COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15453, 4 December 1915, Page 13

COMMERCIAL.

4 BANK OF ENGLAND RETURNS. (By Cable.—Pxcfts AssocLitioa.—Copyright.) LONDON, Docomber 2. of England returns, issued on Wednesday, Dcrember 1st 0 afford tho following comparison:— >\OV. £1. fee. 1 £ £ Coin f,. r.2,2?1.00r« 31.100,000 Eoecrve .. .. 37,035.000 C'i,i 11,0^2 Proportion of icetrro to liabilities .. 07.40 51.71 Circulation .. .. sr.jQi.ooo ru.iTO.OOO Public deposits .. 52.113,0Ci0 SiJ.S'jl.oriO Other deposits .. R6.6-10.0W 03,52j,0i.'0 CroTcrjuncnt securitioa 18,833,0 iX) il>,&l0,000 Otbor socuritka .. 06,116,000 06,1.^1.000 Short loans, 4} per cent.; three months' bills, o 3-16 per cent. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Tho following aro tho latest quotations for Government securities, with a comparison with those ruling at tho outbreak of war:— Tricc on tho outbreak Price of '-ho war. To-daj*. £ f>. d. £ a. d. -i I>cr ccnt, lain. Con. TO 0 0 r<7 l."> ti to o'J 0 0 K.S.W. it, 1933. Jin.Jlv. .. 1(») 0 0 07 0 0 X.S.W. 10CU-00 Mrh.Scpt. -. •• 7 0 N.SAV. 1920-30 .. CW 0 0 05 10 0 N.S.W i'a, 1925, Apl.Oct. .. .. f'2 0 0 78 -2 0 Vic. 4's, 1920. Jan.-IK* 1W 0 U 9t -J 0 Vic. Si'n, 19-1-26, Jan..' Jiv. .. .. O.j 0 0 91 15 0 Vic. 3>'e, 19-23-40 .. M 0 O <1 Vic. a'e. 192J-10, Jan.-Jly. £0 0 0 76 0 0 Uland. 4'm, 1916-25, Jaoi.Jly. .. .. 100 0 0 05 2 G Claud 3J'«. 1322-17, Jas.Jly. .. .. 05 0 0 91 5 0 Qland 3'g, 1923-47, Jan.Jir. .. .. 73 0 0 71 10 0 N.Z. i*. 1929, MayKor .. .. » 2 6 95 0 0 N.Z. Si's, im Jan.-Jly. «00 sn 7 6 XZ. 3>, 1920, Apl.-Oct. 0 0 76 0 0 SJi. ?.s'£, 1916, Jan.-Jlv. 90 0 0 K> S 0 S.A. SV, :9iS, jan.-.llv. 71 5 0 70 2 6 Tas. Zie, 192(', Jan.-Jly. M 00 85 7 G Tu 3'a, 1920-10, Jan.Jly. .. .. f0 0 0 76 13 0 Y?Ji sj's. 1315-35 MayXot. .. .. 92 0 0 S2 2 C WJ>- 3», 1315-35, MayIs'ov. .. ..£5 0 0 W 0 0 CEREALS. Wheat—The market is firm, ;ind dearer. Flour —Tho market is steady, but iuOa.ts —The market is dull. La LMata, afloat. 20s 3d. Beans and Peas —The market is firm, at full late ratos. SUGAR. Tho market is unchanged. METALS. Copper—£79 10s to £80. Tin —£165 to £164 10s. Stocks, li ,ii>7 tons, &pot 1560, afloat -010, deliveries 1549 tons. Pig-iron—7ls lOd. I^ead —£28 10b to £21 2s fid.

