COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2149, 15 May 1914, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

• .INVESTMENT . SHAKES. Only one transaction in investment ohares was recorded yesterday, Gisborne. Gas shares 'changing hands at \la. The quotations were as follow:— .-' / . "':. ■ ' ' Buicra Sellers. •- .'■■■■ .£ e. d. £ 6,d. Bank X.Z. (£6 13s. 4d.) ... - 17- 2 b Bank'N.Z. t£3'6s. 8<l.) . - 11 5 0 Metropolitan Building . — 12 0 0 National' Morteuso 4 5 6 Well. Investment 0 11 0 — .Wellington.Qa3.(£lo) 16 6 6 16-8 0 S.I!. Ihßitrahcc..' 4 8 6 — K.Z. Shipping : „■- - 16 0 0 Kaiapoi Woollen lord.) ... 5 5 0 — ' Well. Woollen (ord.) .:.... 4 4 0 - Leyjnnd O'Brien . — . 13 3 Gplden.Bay. Cement .' 019 • 6 ■ .- 1 Sharland's"preference ... 12 0 —.. :W:F.c.A. (£1)'..;...: '— , . i'6O LONDON WOOL SALES. The London wool E-ales continue firm, and competition for all eorto-is well maintained.' •' The strength- and lirniness of thp marel'.'is surprising in face of the prevailing conditions. ''Mousy, is certainly cheaper than, it wae a'year ago, but'no cheaper than it was at the March Ealns, but against thie'miist be set the expansion in supplios. The Australasian output up to the end'of 1 April ehowV-'an increase of over 2CO CM bales,--and (South Africa has sent more ' wool;'■..Tho ."operation's of the Americans 4mvc t exercised-,little influence on values, nnd yet wool is strong and gives every inidicalion of.remainin£ firm for some time. ... , BRITISH DOMtSIOXS' INSURASCE. ■ JThe report and accounts of the British Doniinions Oerieifll Insurance Company, Liniiteil, for 1913,'-show's that the net marine .premiums'...were £324.091, against l £318,457 .t'orHhe prcviqiis'year, and claims £262,841, iagaiuflt £259.964. After , :deducting eipensea £55,374, there : remains £25,876. .-against :£26,?84. ■ .'-To' tiii,?-;are added interest. and (dividends ,£13,313. and premium received from issue of 3333 preference shares £1,666, •' making, a. total of £40,855!. the funds of the marine department being thus raised from .6216.526 to £257.331. of which £5000 is carvied to Teserve fund, and £12,979 to investment reserve»'fund. leaving a balance of £139,402.. at credit. The fire and general laccqunt shows net premiums £40.415, against £2M42 for tlio previous year; und ckims £22,816, against £11,997: while the fuhda of thia account are now £20,541. The dividend on preference sharee is (j per cent.; and the dividend on ordinary shares is raised to 6 per cent., against 5 per cent, for tho previous year. During the year 3333 preference shares of ,£3 each were issued at a premium of 10s. per share. The paid-up capital, as shown in the halance'-sheet, is .thus £250,00!, of, which £IZ2.CQI ie in preference shares, and .£IZB,COO 13 in.ordinary further issue of ordinary,shares oi.ys3.each, shares....Since the: end 0f.19j3. howeyer.'a fully.paid, has been mods at <\ premium of £1 per 'share. The subscribed capital Is now therefore • £«0.C02, of which £3CO,CC2 is paii up; while the addition of the pre■miurn. of £16,667 on the rioir issue to-lihe 'reserve fund brinco it up to £46,66f. Tho investment reserve fund stands »t £31.509. This exceeds tho deiiveciatiqn in securities on December' 31, 1913. comparing book valncA with market values;.while,since, tliat. date there has been a. considerable' anpre-' ciation in values. The investments of tlie mnipanv include -49,940 fully paid .shares of Mis: each in t-hr Commonwealth InauMhce Company, Limited. .NOTES. Ne?otintions have been carried to a forward stage (writes tho Edinburgh correspondent cf the ''Financial Times' 1 ) for the amalgamation of four of the leading Ijowland malt.whisky distilleries. None of those concerae is closely associated with blending nrni3, and it is understood that a successful conclusion to the "negotiations is practically assured. Meantime experts are valuing tho assets with , the view of errivins at the prices at which the concerns Are to be taken over. The capitalisation will be substantial, and it in understood a public issue . is. contemplated. , . At a meeting of the directors of tho Australian Mutual Provident Society, Mr. A. .W-. Ifeafev M.L:C. wse rd-clected chairman, .and Mr.. J. T. Walker doputy-chairman of the society for .the ensuing 12 months. • According to a return iy the BritishBoard of Trade, the world's coal output in 1912 .was.about 1.1C0.CC0.000 English tons, includirts 477,202, C«) tons in tho' United States, 260,416',CC0 tons in the United Kingdom, 172,-' C65,C60--tons in Germany, 29.745.CC0 tons in -.Fra/U'eV 26.fi00.CC0 tons in Rupei.i, 22,503,0C0 tons in Belgium, and.about 102,CC0,M0 tons in all other countries. ■ The world's petroleum production in 1912 .woe.returned at 12,286,C00,C00 gallons,.lncluding 7,771.CC0:000 -in. the United States,- and 2,*17,CC0.000 in -Bussi-a. , ' .; CnPtoms duty eolectcd''nt thc/.port of Wellingtori yesterday ainountcd to £2458 14s.'8d; LONDON GEAIJt JIAKKET. ■ . The New Zealand -.Loon and MercantileAgency Company, Limited, have received ttip following cabiegram from their I<ondon house, under date Jfay 13:— "Wheat.—Wβ havfr soli an Australian cargo at 375., c.i.f; Tlie.matk6t''i3 firsn, arid there is'a fair demand, but the outlook is uncertain, quote.per.p.uartcr, cif., Ne,w Zcalnnd:whcat: Long-berried, 345! .Sd'.; shortberried;. 345. '3d. , . Oats'.—The' moi'Jtet is. firm and there in a fair demand. We cjnoto:— Cartons, 21s. '3d.;--SparrowbiUe, 20s. 9d. ' . .. " .'.■■ LONDOX WOOL SALES.. By Telegraph—Press -Aeeociation—Copyright ' London, Ifuy 13. At the wool =olfs tho market .was firm, with competition well maintained for all sorte. . • Messrs. Levin and Co.,' Ltd., have received cable advice frnm .their London agente that the following clips have- been,sold on their .account, at the sales now current,.the.prices named '.being the average price realised-for the., fleece-wool'in each .-instance:—"Jli.V'" NeUor..' 11,3-Bd.; "FEX," Nelson. lOJd.i "WITF" 'and "WFX," Nelson. 10 7-16 d.; "GI.EXDHU," Martinborough, lid.; "TALDOK," Ma«tcrtori. 93d.: "KGW," Nelson, 13 U4., '. 10 3 : 6 d.,' and 9 13-16-1. TALLOW SALES. ■■ '• ' London, Jfay 13 At the tallow sales 1310 casks were offered, and 716 sold. Prices were unchanged. . . . METALS, •' London, May U . Copper.—Oh ppot, £63 5e.: tnree months, ..£43..155.; electrolytic, £65 10s. Tin.—On spot, £155 cs.; three montha. J£i;s 55. ■, ,-■' ■.., ■' ' ' "-, ' ' . '■ ■ WHEAT. London, May 13. ~ The wheat market is easier. The American visible supply of wheat cast or'the Kockie's Is estimated at 70,543 bushels. SILVER. ■ ' London, liay 13 Bar. silver it? quoted at. 26 15-15 d. per bunco, standard. ' LINSEED OIL AND TURPENTINE!" -Linseed oil, £24 ICo. Turpentine, 3'is. PKAHL SIIELI,! J London, May 13. At the Pearl eheep sales, of Aroe 498 cases were offered..and 164 sola; -West. Australian, 1166 and 4C5; Queensland, 1153 and 558. Prices realised: Aroe, chicken light and medium, 14 3-Bd.; medium bold, 17d.; pleltinjs. 12<1.; West Australian, 14d., 16 l-'Bd.. and 12d.; Queensland, 12Jd., 16JU., and lid. Continental demand was clack, and American very dull, owing to the Mexican trouble. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKET. (Uec. May 14. 8.35 p.m.) Sydney, May 14. Wheat, 3?. 103 d, 3s..lid. Flour, £8. £8 ss. Date. Algerian feeding. 25., 2s. 2d.; milling,. 2s. 3d., 2s. 4d. Barley, English, 2e. Cd. Maize. 3s. 10d. Bran and pollard. £5. Potatom, Taemanian, £5, £5 10s. Onions, Victorian, £7. Butter, selected, 1045.; secondary, 905., 945. Cheese, 9VI- Bacon. 9d. Adelaide, Jfay 14. Wheat, 3s. 10W.. 3s. lid. Flour £9. £9 5s Bran, Is. Id. Pollard, Is. 2jd. HIDES. (Kec. May 14,.8.55 p.m.) Melbourne May It. An average catalogue is reported from the hides market. There is gc-jd competition, bat prices are unchanged