COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 259, 29 July 1919, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

'nrmmnmT SIMES. A sale of Bami -eff Sew Zeafend n'aarcs (£3 fa. Bd. paid), at £14 8b„ was reported yesfcerasy. qnissSaiSfcii? were as under::—

PERIOD OP INTENSE ACTIVITY. In a recent address to tho Institute of Hauliers iu London, a speaker gave it as his reasoned conviction that as a result of tho war tho economic development of tho world had been impelled forward by at least two generations, and that we were on tho eve of a period of such intense activity in trade as tho world has over known. Comment* on these views aro to tho effect that, though appearing somewhat high-coloured, but iu view of the stagnation which has ruled in tho general commerce of the cliicf trading nations for over four years, there appears reasonable ground for the belief that the arrears must he made up somehow. Unfortunately, with high manufacturing costs in ttreat Britain showing no signs of abatement. it looks as if the trade would go to other countries. Meanwhile the necessity of increased production, is repeated so ofton as to make it a platitude, whilo the means by which it is to be obtained are ignored. It is only hy giving a freo hand and encouragement to capital and labour that the desired results can be sccure<l. During the war big wages wero earned as a result of increased essential out-outs. Now labour expects tile advanced wages to continue, with still more arbitrary rules aB to hours of employment, ignoring tho fact that the country does not own a bottomleiss purse, and that wages cannot be paid unless tho industry earns the money to pay them. To enjoy tho advantages of hMi wages in peaco time, it is no less necessary that efficiency should be paramount. A first necessity to improvo the conditions is tho completo freedom of all industries from control, and second, to let prices of commodities reach a natural level, and so reduce tho cost of living and remove a principal cause of unrest amongst the workers. By this means tho nation will be in a position to create wealth and rehabilitate its financial statue, instead of following The fallacious system of endeavouring to llvq by robbing Peter to pay Paul.

AMERICAN TEXTILE COMBINE. A combine, which is to operate as tho Tejtile Alliance Export Corporation, has been formed in the United' States, its object being the exportation of manufactures of cotton, wool, flax and silk. Tho organisation, comprises the National Council of Cotton Manufacturers, the Association of Cotton Textile Merchants, tho American Association of Woollen and Worsted Manufacturers, and the National Association of Wool Manufacturers. Tho corporation, it is stated, is to act as broker, and will transmit orders through control associations to American mills. Attention is to bo given first to Europeau countries. Ono of Its principal centres of operation is believed to bo Copenhagen, as this is a good baso, not. only for Denmark,' but also for Norway, Sweden, Finland and Poland with possibly Russia and Germany m tho .future.' To users of cotton and woollen goods, who are not at all interested in keeping up tho present inflated prices, a little healthy competition should not provo unwelcome. ■ CUSTOMS REVENUE. Customs revenue collected at tho port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £3338 Os. lid. PETROL PRICES. New York, July 22 (delayed). Motor petrol, 60 to 62 degrees' test, sold during the week ended July 19 at 24J cents a gallon wholesale, 27 cents retail. Special pctrolß sold wholesale at 33!-. cents for 72 to 76 degrees spirit in steel drums, and Jl}- cents, for 68 to 70 degrees in steel drums.—Aus.-N.Z. Oable A6sn.

Bbjeto. Sellare. £ s. d. £ s. d. Naitaomil Erf: — 610 0 Banfc K.2L (£3 fe MJ - Will W 10 0 Bank HZ. (£6 Us, 411 _ 3$ IS 0 - Union TJaiik —. St 9 it 61 0 0 National InsnrajMs 1 fl 0 — N.ZL InKnr ani® ~ M15 0 — fi.B. "InsnTaiire ; — 8 3 6 Meal. Smart (£2 12?. fid.) J 6 0 3 10 0 JlnMairt-I'arfan' ford.) ... 2 J 8 2 4 3 "Woil. Woollen ford.) 8 1 < — Well. "Woollen (pr;'i.) 5 5 0 5 12 0 Weftport Oaal 19 3 110 0 Leylajid-irBriuii Timber 18 0 — Colonial Snjar 25 0 0 — rr.Z. Faiptrr Ifflk — 18 0 W a.r8 anifl O, S 5 0 510 0 WeflKwrttm Owrfij®B — 1 3 3 Jjisccibsft jy.ndfe , fiS 33 fl •—