Spelter—£96 to £80. . Silver —26 11-16 d per oz. AVOOL. Tho Bradford, wool _ market h.is a cheerful tone. Fifty-six's aro quoted at 35$ d, and 50'ts at 31 id. DAIRY PRODUCE. Butter —The market is not greatly disturbed at tho prohibition of tho Australian exi>ort, though this is ono oi tho factors contributing to high price*. The general opinion ,of Tooley street is that th© stoppage of Australian butter will harden tho priccs of all tho choicest brands, especially of New Zealand, and will greatly assist the salo of Siberian, of which enormous supplies arc on hand. Tho quality is .secondary, but it is useful for blending vith New Zealand and Danish. Another result of tho prohibition will bo to euhanco the. salo of margarine. Quotations are: — Colonial butters arj rather firmer. Australian, 162s to unsaltcd 168s (good enquiry). Rimutaka's shipment (just discharging), 166s to 170s. Cheese —Tho market is strong. New Zealand is worth about 90s. MELBOURNE -MARKETS. (By Cable.—Prc6S Association.—Copyright.) MEIjBOUR-NE, December 3. "Wheai—Scarce, 5s Id per bushel. Flour —£13 per ton. Oats—Algerians, 2s 7d to 2s 9d. Maize—Scarce, 5s od to 5s 6d. Bran —£4 per ton. Pollard — £7. Potatoes—£l2. Onions—QuTet, £2 to £4. Tho New Zealand Loan <'»nd Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., adviso having received a cablegram from London giving €he under-noted market inlormation: — <; Talfow —Wo quote present spot values for the following descriptions: Fine mutton, 52s 9d per <'.wt; good beef, 51s 6d; mixed, 475. Tho market is firm." Dalgety and Company, Ltd., have received tho following cablegram from their London Office: —"Wiool Sales: Tho gross arrivals for tho eighth series, which open on the 7th inst., total 122,116 bales, of which 40,000 bales were forwarded direct to manufacturers, leaving, with the old stock of 22,000 bales, the quantity available for the salo as 104,116 bales. Tho dates of our own sales are tho 9th. 14th- and 23rd December., Tallow: Tho weekly auction prices were on tho average Is per cwt. higho-r, edible tallow being ncglocted.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS. (BY OUB COIOtEP.CIAL EDITOR.) Friday Evening. At the present time tho outlook lor the grain crops in Canterbury and North Otago is very serious. The wind and heat of tho past fortnight have rapidly evaporated tho surface inoisture, provided by tho showers in tTio bpring, and upon which the crops were depending for thoir existence. Consequentlj', there hits been a marked deterioration during the past fortnight, and only an immediate rain will save a largo area from total failure. It. has also been found that the govern frost on the morning of November -2nd has damaged considerable areas of promising wheat, which are now being turned over to stock. Tho condition of tho crop, and the. fact that wheat in Australia has advanced to os Id f.0.b., has had a firming tendency on the locul wheat and flour market. There is a good enquiry from the North Island, and northern millers have advanced the price in their offers for southern wheat. Tho southern millers are also enquiring for wheat. There is no wheat offering by growers, but os at country stations could now probablv bo obtained. Tho potato market is now practically closed for the season, there l>ein;r no further shipping business to be done, and tho local demand is limited, as new potatoes are now becoming, plentiful. The following are tho prices paid to farmers, at countrv stations, free, ot commission, sacks extra, cxccpt whero otherwiso stated: — _ "Wheat- —(Nominal), os, at country stations. Oats —(Nominal). Barley—(Nominal). Flour—£l3 f.0.b., lflOlh bags £13 10s. 501b bag? £13 los, 2olb bnjx?" £14. Bran—£o .is per ton, for shipping. Pollard —£fi 10s per ton. Oatmeal —£20 per ton. Oateheaf Chaff—(Nominal). £3 t&n. Potatoes—(Nominal, £0 10s. l?vo££ra*vs —os to os 6(1, extra to 6a. White Clover —Is to Is 3d. Cowgra-ss—7d to Sd. Pea* —Partridge, 5« 9d to Cocksfoot —6d to "d per lb. , DAIRY PRODUj^. Supplies of all kinds of dairy produce are normal, and there are no changes in prices. Wholesale quotations are : — Butter —Factory Is 4d, farmers' separator Is Id, dairy Is. Cheese —Factory (last eoason >) lOd. dairy Ud, loaf Ctd. (now season 1 .-) ia<lory Sid, dairy "i"d to Sd. Baron— E>idcs lOd, 'rolls lid, ham 10J.

