COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2596, 19 October 1915, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT SHARES. No business was done in the investment market yesterday. The quotations were <ia follow

■ D.1.0. ANSUAIi ItEPORT. The thirty-.'irst annual report of the Drapery au<l General Importing Company of New Zealand, Ltd., to be submitted at the annual meeting of shareholder, to be neiu at Dunedin, is as follow?:—The directors beg to submit to shareholders fc" e *tortyfirst yearly report and balance-sheet of the company for- the period from August ZJ, 1914, to August 20,1915. Twenty-three of tho company's employees have enheted in tha Expeditionary Forces. The directors record? 'with, deep regret that three of this number hare been killed, .net P r ®M s for the past year are £22,295 9s. lCd., which, with £13,060 Is. 2d. brought forward from last year, show a total to the credit •of profit and loe»s account of £35,355 lis. lu. On May 1 an interim dividend was paid on preference shares at the rate of 6 per cent, per aihium for the half-yoar ended February 20, which absorbed £3750, ana leaves £31,005 Us. Id. now available for division. This sum the directors propose to deal with as follows :To payment of a dividend at . tho rate of 6 per cent, per annum on preference shares for the half-year ended August 20, 1915, £3750; to payment of a dividend at the rate of .7 -per cent, per annum on ordinary shares, £8172 19s. 3d.; to allocation for contribution to. par •triotic funds, £1000; to addition to reserve fundi (which will then stand at £52,000), £1950; to. balance to be arrie-d forward, lest) a. bonus of 2i per cent, to holders of ordinary shares on the amount of their purchase-, £16,692 lis. lOd.

Customs duty collected at tho port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £3448 18s. Bd.

WEST COAST COA'L EXPORTS. (By Telesranh.—Prase Associations Greymouth, October 18. The week'e coal exports were-.—Black-ball, 4228 tons fkjwt.; PaparoA, 1451 tons 17cv.'t.;~ Point Elizabeth, 5921 tons 2cwt.; Liverpool,' 2395 ton 6 lewt.; Brunnor, 157 tons 2cwt:; North Brunner. 719 tons 19cwt. Total, 11,873 tons 19owt. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLED MAEKET BEPORT The Departmont of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce has received the following cablegram from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, dated London, October 16. (Noto: Quotations, unless otherwise specified, are average market prices on spot):— JTrat.—Thero is a poorer demand for mutton and lamb owing to a. large supply of Scotch, which ie selling at a low price, sometimes less than frozen Canterbury.

Mutton.—Canterbury, 7 3-Bd. per lb. for light-weight; heavy-weights, 7<1.; other than Canterbury cannot be nuotcd.

Lamb—Canterbury two's, BJd. per lb.; heavy-weight fours.-7id'.; other than Canterbury, best quality, is not Quoted; ordinary quality, 73d. for light-weight. Beef.—Prime New Zealand beef is not available. Second-class .quality, hindi?, 6d. per lb.; fores, sd.;'chilled beef, a moderate supply; hinds, 73d.; fores, 5Jd-. Butter—The market is very -unsettled, l'rices are irregular. There is practically 110 demand for Danish on account of hisrh prices. Official quotations are suspended this. week owing to Germany buying heavily. They are reported to be paying at the rate of about 2305. Nominal pries here is 184s. to 1905.; Siberian, a good demand for finest. Low [trade, slow, 1365. to l<2s.: Irish croamcry, the market, is dull and at the decline; per cwt., 168e. to 1765.; United States, a pood demand; London and Liverpool, cost, insurance, freight, 148s. to 1545.; spot market, 150s. to 1655., according to quality. Cheese.—The market is firm, with an upward tendency. Canadian, steady demand, market stronger, -white and . coloured 775. to 605.; English Cheddar, firm, a good demand, 945. to 965.; Cheshire, 963. to ICOs. New Zealand: The spot market is practically cleared; whit® and coloured, 765. to 785.; United States, 725. to 765.; line, 68s. to 70s. llemp.—The market is very quiet. There has been nothing doing during the week, but to-day business is apparently improving, and the mrl;et is firmer. New Zealand, good fair, per ton, £33 10s.; New Zealand, fair, £31 10s.; Jlaniia, new graded, fair, £38 ICa. Forward shimnent:—New Zealand, good fair, per ton, £33; New Zealand, fair. £31. Manila, new graded, fair, £38 105. / The output from Manila for the week was 15,000 bales. Wheat.—Tho market remains firm. October to November shipment. Canadian, per quarter, 525.; American. 525. 6d. Oats.—The market remains firm. Argentine, October to November shipment, .per quarter, 28s.

Buyers. Bailers. £ s. d. £ a. (L National Bank 4 19 6 5 1 0 Bank N.7/. (£6 13s. 4d.) .. IdUii & Mercantile (ord.) 78 0 0 62 0 0 Well. Trust Loan, Ltd. ... - 7 8 6 Chri-stcliurdi Gas (£5) ... — 12 2 Napier Gas (£5) - 9 0 0 Well. Gas (£10) - \ J Ohristchurch Meat ■ ~ 5 X S Well. Meat Export (£5)-... - • 6 0 0 Well. Meat Ex. (£& 12s. 6d.) ~ 2 17 0 N.Z. Shipping (pref.) 10 10 0 TTnion Steam (ord.) 1 3 & [Jnion Steam (pref.)' i J j? ■Well. Woollen (pref.) ... 3 6 0 . .Westport Coal - 190 Leyland-O'Brien . \ 7, \ Manning and Co 4 17 6 — N.Z. Drug . L a u Golden. Bay Cement 0 19 jj Ward-and Co 5 5 0 W.F.O.A. (£1), ex div. ... 1 1 0 -