COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2360, 16 January 1915, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

■ INVESTMENT SHARES. There were no sales of 'investment eharea yesterday. The quotations wero ae under:-

GERMAN INDUSTRIES AND RAW MATERIALS. As in other belligerent countries German industries engaged, directly or indirectly, in the production of war material are flourishing. They complain, only of a Km lack of labour. The difficulties of other trades, however, are rapidly■ increasing. In the silk. district of Krefeld factories have been almost entirely closed aC except for the few that have found it possible to convert some of their machines to the production of webbing for bandages, etc. The steel, production stattoUcsV better guide than any other for the state of the heavy industnes-shovf a total 0f'663,225 tons for September, as compared with 566,822 tons in August. In July., however, the steel production of Germany was 1,627,345 tons. The sales of ttfe Slahlwerksverband. for October were 280,570 tons, a email rise over the 245,194 tons in September, but, at the&me time, I wry far indeed below the 524,851 tons m October; 1913. For August no figures nave been published. The coal Pr«*«*J°= in the great Saar ooalfleld was In. July mifisl tots! in August 197,250 • tons, in September 431,677 tons, and in October 552.828 tons, or rather less than half .the 1,158,665 tons in October of the previous year. The lack of wool is making itself felt not only in the supply of articles for civilian use. but in the production of military equipment. Artificial wool, mungo. and clothes composed almost entirely of cotton are already accepted by the military authorities. A notification by the general commending one district asks that any old uniforms in the possession of private families should be sent to the military depot. Tho whole stock of skins in the country has also been commandeered for military purposes, while the sale of rubber tyres to private buyers has been entirely forbidden under heavy penalties. Special trading associations have been formed for the distribution of military orders among tho manufacturers— among others, tho War leather Company, the War Wool Company, the War Weaving Company Thc3e, it would appear, are to form a kind of unofficial clearing-house for all Government contracts connected with the war. Some light is thrown on the patriotism of tho German manufacturer by a new order forbidding, under heavy penalty, tho export of war materials through neutral countries to. Powers hostile to Germany. Several cases of export of this kind, it is said, have occurred.

FOOD PRICES IN GERMANY.' After several weeks of agitation, states the London "Economist" of November 28, the German Government ha 6 finally decided to fix the maximum prices for Dotatoes. It has divided the, country into four zones-East, 'Central, West, and South. For tho common varieties of potatoes' the prices arc, per zentner 'of 50 Mo 6 2 marks '50 pf., 2 marks 60pf., 2 marks 70nf 2 marks 80pf., according to zone. For the better varietiee-Magnum Eon urn, etc. —the price is in each case 25pf. higher. These, however, art! only wholesale prices, the retailer being still allowed to exact as much as he can get, so that the consumer is little, better off than' before. There are already complaint« over the working of tho mffximum price laws. In many eases, it is said, stocks are being held up- in others varioais deficiencies m the law's have resulted in prices being actually higher than before. In tho meantime supplies of butter, eggs, etc., are pptt.inc rare, and a demand is being made for maximum prices here also. The Magistrates of Berlin would seom to he doubtful as to the effect of the'maximum on Dotatoes, .as they have guarded fiiemlelws^y-buying up 1 750.000c W t. for municipal supplies. A further law hna been issued for economy in bread. Ia Berlin bakers are forbiddon to bake after 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and restaurants are forbidden to place the familiar breadbaskete on the table.

Customs duty collcctod (it the port of Wcllineton yesterday amounted to £5827 196. 4d. CANTERBURY MAKKTTS. (By Teleeraph.-Prcse Association.* Christchurch, Jnnuoxy 15. No forward sales. of new are yet resorted. but o. small line of old wheat has been. purchased at «■ ?o°d n r '™- There is good inquiry Mr oate for shipment to "'—elMiUW JW tH JSi .lii -BJlHltlX"

stations is offered for A credo, and up to 3d. 6d.' at oountry stations has been asked for thorn. A smell lino of new oats has been sold at 3s at a country station in the Ashburton district. Oatshcaf chaff is also in demand, but supplies ore scarce. The price of oatmeal has advanced to £17 por ton for. 251b. bags. No business is yet reported in new barley. BANK OP ENGLAND RETURN. By Telegraph—Press Association-Cop jTilfht London, January 14. The Bank of England return issued for the wee): ondwl Wednesday, January 13, is as imder;— lii»E Department H.t.111« 0 f87.155,01M Uu ... ~ 7,434.000 fiald 68.706,000 £87,155.000 JINKIN* DEPIBTITENi. fr«p(l»ton' G«vt. siou'i;!capital £14,563.000 t»>s .• i 18.068.000 Publio d«- ether ncuriposits ... «,833,000 ti«i 103.281,000 o po»lts°' ...116.035.000 N.t 51.080.000 Best, 7-day *nd»thtr _ . bills... ... 3,484.000 C#in.» 656,00 i 178,925.000 £178,925,000 The leading items of the of England return afford tie following compflJiThiJWMk LaitwMkliHliJ'esr Bullion ... 68,706.000 68.266.000 38.810.000 E?." 52.636.000 51.422.000 28,470,000 Not, Issue ... 35,175,000 35.877.000 28,471.000 F°b'ioD.pojli« 44.833.000 23,609,000 7.6<8.0M Otb»r Deposits 116.055.000 133,319,000 46t060,000 Pr*poiiion of resem tt „ ee liibiliil.i 32.71- 32.72 55.58 GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The following are the latest quototions for Consols and Colonial Government Seenritiee with a comparison of thofie rulMfc last week.— ■ ■

MONET MARKET. The Bank of England discount rate was on January 2, 3914, reduced from 5 to 41 per cent., on January 22 it .waß reduced to 4 per oent., and on January 28 to 3 per cent. On July 30 the rate was raised to 4 per cent., on' July 31 it was raised to 8 per cent., and on August 1 it was further a.d* vanced to 10 per oent. On August 6 the 'rate was reduced to 6 per cent., on August 7 it was further reduced to 5 per cent., at which rate it now stands. Tho Bank of France rate is 7 per cent., as against 7 per cent, last week, and 4 por cent, last year.