Honey—Extracted -l}d per Eggs—l< per dozen. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. A large shipment of Fiji bananas arrival at "tlio l«?ginning ot the week, 3iid quickly taken, up ft niooerate prices. A e-hipmcnt of banaDas un<i Friaco oranges, apples and lemons, is now duo. The supplits of early local frnits arc now incrcaMnfi. and vegetables arc plentiful. Vholctalc prices art-: — 'Frisco applet I.l=, oranp.es ICs to IS>. bananas 12s to l"o. pineapples 10s to 12s (per case'), lemons per bushel ea.se, Auckland plum* 3d to Id, «oom;berries*2d to 2 ; t d. chorrics 6d to lOd, strawberries 10d to Is 3d. tomatoes Is .~d to Is Sd, cucumber.-, Sd to Od per n>. Old pntatocj lis to I'** per sack, Auckland new potatoes lid to local 2]rl ta oer H>. cabbages Is to 2s, cauliflower* -s to -3;-. carrots Is to Is 3d. turnips Bd. rhubarb -Is to •>*, asparagus 7s Cd per dozen, 'Frisco onions I3s, Victorian lis, per ewt. GENERAL MERCHANDISE. j Mediterranean Fruit?. —Cablegrams just received advice that an advance of 20 per cent, freight rates is inevitable in tho Ncv.- icar, and buyers should place their orders immediately. Prices are unchanged for Mediterranean currants, dates, and Spanish ligs. There lias been a lair business done in Jordan almonds at to-day's rates, which aie this sumo as quoted last. -week. Californian Pried aud Canned Fruics —Tho s team shirts Maitai and "W'airuna have arrived at Wellington with largo shipments for tho Christmas trade. This will bo good news for the retailer, as it was i'earcd that the shortage of freight space would prevent the desired quantity of fruit reaching New Zealand before. ChrUtmas. Dried apricots have advanced 2s od. Peaches, Apples and Pears.—There aro no changes to report, but prices aro tirm. There aro now only four grades of prunes quoted, and prices aio rising rapidly, on account of stocks being short. Thompson's heedless and seedless sultanas aro still withheld from sale, but them may be a few odd lots offered iater on, but until present orders aie cleared up it. is not known what surplus there will be. Leadj. —Since last report white lend has advanced .U1 per ton. and rod lead li 2. '1 he prices of various packages liavo also advanced i'rotii Jd io 2d, according to size. Linseed Oil.—The market is now Id per) gallon easier. Ilieej ha.s advanced 30s per ton. Tapioca is o per cent, to 71 per cent, higher. Salt is very scarce, only limited Australian supplies being available, and this at high prices. Mustard is very scarce, no shipments having arrived for some time. Sardines.—Largo shipments have been landed cx the Orari.

