COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 702, 30 December 1909, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

S ''■: '■•'!"■."'■'■ '■•.'-'.'.".-'- " '".'■■..'...'" : ' ■ ■ "' / : / '. /// /,i)ALGETy/AND' CO., LTD. : : ; -■, ? The annual meeting of shareholders of, 1. Messrs. Dalgety./and Co., Ltd.,: was held . s in London on November 18,' Mr. Edmund a T. Doxat, chairman of directors, nresidv ing. '■■ "■' ;.-■■.-.: ,-.'■:. ;. In dealing with the features of the j,' balance-sheet it was pointed 'out. that .tho •item .advances/had decreased by, £392,864, duo -partly to - the ; company having sold 0 somo-of/its properties and partly:to -,tho 1-, fait ;:tb*t' the more prosperous condition ;, of the pastoral /industry', had enabled j many of its clients to reduce their in- -: ,'debtedness.. ' - showed: the' somewhat considerable increase • of e , £52,899,.due to'an extension of the agency *. business in' this direction, the ; result,- pf i, which sb'.-.far> lioemed satisfactory.. l*rceo; hold: and leasehold premises, plant, etc., b showed, an increase of £21,812.. "These r e premises," ' Mr. Doxat" said,' "are an, in--1 dispensable adjunct/-to our oversea : business, the proportion of -prodnco sold ' locally in'-AustrsJasia increasins year-by | year, the: continued subdivisions of the ■t large properties tendintr •to create a class ■- of;'small" proprietors who,:, favour local ij' selling, and/whoso-produce,reauires moro j;; show-space thaii""ij .necessary in the.case, u 'Of tho larger'flock-owners', whose wool:can "i be. shown by a certain number of renrcy. sentative•.bales. "/Tear by :year .we find !T that --space, which /at one time, appeared e' likely-to be ample for many.years, is now e quite; insufficient, and that further outlay, d is continually necessary in : order to work j efficiently and cconbralcally.;; Tp Bum up, the result was a net" profit for the year B ; of. £179,327 carried to. credit" cf general *. profit and : loss account, after providing e all bad and doubtful debts, or £32,14 D x' more than-last' l year; whilst, after debiti. ing the. general profit and loss account e .withvthe full cost of, the issue of the ... £500.000 preference- shares, .there remained 'J a/'sum of £195,771 after payment of tho ' 3 .interim: :dividend'of £30,0000 ;in May last. : P ' Advices: received by. tho board' from" difa ferent -parts of the Commonwealth and b Now^.Zealand from: June 30 to the ..date |1: of the -meeting, had. been "all. that could r be"dosired."/ -Therefore,/npt. only coulii- - a-record wool/clip, be'looked for; biit a ,:. record -harvest.'. The only drawbabk,'- adl:, .cording, .to Mr.. Doxat, "was the fall in B tho value of stock and frozen meat' durs -ing the *unimer. On that point the board r Btatedthat with stock numbers ; rapidly. ■•■' approaching,.those 'which : existed:. prior j" to the great drought, the fear was that. , no great : improvement could bo expected. . c Cable , messages "from: the; Melbourne. ofßce li; put down itha surplus wheat likely,to bo s available Jbr, .export from Victoria .at. e 450,000. to• 600.000 tons, New South . Wales ,: 400,000 toni;; South Australia '400,000 ;tbnß, : J and-Western Australia: 70,000 tons. , u r . .' Doxat addi-d that while some shareholders ' might feel- that,the board' ought to have a paid a somewhat "higher dividend, still it the, directors'felt ihey,.wero pursuini'thc i- .wisest,.coiirsb in'/making ample provision I in goft-1 years in order to piovido,against r the.