MERCANTILE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4353, 26 April 1884, Page 3

MERCANTILE.

3,000 sharks have been taken in the North New Zealand Farmers' Association.

Wellington Public Hall Co. declare a dividend of 8 per cent, for last year. " Otago Daily Times " Company have declared a dividend of 8 per cent, for the past half-year.

The director of the Colonist G.M. Co., Te Aroha, have declared a dividend of (id per share. The Drapery and General Importing Company of New Zealand, with a capital of £124,000, has been floated atDunedin.

Of £30,000,000 lent on mortgage in New Zealand one-half is owned by people living in the colony. It is rumoured in Wellington that the insurance companies are likely to decline insuring frozen meat sent by sailing vessels, except at rates which will be prohibitory. In New Zealand thero are about 500 hands employed in the manufacture of agricultural implements, while to keep up the supply of these tools we havo to import every year about £100,000 worth of implements.

Tho Caswell Sound Marblo Company lias reached the end of the second year of its history. Calls to tho amount of £2,499 15s have boen paid, and a shilling's worth of marble sold. Tho salaries paid were £208, and tho wages list amounted to £2 Gs Bd.

At a meeting of the Committee of tho AucklandSericulturalAssociationan address was delivered by Mr Fedorli, He suggested that a farm should be established with tho object of practically working the silk industry, and with tho objoct of spreading all the information possible to tho colony at largo, and to malce tho concern not a local but a national one ; and that this should bo by private ontcrpri.se. Somo considerable discussion ensued, and it was eventually agreed, on the motion of Mr Comiskoy:—"That a company be formed with a capital of £10,000, forthe purpose of establishing tho culture of eilk, olive, wine, colza, oastor oil, and other kindred industries, and that the Government bo requested to grant (1) 1,000 acres of land to bo selooted by competent judges. (2) That Government introduce at their expenso four familios accustomed to the above industries. (3) That tho Government give an annual grant of £1,000 for 5 years as a subsidy to tho Company." Professor Brown, Mr Comiskoy, and Mr Shcra were appointed a committeo to wait on the Chamber of Commorco to ask that body to assist in urging upon the Government the advisability of granting the above concessions.