LAND SALE. [Messrs I'yne and Co., in conjunction with Messrs E. G. Staveley and Co., report tho sale, on account of Mr John Morland, of the "Rokcby" Estate, 6ituat<!d oa tho banks of tho Rakaia, comprising 610 acres, to 31 r W. ,f. Morland, for delivery after harvest, at a satisfactory figure. OXFORD CATTLE SALE. At tho Oxford cattle sale, lield on Thursday, thcro was an entry of Gi>o head, mostly made up of lines of young cattle. Thcro was a good attendance, hut. the demand for anything except beef and forward condition cattlc was poor, and the prices realised were disappointing. Some very nicc three-year-old forward steers wero also fat cows and yearlings. The range of prices was: Fat cows £S Ds to £13 7s, fat heifers £6 2s 6d to £7 10s, three-year-old steers £<» Is to £0 _7s 6d, 2i-year-old steers £7 Is to £7 13s, two-.ycar-old steers £1 2s 6d to £5 10s, two-year-old heifers £o to £6 10s, 18raonths' old cattle £3 5s to £1, yearling?; 30s to 455. calves 8s to 20s, bulls £2 2s to £5 Is, dry cows £3 15s to £5 2s 6d, forward to £7 2s 6d, potters £1 to £1 10h. Tho principal sales were: For T. Clccvo. 2 fat cows at £10 ss; 31. T>. Doody, 1 fat cow £10 12s 6d: A. Rattray, i fat cow £12 7sj E. La:-sen, 1 at £12 ss: F. Pawelka, 35 three-year-old btecrs £6 Is, 9 three-year-old steers £9; lv. AVothcrspoon, -1 21-year-old steers at £7 Is; R. Wratt, 2 three-year-told steers at £0 2s 6d ; T. Doody, 7 steers £o to £7 os. Geo. Frampton, 20 three-year-old steers at £7, 7 two-year-old steers at £4 2s 6d, 8 two-year-old heifers at £5 lOsi, RAXGLORA HORSE FAIR. At tho itangiora.Central Yards yesterday, -17 horses were penned for tho monthly fair. The salt} was a very slack "one. none of the better class horses being passed in. Threc-year-old broken-in geldings sold to £26; seven-year-old mares £20 to £28; four-year-old fillies £.12 to. £16; aged horses to £17 10s. DARFIELD MARKET. At. tho monthly salo at tho Uarfield yards yesterday, there were only three small pens of sheep yarded, two of which wero passed at auction, and tho third, a pen of . seven 2-tooth ewes in tho wool with seven lambs at foot, e>old at 23s per head. TIMARU GRAIN MARKETS. (srECIAL TO "THE rRKSS."! TIMARU. December 3. Alrcadv there arc buyers for tho coming season's wheat, the price offered being 4s on trucks, country stations. Ono"alc of about 2000 sack* was made in Timani at tho price named this week. Most growers, however, prefer to wait and take their chanco of what is offering after their wheat is harvested. For old wheat, thcro is a fair enquiry, but comparatively little is offering. Sales of Tuscan have been mado within the past few days at 4s fid, 4s Td. 4s 7Jd, and 4s Sd. on truck?, the last-named price being given for an exceptionally primo line. Rod chaff is quoted at. 4s Sd to 4s Od on tnicks according to sample, while tor \ elvet Is lOd on trucks can bo got. Oats aro dull of sale. The North Island demand. Ah met from Southland. Offers of 3s on trucks, which have bceu made locally, have been refused. 1 stocks are now getting low. For oatsheaf chaff there is a "little more enquiry, £i 10s to £5 per ton being offered on trucks, count rv suit ions, sack-s extra. Old potatoes are now practically off the market, and there are no buyers of them. New tubers grown in South Canterbury arc now coming on to the market, whilo other consignments arc arriving from Auckland.

MONDAY'S WOOL SALE. The number of bales catalogued for the tccond wool sale of the season, to bo held in the Alexandra Hail nil Mondav, total 19,101. as ugainst, Io.fMS bales tor the December wile last year. The order of sale and the number of bales to be offered by cacn lirm i> as follows: — H. Matson and Co., 3130. New Zealand Farmers CvM>pcratnc Association, 417i3. _ Friedlander Bros., t>3< • New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., 720. Pyne and Co., 5391. Dalgoty and Co.. 3423 National Mortgage ax:d Agancy Lo.> 1616. Total, 19,101 bale*. BAKETI BROS., TEE 'HOMEFINDERS, WEEKLY" LETTING REPORT. Mc.sfr* Baker if Manchester .street, report having let th« foHojvinc prf>nertie.N- during the las' «eck: Account Mr Flcshcr, nlla.

