COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT SHARES. There were mo transactions in. investment shares yesterday. The quotations wore as under:—

Customs. duty collected at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £4014 fe. Bd. SOUTHERN MARKETS. IBy Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christ-church, March 26. The wheat market shows further evidence of weakening, sales of Hunters a-sid Tuscan having been made at 63. Bd., and down to 6s. 7d. at' country stations. Pearl is still worth 6s. 9d.' Most of the lines now offering are on the small side, and no doubt laTge, straight lines would oommand a little more money. The oats market is settling down a little, but there is still some doubt ae to whether the contracts entered into with Australia will be allowed to be carried out. The nominal iprice for Gortons, and Duns Is 3s. 9d. to 3s. lOd. at country stations. ATeport from Southland states that the oats orop there is going to turn out much better than wag' expected. In the western district they are especially good, and the Agricultural Department's estimate of 25 bushels per acre will.be considerably increased by the actual yields. There &ro 75,873 acres in oats in Southland, but it is considered that ten per cent, of the average in the western district wfll not ripen for threshing . Oatsheaf chafi is firm, and there is little business doing, growers being unwilling to aooept less than £4 at country stations. Potatoes are still selling at £4. Messrs.' Dairety and Co., Ltd.. btve ru■>v*- frf" m

London office, dated March 23:—"Market for merinos 1b easier, especially for faulty. Fine crossbred 6 aro now 5 ; per cent. higher, and medium and coarse 7i to 10 per cent, higher, than the closing 1 rates of last eeries." MUTUAL LIFE AND CITIZENS' ASSUK- , ANOB CO. (By Telegraph.—Prees Assn.—Copyright.) Sydney, March 26. I At the annual meeting of the Mutual 1 Life and Citizens' Assurance Company the \ chairman said that the financial position lira's exceedingly strong and the profitable results, bcth to' policyholders and ehara* holders, were beyond dispute. VICTORIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. Melbourne, March 26. Wheaffc, 7ff. 9d. Flour, £17 10b. Oats, ss. 4d. to ss. 6d. Barley, English, ss. lid. to 6s. 2d ; Cape, ss. to ss. 3d. Maize, 6s. 3a. to 6s. 4d. Bran, £9. . Pollard, £11 is. Potatoes, to £3 15s. Onions, £4 10s. to £5. WEST AUSTRALIAN APPLES! The Moldavia's apples are at about yesterday'e rates. Dunns selling at 12s. to some soft Jonathans At 9s. to 10e., Coxa at 75., a few special at 25e. BANK OF ENGLAND BUTTON. By Telerraph.—Prees Association— OonVright London, March 25. The. Bank of England return issued for the week ended "Wednesday, March 24, is as under:— . . Igsub Department. Note Issue £74,142,000 Gov. debt ... £11,016,000 Other securities 7.434,000 Gold ... 65,693,000 £74,142,000 £74,143,000 BAKKIKG Depaktbbst. Proprietors' Gov. soouri- - capital . £14,553,000 ties £35,351,000 Public de- Other sccuriposits ... 93,049,000 - ties 126,599,000 Other deposits . — 93,081,000 Notes 39,997,000 Best, 7-day < and other bills ... 5.E00.000 Coin.... •... 1,636.000 £■203.483,000 ■ £203,483,000 The leading items of the Bank of England return afford the following compari«on Thiswoek Last week Last year £ £ £ Bullion" 55.693.000- 68.028,000 39.232,000 Reserve ... 41.533,000 43.850.000 30.719.000 Note Circulation 34,165.000 34.065.000 38,586,000 Public Deposits M.049.000 70.Q50.0C0 28.740.000 Other Deposits 93,081.000 100.404,000 41,421,000 Proportion of . reserve to liabilities 22.43 20.08 43.76 GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The 'following are the latest quotations for Consols and Colonial QoTernment Securities with a comparison of those ruling last week