-. cljihatio dangers. of -Australasia, tand h " .the risk of losses from labour troubles. D ■■:■ "-. ' ,1 ■;;. . -.-: '. - • .-;■.-. -..\;)r s .'■'■';';•:■•:..'■.-;•'...■■:•• •';■.-—-—;•■■"-, ':■ >-,■■<■.-,,•.'. /'/./^^;//iMPOBTMA^ETS;.V : /V^;V,O 'Merchants report-: a, very, satisfactory. "'. month, .the increased, business . towards Christmas time. greatly benefiting tho. ayerago turnover, -.. Eetailors, too, have had a good holiday trade, and,: most of ■ them will be able! to record an average . -, equal, to Docembbr,-. 1908.- ;;Prices are without any,.variation. ' '•'-' /.Arrowroot—St.,<Vincent,sd. per lb. •."'.' •:■ Candles.—The New-Zealand Candle Oo'm- / pany's quotations stand, as' followi—Pre- \- mier, stearihe ;and-five medal,'sd.;-'British _/ spbrra, French. sperm, universal wax, EiV belsior paraffin, 53d.; Apollo sperm and J Venus, paraffin, 6d.j Tonus, coloured fluted, > 6jil.j piano',:bedroom, and carriage sort's in e cardboard,boxes,7Jd„ less the;.usual trade r discounts. Price's London sperm, \l6oz. 63d.,. !. 14oz. 61d.; Burma,:/160z.,/6id. : .' .-;:'' ,t fc..Cornflour—Steady".'.btißiness passing. ' B. a and P., 55d. /to 5Jd.; ..Johnson's, 2Jd.; , flrown's, '3d.-; .Chicago,- 2?d:; Buffalo, 2 id.- .'■ ..'/Cocoa.—A steadyihand-to-mouth -business T is-doing. Van;Houten'B,'i;s, 3s. 2d.; j's,'3s. ■ 3 . 3.d.;.J'5,;35. 4d.per lb.; Bensdorp's,/l!s, 2s. ,o-.10d.;,;4'5, 2s; : lid.; fs, 35.; Pry's, Is'.'4ld.; I- Bahia, 2s.'lod. .' ;/-. . • Condensed, Milk.—Highlander. 55.; ' Cow- [.. 51ip,;45..6U.; Swiss. Milkmaid, 6s. sd. to.6a. t lld.'.per'dozei;".:i- ; '~'■. ~ i. :.Canned t .Moats'.—Sheep tongncß,'.'los. 6d. i to.'lls..;.ibr;.lJ,'s;. ox tongues,.;2J'3,'3ls., to j' 345.;"3'5, 34s.'<to 365. per dozen; Gear's ask sorted,.-/potted, 4s. 6d.; St.' George's, ss.' ; - I u,,.Carbon)ito' of.Sodai 9s. 6'd. to'los. '•-" d .Cream: of "tartar, 9|/"to 10d.. d <'. adrices 'from.'... Brazil d placed the. outlook .for tho, coming Brazil- .; ian cottee "crop . in a -."distinctly. unfavour- '- able, light. V, Sonio houses: in Santos' affirm that the crop ■ will not amount to more a than ; eight/ million/ bagß. / This low ' esti■t mate i was 'cabled "abroad,. and 'had the I desired effect ,of excitinlj the foreign mard kets and putting'prices up'all round. Au--0 gust and' September wcro both disappoint- , mg months, the flowering'being exceeding- ' ly .irregular, some few places good, but 1 . the/majority: inferior, and in October the ? advices received from the interior did not o filscloso 'any marked improvement.'.The' h season ■ being.. a; late one, tho' /fazenderosZ iB had been counting on good-flowering: :in: fc Ootober 'to'! put -a. different faca on tho situation, but the copious Tains,, following the drought of the -previous months! '■■■ appear to have done more /barm ' than 3 > /good, owing"to : their being accompanied e ,by. strong winds, 1 , and in: some places hailn; storms.' In the important district'of Sao'' h; Carlos do Pinhal it .'was':; reported- that'. e itha-. result /of |the October flpwering, which 0 gayo/promisi of, being at least fair, was very/ popr, /and Bimilar advices 'came: in from .other * districts, : the ; consensus' of/ ' r opinion: being .that the mew. crop will bo* n considerably /smaller, than" the current one." if Many of. the~fazonderoa", inevertholess, Con-' k sider. an estimate' of eight million , bags ; as undnlyf pessimistic, and hold- that,tho/ 3. crop will 'probably .reaoh "at least,, ten fc millions. ;'-,/'/•■.;.,//' ; "'// •//.;>//;//'.'