COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

COMPANIES REGISTERED. The "Mcrcan-tilo Gazette," issued yesterday, records tho registration of tho following companies:— New Zealand Policy-holders Protection Agency, Ltd. Registered' as a iprivato company, December 24. Office: Customhouse Quay, Wellington. Capital; £1000, in IOCO shares of £1 each. Subscribers: Wellington—V- M. Braund, 100; B. H. Braund, {CO; V. M. and B. H. Braund, 500. , Objects: To acquire and carry on tho business of am in-nrance adjuster, agent, and insurance consulting expert lately carried on bv V. M. BraTind and others. D. W. Virtue and Co., Ltd. Registered as a private company December 31.' Office: Victoria Street, Wellington. . Capital:. £11,500 into 11,500 shares.of £1 each. Subscribers: Bi M. Virtue, 6464; 33. H. Virtue, M. K. Virtue, J.' -Virtue, and M.- Virtue, all of Wellington, 1259 shares each. . Objects: To acquire, and take over the business • of' flour, produce, and general merchants, etc., lately carried on at Wellington and elsewhere as D. W. Virtue and Co. R-aynor and Co., Ltd. Registered January 6. 'Office: 153 Featherston Street, Wellington. Capital: £1000, into 1000 shares of £1 each. Subscribers: Wellington—E. W. Ray nor, .997 shares; and J. J. Bourke, M. F. Bourke, and W. E. A. Gill, all 1 share each. Objects: To establish, and carry on the business of buyers, brokers, dealers, exporters, and shippers of wool, skins, hides, and general. . WOOL, SKIN, AND HIDE SALES. The various brokers held their fortnightly wool, skin, and hide sales yeßterday. Owing to the January wool sale taking placo.on January 25,.it has been decided to cancel tho ■ skin and Itide sale set down for-Janiiary--21.' The.next'salo will therefore be on Friday, February 4. Messrs.' Dajgety and Company, Limited, report having offered a good catalogue of bag.wool, skins, hides, and tjJlow yesteriday. As compared .with last sale prices for wool wero well maintained, whilst both [skins. and hides • showed an increase of ;Jd. to !d. per-lb. Quotations for tallow remain firm at. late rates. Competition for all lines -was good. Mossrs. Levin and. Co. report that only a-few fadges of wool were offered, wool being held for tho' sale on January 25. The sheepskins market was very firm,- at an advance of a further farthing. -Hides were. strong, and selling at record prices. Heavy, ox brought Is. per lb., a riso of 3d., and generally. vrices wcrt, higher by 3d. all round. Tallow was firm.Messrs. Murray, Roberts and Co. report:— We offered a catalogue of. 450 sheepskins, 350 hides and calfskins, besides a, quantity of tallow and wool in bags. Prices for tallow showed: an increase over last sale. Wool was. firm at Tecent rates. Sheepskins showed a, tendency to harden, and nrices for -hides'adyanced about id. per lb., heavyweight ox being in special demand. Messrs. W. and G. Turnbull and Co., Ltd., report that competition for skins was exceedingly keen, and prices for good combing skins showed an advance of 3d. per lb. Tallow and hides wore in .very good demand, and were if anything in sellers' : favour. . : The United Farmers' Co-op. Association and the . Wairarapa Farmers' Co-op. Association also held a satisfactory saie. Tho range of prices was as.under-— Sheepskins—Halfbred, lljd. to 12} d.; fine crossbred, llid. to 123 d.; medium-coarse crossbred, 10d. to 12Jd.; short to half-wools,' 6d. to 9d.; dead and damaged crossbred,. 7d. to IOJd.;. inferior and badly damaged,

