COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2379, 8 February 1915, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

'; INVESTMENT SHARES. In the investment market on Saturday a sale of Manning ■ and Co. brewery shares at £5 was reported; Tho quotations -svere 06 follow:— Buyers. Seller?. £ e. d. £ s. d. National Bank 5 7 6 5 9 0 Bank N.Z. (old)' -... 10 3 6 - Equitable Building 9 6 0 — N.Z. and K. Plate 2 0 0 — Christchurch Gas (£5) ... 7 7 6 — Napier Gob (£10) 16 0 0 — Napier Gas (£9) 14 2 6 — Napier Gas (£5) 8 5 0 — Palmerston North ' Gas... 12 0 0 — Wellington Gas (£10) ..... 16 5 0 — Wellington Gfls (pref.) ... 0 19 9 — N.Z. Insurance 6 3 6 — South' British 4 10 0 — Gear (£4) 14 0 0 - Meat . Ex. (£2 12a 6d.) 215 0 ; - N.Z. Shipping (pref.) 10 0 0 — Union Steam (pref.) 10 9 — WelL Woollen (ord.) 4 8 0 - WelL Woollen (pref.) 3.2 6 — WjestportrStoekton — 0 4 9 licyland-O'Brien 1 1 ) — • Tai-ingamutu — 2 3 0 Ward and 00. . ,5 10 0 — W.F.O.A. (£5) 5 19 0 6 5 0 ' FEILDING MARKET REPORT., ■ Messrs. A. 3. Atkinson and Co., I/td.', sold on Friday a, medium yarding of pigs. Values were somewhat easier than last week. Poultry was of poor quality. Poaches were wanted, and little fruit offering except plums. Quotations: Weaners and slips, 95., 10s., lis., 125.: small, stores, 14s. 6d., 18s., to 235.; light porkers. 275., 315., 335., 355. Poultry (per pair): Old hens, Is. 9d., 2s.,'' 2s. 3d., 2s. 6d.; duck, 4s. 3d.; turkey gobblers, 10. Produce: Potatoes, ss. to Ba., per cwt.; Burbonk plums, 2s. ca«e; others, Is 3d. to 2s. 9d.; tomatoes, 35.; cucumbers, Is. 6d. Quarter-case; onions, 10s. to 12s. cwt.

WEST, COAST COAL EXPORT. {By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Westport. Februaiy 7. The coal shipments last week by the Westport 'Goal Company totalled 13,444 tons 9owt„ and of coke 33, tons 4cwt. The Westport-Stockton Company shipped 2109 tons 17cwt. of coal. LONDON WOOL'SALES. By Telefrraph—Press Association—Copyright London, February 5. At the wool sales there was a spirited market for all classes. The'following were the prices -realised for the fleece portions of the clips namedKatondra, top price 32Jd., average prico 23} d.; Orion Downs, top 15d., average 133 d.; Wagga, top 13Jd.; average 123 d.; March ison, top llid., average lid.; Parorangi, top 16d„ average 153 d.; Whokoflouit lop 16d., 'average 153 d.; Westho, top 16d„ average 14gd. Messrs. Levin and Co., Ltd., have re-, reived advice from their London agents that tho following are the prices averaged for the fleece wool of the undermentioned clips at the sales now current:—"F.lT.,", Huia, Balls, Is. 2 3-Sd.; "Weka," Feilding, Is. 2Jd.; Teatkerston, Ib. 2?d.; "D.1T.G.," Wanganui, Is. 3d.; "Huia," Ohariu, Is. 2id.; "J.H.E.," Paranui, Foxton, Is. 2Jd.'; "P.," Marlborough, Is. 2d.; "W.8.W.,'.' Wanganui, Is. 2d.; ;"C.E.,"Claremont,' Foxton, is. 2d.; "R.R" (con jd.), Kariri, Foxton, Is. 2d.; "Marahau," Wanganui, Is. 13d.; "Te Hoe," Alfredton, Is. 3}d.; "F.A.J.," Martinborough, la. 2d.; "Lansdovrae, Blenheim, Is. Ud.; ' "Richmond Brook." Blenheim, 11 15-16 d.; "Elderslie," Oomarn, 3s. 2d.; "F.G." over "N-," alipe, Nelson, Is. 6gd, ■ . LONDON MARKETS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyright (Bee. February 7, 5.5 p.m.) ' London, February 6. .. : Wheat.—The market is firm in sympathy with America. High prioes are 'checking business. Cotton—American middling cotton, MayJune shipment, 4.95 d. per lb. Jute.—Native first marks, February-' March shipment, £19 56. per ton. New Zealand Hemp.—The market is firm. January-March shipment, £28 106. per ton. Oopra.