COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 293, 6 September 1919, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

INVESTMENT SHAKES. < 6a io of Huddart-Parker ordinary shares _ at/ £03. od„ .and fioWon Bay foment m

20s. were made on 'Change yestertay. The quotations were aa under:— ttuycrc. SellerH. £ s. d. £ a. d. National Bank — • 610 0 Union Bank 59 10 0 Wei. Investment ...... 0 10 6 — Abraham and Williams... 4 lb 0 5 0 0 national Insurance 4 4 0 — Standard'lnsurance 3 0 0 Huddart-Parlter (ord.) ... 2 10 0 - 10 0 Adelaide St'cam 2 6 9 Howard' Smith 115 9 Ley land-O'Brien Timber... 1/9 • , Golden Bay Cement J- 2 S 10® N.Z. Paper M 9 " -Well. Cordage — 100 Inscribed Stock 96 0 0 War. Bonds, 1938 ~ n 95 5 0 War Bonds, 1930 96 0 0 - . 5 p.c. V.O. Bonds. 98 5 0 CUSTOMS REVENUE. Customs Tovenue collected at the: port of Wellington yesterday amounted to ibl/t) 10s. sd. ■VICTORIAN PRODUCE. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright Melbourno, September 5. BaTlev. English, malting, ss. 9d. to 6a. per bushel; Ca,pe, 4s. 6d. to 4s. 9d. Oats, Algerian milling, ss. 4d. to ss. 6d.; feed, ss. "1. 'to ss. 30. Potatoes, £12 to £13 ICs. .per ton. Onions, £13 10s. to £14 per ton, 'MELBOURNE HIDE MARKET. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright Melbourne, September 5. Heavy hides in good condition are unaltered, but kips and light weights are halfpenny to one penny lower. THE METAL MARKETS. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. September 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 4. Copper-Spot, £101 10s.; three months, £102 10s.; electrolytic, £.'ls. Lead.—£2s to £25 12s. 6d. Spelter.—£4l ss. to £42 ss. Tin.—£279 15s. to £274 2s. 6d. Silver—£6l. TIN. (Rec. September 6, 5.5 p.m.) London, Scptemoer 4. Tin stocks, 18,157 tons; spot, US3 tons; afloat, 5916 tons; deliveries, 1393 tons. BANK OP AUSTRALASIA. (Rec. September 5, 5.5 .p.m.) London, September 4. The Bank of Australasia has declared an interim dividend of 555., and a share bonus of 12s. COMPANIES REGISTERED. Tho "Mercantile Gazette" chronicles tho registration of tho following new com"Btoto Coal Co., Ltd. a private company, August 21, 1919. OBLe. Stndholme Street, Morrmsville. £7000, in 7 shares of £1000 each. Subscribers: Waharoar-R. Young, 5; ltotorufcM H. Hampson, 1; Morrmsville-A. r. Ford, 1. Objects: To carry on business as colliery owners and general incidental. t Zealandia Co-op. Jlllls Foodß. Ltd. Regis* tored August 25, 1919. Office: Ward Street. Hamilton.. Capital: £100,000, into 20,000 shares of £5 each. Subscribers: Matamata —J. Clothier, 25; Waharoa—J. O. Smith, 25; D. A. M'Millan, 25; A. H. Lewis,. 16; E. S Tuck• 25; J. E. Barker, 25; F. Wright, 25. Objects: To buy and sell milk products aud ; general incidental. . . Konini-Reefton Collieries, Ltd., (The). Registered August 30. Offico: 183 Caßhel Street, Christchuroh. Capital: £15,000, into 15,000 ordinary'shares of £1 eaoh. Subscribers: Christoliurch—Tlios. T. Robson, H. Langford, E. R. Caygill, and T. Newburgh, 1 share-each. Objects: To adopt and carry into effect an agreement dated .Tuly 16, 1919, and made between H. Langford, J. Rhind, George White, T. T. Robson,. H. Lightband, nnd E. B. Warit ana to cai-ry on the businesses of colliery and mine owners, iron and coal masters, and Eenetal. . A.8.0. Motors (N.Z.), Limited. Registered as a .private company on August 28, 1919. Office: 127 Lambton Quay, Wellington. Capital: £5000, divided into 5000 shares of £1 each. Subscribers: George Cox, 1875; H. S. Langdon, 187S; C. P. J. M'Phce. 6Zo; C. F. Pattie, 625. All paid up to 16s. per share. Objects: To .purchase and carry on business of "A.B.C. Motor Garage, and "A.8.0. Taxi Service,'.' now carried on at Lambton Quay, Wellington. New Zealand Rubber Products, Ltd. Registered as a private company on August 28, 1919. Office: Royal Exchange Buildings, 113-15 Customhouse Quay, Wellington. Capital: £100,000, divided into 100,000 sharca of £1 each. Subscribers: Robt. Hall, Thomas Gray, R. Jt. Griffiths, A. M. Proctor, A. H. Bay, H. C. Stoddart, W. W. Madman, John Baxter, by his authorised agent, H. "C. Stoddart, all one share each. Objects: To acquire the full manufacturing and trading rights for Now Zealand of a new procen of manufacture of rubber goods, including- motor tyres, etc., the invention of William Stocks, Melbourno.