Id, to ?Jd.; lambs, 6d. to 10id.; damp, salted, and green, 51d. to IZUd.; ,pelts, lid. to 6d.; lambi, salted, Is, (d. to 3s. lid. dium, 105 d. to 113 d,.; ox, lig-lit, 9d. Jo IOJd.; dium. 10fd. to ll";d.; ox, light, 9d. Jo IOJd.; cow. heavy, 9d. to 10d.; cow, medium, 9d. to 92f1.: cow. light, Bid. to 93d.; cut, slippy, and inferior, 3Jd. to IJd.; bull stag, 6Jd. to 73d.; yearlings, 6d. to Bjd..; calf, superior, 9d. to lid.; calf, medium, Bd. to 10id.; calf, damaged, 3d. to 82d. Tallow,—ln casks, 275. 6d, to 295. 9d.; tins, 225. 6d. to 255. 3d. Sundries.—Oow tails, Is. to Is. Id. Messrs. Abraham and Williams. Ltd., report:—Wo liad a fair catalogue of (ill classes of produce. There: was the usual keen demand, and prices for everything wero very firm. Heavy hides and gootl combing skins were in strong demand at an advance on last sale. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., report;— Good competition was experienced for everything. Combing skins advanced in some cases jd. to Ad. per lb. Inferior skins and hides sold, at about level of recent sales. Customs duty collected at the port or Wellington yesterday amounted to £3948 12s. 6d. SOUTHERN MARKETS. By Telegraph—Frees Association. Christchurch, January 7. Who looal wheat market is now quiet. Inquiries havo eased off, southern millers apparently having secured supplies. No wheat is offering by growers those who still have stocks ill hand holding firmly, in consequence of the recent rise in price. Merohajit-s are not offering. more than ss. 6d. at country stations. In view of the harvest now commencing the fact that the price at which Australian flour oould bo landed in New Zealand is not now a warrant for extreme prices being paid. Theru was still a few old oats being disposed of by merchants. The Yictorian oats market is weak. Bayers cannot be found for milling Algerians at 2s. Id., nor for fair feed at 2s. The price of oats in. Victoria i's only one-half what it was this time last year. There ore no sales of the new. season's barley yet reported. Some sales of last year's grain have been mado at ,ss. to ss. 3d. u|p to -ss. 6d. for heavier sample. Some samples of new barley .have been shown, but are very thin.

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. By lalegraph—Press ''• viyrichl (Hec. January 7, 9.20 p.m.) , 'SydneYi January 7. Oats, Chilian, 2s. to 35.; local, 2s. 6d. to 2s. 7d.; Tasmanian, white, 3s. 6d.; barley, malting, 3s. to 45.; maize, South African, 5s lOd. to 6s. 3d.; potatoes, Tasmanian, old, £13; now, £17; onions, old, £2; new, £4 to £4 ss. Melbourne, January 7. Bran, £4 to £5; pollard, £3; oats, 2s. to 2s 2d.; barley, 3s. 9d. to 45.; maize, ss. lOd. to 65.; potatoes, ,£l3; onions, £3 to £3 ss. * Adelaide, January 7. Wheat. ss. 3Jd.; flour, £12 to £13 10s.; bran. IOJd.; pollard, Is. 3d. to Is. 4d.; oats, 13. lid. : FROZEN RABBITS. London, January 6. On the High Commissioncr'-s represents tiom the War Office, has allowed frozen rabbits to be used as Army rations. TURPENTINE. London, January. 6.' Turpentine, 57b. TALLOW. Tallow—lo76 casks offered,, 1034 6old. Prices* Mutton, fine, 545.; medium, 48s. 6d. Beef, fine,. 61s. 3d.; medium, 48s. ; ' ARGENTINE MEAT. Argentine shipments are Mutton, 93,000 carcasses; lamb, 66,675 carcasscs; frozen beef,. 288,000 carcasses; chilled, 62,000 carcasses. . - BANK 1 , OF ENGLAND RETURN. (Rec. January 7, 8.50 p.m.) London, January 6. The Bank of England return issued for the week ended Wednesday, January 3, is as under:— ISSUE Department. Note Issue £68,470,000 Gov. debt.... £11,015,000 Other securities 7.434,000 Gold .;. ... 50,0-21,000 £68,470,000 - £63,470,000 Banking Depabtment. , Proprietors" . Gov. securicapital £14,553,000 ' ties £32,840,000 Public do- Other securiposits ... 