COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2136, 30 April 1914, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT- SHARES. Sales of investment shares yesterday consisted of National Bank at £5 IC».. and Wellington Gas (£10) at £16 7s. 6d. The quotations were us follow:— Buyer! Sellers. £ s. d. £ 6. d. Bank K.Z. (£6 13s. 4d.)... 16 5 0 - Bank N.Z. (£3 fc. Bd.) ... 10 3 0 — National BanU ■ ..../..'. - 5 11 0 Equitable Building : 9 0 0 — Metropolitan Building .... — 12 0 0 National Mortgage 4 2 6 — Well. Investment 0 10 9 0 11 3 Well. Deposit 0 6 6 Gisborne Gas — 2 2 6 N.Z. Insurance 6 0 0 6 2 6 Union Steam (ord.) 15 0 — Union Steam (pref.) 10b — Kaiapoi Woollen (ord.) ...560, — Kaiapoi Woollen (pref.)... —' - 5 5 6 Mosgiel Woollen 3 12 6 — Well. Woollen (ord.) • 4 16 - Well. Woollen (pref.) ... 3 0 0 Taupiri Coal - 12 0 Lcyland-O'Brien — 13 3 Golden Bay Cement 0 18 0 — Manning and Co 4 16 ■ — W.F.C.A. (£1) " - 16 0 LONDON WOOL SALES. Prices at the London wool sales, which commenced on Tuesday, show that the demand for fine wools is exceptionally strong," o,nd/this class advanced about 5 per cent, on the closing rates of the last series. The prices of medium and coarse crossbrede are unchanged. Taken all round, the market is very firm, and this firmness rules in 6pite of the uncertainty of the political situation in Ulster and the Me'xican war. There are indications that tho latter may be settled without more trouble, and the money market has cased in consequence. The wool outlook for the current salee is very satisfactory, and this ie important to New Zealand for, out of the 188,000 bales catalogued, ,130,000 bales are from New Zealand. Tho movements in the prices now recorded are on the closing rates of the-March sales, and the'average prices then for Jfew Zealand wool were as follow :— Scoured— d. d. Good 22 to Z3J Average 20 to 21 - GreasySuperior ' 125 to 135 Average to good .'... 10J to m Inferior 9 to 10 Fine crossbred 13a to 14$ Medium crossbred ..-..■:...,;.. -11 to 12 . : Low crossbred. ....: 11 to 11J ; Lambs 11 to 13 SHpeHalfbred 15 to 16 Lincoln 12 to 13 PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE. In theso days of facilities of transport, the part played by trade in bringing the different countries of the world into closer touch with each other is beins still further extended by mtans of an international undertaking of a novel character. This is the international scries of economic lectures which, for a. number of years, have been given on different countries. Tho first meeting of this kind tool; place in 1907, and sinco that date they have been held annually. Firet of all came Switzerland (Lausanne), then followed Germany 'Mannheim), Franco (Le Havre). Austria (Vienna). Endand (London), Bcleium (Antwerp), and Hungary and this year it will be tho turn of Spain, -where tho "Eighth. International Economics Course" is to be held. It is to take place at Barcelona from July 20 to August 9 of tho present year, the meeting being under the immediate patronage of King Alfonso XIII. This course of lectures has been arranged by the "International Union for the promotion of commercial knowledge." Thanks to the ae'tivity of the organising committee, the whole undertaking is'to bo on a. most elaborate scale. The meeting will be presided over by Count do Toroolla do Montgri, the chairman of the Board of Trade and Shipping of Barcelona, and every opportunity will be afforded visitors to possess themselves of information concerning tho but-little-known modern economic lifn of Spain, and also to a certain extent of Spanish-South America Another series of lectures, both in Spanish and in -French, is intended to make visitors acquainted with the social life of modern Spain: while the orogress of agriculture, industry, nnd troflin problems are also to be dealt with individually. Customs duties collected at the nort of Wellington yesterday amounted to £2104 19s. AUCKLAND TRAMWAY CO. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright , (Rec. April 20, 11.55 p.m.) London, April .29 The Auckland Electric Tramway Company has declared an interim dividend of 7d.

