COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2439, 19 April 1915, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT SHAEES. The .sales, reported, on the Wellington Stuck .Exchange on Saturday were: National Ba.nk at £5 10s.; Bank New Zealand (old) at £11 Is.,' and Canterbury Frozen Meat at £8 12s. 6d. The quotations were as under :— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ e. d. Bank N.Z.-.£6 13a. 4d.) ... 17 0 0 - Equitable Building 9 ! 0 — Ohristchuroh Gas (£5) ... 7 12 6 — Gisborne Gas 114 6 — Wellington' Gas (£10) 16 7 6 - South British 6 2 0 6 4 2 Gear Meat (£4) 14 7 6 - Gear Meat (£1) .'. 3 16 0 - Meat Export (£2 12s. 6d.) — 215 0 Union Steam (ord.) ...... 14 0 — Union Steam (pref.) 10 8 116 Kaiapoi' Woollen (ord.) ... 5 0 0 — Ka.ia.poi Woollen (pref.) 5 0 0 — Mosgiel. Woollen 3 16 0 — Wgtn. Woollen (pref.) ... 3 5 0 — Wellington Woollen (ord.) 4 10 0 4 12 6 Westport Coal 1 12 9 — Westport-Stockton — 0: 6 0 Leyland-O'Brien. 12 6 — N.Z.'Drug ..... 2 5 6 ; - Golden Bay Cement 10 0 — Sharland (ord.) 13 6 — Sharland (pref.) 13 6 — Ward, and Co. — 5 16 0 ' AUSTRALIAN MUTUAL PEOYIDENT SOCIETY. ANNUAL BEPOET. The 66th anneal report of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, which iB now to hand, chows that, in spite of the adverse conditions prevailing during the latter half of lost year, the society issued 23,228 policies, assuring £6,599,869 (of which £36,500 was re-assured) in the Ordinary Department, and 25,580 policies, assuring £968,892 in the Industrial Department. In the Ordinary Department the claims by death amounted to over a million pounds, and the matured policies to more than, three-quarters ot a million pounds, whilo in the Industrial Department the claims by death reachod nearly to thousand pounds. The business in' force has increased to 300,218 policies, assuring £84,006,216 (after deducting re-assurance) in the Ordinary and 121,055 policies, assuring £4,212,941 in the Industrial Department. The total funds now amount to >£33,290,974, and the total revenue for the year to £4,465,137. The rate of 'interest -realised on the mean, funds Jiae risen, 'to £4 12s. 9d. per cent., while the expenses of management have' been reduced to 13.47 per cent, of the premium receipts (excluding annuities) in the Ordinary Department, and 34.81 per cent, in the Industrial.

After still further strengthening tho Taination, and making'reserves of over £100,000 there is a sum of £1,026,138 to be divided among the participating policy-holders of the Ordinory Department. This is tho fir6t time that the society has distributed over £1,000,000 in his way in one year. The revisionary bonuses will amount to about £1,800,000. The retiring directors arc the Hon. J. T. Walker and the Hon. P. E. Winchcombe, M.L.C., and the' retiring' auditor is Mr, W. H. Perry, F.O.P.A. As these gontlemcn arc eligible for re-election, and are the only candidates, the society will still have the benefit of their services. N.Z. INVESTMENT COMPANY. The Teport of the directors of the New Zealand Investment, Mortgage, and Deposit Co.. to bo presented at the ninth ordinary general mectinj of sharehodcrs, shows that the net profit for tho year ended March 31, is £1733 17s. lid.,-to which must be added' tho 6um of £14 4s. Id. brought forward from last year, making a total of £1748 2a. An interim dividend of 2.1 per cent., amounting to £563 95., was declared and paid for the half-year ended September 30, 1914, leaving £1184 13s. to be dealt with. The directors recommend the payment of a further diTidcnd of 3i per cent, (making 6 per cent, for the year), which will absorb £789 lis.; that £250 be carried to the re servo fund; and that the balance of £145 26. bo carried forward. Messrs. W. G. Foster and J. Kirkcaldie (directors) retire thle itm tlu> toaji. aad. Mas eVs%>.