-v'.'.", V Canned ,Ksh'.—Herring in tomato 'sauce; £ l'sr,7s. tov7s.. 6d.;.'1'5,..45. 6d. tosa.; kip- »■ percd/horrings, l's, 75...6d.,-tb,7s. 9d.:' Vs, ?, 45./6d.:to-55.; fresh-herrings, l's, ,6s: to 6s. 'e 6d,'j lobster, 0 and-B, ; , jib. tins,: 14s. 6d. to g , 15s. \ ' salmon, "salad, medium /'reds, Hb; ;■ tails, -Bs.:6d. to 9a.; lib.,'flats.'i9s. to 9s'. s :: fid.; sllvcr,/}lb. flats,-ss.;'.Goldct.'Link, ,; Sockoyo, lib..'tails,' 10s.. 6d;;'.llb.' flfcjs.'.'Usij' Southern.Cross.;Jlb;,':6s.'6d.; Herringlets in oil, Senator /.brand// Bs. 'to. Bs'./6d.; in .to-' / , mato Sauce,;Bs., to-; Bs.'. '6d. ;;,'sar'dines,' Skipper Jib.'-tins; ss.'ito ss. 6d.; -Hi, 95.'.9 d. to ,'. 10s.; '--"King,'Edward,".i'6>"4s.'.9d< to, ss.; 1 J's, ia Bs. 6d.; ling/.'Smethurst: brand,'is making: lt 655. to 56s..'per./cwt.','..'/::'/,'/>/..'. .'.'.'■.;,. B-. . Canned' Urmts.—Tho dbmand/is /steady,"' is and tho 'quotations;/ are -unchanged. at Bs. it fid. .to : 12,8/1; 6d.',.1 : ■.'..'•..'.'. ' '//•//':/.-'';',:/' : .- d ' Driod .' :: are '>" nomi;s nal. Currants*,'-'.■''•finest ~provinoials.'; - 3d.;' i 0 Amallaß, ,'3d.' -per'-.1b.; .lib; cartons,/ :r 35.; 6d. per .dozen; -sultanas, -selected,. 31d:,i- chbico.4d., 'golden- (in,bulk),'.4d.. lib. cara tons 45.//.fid; >. per 'dozen;,''/.dates',: is in !bnlk,„ /21d:',:,',in: cartons,,. -35.. :fid.' ir por dozen;:-:flgs,'-.'natural.■ v-'in .bagß,-. y 34.; seeded', raisinsi-'fancy'' lib..'"pack-. h ages,/ to;,' choice- 3a..:6d. per dozen; ■ musa, catels, Malaga,'lOd. per lb.;.prunes,''3d. 'to i 3Jd.. Writing on'--the:: position''of. thb. s. market for: currants, the London "Proi. duco Markets'- .Beview" on ■November 6 it stated that,: the demand ; had ; increased, I it and prices/had;partially,recovered from m the• proviouß.-months','.'de'prbsiion.•,'•'■ /All; io. grades '■ bolow, ;245. • wero quoted. from' 9d. o-. to Ib. up frbn^;-the lowest points, and-as s, atooks -were-'moderato,'' a/further- hardenr1. ing was anticipated.- The {excellent value •y in the bettor prades . ir&a bringing in, a d heavy rosponse, .grocers-taking full, ads', vantage of the situation. Some of the it cheap Panariti and Vostizza, offered bele twecn 26a./and :30s. wero ,the best value for s. many years, and, it.: was improbable that a. such quality'would' continue to bo seen w on the market: for any length of time. i. With a. considerably reduced offering of i, "Valencia* raisins/ and a still smaller snpe- ply likely,' tho, market. was, buoyant, and o.- good tOj/'flne qualities wore: competed for v.. at:fully Bteady rates.: The sultana market

was firm, a'id the'demand for all'grades was, good; .Although the stock was large; pricos were :so low and the range was ro oxtenßive that thoro was a- general feeling of confidence in the future. More than half of the slock, in London was laßt year's fruit iu the hands of a few holders who wcro content to wait another yoar, with'tho knowledge of a retention sohemo, and the., always probable event (after ' several large yields) of a. small crop, rather than accept the heavy lobsos which' would be entailed' by selling at late rates. In the stock there was also' a fair proportion.of .1907 fruit, which was quoted from 16s. to 19a. per cwt. (less, than the price of currants),. so that tho actual supply of new grocery fruit was' by no means excessive. ; Choico fruit of any . growth was exceedingly scarce, and commanded comparatively high prices, but fine .medium qualities were within 1 the. reach of . all. .'