58,157.000 ties... ... 114,748,000 Otborde- , posits ... 105,836,000 Notes 33,276,000 Rest, 7-day and other bills ;... 5,400,C00 Coin 1.052.000 '/£181,946,000 ■ £181,946,000 The-leading items of the Bank of Eng. land return afford the following comparison;—. ■ . • '• ■ • This week Last week Lastyear Bullion ... ... '50,021.000 61.338.000 68.266,000 Reserve ... 34.358,000 34.617.000 51.422,000 Note Circulation 35.194.000 35,309,000 35,877,000 Public Deposits 58,157.000 49,677,0C0 23,609,000 Other Doposits 105,836.000 111,073.000 133,349,0C0 Proportion of reserve to liabilities 20.95 ■ 21.41 32.72 • GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Tha following are the latest quotations for Colonial Government securities in comparison, with those ruling last week;— ! Variation Stock „ . compared Price. with •' last week. £ s. d. 2J% Imperial Consols 57 17 6 ios lower ii WfLtUoiLQ 80 12 6 Uncbauced »• "War Loan 97 2 6 2/6 lower 4 ~N.btW.1933Jao«*July 95 0 0 Unchanced ii „N.S.\Y .1920-uQMr.-Sp 95 35 0 2/ti hitfhor 3* „N.BAV. Early Curr 83 50 ' 2/6 lower 3 ~N.S. W. 1925 Apl.-Oct 78 0 0 Unchanged i „ Vic. 1920 Jan.-July S3 15 0 fi ß higher „Vic. 1921-6 Jan.-July 91 5 0 Unchanged 3 „Vic. 1329»4Wan..Ju1y 7l> 0 0 Unchanged 34 „S,A. 1916 Jan.-July 65 o 0 Unchanyod 3 „S.A. li)l6Jau.-July 70 30 0 * 7/G higher' 4 „QTdl9l3-24Jan.rJuIy 95 0 0 2/6 lowec „QTdl922-4?Jan,-July 91 5 0 O'nchaiiged 3 ..Q'J'diOii-i'iTJan.-July 74 10 0 Unchanged 4 "M.Z. 19-29 Slay-Hov. 95 1 3 1/3 higher 3i h.z- 3912-40 Jan.Jiy 83 6 0 Unchanged 3 "H-Z. 1920April-Oc6 76 0 0 Unchanged! 3i '-W.A. 1915-35M'y-N'v 67 10 0 . Unchanged I 3 "W A, 1915-35 il'y-Nov 82 0 0 Unchanged 3& "Tas 1920 Jan-July 85 5 0 2/6 higher | 3 "Tas IiKO-aO Jan-July 76 13 Unchanged ; MONEY ItAEKET. ■ . . ' •Tho Bank of England dlecounfc rato v>*o.a oil January 2. 1914, reduced from 5 to 4J yer cent., on January 22 it was reduced to 4 per cent., end on January 28 3 per 'cent. On July 30 the rate woe' raised to 4 per cent., and on July 31 it was raised to 8 per cent., and on August 1 it .was further advanced to 10 per cent. On Aujcuet 6 the rate was reduced to 6 per cent., on August 7 it was further roduccd to 6 per cent., 'at' which rate it now stands. The Bank of France rate ie 5 per cent., as aeainst 4 per cent, prior to the war. OPEN, MARKET: BATE. . The open , market discount rate for three months' bills is SJ per cent., as compared with 51 per cent, lost week, and 2 5-1$ per cent, last year. Short loans are <juoted at 45 par cent., ns against 43--per ccnt. last week, and ij per cent, last year. - \

• COLONIAL AND OTHER; PRODUCE. - Wheat is occasionally dearer. Flour is .firm, but auiet. ■ Oat* fl.ro in strong demand. New crop La Plata. January-February shipment, 335. 9(1. Pea 3 are firm. New Zealand maples, 60s. to 655. , Beans oxo Ann. New Zealand, 506. to 525. 6d. Butter is firmer. The racent price reduction has stimulated inquiry. New Zealand choicest, '148 a. to 1505.; unsaltcd, 1535. to 160s. Tin suited is very scarce, as France Ims prohibited export with a view to preventing undue inflation of prices. Thu prohibition will probably be only temporary, as piiccs in France have already fallen Cheese.—There is a strong market. New Zealand, 945. to 955. Sugar—American granulated is quoted, at 325. 6d. ■ • Bradford Tops.—Tho market is firm, and all sorts ore unchanged. METAL MARKETS. Copper, on spot, £91 ,per ton; threo nicnths. £90; electrolytic, £113 to £115. Tin, on spot, £175 55.. to £175 15s. .per ton. Pig-iron 78s. Id. per ton.Lead, soft.foreign, ou spot, £32 per ton; forward delivery, £31,105.