COMMERCIAL ITEMS .

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2120, 11 April 1914, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS .

■ INVESTMENT SHAKES. ' The ialea of investment shores on Thursday wore:—Bank of Now Zeaknd (£6 13s. 4d.) at £16 55.; Union Steam (ordinary) at 243. Ltd. The . quotations were. as follow:— ' ' ', Buyers. Sellers. ' £ S. d. £ e. d. National Bank 6 6 0 5 7 0 Eqiiitablo Building -. 9 0 0' — Metropolitan. Building ... — 12 0 0 Well. Investment - 011 3 Well. Trust and. Loan ... 7 6 6 Well. Deposit 0 60 — Christchurch Gas 7 0 0 .7 2 8 Qieborne Qas — 2 2 6 Nepier- Gee (£10) 15 17 6 — Well. Gas (£10) : 16 5.0 16 10 0 Well. Oae (preference).... 0 19 6 — National'lnsurance ' 2 11' 6. — N.Z. Insurance 515 6 -- Ohristchurch Meat 16 0 0 Gear Meat (£4) • ..14 - 7 5 ' -' Meat Export (52e.,'6d.) ... - '—. .'. 3'4 3 Union Steein' (ord.) 1 4.6- 15 J "Onion Steam (prof.) ....-..■ 1-0 0 " Kaiapoi ■.Woollen (ord.) ..: 540 '"' —' Well, Woollen 10rd.)'...... 4 16 ■..-. — . Well. Woollen (pref.) i 0 0 ■; -'- Westport-Btocktoa '. —. •••• 0:3 7 Leylaiid-O'Bricn :.. —/.'.. 1.4-u Golden Bay Cement ........,,0 18- 0:.-. . . .<—••.■ Maiming and Co.-. ;...' 4.0 0 ,'— Sh&rland's ordinary 1 1 6'" • —~> Sharlo.nd's preference , ... 1-I:6', .'■>-.■. Ward and C0.'..r.......... , ..'...' 5:0 0 "'■ ;r~- , W.F.C.A. ttl) ......5.. , ...::;-.:... .•»- , -\-i 0 ! LEVEE BEOS." '." " ■■-■ In view of tho Tuntour that Lever Broß., Ltd., propose to launch out" into : ,the matsarine- tfade.-in Australia, "the ' balance6lieet of this company, ''fust' published, '■ is of '-interest. ■ Notwithstanding -tho. increase in the price of raw materials,, tho net trading profit fof tho twelve months to December ol- was ,£988,238, a3-.com-pare'd with £779.403 in 1912. Appropriations for repairs and, depreciation amount 'to £130,095, insurance reserve gets £10,982, while profit sharing with employees absorbs £41,272. Dividend on tho ordinary shares is at the. rate of 15 per cent, per annum, tho same return ae in. 'tho three preceding years, but the amount Tequlred' h now £228,493, against £150,000.in 1912. It is understood that a further is?ue of £1,000,000 in 6 per cent, "p" preference uhareß is contemplated, which will raise tho-sum Toquived to maintain <lividonil3 by £60.000 to £860.473. . One feature of tho company's position is the fact that it 'owua largo iiourcee of supply of raw materials, and to this extent it has a great advantage over ita competitors. . The various re. serve funds now amount to £1,033,«0. This doc? not take account of tho advertising reserve, which is used to wrlto down-the book value of et«ck9. .Holdings in associated companies and investments figure for £8,333,7C0,\an increase 0f'£2,771,600. on the 3'car. These interests oj-o two. and a half times greater than tho company's own works and plant, whereas ten years ago the latter, were more than one and a half times tho .value .of. the former. The Hues of the company's ■ development ore thus clearly indicated, judging by re-cent-announcements, the extension of outflldo connections"ie steadily. , progreseing. Customs duty'collected at .'tho port of Wellington ou Thursday amounted to £5840 14s. 9d.