OPEN. MAEKET RATES, The open "market discount rate for three months' bills is 2} per cent., ae compared with 2 15-16 per cent, last week, and. 33 per cent .last year. ' Short loans are Qnoted at 18 per cent., as against li per cent, lost weok, and 3 per cent, last year. COLONIAL AND OTHER PEODUCE. The wheat market is firm and prices dearer. There are few offers, .sellers holdjnrr { 0 r a further 6d. or Is., in sympathy with American. Northern Manitoba, January-February, ie at '575. Oats—The market 19 firm. Bahia Blanca, January-February, 275. to 275. 6d. Barley, beans, and peee are firm at fuu is yery firm, and there is. a strdn? demand for colonial. Australian, choicest, is at 138s. to 110s.; and in exceptional cases 142 a.; New Zealand,. 140s. to 1445. Few secondaries are offering. Oheese is firm, with an upward tendency. New Zealand, 70s. to 80s. Sugar.—American granulated sugar is unchanged at 275. per cwt. Bradford Tops.-The Bradford top market is excited, and good business hao been done. Spot prices realised were 25d„ 24Jd„ 24d., 27d.. 25d., 22d., and 191 d. Futures are not ouoted.

METAL MARKETS. Copper.—On spot. £59 15s. to £60 per ton; three months, £59 12b. 6d. to £60 2s. 6d. Pig-iron, 54b. lOd. per ton.. Lead, soft foreign,'£lß lis, 3d. to £18 12s. £29 7s. 6d. to £29 12s. 6d. per ton. Silver.—Bar silver is quoted at 223 d. per ounce standard. GAMBLING IN WHEAT. IN THE CHICAGO PITS. By Telegraph—Press •Chicago, January 14. There were unprecedented scene 6 in the wheat pit, members sometimes bordering on frenzy. May wheat sold at 1423 cents per bushel. This is a record. YIOTORIAN PRODUCE MARKET. Melbourne, January 15. Wheat, 75.; flour, £14 10s.; barley, English ss. 9d. to 6s„ Cape 4s. Jd. to 4e. 6d.; oats, 4s. 4d. to 4s. 6d.; maize, ss. (lid to ss. Id.; bran, £9 155.; pollard, £10 56.; potatoes, £3 15s. to £4 155.; onions. £10 10s.

Buyers. SellolB. £ s.d. £ a-* National Baik',. **«.' 41 „ 0 Bank N.S.W. ••;■•••••—: o in ft. — Bank N.Z. (old) \ » * • _ Bank N.Z. (new) ............ 15 7 6 , _ N.Z. and Jllver Plate ... \\\ \ _ Meat Export (£2 1&.- 6d.) 2 1} 6 • - . Union Steam (ord.) 1 \ \ Well. Woollen (ord.! 4 7 ft Westport Coal J W * ~ Leyland-O'Bnen ., 1 J » _ Manning and Co. „ , J? N.Z. Drug Hi ~ Ward and Co. 5 4 <>

' Variation — ctjaoparid Prloi. with Hit Track. : v £ •. d. 21% Imp«rl«,l Cenwls 68 11 6 Unchanged 1 N.S.W.1933Ja.o.-JuIy 99 3 6 2/6 higher JJ 'N.S.W.1930-S01ir.-Sp 97 0 9 15 S hither B ' U.S. W. 1925 A»l.-Oct 79 15 0 Vnch&ngtcl i ' "Vio. 1020 Jan.-July Cfl 5 0 53 higher si „Vic. lOil-6 Jan.-July 0110 0 io 3 higher 8 „Vio.l9MM9Jan.-July JO 5 0 5a higher 3i „6,A. 1916 Jan.-July 89 0 0 Unchaogxl S „».A. 1016 Jin-July 53 7 6 7,6 higher 4 QTdl915-!J( Jan.-July 99 5 0 Dnchang'id Si ',',Q'l'dl9i2-(7Jw.-July 94 0 0 Unohanged 8 Q'rdlWi-(7Jan.-JuIy 78 0 0 Unchiiig«< i ,','N.Z. 19-23 May-Nov. 2" 10 6 2/6 higher Hi „N.Z. 19X2-40 Jan .-July 87 5 0 2/0 higher 3 „N.Z. 1«20 April-Oot. W 12 6 2/6 higher Si „W.i .1915-35 M#y-N»r ® 1 I Unchanged 9 ,, W. A, 1015-35 May-N»y " 10 0 Unchanged 3i „Ta«. J920Jan.-July 'j® 5 0 Gs lower 3 ..Tai.WMJan.-July 78 h 0 6b higher