linjiton street. to Mr Hunt; arconnt Mr i'mnUT, -i-roomed residence. Winilhor ti'rr.nco. to Mrs Wilson: account Mr Arin>r,!onu. hous.\ Madras street. lo Mr M jiy; joco'int Mr Hean, 4-roctni-ce] re>;dence, Kenihvonh street, to Mr Hoatley : amount Mr G room:-. Alton >treet. 1.) Mr.T Graham; areount Mr Ifoss. residence, "\\ orcestcr street, to Mi?> Tfo.^: a< < ou::t. Mr Bullock. bu> arpnut', to Mr Lu>vrcnr«-«: acco :nt- Mrs Curiet». \Vr: t torracc, to Mr^ 'o

CHRISTCUURCH STOCK EXCHANGE.

banks- » «. &. .N''itaor.-il . .. .. o 1 0 Xcw So::? a W.«:«s .. .. "S 5 0 AustralE<!'.r, .. IT- o 0 Xe«- Xoalar.fi /iV. Ui ;m.w •• 3 ! » V 0 Zenljr.d pjiti,' .. 3'i 10 C XVU:oit of Atii?: ;>!' i. l,"i. .. Z-'. <i 0 ' f"oniGicro:.!l i>i Aii.'?raTi:i .. (' 57 (» j C'omiEorcia: of Antral:.'. 5 17 (J i BREWERIES- ! Crorm .. .. .. 1 14 0 | Man.iin- .. > l\ V, Ward ~m •• 6 10 0 CEMENTS— ' Golden I'.- ' .. 1 0 0 Miibu.-n I-iioe .. .. ■) 13 0 X.X. Portland . .. ..• MO 0 K.Z. Portland (;.rof«r«nco) > H 10 0 COAL— Taupir: .. ... 018 0 V.'c-stport .. ... .. 18 0 Biockton •• •- 0 5^ Stockton ]ier c»r.t. prel.) .. 010 0 FINANCIAL— Lhristchurcli Building Socicty.. 11 10 0 JJaltjc-ty .. .. .. Id ci Da'scTy I'r.on-cuin. .. 10 o 0 Mutual Brr.cSr. (Canterbury) .. II 0 0 Loan and Mcrcantii# ordinary .. .. .. SO 0 0 Z\.Z. Loaa and Mercanti!« i'pr«f.) .. .. 63 n National Martpaco .. 2 IS 0 J*. Z. and River PiaU Ltntl i Mortgage .. Q 1 0 j Permauoat iuvestaieiit. Cant. .. 9 2 6 GAS— A.'liburton (£1 10s paid) .. !i o 0 Auckland .. .. :... 1 9 6 Ch:istchurcli , r 786 Gi«born« .. ~ .. 1 15 0 Hokitika •• »-• B R 0 !N»p:cr 16 0 0 i New Plymouth •- *• 6 0 0 Timaru .. -• ..80® "Wellington •• •• •• 16 0 0 ■Wellington (3 per cent. cum. pref.) 1.0 0 INSURANCE— Farmers' C'o-op»ratirc (£S paid) S 15 0 Farmers' Co-operative 10»pd.) 2 17 8 N.iiiona! .. >. *. - (• 6 New ZesJiuvl .. C 5 0 South Bntisb ..; i... •... 4 13 0 Standard J ... >.« 1 11 C Ml'UTSf:anterbury I' um. <iiv.> ..■ .. 8 0 0 Canterbury (6 per ccnt. cam. pre.'.), U-un;. di'.'.j .. .. S 2 6 C'nristchurrli (XlO paid) 16 5 0 Chrigtchurcb (£5 paid! ~s 8 0 0 Chrittchurch (£3 paid) 4IS 0 Chriafrburcli (£2 paid) >.. .13 0 Gear (£4 paid) .. .* •.. IB o 0 Gear (£1 paid) .. .. 4 8 0 Wellington (£5 paid) .. .. 6 0 0 : "Wellington HA puidi ..• ■< 0 "Wellington i'£- 1-U C»1 puitl) .. - 13 6 WTSCELLANEOTTS— Ashbnrton Electric Light 10 0 Auckland Klcetric Trnnw .. |1 0 3 Auckland Trams (6 p«r cent. pr«f.) •• .. 