COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 12, 9 October 1917, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT SHARES. Yesterday's quotations for investment shares were as follow:— ' Buyers. Sellers. ' ' £ s. d. £ s. d. National Bank 5 ,4 0 — Bank N.Z. (now) 17 S 0 17 iO 0 Well. Investment - 011 0 Well. Trust and Loan ... 5 12 6 — Auckland Gas (jpaid) ... — 17 9 Auokland Gas (con.) 10 0 10 6 National Insurance — 7 16 6 N.Z. Insurance — 7 16 6 8.8. Insurance (cum div.) b 17 6 — Union Steam (pref.) ... 1 1 3 — Kaiapoi Woollen (ord.) 6 13 6 ' — Well. Woollen (ord.) ...... - 615 0 Westport Coal — 19 3 Westport-Stockton 0 8 2 0 8 6 Waipa Colliery .; 0 8 2 0 8 6 Golden Bay Cement — 10 0 Colonial Sugar (Aust.) ... 22 17 6 - PRICE OP GAS. The Ohristehurch Gas Company has followed the example of the Wellington Gaß Company, by increasing the iprice of gas by sixpence per 1000 ft. The price in Wellington has been inercased by Is. 3d. per 1000 ft., and after October 24 it will be 6s. Bd. per 1000 ft. net; In Ohristchuroh the price is 6s. lOd.; and in Auckland ss. per 1000 ft. net. All three gas companies obtain their supplies of coal from the saroo sources, namely, Greymouth and Newcastle, the Auokland coals not being suit-, able for gas-making. In explaining the reasons for increasing the price of gas i" Ohristchuroh, Mr. R. O. Bishoip, manager, stated:—"The cost of-coal has increased, wages have increased, the company is paying a war bonus in addition to increased wages, and is also paying a war allowance to ox-employfces now serving their country at the front. The dividends to shareholders have ben reduced by a fifth, and instead of making a profit out of tho new scale, tho company is making a loss of lOd. per 1000 ft. in comparison with prewar earnings, o "" Customs duty collected at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £2673 6s. lOd.