a: lOd:, .-.' - ■[■■'• " ;■-. "AUCKLAND GAS COMPANV. (By Telegraph.—Press AaenclatlonJ '■■''; Auckland, March '6. ' The .Auckland Gas Company notifies consumers that';'in consequence of"tlio steady rise in - all costs of manufacture, accentuated by, the effects of the late strike, tho company nrids it necessary to increaeo its Tcvenue. The directors 'arc averse, to increasing the price of gas, and..,it has been decided instead to make a' charge for meter rent, which to 75-per cent., of consumers will amount to 6d. a, month, and to. IaJEW consumers 9d. a, month; >

SOUTHERN MARKETS. .. Chrlstchurch, March 6. Tho week has been a quiet one in ■ tho local ' grain trade."' Offerings have been limited,, but a number of sales of wheat have been effected on the basis of tho lato quotations. Oats are. very dull of sale, as there .is. no outlet for "them at present. Oatsheaf chaff is also in limited demand. Good cocksfoot sijed i-3 very firm cs tho quality of.;tho samples generally is not up to the usual st<nidard. Potato-grower.* are still- not offering any quantity, and few arc' willing to accent the price offered, bnt, .merchants are. nnablo to inakc ■ any advance on account of the prices ruling in tho North Island. Sale* are being made at £2 10s. at country elationg for MarchApril: and April-Mxiy delivery. Flour has advanced 10s. per ton. Bran has been'reduced and .is now quoted at, £4 Es. per ton.

GISBORNE WOOL SALE. ' ',' Cisborno, March .6. The first, wool and skin sale oouducted by the Gisborno Woolbrokers' 'Association during 1914 was bcld in Bedstonc'6 Hall. Although there, wore not a great number of buyers,, competition was keen, and prices reached a higher level than was anticipated by brokers. .This is probably o, reflection of the general buoyancy whioh. is characterising the wool market. Excellent prices were .obtained, for wool, and values for skins were also at a good level. The principal buyer* represented Auckland, Napier, and Gisborue firms. The following is the rnngo of prices:— Plecco wool, 9d. to 9Jd.j dead wool. 8(1. to 85d.j pieces, 7d. to 73d.; second' pieces, 6id. to 6Jd.: locks, 43d. to 5Jd.; lambs, wool, 7d. to 93d.; slipe wool ,83d. to 9id.: full wool ■ ekins, 7?d. to ' BJd.; half, wool skins, 6?d.; pelts, Is. to Is. 5d.; inferior pelte, ?d. to (,&.; hides. 6>d. to lii.; calf skins, 9d.; hides, 6Jd. to 7|d.

• § WOOL SALES., By Telejvftph—Press Associntion-ConvrirhV London, March 5. . At tho wool sales prices had a strong upward tendency, Americans buying merinos and crossbreds freely. (Iteo. March 6, 9.25 p.m.) ■'; At tho wool sales the. following prices were - realised for the fleece portions nf the clips named:—Gear, top price 16dV average 13jd.; JTgahara. top Ukd., average 12jd.; Tukurongi, top 12Jd„ average 12U1.

Messrs.: Dalgety and Co.. Ltd., arc. advised from their London office under date March 6, as follows:—Wool 'salen continue (inn and active with bri?k competition. As compared with closing rates of the Janudry scries, heavy, earthy and wasty. merino wool, par to 5 per cent, higher; medium eorts, 10 per cent, higher; merino, (rood nnality and condition. 10 nor cent, hicrhei'. All worsted wools, 10 per cent, higher. Tallow: The market is quiet, .and nrioca in Eoncri.l are 3d. per c-rt. lower. Rabbitskins: Good demand; Drices are on tho average 2d, per ' lb, hijjhcr.

. LONDON MARKETS. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile ! Agency Co., Ltd., have received the following cableFtram from their London house under dat<* March 4:—Wheat: We have Bold an Australian cargo at 3Cs. 9d.. c.i.f. The morkot is quiet but steady. The outlook is uncertain. We quote, per nuarter, c.i.f.. New Zealand lons-berried' 355., short-ber-ried Ms. 6d. Tallow.—We quote present npot Tollies for the following descriptions: Good mutton, 355. nerevt.: good bnof, J3s. 9d. pct ewt.; mixed, 325. 6cl. per cwt. The .market is quiet. RIVER PLATE ' MEAT. By Telegraph— Vvess AF--r>"i.ition--Conyrli>ht London, March 5. ■ Hirer Plate shipments of meat total:— Mutton, 98,750 carcopses; lamb," 25,500 carcasses; frozen beef, 84.5C0 quarters; chilled beef, 308,500 quarters | liABBITSKIXS. I Cobbe ami Arimng'e report oto.tes thnt the rabbitskin sales closed finu. 2295 wore sold. .; . •'SII.VBIT. London .March 5. - Bor. silver-is quoted at-STO. per ounce standard.

S> GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. By Telegraph- Press Association—Copyright (Rcc. March 6, 8.5 p.m.) London, March 6. Tho following are tho latest quotations, for Government securities, with a com. parison of those ruling Inst week:—

BANK RATES 01' INTEREST. The Bank of England rate was, on February 8, 1912, reduced from '4 to "34 per cent., and on May 9 it was further reduced to 3 per cent. On August 29 it was raised to 1 per cent., end on October 17 to 5 per cent. It was reduced to 41 per cent, on April 17, 1913. On October 2, 1913, it was raked to 5 per cent., on January 8, 1914. it was reduced to' 4} per cent, on Januarr 22\ to 4 per cent., and on January 29 to 3 ner cent.

