COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

|. ; ' ■";"':';.: .v-INVESTMENT ".SHARES."'' ',';: : : : V' V ■ :Sales of Wellington Gas, £10 paid,- at £18,' and £6 15s. paid'/at £14, wero reported, yesterday. I-'National .Bank, sellers £6 1?.; Bank'.of New ZeaI land,.sellers £9 125., ex dividend; National Mortgage.:.buyers'£2 18s. 6d., sellers £3; "Wellington Investment, buyers lis.: Christchurch Gas, buyers I £9.los.,.sellers"£lo; Wellington' Gas, £10 paid, sellers £18 2s. 6d.;,South,British Insurance, buyers £2 135., sellers'£2,l4s. 6d.; Christchurch Meat, buyers,£lo,lßs.; Meat Export, third issue, buyers ! £2,155. 6d.;" Wellington Woollen,, sellers £3 4s. 9d,;:Westport-Stockton Coa!,>-sellers 75.;. Kauri Timber, sellers 165.; Leyland-O'Brion Timber, buyers £1 35.-,/ Manning and, Co., "buyers £3 15s, 6d.; New Zealand: Consolidated' Dental, sellers £1 4s. 6d.; Sharland's'preference,'buyers 20s. 6d.; Wellington Opera House,' sellers. £7- 17s. ,6d. .-.. ,: POSTINO THE' WAKATAH. • The committee of' Lloyd's will 'olflcially post the Waratah as a "missing" ship on Wednes-day-next. The importance. arid" extraordinary nature of the case, os well as valuable property involved, demanded special latitude in acknowledging the, liner as a total loss." Not that the committee are over accused of posting a ship as missing 'until very.'careful' consideration is given to all tho circumstances. It has' only happened.once,during.,.the last fifty years that & vessel has' turned up after being officially posted- at Moyds. - This was on June 12 1899 when the Red Rock arrived at New Caledonia from Towr.sville, after being officially posted at Lloyd's five days previously.. It was on Julv 26 that .the. Waratah left- Port Natal for Cano Town on her'voyago from Sydney for London and was 3pokcn on July 27 "all, well" by tho steamer Clan Macintyre, and a heavy W.S W to W. gale was reported on July 28. The sear'ch'for the missing vessel has been fairly exhaustive and the absoncC of floating, wreckage has been mentioned as a point,in -favour, cf the =af«tv of the ve?sel, but •■ the case is, recalled of thn missing liner Naronic, which sailed -from New York on February 11, 1893, and no sign other disappearance::.came to,: hand "until a boat \mt washed ashoro as long as threo years later The fate of tho Waratah for the present remains one of-the mysteries of the. sea. and un'derwriters under ordinary circumstances would have paid,a total loss,,by this time.-but it-is in accordance with practice, that the loss is -not due until'the. vessel is .posted as miasinc Injthis'-cnFe tho,loss of ship,.-freight, and careo li estimated/at not less than: £350,000,. a' s the Waratah".was :• a new">steamer,'.and: carried 'a cared'fram.'AJ!straUa''of produce, such as wool,

sluns, tallow, rind butter, including 7800 tons of lead for Loudon.. No doubt the life offices will accept thn posting at Lloyd's, and pay out on the lives of such of the passengers and crew as wero assured. ■,

NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MEEOANTILE. ' The Wellington office of the New Zealand Loan i?nd-Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., has received ;the following cablegram frQm their London ;honse, under date December 9:— . ''Tho annual meeting passed off satisfactorily lno; report and balance-sheet wore adopted, and a dividend declared at the rate of 5 per cent per. annuni,_loss incomo tax,., for year ending . The annua! report anil balance-sheet provides n%i of 5 per cent., after transferrin? ±SS,tCO out of profits to reserve, raisinn the company; total reserves to £455,000. Tho New £ oal "n | ".".I'ind Association, Limited, (the shares in which.are held by tho New Zealand Loan and -Mercantile Agency Company) likewiso pays a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum the reserve of the association stands at £85,000. ' : /UNITED BUILDING SOCIETY. The report of; the directors of the United Building Socioty of Wellington, to be sub mittcd-at the annua! meeting, records profits ™/™/- e i lr r°, n th ° fl"t fund as £1036 16s. Bd, and sm.iAs. Sd. on the second fund. The crcditl ■?.«? n S e - 0 L eaoh f«nd stands at.£2911 3s. Bd, and iOT 95.-4 d. respectively. There wbro six anpropnations, throe by.ballot and three by sab in the'first fund, tho latter yielding a profit to tho society of £937 Ms.; and of the two appropnations.m the second fund, the one'by sale also yielded a. profit-£360. It is anticipated that there will be sufficient funds in the first ■ i.-,_ r . :an appropriation of ,£IOOO by -sale which it is proposed to offer, at the'annual meeting. An appropriation of £1000 will also bo 6ubroitted.by sale on behalf of tho successful-mem-ber who drew the appropriation held last month An by sale, of £1000, on account of tho first, fund ou Soptcmber 23, realised a premium of 34 per cent. As the. mortgage was not completed on the date of tho balance-sheet this transaction will bo included in neit year's Statement. ■ -, - ....;■-. ■ ■ • . ; NOVEMBEE HEMP AND TOW. /.. The Department of Agricultare and Commerce supply particulars of the quantity of hemp and towjsraded Dominion during tho month )i^ m S -_Tho - t0 '»l number "of <bales graded was 11,332, as against 7713 for the corresponding month of last year, an increase of 3619: bales. For the six months-ended November 30'•'the number'of bales graded was 34,932, as against 28,291 for tho c ? r « n s , I> 2 n ? lnE: P,9 nocl o' last year, or an increase of 6691 bales. Worked out on a percentage basis the quantity of each grade dealt with durine f??7 m ? n , th X as followai-Pino, 2.63; good fair, ,60.47:' fair, 42.88; common,. 3.93. From aperusal of the return; it will be observed that Wellin»ton and I'oxton contributed 4465 bales of "Eoo°d fair and 2127 bales of "fair." Theso figures are decidedly, satisfactory in .view-of the fact that at this time of the year the millers in tho Mnnawatu district have to; work at a disadvantage owing to. so much diseased loaf, and the'small margin m price oiterinß between "good fair" and . fair, does not justify the extra expense and labour involved in sorting and classing. In tho Auckland district there was a largo increase in the "common" grade, as compared with the previous month. This is-due to hemp produced to strike "low point fair" not beinu passed as such by the grader. If our hemp is to hold its proper position 'jn- the Homo markets, this class of fibre: should not bo exported.' In the meantime it may be profitable to' the producer provided it.reaches "fair" grade, but in the.long run it.must have a detrimental effect on,tho industry. -The prices for hemp still'remain firm, ,-wjth a good domand from Australian and Home buyers.' Current spot prices for .'"good fair" rango from .£25 10a. to £25 15s. per ton f.o.b. Offersjfor forward, deliveries have recently been made at £25 ss. till tho end of March, while .£24 15s. T to £25 is offering till'tho end of the season (June). Indications, therefore, point to a brisk,, demand .at: satisfactory, prices ' for the future. :'■-:-.,: . Tow.—During tho month 3480 bales were dealt witji, being, an increase of 1563. over the preceding month. The 44 bales at Auckland wore condemned on; account of their being damp in- ■■ The following !b tho return of homp and tow graded during the month of November;— -.'■/■ >HEMP.' ." 'v ':. ' '■•