COLONIAL SUGAR COMPANY. HALF-YEARLY MEETING. ' (Ike April 29. 9 p.m.) Sydney, April 29. At the half-yearly meeting or the Colonial Sugar Itclining Company, the directors, in their report, stated that the net profite lor Australia totalled £133.761, and for Fiji and New Zealand £130,CC0. to which a balance of £52,019 was added, leaving a total, sum available for distribution of .£315,760, as follow**:—Dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, £162.EC0; bonus of ss. per share, £40,625; balance forward. £112.655. The estimates of last season's crops, it, was reported, were more than realised; tho sugar output both in Auetralia nml Ki.il far exceeded any previous year. Next reason's prospects, on the whole are sat--Hfai'tory, good rain-, having fallen in tho sugr.r districts of Australia, hut -.he weather in Fiji has .been rather dry. Deliveries of relined sugar have heen well maintained, and no change in prices has taken place during the half-yeaV. Thelargo production in Cuba is now tending to depress values in the world's markets. The chairman referred to the gratifying result of Win- Privy Council judgment, both to the shareholders and to the board. Regarding the Bill introduced in the Queensland Parliament for tho octabliehment of boards to determine the yearly prices the millowners should pay the farmers for their cane, he said: "There are still a good many people who believe that prices of commodities could, with advantage to the community, be; fixed by legislation." The Indian Commission appointed to inquire into the question of coolie'labour in the Crown colonics, added the chairman, had visited Fiji, and their report was expected at an early date.

FINANCIAL OABLEGEAII3. London, April 28. Yesterday's closing Quotations were aa follow:Rank of Australasia, buyers £120, ecllera £122. Dunk of New South Wales, buyers £-13, sellers £44. Bank of Victoria, buyers £4 10s., sellers £4 15s. Union Bank of Australia, buyers £58, sellers £60. National Bonk of Anstralasin, buyers £5 155., fellers £6 5». National Bank o£ Sow Zealand, buyers £5. sellers £5 10=. Bank of New Zealand, buyers £10 55., sollui'3 £10 15s. K.Z. Loan end Mercantile Affencj 4 per cent, debentures, £91. City of Melbourne. 4 nor coat, debentures. £100. Melbourne Harbonr Trust. per cent, debentures, £101. Melbourne Tramway Trust, 4j per cent, debentures, £102. Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, 4 per cent, debentures. £55. Australian KertautUo Debentures, £94 10s.

' Dalgoty and Co.. 4 \>cr cent, debentures, £93. JJfl.lcety .and Co.'s shares, buyers £6 10s.. sellers a. Melbourne Gas Co.'s debenturce, S.V). Oily of Sydney, iICO. Ooldsbrousli, ilort and Co.'s debentures. £)5 IC6. Bonk of New Zealand, ■! per cent, gaaranteed stock, £ICO. Xcw Zealand Loan null Mercantile stock, £90. . WHEAT. London, April 28. Wheat.—The market is very linn. Sellers nre holding for full prices. Bidding is scarce. (Eec. April 29, 11.30 p.m.) London, April 29. The wheat market ie quiet, the tendency of prices being in the buyers' favour; 30s. lid. was offered for a South. Australian cargo. SILVEK. London, April 28. Bar silver is quoted at 273 d. per ounce staudard. JUTE. London, April "8 April-Jlay, £34 15s. per. ton. METAIi MARKETS. (Eec. April 29. 11.30 p.m.) London, April 29. Copper—Spot, £63 7s. 6d.; 3 months, .€64; electrolytic, £65 Ids. Tin-Spot. £157; 3 months, £158 17s. 6d. Load-£lB 17s. 6d.