WHEAT MAEKET. The New Zealand Loan and' Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cablegram from their London, house under date April 6:—Wheat: We havo eold an Australian cargo at 365. ci.f. Tho market ie quiet, but steady, end the prospects are not likely to improve at preinanl. . LONDON. MARKETS... ' By Telotrranh—Press Aeeociatlou—Cooyriiht (Bee. April 10, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 8. At tho tallow sale-i 787 casks were offered nnd 524 sold. ■ Prices realised :-Mutton, line, its. 6d.; beef, fine, 34b. .J<l.•: • Bar silver is quoted at 26 15-16 d. per ounce standard. ■ . Linseed .oil, £25 10s. ~ ...-,- Turpentine, 31s. lOid. London, April 9.< Kauri Gum.—At the sales 12 cases were offered and were bought in. . , . Jute—Native first marks, April-May shipment; £33 7s. 6d. per ton, I VICTORIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. : Melbourne, April 9. Wheat, 33. 9u\ to 3s. 9Jd. • Flour, £9. Bran and pollard. £5. Barley—English, malting, 3s. Id. to 45.; Cape, .2s. 2d. to ZeV 4d. Oats.' Is. , 7Jd.'to Is. 10d. Jlaize, £3 Ida. "Potatoes, £4' to £4 153. 'Onions, £6 ICe. to £6 15e.

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURNS." By Telegraph—Press' Association-Copyright ■ .' (Ecc, April 10, 5.5' p.m.) , London, April 9. Tie Bank of England return issued for tlio week ended Wednesday, April 8, is as under:— • '■'•'. HS»E Bepabtment- ■ J K»ttjlltM-£52.867i000 GeT.'fabt .-i11,015,000 -■ ■ ether E«curi- ■• :. • tie.i' ... ... 7.134.(100 .■:■..•.. Gtld ... ... d4.418.00Q " •" £52.867,000 : . . £62.667.000 ' BiNKINS DEPARTMENT. . < rr»pri»tii'»''''••'•'•■ G»vt. ieenri- ■ • ■ < capital £ H.5M.000 ties... .... £11,151,000 ( Public d«- .•. ©ther secure. ■ - J iposits ...19,631,000 ties 43,501,000 ' OtheiA«- ■■..- .... < pisits -. ...42.335.000 ■K.t.i >. 23.395.003 ( Reet,7-4ay '■.■..■-■ ■ | and *thtr bitls...;: v.;. 3.139.000 • Cola-.-' ■«. -1,611,000 < ;. ■_ ' £19.658,000 ' £79,653,000 . Tht leading items' of the Bank ot En* ( laud return afford the following compaii- ; ion:— . TMiiratlc- LutimVlJistyMr { ■ •■■■■■• ■■ e ■ ■■£■■£ 1 Bnlllta ,„■...■ 34.418.000 37,333.000 35.748,000 ] Benm ...' ... C5.006.C00- .27.96U.000 SS.SOS.OOO Net* oirculiMon «9,472.000 auee.OOO - 29.739.000 ■ PublioDepOiitj .'10,631,000 27.668.0C0 16,076,000 ' Otter Deposit! .42.335.000' 46.656.0Q0 43.138.000 ] Proportion of . ■ .- . i ■ -reserve .'• U ' " " liabilities ~ ; 40.34 ■ 41.43 45,03, '.