INSURANCE OF TRADE DEBTS. The idea, of guaranteeing debts dates back to the days of the South Sea Bubble, but it has never been given effect to in tho British Empire on any important scale. In Germany, and also in the United Stateß, aF»istanca to trade by insurancs of risks has been practised for many years, and on a considerable scale, especially in Germany. The institutions -which transact this class of business are generally known as "del credere" houses. For what constitutes an insurance premium they discount approved" bills without recourse to the holders in the event of nonpayment, and they also guarantee for a premium a proportion oi' approved bills and acceptances. Tho discounting of bills without recourse ivaß increasingly practised by the German banks and linancial houses before the war, particularly because it provided a useful stimulus to the development of foreign trade, in which the risks wcro difficult to appraise. This scheme has now been put into practical operation in Britain by the establishment of tho Trade Indemnity Company, which issues credit indemnity policies in respect of specified and approved accounts, to British traders, in respect of debts contracted in Britain, to colonial merchants in respect to their customers and to foreign exporters trading with customers situated in Britain or the colonies. THE KETTLE FIBBE INDUSTRY. The question whether the Germans have really invented a new competitive commercial textile in nettle fibre is attracting considerable interest, In 1517 a company was promoted with a. capital of l'/O.OIW marks; to develop the intensive cultivation of nettlo fibre. Tile capital has since been increased to 15,000,000 marks, and similar companies have been formed in large numbers. This particular company liv.s branches nil over the country, employs 25,000 agents and 15C0 inspectors, and has erected 100 factories for tile treatment of tho aCuv material. It owns 70,000 acres of suitable land, o,nd, in addition to tho nettle, treats broom, millet, hops, and bulrushes. The yield of dried nettle stall; per acre is 40001b., 2001b. of which yield 201b. of fibre, consequently the total approximate yield of the company's acrcago is 28,000,0001b. In 1918 the price of dried Btalks without leaves was 2d. per lb. Tho leaves are first-class fodder, and farmers buy them at id. per lb. They also supply a. green colouring matter, and a substitute for tea. The woody residual is used in paper-making, and the stalk-lye in tho manufacture of alcohol, yeast, and Bugar. The raw fibro yields 56 per cent, of puro fibre, and this in turn gives 57 per cent, of nettle yarn. Tho so-called long fibrcnaincly, that exceeding 35mm. which is obtained by carding the nettlo fibre, is equal in value to that of ramie, or Egyptian cotton. Tho average fibre, of a 'staplo | length of 30mm„ may be treated as American cotton, whilst shorter lengths arb serviceable in ■ the production of artificial cotton and woollen yarn mixtures, Tho nettlo fibre is of great importance in the linen industry, and is particularly suitable for half linen fibres. In the Snaimfacture of mixed yarns it can be spun together with short wool and cotton waste, and the short nettle fibre cau be mixed in It can bo dyed, bleached, and carded just like cotton. Tho 'tosfs of production are said to bo very high,