'~:/;: ',■' The. Now Zealand Farmers' Co-operative :'Distrt buting-Company, Ltd., report as follows:—Maize, :4s. to 4a.'3d.; wheat, whole fowl, 4s. Hid.; barley, ■Cape seed,: 3s.- 6d.;, barley, feed, 3s. .pa- bushel; •barloy.meal, £s'per ton; oats,'2s. 3d. to 2s. 5d.; oats,-seed sparrowbills, gartons, duns' 25.. 8d„ Al4d.; oats, crushed, 2s. 7d..per bushel; horße beans,: 4s. 6d. per bushel; partridge peas, os. 6d.; Prussian, blue peas, ss. 6d;~per bushel; hay, prime, £4 10s." per ton; straw, wheatoh, £2 55.; oaten, £2 2s. 6d.;,bran, £4 to £4 5a.; pollard, £5 to £5 55.; sucrosine, 200's £7, 100's £7 55.-per ton; superphosphate, best,-£s.per ton; ryegrass, ,ss. per bushel; cocksfoot,.dressed, Bd. per lb.; linseed oil cake, ■ genuine, £13; prime .oaten sheaf .chaff,-£3 ss. to £3 155.; new potatoes, 7s". to Bs. per cwt. (good demand); potatoes, old, £4 10s.; onions, Melbourne, £11 per ton; butter, separator Bd. to 9d., dairy 7d. to Bd. per lb.; eggs, fresh, Is. to Is. 2d. per dozen (good demand); libnoy, 60's 3Jd. to 4d., 14's 4id.; beeswax, Is. 6d.; fungus, Bid.; walnuts, sd.- to' Sid. ■ per lb.; cheese, best factory mediums, 53d. to 6d.; bacon, factory sides Bd., rolls 9d., hams 9d. per lb.; porkers, 70's to 90's 4d., ,90's tolOO's-33d.;baconers, 3Jd.; heavy pigs, 2id. per lb.; green peas,'lid. per pack; cabbagef 6s. 6d.;,carrots,table,-9s. per.sack;, rhubarb, Zs. to Bs. per dozen; asparagus, ss. to 65.. 6d. per dozen bundles; cucumbers, ss. to 7s. 6d. •;: per dozen; tomatoes, 13s. to 14s. per half-cato; "gooseberries, 2Jd.-per !b.; gooseberries, ripe, 7s. to 7s 6d.;': apricots, Bs. 6d. ,to 9s. 6d.; cherry plums, 4s. 3d. to red currants, 6s.—all per halfcase; strawberries, Is. 3d. per.lb. Poultry—Table roosters, 4s.'- 6d.. to 55.; cockerels, 4s. fed. to. ss. Gd.; table hens, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d.; duclts, ss. 6d. to 65.; geese. ss. to 6s. 6d—all at per pair; turkey, gobblers 10d.,,hens 9d. por. lb. .

Hesßrs.' Lacry and Co.', Ltd., WollinEton,- report wholeaalo prices ruling oh .tho market.--" Wheat, : fowl, : 4s. Bd. to & lod.-, feed oats. Zs.. 2d. to ' 2s. 6d.; dun oats, 2s. 4d. to 25:6 d.; seed bats, 2s. 4d.to 25.8 d.; maize,4s. to 4s. 3d.; crushed malt, 7s;; fowl barley, 2s. 4d. to 2s. 6d.;;Cape barley: 6eed,. 25.-6 d. to 2s. 9d.; Hour. New Zealand £11 ss. to £1110s.. Australian £12 sa. to £12 10s.; bran. £3155. to £4; pearl barley, 15b.; peas, Prussian .-blue, -ss. 3d. to ss. ' 6d.; split, £17 Ills.: uonedust, £5155.; superphosphates. £s'to £5 55.; pollard, £4 15s. to £5 lUs.i basic •■' slag, £4 10s.; chair, oatcn-sheuf, £3- 55.. to £3: 155.; oatmeal, £11 to £11 10s.; potatoes, table, £5 to £5 10s.; potatoes, new, £7 to £9 ton; Victorian onions, 9s. to 10?. cwt.; molasses fodder, £5; bacon, factory,- sides ' 7Jd., hams 3Jd., rolls Bid.; butter, prime bulk, Bd. to Bid. Poultry: liens, 4s. to .Is. 6d.; ducks, ss. to ssl 6d.; geese, 6s. to Bs.; turkeys, gobblers. 18s.. to 205.; hens, 10s. .to 145.; fresh eggs,'. Is.. Id., to Is. ■ 2d. dozen; cheese, 5Jd. to 6d. per lb.; loaf, 7d. to 7id. per 'lb.;Akaroa machine-dressed cockstoot, 7!d.'.to Bd.; farmers' dressed, cocksfoot, 6d. to 6d. per lb.;, "ryegrass, ,3s. 9d. to 4s. 6d. : per bushel: Italian,ryegrass, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d: bushel, whito clover. 70s. to 75s.per cwt.; red clover, 755. per cwt.; cow'grass, 755. cwt.: alsike B2a. 6d. cwt.-. mustard. 40s. ont.; rape seed, 265. cwt.; timothv. 325. 6d. cwt.: Swede and turnip seed, 50s. to 60s. CWt ■-.... . •'■ i : ■-.

