COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 651, 30 October 1909, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

■ , ■;■■■ INVESTMENT SHARES. Sales of Napier Gag (£5 paid) at,£l2 ss. and Standard Insurance at £1 2s. 6d. wore reported yesterday, National Bank, buyers.'£s 195., sellers £6 Is.: National Mortgage, buyers £2 175., sellers £3; Wellington Investment, buyers Us., sellers Us. 64.;-Peilding Gas, buyers £1 Is. 6d.; Wellington Gas (£6 10s. paid), buyers £13 10a., sellers £14 ss. [National Insurance, sellers £1 95.; Canterbury Frozen Meat, sellers £B; Ohristchurch Meat, buyers £10 12s. 6d.;. Gear Meat (£4 paid), buyers £10 55.; (£l,»nid), buyers £2 125.; Meat Export (£2 12s. 6d. paid), buyers £2 145.; Kaiapoi 'Woollen, preference, sellers £5; Wellington Woollen, buyers £3 2s. .6d.; Hikurangi Coal, buyers 18s. 6d.; Westporl Coal, sellers £6 55,; Westport-Stockton, sellers 75.: Leyland-O'Brien Timber/buyers £1 35., sellers £1 3s. 6d.; Miramar, Ltd., ordinary, sellers 12s. 6d.; N.Z. Consolidated Dental, sellers £1 4s. 6d.; Sharland's ordinary, sellers £1 os. 9d.; preference, buyers £1 os. 6d.; Tarnnaki Petroleum, buyers 76., sellers Bs.. 6d.; Eycroft, Ltd., Eellers" 16s.

TABANAKI PETEOLETJM COIIPANY. The balance-sheet of the Taranaki Petroleum Company for the year ended September 30; has been circulated. In their report the directors state:— : ■•■■.'■'•'.

No. 2 Bore—During the year this bore has received most attention, and until the recent developments at No. 3'was the centre of interest. A- considerable quantity of oil has been obtained from the well. For some time past special inter-est-has been shown in the operations here, consequent upon tho test being made by Mr. D. Berry, in ■• which he sought under a penalty of £2 per day to win for a period of 24 working days, from this well, an average of 20 barrels per day, or a- total of 4SO barrels of crufle petroleum (equalling - 20,160 gallons). The test was completed or. October 11, resulting in 122 barrels, equal to 5124 gallons of oil being won. No. 3 Bore—Operations were resnmed at this bore in May. last, and, after determined. ciforts, the obstruction at tho bottom was removed. Drilling operations were diligently proceeded with, and at-a depth of 2570 ft. a strong vein of gaß was pierced. The gas gave off in such largo quantities as to render it difficult of control. In this same locality an oil seam' was struck, which up to date has yielded, by flowing and sand-pumpmg, 90 barrels of oil; tho-full capacity of the well cannot be gauged until tho deep "well pump has been placed in position. The discovery of oil at this depth amply confirms the opinion of those of your directors who advocated, burrowing- to the lower 'levels. Owing' to the difficulty, experienced in obtainrns a suitable deep well pump and outfit, and to the destruction of the derrick by flro on the night of September 6, some delay has occurred in fully testing; the well,.but wo trust to be in,a position to give,more definite information to'the shareholders as to its capacity at the annual meeting. The re-erection of tho derrick, as also the placing in position of the machinery and. plant, was expeditiously accomplished, sand-pumping operations being resumed within .three weeks of the date of the-fire. ,

Futuro Policy.—Your directors are of the opinion that the. energies of the company should be concentrated on Nos. 2 and 3 Bores',' with the view of demonstrating the presence, of payable oil; tho indications fully warrant these bores being continued to the deeper levels..'ln order however, to retain boring rights acquired by the company, it may bo necessary to commence operations in other localities; in such cases the directors propose that bores be put down by contract. .-■•■.

Government Assistance—Your directors feel that the time has now arrived when the Govern'jaent .should be asked to give practical assistance to developing an industry, the . success of which would not only mean general prosperity to the, district,, but. also to the Dominion,'and to this, end they recommend. the' shareholders to appoint a deputation to wait upon the Government with the view, of securing practical assistance.;'' ■'.. ■ ■ ; ■ ',■.'. /•