■ BANK BATES OP,' INTEREST. . Th«:B«jik :ot EiiKlana rate was, on February. 8, 1912, reduced from 4 to 3j per cent., and on, Mey, 9. it.'was further, reduced to :3' per cent ,On. August 29 it was raised to 4 per: cent., and on-October, 17 to 5 por cent. " I{. was reduced to 4J per cent, on April 17, 1913- On, Ootobcr 2, 4913, it wal raised.to'srper. cent.,, oh January 8. 19K it waa reducedto 4J per ceut. on January 22-to; 4 p*r-cent, and on .January 29 to 3 n«r-. cent ' ; .The' Bank' of France' rate was reduced Jronv'SJ to' 3 percent, on January 23. 1908, end ■ continued at the latter figure, until September. 12, 1911 . when it Was reiacd' to 31 per cent. On May 17, .1912,. it was reduced to 3 per cent'., on October 17 it weu raised to'.3j.per cent., end' oh October.' 30 to 4 por cent. .On January Z9, 1914. the ' rate was.'reduced--to 3i por conr.'- . Tile'lmperial Bank-of Germany on October "24,-1912, advanced'its rate of discount to 5 per cent.iO.ndt6 6 percent. .on.'.Kovember' 14. Oil' October 27 1913, the. rate was reduced to .5J -per cent., on January. 22, 1914,. it .was. reduced? to 45 per. cent.; and on February 5 :to 4 per cent. , .• ■■ '; , .MAE.KET-BATES.OF- DISCOUNT. The followinß aro the marltet ratcq for best three months' bills :— ' . V •'■ London ' Paris - Berlin ' . ■ rate. rate. rate. ;....- ■ per per per ■."'■■ i , ■ cent. . cent. cent.- ', Thie, week".; .V.4S '. \.23. ■ 23-8 • ■■la.styvi4ey..>.-.....:#'- ■ - 2i' : Short,'loans are' qnot«d at li;pcr cent.,' as against US'per cent. leist;\7«ek.,'-: ■•.. ' OOLONIAL AND OTHER,,raODpCE. Wheat.—The market is •vory dull, but there is no pressuio to sell , from' , any. quarter. . . ••>..... Flour is flat. ... . ■ . . Oats are neglected. A Gartons, 195., c.i.f. Barley is slow of sale-and prices areiinchanged. ■ " Beans, are quite. Old. New Zealapd arc ■in.'fairly large. supply, but thero are no buyers/ • Peoa are quiet.' Now Zealand.--Maples, March-April ehipment'i ;.4ss. 6d. p,c,i "•>?::! :i): -Barley is 510w." , ;- ■■.■•■•• -.'" ' ' ■• ■ : Butter is drattging. DinisU. 118s. to 121 a, , Australian, choicest salted, ICOs., 10to., 104s; unsalted, 106s. to 108 S.; eecdndaries.are Te'ry ■ slow at to 983. -There is an improved demand for. New Zealand salted' at 104s; to 1065.; unsalted. is very scarce at 114s. to :1169.,' iflS .Vexieptionally ■ 118s. ' i: ; • *:' :" i Cheese -is quiet: • Now Zealand wllito,'6ls, 6d. to 625.: coloured, -645. to 65e. Copper,—On spot. £65 12s. 6d,j' thie< months, £65'175. 6i. . ■ Tin.-On epot, £167 153.; three' months £169 15s.' . PiR Iron.—Middlesboro', No. S, 51s. 3d. , Lead.-£l7 18s. 9d. '•-... - Spolter.-£2l 10s.. .. .

•■:■■■-.. ' ■• . VariitUn . _ ctmpaini :■ ■ : . . rrict. - ■■"'">,■ • ■ : last yuli. £ : A. 2J% Imperial Ctnse'.s 76 5 0 15s higher i _N.8.W.1933Ja,n.-July 103 0 0 Unchanged 54 ,,N.S.W.1930-60ilr.-5p 100 0 C Uncbunge* 84 ,,N.8.\V.-1S3O-CO . . 92 0 0 Uncbapg«d 8 ,,M.a.W;19'i5ipl.-Oot tg 0 0 Unchanged t ,,Vio. 1920Jan.-July '102 0 0 t!nchang»d 8i ,,Vio. 1W1-6 Jan.-July 06 0 0 Uncli«.n8«d 84 ,.Vic,-lKB-i9 CO 0 0 Unchanged 8 ,,Vl(!.lft!9-49Jan.-July 81. 0 0 Uncbfl.ng«d 34 ,,S,A. 191eaan.-July 93 ' 0 0 ' Unchanged 3 ,,S.A. iai6Jau.-July 75.0 0 Unchanged i ,,Q'l'«ll915-2<Jan.-JuIy 101 0 0 ■ Unchanged 34 ..CJ'l'dlffa-man.-July 97 0 0 Unchanged 3 ,.QTai9M.47Jan.-July 81 0 0 Unclianeed 4 ,,N.Z.lB29May-N»v. lOo'O 0 Unchanged 34 ..N.Z. 3!))2-WJan.-July WOO Unchanged 9 ',,N.Z. lWOAjiril-Oct. K 0 0 Unchanged 8i ,,W.A.1016-b5M»y-N«y U D II U D chanjcd 8 ,.W.A,1915-35May-N«T 87 ■ 0 0 Unchanged 3i ,,a'is. ,]8aojan.-July 83 0 0 Unchanged 3 ..Tas. 1920-40 Jan.-July U II I Vhchanged