offer them solves for re-election The auditors, Messrs. Henry Kembcr and Son, offer themselves for rc-clection. WOOL, SKIN, AND HIDE BALES. The fortnightly tales of wool, skins, end hides were held on Friday. Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited, report:—We offered a large catalogue of all lines. Competition was keen throughout, prices for wool being on a par with those ruling' at last Gales. Heavy ox hides woro also very firm at late rates, but light hides and cow hides were slightly easier, as also wero sheepskins and talloiv. Messrs. Levin and Company. Limited, report that the sheepskin, market showed a fall from the high level recently ruling, due possibly to the difficulty in getting permits to ship to the United States, and the easier one of the London market. Prices were down three farthings to a penny. Considering the difficulty in shipping hides to the United States, a fell was anticipated, and was realised upon cows and. light ox to the extent of, a penny per pound. Heavies were unchanged. Messrs. Murray, Roberts and Co., Ltd., offered a catalogue of 15 bales wool, 3506 sheepskins, and 900 hides and calfskins. Prices for wool were fairly en a par with our late sale. .Sheepskins showed a decline of id. for short and half wools, and up to 3d. for full wools. The latter, however, are now coming in in rather rough 'condition, and stale pelted. Hides sold fairly on a par with last sale, cow hides being rather easier, superior ox maintaining last sale's rates. Tallow was easier to the extent of Is. to 2s. per cwt.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report offering about 30 bales of wool, 20 bags of wool, and a. fairly largce quantity of skins and hides. Excellent prices were obtained for wool and skins, but hides were again lower in price. Tallow also declined in value. Stragglers' fleece wool sold at from i2jjd. to 14Jd., and lambs, lOd. to 133 d. Jlesßre. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report offering some 30 bales of wool and numerous bags, 4000 skins, and 400 hidos, tallow, etc. There was good competition for all lots offered. Wool ruled at late rates. Skins were easier by one farthing to a halfpenny per lb. Hides sold at last tales' prices, which. were con&iderably lower than the high prices ruling for the last few months. Successful soles weTe aleo held by the United Farmers and the Wairarapa Farmers' Co-operative Assocationß. The range of prices was as under:— Wool.—Crossbred, medium coarse, 12d. to 153 d.; pieces and bellies, 9Jd. to 10.H1.; looks and stained.pieces, 7d; to Bd.; crutohings, superior, lUd.;.crutchings, medium to good, ! 9Jd. to lid.; lambs, seedy and inferior, 12ld. to 13d.; dead, 9M. to 10} d. Sheepskins.—Half bred. 103 d.; medium to coarse crossbred, 9d. to 10d.; short and half wools, 61d. to 83d.; dead and damaged crossbred, 61d. to 9d.; inferior and badly damaged, sd. to 5?d.; lambs, lOd. to 103 d.; damp, salted and green, 3s. 3d. to 6s. 3d.; pelts, sd. to sjd.; lambs, salted. 3s. to 4s. ■Hides—Ox, heavy, 601b. up, 10 3-Bd.; ox, medium, SOlb. to 581b., 10 3-Bd.; ox, light, 491b. and undcT, 9Jd.; cow. medium, 421b. to 641b., 8»d.; cow, light, under 421b., 7 3-Bd. to 6d.; cut, slippy, and inferior, 6 3-Bd. to 7Jd.; bull, stag, 6}d. to 6 S-Bd.; calf, medium to good, up to 161b., 9 3-Bd. to 9Jd.; calf, damaged, up to 161b., 4id. to Bjd. Tallow.—ln casks, 28s. 3d.; in tins, etc., 18s. to 245. 