1. 0 0 Booth, Macdonald .. .. 10 0 Booth, Macdonaid (8 p«r o»afc cum. pre.'.) .. 10 0 Cooper and Dunc»n .. .. 010 0 Cant. Farmers' Co-op., Timaru 2 17 6 Cant. Farmers" (pref. re dir. , only) •. .S 0 0 D.I.C. OAs paid mm dir.) ... 0 If) 0 D.I.C. (5s paid cum div.) .. O 5 0 1).1.C. K& per cent.pxef. cum div.) 10 0 Rope .. .. 1 2 fl Glonmoro Brick .. „ - 0 l") f> Kauri Timber fl.vi paid> .. 0 11 8 Kauri Timber (fully paid) .. 1 17 0 Ley land O'Brien Timber .. 1 2 S Mason, Struther* paid> .. 110 !Maaon. Struthcrs (11ft paid) .. 0I t 3 N".7,. Consolidated Dental .. 110 ~X.'A. l>nif? .. .. 0 4 R 'K.Z. FarmcrV Co-op. .. .. 9 ft 0 Fa-rnjern' Co-op. Onf. pref.) 5 3 6 N. 2. Farmers' Co-op ("A" nbar«a preference re div only) '. „ K0 0 X.Z. Paper Millf* .. 0 17 0 P"rpet-ml Trustee® .. .. 13 0 Sliarland and Co. 14 0 Kharland and Cn. (pre!.) 14 0 Simpson and Williama .. 10 0 Eimps'on pnd 'Williani« (10s paid) 010 0 Trustees. Executor* and Agency 2 18 0 "Warre, Hockley .. .» ft 0 0 Weeks. Lid. .. .. B 0 0 WTu'fcombe and Tombs •• 5 16 0 gmppTXG—' New Zealand .. .. . 17 10 0 New Zealand (6 p«r e-ant. prof.) 30 10 0 T'linu Stcmu 'cum divA 15 3 Union Steam (.">i per cent, pref.), (cum. div.) .. .. 1 1 0 Tr.vld.r'.-'Pirkor .. .. 10 0 Tlr.ddart P'r'sor (6 per cent, pref.) 1 1 0 Northern Steam .. .. 0 14 3 jrorvhem Steam «• M 0 7 0 W^^T.T.KN— Kaiapoi « S B 1 Kaianei (pref. ri' dir. only) .. !> -f 0 .. .. .. 3 IS 0 Oam-jru (rum. div.) .. .. 1 B 0 Oaniaru (preferouco), (cum, drr.) 1 r, n Wellftifrton .. .. .. 5 0 0 "Wellington (6 ner ccnt. cum. pref.) 3 0 6 MT\ T TNG— "Waihi „ .. ». in 6 .1 miction I«t r— +1 on Talisman v.: .. O IT. 0 lT'«rcule-> ..' v< . 0 8 0 Mount Lycl! (cum, div.) 14 6 t Ex div TESTERDAY-S TRANSACTION'S. Salo reported:—Ttuadart-Pa-iker (6 per cent, preference), £1 '2s.

YESTERDAY'S r.r.SIXFSS ON" OTHER KXCHAXGES. (PRESS ASSOCIATION" telegrams.) AVKLLIXfiTOX, December S. KaVf rrnnrted:—National B-mk, 102s; South British In<=iir;inco. !Ms. tninir™ quotations:—Murray's Freehold, I!."!?; Vow Sylvia. buyers sd; I!o'=<<. buyers S.Vi ; Talisman., tellers 10s 3d: "VV.iihi, buyers :56». MINING. "WAIHJ MINE. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TSIVBCRAM.J AUO K.L A XD,' December 8. Tin* AYajhj return lor November was A"C7,'27.> from I">,-0S ton.-.