. -; ALUMINIUM MONET IN FRANOE.' .. France is''about to introduce aluminium fractional coinage to take the place of the ciisting copper and.'nickel coinage. Since 1852 down, to the end, of 1907.. it : -has been calculated that £2,900,000: nominal value of. copper coinage .has been struck in France. Of,this amount not moro than £2,000,000 is' now in • circulation, the remainder having been lost. For the last two years the Mint has ceased to coin copper,' and there is Quite a dearth of small money in circulation. . Trial ■ coinages of aluminium have taken • place at • the Paris Mint for several months past with satisfactory,results. The Mint authorities bcliovo'that aluminium has many advantages.' First, the ' weight will: be exceedingly '■ light; -for tonpenco in ■ aluminium, of - same Bizo :ns; existing : copper pence'will Iweigh <no more than threepence in'copper/ Then its blueish white colour, makes it. impossiblo to confuse with; a silver coin,, and being non-oxidablo. in dry.of;damp weather it,does not become. black or,:fos6 its colour, always remaining, "clean, and white. Neither can aluminium cause poisoning, as. is the case with copper. ■ : ,

'■'''.": WELLINGTON MAP.KET EEFORTS,'' Messrs. liaery and C 0.,. Ltd., Wellington; report wholesale prices, ruling on >the markct.--"ffheat/-.' fowl; ,M. ti. to 4s. ' 10d.'; - feed •'oats/'" 2*.i.to."i-2sK< sd;; dun- 'oats,- "2s. 3d. .:to-2s. 4d.;: seed dats, 2s. 4d. to 2s. Bd.; algerian - oats.. 25., 2d.' to ZsMA'.: maize, 45., Id."to 4s. 3d'.;" crushed mojt, 75.; fowl'. barley,, 2s. 4d. to 2s. 6d.; ;.OaDe '■ barley-- seed, • 2s. 6d. to, 9d.; ;■ flpur, N.ew r Zealand, £115s.'' to. £11.10s.; •. Australian, £12( bran, £3 .-15 a.' to £4;. pearl .barley,.'. 155.;. peas. ■Prussian 'blue, -ss.'3d. to ss. 6d.; fowl-peas,'4s.;' ißplit, £1710s.;* bonedust; £5'155.;; superphosphates, .£5. to,£s "53,": pollard,:''£4 15s. to £5-'ltlsL. basic slag,- '£4 10s.; :. chaff,' oaten-sheaf. £3 55.; to .£3. 155.; oatmeal. £10'. 10s. to £11; potatoes, table, £3' 10s. toi £4 10s.; New Zealand see'd potatoes, Up-to-Dates, '£4 ss. -to , £4 '■■ 10s.'; Oalifornian onions, £17; lasses .fodder,- £5; V . bacon, .i.factory,: sides, 73d.;. hams; : 61d.; . rolls, ' BJd.'; butter, • primo ■bulk,- 8d..,t0 Bjd. Poultry: Hens. 45..6 d. to. ss. 6d.; ducks, 6s. to 75..; turkeys, gobblers.: 18s. to 205.,-: hens, 10s. to 14s.:' fresh - eggs, Is. dozen; cheese, 6d. to 6Jd. per lb.; loaf, 7d. tb\7Jd. per lb.;-Akaroa machine-dressed .cocksfoot, 73d. to Bd.; farmers' dressed, cocksfoot. sd. to. 6d. per lb.; ryegrass,; 3s. 9d.~ to ,4s. :.6d. per bushel; L.ltalian ryegrass, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. bushel; white i :clovcr, - 70s. to 755. .cwt.; red clover, 755. cwt.:' 'cow-grass,.7ss. cwt.; alsike 82s;' 6d, cwt.;'.musitard, -AOs cwt.;. trefoil, 375.'6d.-cwt,;; rape Beed,. 26s.cwt.;'timoth5',32s. Gd, cwt.; Swede and turnip .seed, 50a. to 60s. cwt.-. .

