COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 296, 3 September 1918, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT SHARES. Yesterday's quotations for investment Bharts were as follow:—

Customs, duties collected at the' port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £8711 19s. srt. AN 'ASIATIC CORPORATION. An Asiatic . corporation is. reported to hiu'u bt-eu established by some of tho leadin? financial interests In the United States. The capital is to be £4,000,000, tie head oflice is to be at Now York, and branches at San Frauciseo and Shanghai. Additional establishments arc to be opened at Hankow, Tientsin, and Mukden, the object being to provide facilities between tho United States and China. The former country is determined to take a prominent part in international banking after tho war, and it recognises that the mere opening of institutions in foreign parts does not constitute the full equipment to ensure sticeoss. One essential in a knowledge of modern languages and a more than superficial ■■ acquaintance with international law. Members of the staff, too, should be well versed in commercial geoRraphy If collections are to be made without undue delay. There is no lack of capital in the United States for the'expansion of their banking activities in foreign countries, but have they the men of ;experience to send'abroad?

iv; •' QUEENSLAND SUGAR ' CROPS. ;;' The "Australian Sugar Journal," in its report of the Queensland sugar, crops, states-that;'"although there'.has as yet been no revision, of the former estimates -aa to the probable yield of sugar from the ,:crops this year, .it te undoubted that the output will be"far. below what was anticipated a few month's-ago.'. More than one adverse condition , has contributed to this unfortunate result, .namely, the terrific cyclones •' which. 1 visited-' Macka-y and the Johnstone Kiver and , Cairns district last summer, tho heavy and continuous rains !which followed them, then tho dry spell on .the lower Burdekln, and later still the "exceptionally heavy frosts, which' have' had a serious effect on the cane both in the Bundaberg and Jfackoy districts. It is a regrettable feature that cane which was .not actually destroyed by the cyclones, as so much of it was, did riot make-the recovery anticipated. During the past few weokn them has been a helpful fall of rain, especially in the northern districts, and farmers have taken advantage of tho opportunity to carry on planting, which hitherto had been greatly delayed. Reports ehow that in. -rery few places have the weather conditions been anything; like ideal for tho sugar cane grower. -. , ■ ■■ • ■

Buyers. SellerB. £ s. d. £ s. d. National Bank 6 3 0 — Kuuk N.Z. (oldJ 12 17 0 - Hauk N.Z. (new) 18 0 0 — Eciuitable Bulletins 8 15 0 . — iVattoDoliton Buildinft ... 11 0 0 — National Mortgage 4 4 0 — a:i. IUver Plate 118 0 2 0 0 Auckland Gas ..'. — 17 9 \Vell. w Gae (£10) 1110 0 1112 6 National Insurance 3 10 — H.B. Insurance 6 6 0 — N.Z. Heftigeratliig ;.. 2 3 9 — Gear Ileal (£4) ...:. 20 5 0 - Gear Jl'cat (£1) 5 0 0- - Ileal Export (52s. 6d.) .... — 2 10 0 Huddart-l'arker (ord.) ... 2 1 6 2 2 0 HuddarH'arker (pref.)... 1 0 9 113 S.Z. ShipptnB 10 10 0 . — P. and O. Bet. Stookr. - 376 0 0 Wei!. Woollen (ord.) , - 7 14 0 Well. Woollen (pref.) 4 10 0 Weapon Ooai 110 0 - Wpii'Colliery ' - 016 6 Kaur= Timber (33a.) 19 3 111 0 Leyland-O'Brien 17 3 - 0. .M.. , Bante. Md f l^0 Croii!' Brewery .+• . 110 3 Golueii Kay Cement ~ 10 6 K.E i'aper Hills -■ ■ 12 8 Wdl. Cordage - 12 0