COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 88, 15 April 1911, Page 4

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

I BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright, LONDON, 14th April. The Bank of England return issued for week ending Wednesday, 12th April, is as under: — Issue Depxhtmekt. Note ftsue, £53,404,000 Gov. debt £11,015,000 Other securities ... 7,434,000 Gold ... 05,015,000 £53.464,000 £53,-161,000 Backing Depabtmeht. Pr'priefrs* ' Gov. seouricapital £14,553,001? ties ... £15,095,000 Publio de- Other secuposits ... 17,852,000 rities ... 36,167,000 Other de- Notes ... 24.812,000 posits ... 41,522,000 Coin ... 1,061,000 Best. 7-day and other billß ... 3,208.000 £77,135,000 £77.135,000 The leading items of the Bank of England return afford tli& following comparison: — This week. Last week. Last year, £ £. Bullion ... 35,015,000 36,776,000 32,714,000 Reserve... 25,873,000 27,982 000 23 624 000 Note cirii'28,652,000 28,376,000 28 (556,000 Deposits 59,374,000 61,853,000 53,711,000 Proportion i ' reserve to liabilities 4-3.55 45.22 43.95

* Interest payable in May and November, t Interest payable in January and July, j Interest payable iv April and October. THE MONEY MABKET. The Bank of England rate of discount remains at 3 per cent., to which it was reduced from 3£ on 9th March. A year ago the rate was 4 per cent. The open market rate for best; three months bills is 6s 3d higher at 2| per cent.; a year ago it was 3 3-16. Shore loans are unchanged at 3 per cent.; a year ago the quotation was 3£. In Paris the open market discount rate is 2s 6d lower at 2£ per cent. (2| a year ago) ; in Berlin it is also 2s 6d lower at 3 per oent. (3i a year ago). GRAIN AND FLOUR. Wheat. — The visible supply of Amerioan wheat and flour east of the Rocky Mountains is estimated by "Bradstreet's" at the equivalent in wheat of 62,217,000 bushels, compared with 63,940,000 bushels a week ago, and 55,195,000 bushels on 14th April, 1910. Milder weather has checked the demand. The niarket had a general holiday tone about it; 33s 6d jser quarttsr is asked for Australian per sailers AprilMay shipment, and 33s 7£d for March shipment. There has been 33a lOd paid for near parcels. Only a limited enquiry is made for Australian spot at 35s 3d to 35s 9d. The stocks of New Zealand are practically exhausted. Flour. — The flour market is quiet, Australian patents realising 24s 6d for "spot" lines and 23s o.i.f.^ Oats. — For oats thero exists a better enquiry, Gartons bringing 19s 6d to 225; Sparrowbills, 19s to 22s' 6d ; and La Plata lines, April-May shipments, 13s 9d. Beans. — New Zealand beans are quoted at 34s 6d to 355. COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. Butter. — Danish, 116s to 117s, as against 120s to 122s last week; Australian is firm and unchanged at 104s to 106s. New Zealand salted 108s, as against 110s; unsalted is scarce at 110s. There is a slightly better demand for secondaries, owing to a temporary decrease in supplies, but a downward tendency in oxpeoted after the holidays. Home supplies are growing; heavy colonial supplies are imminent. Cheese is firm. New Zealand, 62s to 63s per owt., as against 62s last week. _ Sugar. — German beet, 88 per cent, not titre, unchanged, at 10s 8d per cwt; first mark granulated, f.o.b. Hamburg, unchanged at 12s Bd. BRADFORD TOPS MARKET. The market is animated. Sixty fours, 27id per lb; super sixties, 27d'; common sixties, 26d; fifty-sixes, 23|d; fifties, 19id; forty-sixes, 15£ d; forties, 14£ d. THE METAL MARKET. Copper. — On spot, £53 13s 9d per ton; three months, £54 6s 3d per *on. Tin. — On spot, £194 5s per con; three months, £189 10s per ton. Spelter, £23 12s 6d per ton. SILVER. Bar silver is quoted at 24£ d per ounce standard. TALLOW PRICES. At the tallow sales 762 casks were offered and 737 sold. Pripes realised :—Mutton, fine 35s 3d, medium 335; beef, fine 34s 6d, medium 325. KAURI GUM. At the sales 173 cases were offered and 78 sold. Prices were unohanged. (Received April 15, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, 14th April. The hemp, market is inactive. AprilJune shipment is at £20 10s per ton. Copra. — Market firm. South Sea (in bags, afloat), £20 15s to £21. Cotton. — 7.65£ d per lb. Rubber.— ss 6d per lb. Lead. — Imports, 11,590 tone, including 2596 Australian; exports, 4493. The hides sales were neglected, and offerings were withdrawn. Rabbits. — Market flat, and prices unchanged. FROZEN MEAT. (Received April 15 9 a.m.) LONDON, 14th Adml. The Frozen Meat Trade Association's Smithfield marKet quotations for the undermentioned classes of frozen meat are based on actual sales of not less than one hupdred_ carcasses of mutton or lamb, or! twenty-five quarters of b,eef of fair average quality. The quotations are not for selected lines, but for parcels fairly representative of the bulk of tho shipments now on the market. Tho prices which follow ate on an average per lb more than the value ex ship, this difference representing an average cost in expenses, handling, conveyance, and selling the meat. New Zealand Sheep. — Canterbury, light and medium, 3|d; heavy, 3id; other sorts, unchanged. New Zealand Lambs. — Canterbury, medium, sd; others, unchanged; Southland, 4£d; North Island, 4 l-16d; selected brands, 4|d. - Now Zealand Beef. — Fores 2|d; hinds, 4d. Australian Sheep. — Heavy, 2|d; others, prices unchanged. Australian Lambs. — Best brands, 3 11-16 d; others, unchanged. Australian Beef. — None offering. i South American Sheep and Lambs.— Prices unchanged. South American Beef. — Frozen, prieca unchanged. South American Chilled Beef. — Fores, 2 15-16 d; hinds, 4£d.

The following are tt ior Government securj parison of those ruling Ie latest itisß, wit ■ last wei quotations h a mPrice. Variations compared with last -week. '■$% Imperial Consols I % New South Wales ... 11% New South "Wales ... i % New South Wales ... I % Victorian 'A/g Victorian ... i % Victorian i-% South Australian t % South Australian ... 1 &% Queensland ... > L %ifew Zealand* Si&New Zealandt ! Zealand} ... !is&Westralian i ifeWestralian t|%Tasmanian. ... ... I %'l'asinaiuan £ s. d. 81 17 6 106 0 0 99 0 0 87 10 0 103 10 0 98 10 0 86 0 0 98 10 0 83 10 0 101 0 0 98 lv 0 86 2 6 104 10 0 98 0 0 SB 10 0 90 15 0 80 10 0 97 10 0 83 10 0 5/- higher Unchanged 10/- higher Unchanged Unclmuged XTncbauged iO/- higher Unchanged Unchanged 5/- higher 5/ higher 2/6 higher 10/- lower Unchanged Unchanged 5/- higher 10,'- higher Unchanged Unchanged

GOVERNMENT SECURITIES.