'Tho Now Zealand Farmers' 00-operativo Dis. tributing Company, Ltd., report as follows:— Maize, 4s. 3d.; wheat, whole fowl, 4s. lOd. .to 55.; barley, Capo seed, 3s. 6d.; barley, feed, 2s. 9d, to 3s. per meal. £5 per ton; oats. 2s. 3d. to 2s. 5d.; oats, seed'Sparrowbills, Gartons, ( Duns, 25.. Bd.;- Algerians, 2s. 4d.; oats! crushed, 2s. 7d. pen bushel; horse beans,' 4s. 6d. per bushel; partridge peas, ss; 6d.; Prussian blue peas,'ss: 6d. per bushel; hay, prime,'£3;to £4 per'ton; straw, wheaten, £2 ss.;'oaton, £2 2s. 6d.; bran,, £4 to £4 10s.; pollard, £5. to £5 10s.; sucrosine, 200'b,£7; tOO's, £7-6s. per'ton; superphosphate, best, £5 per ton: ryegrass, dressed, ss. per bushel; .cocksfoot, dressed, Bd. per lb.; linseed, oil cake, genuine, £13; prime oatensheaf, chaff, £3. to £3 55.; potatoes, £4 to £5; selected Canterbury TJp-to-Date seeds, £s;onions, Melbourno; £12 per ton;- butter, separator, 8&d. to 9»d.; dairy, 7d. to Bd. per lb.; eggß, fresh. Is. to Is. Id: per dozen, good demand; honey, 60's, 53d. to 4d.,--14's 4}d.; beeswax, Is. 6d.; fungus, 5d.; walnuts. 5d.-to ,5Jd. per lb.; cheese, best factory, mediums, 53c!.' to 6d.v'bacon, factory sides M.. rolls 9d, hams BJd. per lb.;, porkers, 70's to. 90's 43d., 90'b. to 100's. 4Jd.; baconers. 4d.; heavy.pips, 3d. per lb.; green peas, lOd.. to Is.' 3d. per peck. . During the week wo sold 156. sacks' green peas, averaging Is. 4d. per peck. Cabbage, ■ ss. to lis.; parsnips, 3s. 6d.; carrots, .table, 4s. 3d. per sack; marrows, "45.; cauliflower, 135.;-pumpkins, Bs. 6d. per sack; Swedes,.4os. per ton {■. rhubarb, 2s. to ss. per dozen; asparagus, ss. 6d. to 10s. 6d. per dozen bundles; apples, dessert, 155.; >apples,: cookers,' lis. 6d. Poultry: Table roosters. 4s. 6d. to '55.; cockerels, ss. 6d.. to 6s. 6d.; tabic hens, 4s. 6d.'to 6s.;.ducks, 7s. to Bs.; geese, 6s. 6d. (all at per -pair).; turkey gobblers 9d., hens Bd. per :Ib.

WHEAT. '"''.,-'. ',' London, October 28. : The American visible wheat supply is 51,376,000 bushels; ' .'..-; '■;'-'''' HENETBULL COMTANY, LTD. .(By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyngnt.) ; '■''■ : • . London. October 28.. .The report of tho Henry Bull Company shows a credit for the year of £33,186. A dividend of 10 per cent, is declared; £17,456 is carried forward. ■•'.; '. > . ' : W.AND A. M'AETHXm AND CO. , ;' . DmDKNB,-5J PER CENT. '(By: Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.) London. October 28. - Vf. and A. M'Arthur and Co. have declared a dividend of 5i per cent, on the preference shares. ■ ' [This company was reconstructed in February. 1908. Mr. ■'VThinney, the liquidator of the old company,'• in a. revised statement' of : accounts, estimated the assets at £235,000, and tho liabilities at £221,424, leaving a surplus with other items of £14,227, exclusive of tho goodwill, which waß valued-in the balance-sheet of the new company at £64,587.] : i

.'. ■ '.-.. GRAIN AND PBODTJOE. ' (By • Telegraph—Presß Association.) ChrlstchurohJ'October 29.; There la n. little ■ business passing •in wheat, but only,' in small lots out of store, and fowl wheat.; There.is very .little milling wheat offering.; Oats are. still changing hands at quotations, though there are not mam- lots offering at prices buyers Are prepared to give.' Sales reported included 1800 bushels, a mixed lino at Is. 6d„ and 450 bushels of gartons at Is. 6Jd. at country Btatious. ■ ; .','■■'," •Potatoes have made a sadden advance in price locally, and are'now quoted at £2 17s. to £3 for Dcrwents, and £2 for Up-to-Datcs at country Btatiohs. This is duo to the recent heavy rain 'damaging seed that has boon planted. In a number of cases replanting is required, and for this purpose table potatoes will have to be used,: thus .causing an' unforeseen demand.

''..- .. LONDON MARKETS. 'Messrs. Dalgctv and Co., Ltd., report having received the following cable message from,their London house, under date of Octobor .28:—Talin general, are '6d.. higher. Frozen meat: Beef—Market firm, with a fair demand. Any change in prices is. in favour of sellers. Mutton and lamb-Limited demand. Holders are rather'more• disposed to. meet .buyers, .Transactions'moderate at prices Quoted on October; H,

Sheepskins—Prices are lower, as follow:—Merino combing, jd. to Id-; crossbred, fine combine, par to Id.; crossbred, medium combing, Id.; crossbred, coarse combing, Jd.;. clothing shins, }d. :to gd. ' ,

■■■ SHEEPSKINS. The Npw-ZealandLoan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., have received' the following cablegram from their London house, under date October 28:—"Sheepskins—Fine crossbreds have declined 3d. and coarse crossbreds and clothing descriptions Id. per lb, since . last salce; other descriptions Id. to Id, per lb." . Messrs. Murray, Roberts and Co. have received the following wool market cablegram from their London agents, Messrs. Sanderson, Murray and Co., dated October 28 -.-"Fine crossbred sheepskins have declined a farthing per lb.; merino and coarse crossbred sliins a halfpenny.