Customs rovonue collected at 'Wellington yester". day .amounted t0'.£1913 19s. 6d./ ".. -BANK -EATE EEDUOBD. '.'■ (Dy Telegraph—Press Association—.CopyrlEbt.l ■■■' '■■'-': London, Decembers. - :The Bank of England rate of discount has been reduced from "5 to 4J per cent. MOVEMENT IN TIN. . ;' : , RENEWED "BDIiIj" OPEBATIONS. .: IDy TelceratiU. -rrcss ' Assor.lntlnn - O.iojrlchtl v.'-'- London, December 9.Tin, on spot, 30s. higher, at £145,155.; threo months', 255. higher, at £147. ss. per ton;. Tho advances are due to the renewal of "bull" support,', and to "bears" covering sales. V:.' v -'; , : geain: market. .'; • ; IBi". Teiccraph.—Press Aaaoclatloe.r ■Christchurch, December 10. There are a fow.Sgood lines of, wheat-on offer in the local market, and'sellers aro askine 4s:

sd. and 4s.- 6d. f.0.b., and apparently they are not pressed for. supplies. In oats there is only small business • passing at quotations, the demand bciug limited, and offers correspondingly small. of the early crops of barley in Kaituna and Motukarara districts is reported. Early sown cropn are reported to be very good, whilst in the late sown rust has made its appearance: Tho fine dry weather now being experienced should assist in checking tho development of this trouble. GISBOHNF, WOOL SALES. (By Tclczraph-l'rcss Association.) '~ ' ,_, ' Glsborno, December'lo. r i Ea ' oS °P<mod h"' o tliis afternoon, and bidding was brisk. Prices ruled about a penny above last salcß' rateß; skins, good, one penny better. . . .

WOOL. HIDE,' AND TALLOW SALES. Messrs. mtchings, Eankins, and Co., Ltd., report as follows :-Thire was a good attendance of buyers at our Levin sale on Thursday, and wo have to report keen competition for everything, offered, at late rates. The total entries at 'he two sales held there on Friday comprised 50 bales and fadses. wool, 1081 . sheepskins, 465 hides and calfskins, 8 casks and 44 tins tallow and sundries, out of which we catalogued 39 bales and fadges wool, 771 sheepskins, 312 hides, 4 casks and 40 tins tallow, and,the usual consignment of oddments. . Hidd3.' realised fine prices, one extra heavy cow hide realising 355. 9d., and 8 ox sold at 41s. each, and a crossbred wether skin. from the Experiment Farm netted 12s. lOd. Those were, of- course, record prices for the day, and the cuality wa3 exceptionally good. We quote as follows;-Wool ■ Medium crossbred, CM. to 9d.; dingy and coarso do., Bd. to BJd.; dead woo!, Sid., 6Jd. to 7d.; belUes, m. to-5Jd.; pieces, 4d. to sd. Sheepskins: Half bred, sjd.; medium crossbred, 65d. to ,7d.; Komnoy, 7Jd.; coarse crossbred, 6Jd. to 6>d;dead and broken, 45d., sd. to s|d.; crossbred damp, 6s. 4d.-to 7s. 9d.; inferior lambs, 3d. to ,45d.; best lambs, 55d.; inferior and damaged pelts, 2d. to 3Jd.; best pelts, Is. 4d.. Is. sd. to l s ; 9d.; salted lambs, Is. 7d. Hides: Jest calf 9d ■ meaty do., 8!d.; cut do., 6d.; ox, heavy, 6Jd • hedium do., 6JJ.; cows, heavy, 6Jd.;, medium do., M. slight do., 53d. to 6id.: yearUngs, Hi. Tallow: Casks, £23 155.; tins, £20 15s. per ton: cow tips. Is.; horsehair, Is. Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report as follows:—We held our usual monthly sale at Palmerston yesterday,, aad submitted' a fair catalogue to a good attendance of buyers. Bidding throughout was.most spirited,• and every lino was sold at prices satisfactory to growers. Wool: We offered 20. bales and fndges, and I>o sacks of Wool, and prices ranged as follow-— Romnoy, 9id.; crossbred, fine, BW. to 93d.; crossbred, medium, 6Jd. to B}d.; half bred, 7d.; dead 63d. to 75d.; lambs, Bd. to BJd.; black, 6d. to 7d.-' dead and locks, 3Jd.;. bellies and pieces, 33d.- to oid.j crutchmgs, 4Jd. to 53d. Skins: Our offering comprised 2000 skins and pelts. Halfbred (Sid.; crossbred,. medium and fine,- 6Jd. to BJd • crossbred, medium, 53d. to 7d.; crossbred, inferior, 4*d. to 5d.; dead and damaged, 33d.'to f?2- P ?F ! , b ' ; ., d f ad hoggets. 4id.; lambs, <d. to old.; black, 43d.; pelts, 3?d. to 43d.; butchers' skins, at per, piece, crossbred medium,. ss. Bd. to 6s Bd.;. crossbred, fine, 55.. 7s. to 7s. 9d.; lambs, at per'piece, 15.10 d.; salted pelts, ls. Is. Bd. to '25.; calfskins, prices sot cuite so good as.at last sale. We sold 750 calfskins, a: follow :-Good .round, 9Jd., 93d., 93d. to ICJd. per lb.; others, from 4d. to 7|d. per lb.; yearlings, at Bgd. each. Hides: We offered SCO large hides.-Ox, heavy, 73d.medium,. 7d. to 7fd.; cows,, heavv, 6d. to Sgd * medium, 6Jd. to 63d.: light. 6d. to 6gd,; heifers', 6d. to 6Jd.; steers, 33d. Sundries: Tallow, ca>ks,' £23 ss. per ton; tins, £21 10s. 'per ton;'rough fat, Bs.-'per cwt.; horsehair. Is.;' cowtai!s;-ls. 2d. per dozen. . '. -