Tho Bank of Franco rate was reduced from 31' to 3 per cent. op. January 23. 1908, and continued, at the. latter Dguro until • September 12, .1911 , when it was raised to 3} per cent. On May .17, 1912, it was reduced to 3 per cent., on October 17 it wasraised to 34 per cent., and on October 30 to 4 per cent. - On January 29,. 1914, tho rate was reduced to 51 per cent. ' The Imperial Bank of Germany On October 24, 1912, advanced its'rate of discount to 5 per cent., and to 6 per cent.-on November 14. Ou.Octobor 27. 1913. the rate was reduced to 51 por cent., on ' January. 22, 1914. it was reduced to 41 per cent., and on February 5 to 4 per cent •

•MARKET BATES OF DISCOUNT. , The following are tlio market rates for test three months'bills:— ' . London , Paris ' Berlin rate. rato. rate, per per per cent cent. cent. ' This week 27-1$ 21. 33-8 . Last week ;... 21-16 21 , 3j . Last.ycaj-, -411-16 3J 53 . Short loans are.quoted ct 2} per.cent., oo compared with 11 per cent, last week, and 43 per cent, last year.

COLONIAL AND OTHER PHODUOE.-Wlicat-TUo market' is dull, Uut Australian cargoes aro held for previous rates. Australian and New Zealand, on. spot, nominally unchanced. Flour is quiet.. Australian, ex store, 265. 6d.

Oats are slow of rale and tendinn easier. La Plata: March-April shipment, 15s. Peas and beans are qniet and -unchanßed. Butter-ie'steady but quiet in view 'of next week's heavy ; arrivals. Danish, 1235. to 1265.; colonial is .unchanged.

Cheese is quiet. New Zealand, white. 630. 6d.: coloured, 655. 6d.

Sugar.—German" best, 83 per cent, net titrc. id. lower, at 9s. 2£d. ner cwt.; firstmark irranulited. f.o.b. Hamburg, uncli.tnsed, at lis. l}d.

Bradford Tops— The market is firm, and tho hteh prices arc . cheeking business. Sixty-fours. 3d. liinher. at 363:; super sixties. 3d. higher, ot 29id.; common sixties, 3d. hichor. at 28Jd.; fifty-sixes, lid. hieher, at 24trt.: fifties. Id. higher, at 2id.; fortysixes 3d. higher, at 18d.; lortios, 3d. higher, at 163 d. • . / ■.

THE-METAL MABKETS: '■ Copper—On spot, £64 7s. 6d. per ton; three months'. ss. •'■lusher, .'at £64 17s. 6d.; clectrolvtic. 15s. lower, at, £55 105..-.' Tin.-On spot... 12i. 6d. Miher, at £174 12s. 6d. per ton: f.hrco'months', 7e. 6d.-higher. ,at. £176 7s.- 6fl. , Piir-iron.—Jfiddlesboro" No.- 3,. 2d. higher,at sfs. 6d. ner ton. • Lend.—Soft, foreign, Sa. .£d. lowor,,at 12s. 6'\.'vor'l<m. ''''',

Spelter.—2=. 6d. lower, ci £21 10s. per ton: ■ AUSTEALIAN STEAMSHIPS, LTD. Melbourne, March 6. The report of, the Australian StcamshiM, Ltd., which 'took over th.2 interosts ,pf .tho Howard Smit,n"Cbmp'a-n.y, sh'iws that .'the year's net profit's totalled £40,473. ', '•''• VICTOBIAN PEODUCE MARKETS., '■■ ' ' r.lelboiirno,' jrarch 5.Wheat, 3s. lOd. to 3s. 10V1.' Flour. £9. Oats, Is. Bd. to ls..lO{d. English malting:' 3s. 3d-... .to ■ 3s - .* '6tt.; Cane.'. 2s;' 4*.d. Maize, 3s. Ed. Bran and .pollard, £5' ss. Pot.n.toora. £5 to £4. :Oriions, £6 10s. '

iThe fortnightly wool, hide, and tallow sales were held yesterday.'-'

Variation _ - conjpaied • Pries. with . last? weak. ' £ e. a. 2J% Imperial Consols ?5 0 0 15s lorcor i ,.N.S.\VM933Jan.-JuIy lttj 0 0 Uncbonced 35 ..N.y.W.lWO-oUMr.-Si) (KJ10 0 Unchanged 3i „N.SW.-llioO-GCJ 88 0. 0 Unchanged 3 „ts.S.\V. 19-25Apl.-Ocfc fcfi 0 .0 .JOs lower i rt Vic. 5020 Jan.-July • lfcs 0 .0 'Unchanged Si „>Vic.'l9-2l-(> Jau.-July % 0 0 Unchanced 35 Vic,4920-40 .80 0 0 ' 40s higlier 3 „Yie. ll>29'49Jan.-July 81 0 0 Unchanged 3i „Sj«A. 1810 Jfin.-July 0;i 0 0 Unchanged 3 „S.A. li)16 .lan.-July 75 10 0 Unchanged i „QTdl915-2iiTan.W)u)y 101 0' 0 Unchanged ..QTdlp-i-'iTJau.-July % 0 0 Unchanged S ,.QT<il!/22--i7Jan.-JuIy Si 0 0 Unchanged 4 19-20 May-No v. lO-j 0 0 Unchanged B>5 ■„X.2.a»lW0Jau..July 02 0/0 Unchanged 3 lli'20ApriJ-OcC, -'62 O'O 20s lower 35 „W.4.191545iUay-iKev ifcj'O 0 Unchanged 8 „W.A,lUlo-i5&ray-is0v b7 0 0 -Unchanged 33 m Tu, l&iOJiin.-July . 92 0 0 Unobanged y „Tus. ltofcMO Jan.-July fci! 0 0 Unchanged