COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2705, 26 February 1916, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

. Customs duty collected nt the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £4336 6s. 7d. '

SOUTHEEN MARKETS. By Tolegraph—Prcee Association. Chrlstcliurch, February 25. The local -wheat market has further weakened during tho past- few days. The fact that Australian millers are now being supplied with wheat at 4s. 9d. instead of 6s. ljd. accentuates the possibilities of an export trado. to New Zealand in Hour. There is also a prospect of the local price of bran and pollard being reduced. Millers have therefore reduced buying. They are not prepared to give more than 4s. 6d. at country stations. During the past few days wheat has been bought at 4s. 9d. and as low as 4s. Bd. The market rate for mixed lines is 4s. 9d. to 4;s. lid., with prime Pearl ss. There is a keen desire to make purchases, . but ales arc somewhat difficult to cffect. A number of lines of wheat threshed ex stook during tho damp weather a.rc being rejected on account of sweatier fn the bags. The oats market is weak—Gartons 3s. to 3s. Id. (offered), good Duns 3s. sd. to 3s. 6d. at country stations. There is a. poor demand for oatshcaf chaff, and prices are unchanged. The ryegrass offering this season is generally of poor quality, and ia worth only 4s. to ss. per bueliol. For cocksfoot tho ruling rates aro 9d. to lOd. for 121b. to 141b. seed. Little business is being done in potatoes, grower not yet offering their crops. Some stues liavo been made at'£s and £5 2s. 6d. (immediate delivery). Supplies cannot be obtained under £6 to £7. SYDNEY. .WOOL SALES. JTy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, February 25. The wool sale closed animated, at full late rates. Good classes of scoured brought 30d. Faulties were irregular. TICTOHIAN PRODUCE. Melbourne, February 25. Bran, £4 10s. Pollard, £5 10s. Oats, Algerian, 2s. 2id. to 26. 3Jd.; feed, 2s. to 2s. Id. Barley,- English, 4s. to 4s. 3d.; Oape, 3s. to 3s. 3d. Potatoes, £10 10s. Onions, £2 10s. to £4 14s. BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. (Eec. February 25, 9.30 p.m.) London, February 24. The Bank of England return issued for the week ended Wednesday, February 23, is as under:— Issue Depabtjieni. Note Issuo £72,665,000 Gov. debt ... £11,015,000 Othor securi- . ties 7.434,000 Gold 64.216,000 £72,665,000 £72,665.000 . Ba^xing'Department. . Proprietors' , Gov. securi- ' capital ; £14,653,000 ties £33,639,000 Public de- Other securiposits ...; 62,620,000 '■ ties 93,336,000 Other de- ! , posits ... 86,394,000 . Notes 40,157,000 Best, 7-day and othor • bill?. ... 3,538,000. 'Coin 773.000 ..£167,105,000 £167,105,000 ■ The loading items of the Bank of England return afford' tie following compandor. - ' Last week Lastyear Bullion ... . ... 54.216X00 64.165.000 62.330,0C0 Beservo • ' ... 40.930,000 40.073.000 48.099.000 Koto Circulation 32,508.000 32 *000 34,223,000 Public Deposits ;52,620.000 51.614.0C0 ,25.025.000 Othor Deposits 95,304.000 ■ 99,15,6000 133.t69.000 Proportion of ' reserve to liabilities .. ..; 27:4S ' 27.01 50.09 .: GOVERNMENT SECUEITIES. The following are the latest quotations for Colonial. Government securities in comparison with, those ruling last week

HONEY MARKET. The Bank of England discount Tate was oil January 2, 1914, reduced }rom 5 to 45 per cent., on January 22 it was reduced to 4 pnr cMit., and on January 28 3 per tent On. July 30 the rate was raised to 4 per cent., and on . July 31 it was to 8 pel* cent., and on' August I it was further advanced lo 10 per cent. On August 6 the rato was reduccd to 6 jier ccnt., on August 7 it was further reduced to 5 per cent., at which rato it now stands. The Ij.ank of •i'rance rato is 6 per cent., as against 4 per cent.'prior to the war.

I OPEN MARKET RATE. ( Ths open market, discount rat© for thr«o months' bills is 5& per cent., as compared with 5J per cent, last week and 1 7-16 per cent, last year.

Short loa-ns <ire quoted at per cent., as against 4* per cent, hist week, and 1 per cent. la6t year.

COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. Wheats—Visible supplies cast of the Rockies aTo estimated at 158,728,000 quarters. Chicago Way options, are (/noted at 1201 cents to 123J cents; July options, 1171 cents to 119J cents Butter—Very firm. Danish is Quoted at 170s. to 1745. per cwt. New Zealand, choicest altcd, 158s. to 1605.; exceptional quality, 1625.: uusaltod, 1625. to 1646. Australian, a few consignments left; salted, 1506. to 1525.; unsalted, 158s. to 160s. Cheese.—Hardening. New Zealand white, 955. to 965.: coloured, 965. to 975. Flour.—Firm; market inactive. Sugar.—American granulated, 555. Oats.—Steady; La Plata, February-Jlarch , shipments, o2s. 6d. Peas and Beans.—Firm market, with ! prices -unchanged. METAL HAKKETB. i Copper.—Spot, £105 ss. per ton; three months, £JO2. Tin.—Spot, £181 15e.; three months, £182 Pig-iron, 87s. .J6d. Lead.—Spot, £i 2 55.; three months, £52 10s. MINING. NEWS STOCK EXCHANGE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. | Chrlstchuroh, February 25. . Bales reported:—Christcliurcli Gas, £7 55.; Wliitcombe and Tombs, £6 2s. 6d. WAIHI REXTJEN. Auckland, February 25. The Waihi return is £33,607 irom 20,537 tons, for 32 days.

Variation , compared Stook Price. "with ; lasb week. £ s. d. 2j% Imperial Consols 58 5 0 1/3 lower 3£ ,1 War Loan 88 2 6 1/3 higher 45 „ War Loan 97.- 5 0 7/6 higher 4 'N.S."W.1933Jan.-Ju1y Si 7 6 Unchanged I &S „N.S.W.lP30-50Mr.-Sp 05 7 6 "Unchanged ! 3§ „N-SAV. Early Curr 71 15 U 'Unchanged 3 N.S.W.1925Apl.-Oct 71 10 0 56 higher . 4 „Vic. 1020 Jan.-July £4 2 6 Q/6 lower 3j „Vic. 1021-6 Jan.-July So 10 0 iQg higher ' 3 - Vic.l9u9-40Jan.-July 6-15 0 5s hifcjhor , 3i „S f A. 1916 Jan.-July 74-0 0 Unchanged 3 , S.A. 1916 Jan,-July 5815 0 5s higher 4 „QTdl915-24 Jan.-July 90 0 0 5s lower 34 ,,Q'I'd 192-2-47Jan.- JuIy 86 'J 6 22/6 lower 3 „QTdl92'2-47Jan.-July 63 0 0 Ssliigher 4 "N.Z. 19-29 M ay-No v. 87 15 I 0 7/6 highor 34 "tt.Z. J912-40 Jan-Jly 73 7 6 12/01ower 3 M N.Z. 19-20 April-Oct. 64 15 O 6/6 higher 3$ '-W.A. 1915-35 M'y-N'v 76 17 6 Unchanged 3 "W A. 1915-35 M'y-Nov 70 15 0 1-2/6 higher 3$ "Tas 1920 Jon-July 73 15 0 32/6 higher 8 "Tas 19*20-40 Jan-July 65 0 0 Unchanged