MONEY MARKET. The. Bank of England discount rate was on January 2, 1914, reduced from 5 to 4J per. cent., on January 22 it was reduced to 4 per cent., and on January 28 to J per cent. - On July 30 the rato' was raised to 4 per cent., on July 31 it was raised to 8 per cent., and on August 1 it was further advanced to 10 per cent. On August 6 the ( rtite w«e reducedto 6 per cent., on August 7: it ivas further reduced to 6 per cent., at whloh rate it now stands. The. Bank of France rate is 7 per cent., as against 4 per cent, last year, OPEN MARKET RATES. The open market discount rate for threi monthß' bills is 2J per cent., as compared with 2 3-8 per oent. last week, and 2 per cent last year. Short loans are quoted at 1 3-8 iper cental against *la petr cent, last week, and 3 per cent. last year. OOLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. Wheat.—The wheat market is inactive, with an easier tendency. Flour is firm. Barley is dull. Australian Chevalier, 375. 6d. to 38s. 6d. Oats—Quiet. Bahia Blanca, Mfljch-Atpril, 295. 3d. , . , Peas and Beans.—Market steady and slow. ■ Butter—The batter market is easier, owing to more plentiful supplies, though deliTery is stU slow. Ohoicest Australian, 1345. to i 365., and unsalted occasionally 1385.; New Zealand, 1365. to 138s„ and occasionally 140s Cheese—Market steady-■ New Zealand,,93s. to 945.; Australian, by the Huronui, 90s. t0.92e. Bacon.—Market firm. Australian Dumberlands, 64b. to 655, '. Sugar.—Prices are unchanged. Bradford Top§.—The Bradford top market is quieter. Orossbreds are very firm, and merinos steady at 31d., 3tjd., 29Jd„ 281 d„ 27d, and 26d. METAL MARKETS. Copper.—On the spot, £68 12s. 6d. to £68 17s. 6a.; three months, £69 ss. to £69 10s. -Tin.—On the spot, £162 10s. to £163; three months,'. £161 10s. to £162. Pig-iron, 635. per ton. Spelter, £44 to £45 per ton.

Buyers. Sellers. £ 8. d. '£ s. d. National Bank — 5 11 C N\Z. and Haver Hate ....2 0 0 .' — Well. Trust, Loan, Ltd.... 7 8 6 — Well. Gas (£10) 16 5 0 - N.Z. Insurance 6 1 .0 — South British 4 16 0 — Gear (£4) ; 14 7 6 - Moseiel Woollen. 3 15 0 — Well. Woollen (ord.) 4 9 0 — Well. Woollen (prof.) 3 5 0 - Taupiri — 015 { Westport „... 1 12 9 . ! — • Loyland-O'Brien ■ l l I — Golden Bay Cement — 10 3 Ward and Co E 15 0 6 0 0

; , Variation «. * - compared Price. - with • last week. . £ G. d. 1\% Imperial Consels 66 10 0 40s lower I ..N.B.'W.1933 Jan.-July 99 10 0 5& higher 55 „N.S.W.1930-50Mr.-Sp 07 5 0 2/6 higher 3 ,.N.B.\V. 1925 Apl.-Oct £0 15 0 Unchansrsd i „Vic. 1020Jan.-July ' G9.0 0 Unchanged 8i „Vic. 1921-6 Jan.-July 94 0 0 Unchanged 8 „VIe.l029-49Jan.-July 76 0 0 60s lowor 3j „S;A. 1916 Jan.-July f6 0 0 60s lower 8 „S.A. 1916 Jan.-July 70 0 0 60s lower i „QTdl9i5-24Jan.-July 96 0 0 70s lower Si ,.QTdl932-47Jan.-JuIy 92 10 6 32/6 lower 3 75 0 0 60s lower i „N.Z. 1929 May-Nev. 86 12 6 ISs lower 8} „K.Z. 1912-40 Jan.-Jttly 83 12 6 70s lower 8 „N.Z. 1920 April-Oct. 76 5 0 ,30s lower 3i „W;A.1915-35 May.-KoT . S7 12 6 37/6 lower 3 ,,W.A, 1915-35 Mfiy-Nov 62 0 0 ' 35s lowoi 8$ ,,Tas. 1920Jan.-July 85 ' 5 0 '75s lower B „Tai. 1920-10 Jan.-July 76 0 0 76b lower