—January-February shipment, £24 ss. per ton. Rubber—Hard-fine Para, 2s. 6d. per lb.; plantation, 2e. 2d;; smoked sheets, 2s. 4d. HIDES AND BASILS. . Hides are firm. Australian are quoted at 9Jd. to lOd. Leather is in strong demand; best Aus-. tralian, 16d. to 18d. Basils are in fair demand; first Sydney, 16d.: New Zealand, 20d. to 21d. Bli'lTKß. . Danish butter is quoted at 1425. to 1465. Customs duty collected at the port of Wellington on Saturday amounted to £1053 10s. 2d. METAL MARKET. London, February 5. Copper.—On the spot, £62 106. to £62 155.; three months, £62 175., 6d. to £63 2s. 6d. Tin.-Cash, £176 to £176 10s. Bpelter.—Ordinary brands, £38 to £39. WELLINGTON GAS COMPANY ANNUAL REPORT. The directors of the Wellington Qas Company report for the year ended December 31 that the . second unit of vertical retorts at Miramar' was completed before tho end of tho year, and that the manufacture of fas- at the city works commenced In April, 1871, has been finally stopped and tho works closed down. During the year part of the city works were dismantled, and the directors have written tho sum of £10,000 off the item of "immovable proEerty" shown on tho balance-sheet, mak}g a corresponding reduction in the item "works extension reserve," which has been provided for this purpose in past years. Noxt year, when the city works havo been dismantled completely, a further and larger reduction will be made in these items. The directors are pleased to bo able to report that, notwithstanding tho disturbance caused by tho waterside workers' strike in 1913, and the present war, thcro Tme been a substantial growth in tho sales of gas, amounting to lli per cent. The sum of £30W, which won sot aside in 1913 to meet the additional cost of cool arising out of the strike, ha« been applied to that purpoßo, and disappears from tho balance-sheet. One hundred and twentythree chains of new mains were laid dtiVing tho year 1914, raising the total mileage to nearly 130 miles. Five hundred and fifty-four eerviceo were laid during the year,, and 866 cookers Hied in tho company s district. The balf-yoarly dividends on the 6 per cent, prcfcronce shares wero paid in Juno and December, nnd an interim dividend at tho rate of 5 per cent, was paid in Angnßt last on the ordinary shares. The directors now recommend a further payment of 5 per cent., making a total dividend of 10 por cent, per annum on the ordinary sharai. Tho profit and loss account shows a balance of £39,375 19s. lid., from which tho directors havo placed to "suspense aoconnt" —For renewal or retort settings and of coal and. coke conveying, machinery (raising tho amount to £4000), £500; for part, coat of dismantling city works (raising the amount to £1219 ss. 6d.), £2000; for a depreciation fund on Miramar works, gasholders, plant and mains, £3000; total £5500;-leaving a profit, (after payment of tho Interim dividend In August lost on tlio ordinary shares, and tho dividend on the preference shares for tho year), £33 879 19s lid,, from which it iB proposed to dccln.ro a dividend that will absorb £11,782 17s. sd. loa-viiiK fl.n amount to bo carried forward of £22,097 .28 , 6d. , Messrs. D. Anderson and A, E. Pearce aro tho directors retiring by rotation, and, being eligible, they offor themselves for ro-clccttoii. Nominations havo also been rweived from MofOTB. Gerald Fitzgerald and J. H. P. Straus for tho offlcc of director. Ah thcro aro only two vaoanoios and four nominations an election jo necessary. Cost of Manufacture. Salcfl. ■»M 76,355 108^57 1913 67,654 ' 102142 1912 66,796 97 123 1911 68,536 92:045 Tho dividend on ordinary shares for these years is 10 per cent., and on preference shares 5 per cent, Tho roscrvo fund remains (1914) at £25 000; works extension rcservo is £30,000: lonmi at coll (1914) amount to £35,350, ae compared with £12,000 in 1913. co.nparui The progress of tho company for tho post four years is seen in the following table;— j Now 1 Now CookcTS ma Ins. services, fixed, 1914 123 chains 554 886 1913 65 (ilinins 609 927 1912 34 chains 670 800