6d. Sundries—Horsehair, Is. 7d.; cow tails, Is. Bd. ' Customs duty collected at tho port of Wellington on Saturday amounted to £538 15s. lid. FROZEN MEAT. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Rec. April 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 17. Th» Incorporated Society of Meat Importers' Smithfleld market quotations for the -undermentioned classes of frozen meat are based on actual sales of not less than one hundred carcasses of mutton or lamb, or twenty-five quarters of heef, of fair average quality. The quotations are not for selected lines, but for parcels fairly representative of the bulk of tho shipments now on the mraket. The prices which follow are on tile average a. farthing, per lb. more than the values ex , ship, this difference representing the average cost in expense, handling, conveyance, and selling of the meat;— Mutton— d. North Island, beßt 6 North Island, ordinary 62 New Zealand, ewes 69-16 Australian' ewes 5^ South American, light 53 South American, heavy 5j LambNorth Island, selected 85 North Island, ordinary 8 Australian, best 7 3-8 Australian, fair ,7} Australian, inferior fij South American, first quality 71 South American, 6econd quality... 7} Beef— ' • - .. .. .. ,j New Zealand, ox fores 63-8 New Zealand, ox hinds 61 • Australian, ox fores 6J Australian, ox hind 6 6 3-8 Argentine, chilled fores 63-8 Argentine, chilled hinds 73-8 Uruguay, chilled fores * Uurguay, chilled hinds * •None offering. RABBITS. \ Rabits are firm and -unchanged. DANISH BUTTER. London, April 16. Danish butter Is quoted at 1425. per cwt. LONDON MARKETS. (Rec. April 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 17. Wheat—Tho marketb is firm, but buyers are hesitant. Chicago May options are quoted- at 161 c. to 1631 c.; July options, 1315 c. to 135 5-80. Cotton.—May-June shipments of American cotton are quoted at 5.65 id. per lb. Jute.—Native first marks, April-May shipment, £21 10s. per ton. New. Zealand Hemp—The market is inactive. March-May shipment, £33 ss. per ton. Copra—April-May shipment, £25 7s. 6d.. per ton. Rubber.—Hard fine Para. 2s. 6Jd. per lb.; plantation, 2s. 4 l-Bd.; smoked sheets, 2s. 6d, ■BRITISH AUSTRALIAN TRUST. (Rec. April 18, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 17. The British-Australian Trust Company shows a profit of £21,630. The year's dividend is 5 per cent., and £15,638 is carried forward. The directors propose the voluntary liquidation of the company. , METAL MARKETS. London, April 16. Oopper-On spot, £73 7s. 6d. to £74 12b. 6d.; threß months, £75 10s. to £75 7s. 6d.; electrolytic, £79 10s. to £80 10s. Tin—On the spot, £165 ss. to £165 155.; three months, £164 15s. to £165 ss. Lead, £20 10s. to £20 56. Ear silver is quoted at 23Jd. per ounce standard. MINING NEWS WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET. There were no transactions in mining shares on Saturday. The quotations were as follow:— Bayers. Sellers. £ 8. d. £ s. d. Murray's Freehold 14 0 — New Big River 4 8 0 4 10 0 Talisman : 14 9 — Wedhi — 2 5 0 Grand Junction 15 9 — STOCK EXCHANGE. ' (By. Telegraph.—Presß Association.) Dunedln, April 17. ' Sales on 'Change—Waihis, 455.; Westport Coal, 335. 3d.; Mount Lycll, 265. 3d.; Now Zealand Insurance, £6 2s. DREDGING RETURNS. ' Dunedln, April 18. The following; dredging returns are to hand:—Rise and Shine I, £64 155.; Rise and Shine 11, £20 76.; Olrie, £4 17b. HIGGINSON AND MACSHANE, 143 Peathereton Street, Wellington. SHABEBROKEES and ACCOUNTANTS. MONEY TO LEND on First-class iVee- , hold Security.