■ ,"■' '.' a '- "8 "■■.,■.>.•■'.'. ° . $ ,|.-':gf-yf; |<J;J : ' ' ■■-.■■■■ ...-.■•, ft ' Oft-"- ft .'{'■■ p; .# £ : Auckland .....-•.. 518 : 1,278 334.' 7 .2.137 loxton •.../.....■-■. 1,585 ■' 018- .10.- 2.413" Pioton ".. 106 . 127 -p- •'■ ■ — — : 233 Blonlieim .... 69 .13 . — ■ — . — ■ [9 .Wellington. ...• 82- .2,880 ''1,309" " 65 . — """• 4336 Napier.;:... ." .32 231 • 13 ■-—.■•'.—.■-''.■Z76' Lyttolton.....;. '—. 49 : — . "•——'.'. 49 Dunedin- .......'•'5' :• 25: 557' 25. —■""'. '612 Bluff. ;;....:.„... " 5< . 292;,. : m iz ■ - 1,194 ;- Totals ..';.... 299". 5.720 >! 4.860' 446 ,7 11.332 ;V ;./'■ ■'••':. ? V:" ; ; toj. ;' . : ■■:•'■, ■• ■,".-." ■k-'V/- .""■' ■' ■- " '. '''".".•.'■'.■'■.'■■:". .-■" '3. '.' '.."■■ i.:';..! '' ■'■'.'■ '. ''''."'•'■ ■'" ""■'• •■'".''■ B '•■■■ '.'•" "'■■y •''•■: .' '••'■. ■■ -' : ----i' :^s '■■'■' V'" a ; -'' : - K;"; pott •'.: ."v/.icsl.'/'-il:- 'il 'VS.C ■;■:'?■■. .;'.", ' ■"■"•■■• .■'■'• ■.': '"So'."'.r*o &o -"-5 •'- ■'§'• Auckland " ; ..,..■.,........;. U ,363 .483 44. 901' ■ gpxtpn...-,,; ..;...,...... 95v 178. .106 -^v-'379 Wellington ...::.......... 862' : 327 181 — 1,370 .Napier ;............ ;.."■•- 43 ■■' .32 - 12' - ." 87 Pioton. : :.;...!..:....; ■■..-. 39 '35' " —'■—:•'- 74 -Blonheiin,.; ..i......; '44 ■ ,•■■ 6 '■•'•■ t-' ■ ,—, "50 Lyttolton ..'..'....:.".;;...... 50. :— : ''14 - —;. • "'6il Bluff;.. ■■:.;;. ■.•;;...„..■.....'-■.■\2CJ ■ 271, -: 1' .- '655 : Totals. . ..;.:!::..'....'....i.144 1,224.1,067 45. 3,480