.-■■. ..Evaporated Fruits.—Apricots, 71d: to Bd.; peaches, 7d..'pears, 8d;; apples,- Bd.' ■ .Ginger, pi'eserved 7jd., per / lb. - ■; Infants', Food.—Ncave'B, '9s. fd.; . Allan and Banbury's Nob. I.and 2, 175.; No. 3, 10s. 6d.;- Bengor's, 175.; Robinson's patent groats and barley, 7s. 6d. Neave's milk' food,- 13s. 6d.j Ncstle's milk .food, 17s. fid. Jam—New Zealand l's, 3s. 6d.- to 4s. 6d.. . Knifo Polish.—Nixey's, 4s. 6d.;.Okey's, ss. 3d. ■ .'' - . . Maizena.—Duryea's'i sid. ' Mustard.—Coleman's D.S.P., l's, Is. sd. to Is.-6d.; l's.- Is. 3id. to Is. 4d.; Durham, 71b. tins, 7d.t071d. Matches.—Plaidß, 3s. Bd. to ss. 9d. a gross; ..penny slides, Bs. 9d. to 9s. 6d.; safeties, small, foreign, 35.. to 3s. 6d.; Bryant and May's,' small 4s. fid., large 78. 6d.': ~,".'■...: Nutmegs, Ib. to Is. 2d. per lb. \ Peel.—New Zealand lemon, 4Jd. to 5d.; orange, - sd. to 5Jd.; imported lemon, 7's, 5Jd.; 6ranr;e, sJd.;,citron, Is. to.ls. 2d. -Pickles.—Morton's hexagon 10s. 6d., round 12s. sd. per dozen; Captain White's, 235; 6d.; Garten's H.P.. J-pints, 12s. fid.; pints, 225. 6d.;.pure pickles, 9s. 6d. to 10s.;, ,:Eice.-No. 1, 155..-Ed.;-'No. 2, 14s. 6d.; special Japan, lGs.vper cwt. - Salt.—Fine, 71b.-bagß,' ss: 6d. to 6s. "6d. per cwt.;. bags, 3s. 6d. to 45.; coarse, in cwt. bags, 3s. to 3s. 6d. per cwt. :Sauceß—L. and P., j-pints; 14s. to 14s. 6d.;:pints.. 255. to 255. 6d.; Holbrook's, 1pints, 7s. 6d.; pints, 10a. 6d. to 10s. 9d:; Garton's; J-pints, 7s. 6d.; pints, 10s. to 10s. 6d.; Eagle brand (New Zealand), 1-pints, 2s/ 9d. to 35.; pints,'ss.. 6d." to'6s. Starch.—Coloman's, lib.' boxes, sid. i to. 53d-. 51b.' packets. sd.to "s}d.; Hew Zealand, lib. boxes, 38s. to 395. per cwt.; 51b. packets, 375. to 38b. per cwt. ' Stov« Polish.—Nixey's, 2a. fid.; Beckitt's, 3s. per dozen.' /. . SnEar.-lA and No. 1, 56's, £17/10s.; No. 2,-£l7; N0.:3, £16.per ton.-' Tapioca.—Pearl and flake, 15s. to 15s. fid.; seed, 14s. to ;145..6d. Vinegar.—French, 6s. 6d. to ,7s. 6d.: Champion; 65.9d.tb9a.! Colonial, 45.-to 4s. 6d. ■' U '' ■''"'//■■■•rrr-.'..■ '■ i : .WELLINGTON. MAEKET .BEPOKT. ' llbssrs. Laery and Co., Ltd., Wellington, report' wholesale' prices , ;ruling on the market:—Wheat,"fowl, 4s:. Bd.' to- '4s. 10d.; feed 'oats,: 25.. 2d. to 25... 6d:; dun- oats, 2s. / 4d., to 2s. 6d.; seed oats. 2s. 4d. to 2s, Bd.; maize, 45., to 4s. 3d.: crushed malt, 75.; fowl, barley, 2s. 4d. to 2s. 6d.; Cape barley seed,'2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d.i flour, New Zealand £11 ss.""to' £11 105.,. Austra-1 lian £12 to £12 10s.; bran, £3 15s. to £4; pearl' 'barley,. - 155.; peas, Prussian blue ss. 3d. to 6s. 6d., split £17 10s.; boncdnst, £5 .155.; superphosphates, £5 .to £5 55.; pollard, £4 155.',t0 £5 10B.;'hasic.'Blag,'£4 10s.; chaff (catehsheaf), '£3:65. .to 1 £3 iSs>s oatmeal, £11 to £11 10s.; potatoes, Told' table.; £2 to £3; \ potatoes, .new, £5 to £8 10s.; Victorian onions, 9s. cwt.; molasses fodder, 1 '£5; .bacon (factory), sides 7jd.,; hams 85d., rolls-BJd.; butter; prime bulk, Bd. 'Poultry—Hens. 3s. to 3a. fid.; ducks, 53.'/ to sb. 6d.; geese, 6s. to Bs. per pair; turkeys,' gobblers 18s. to 205., hens lOs./to 145.; fresh eggs,. Is. Id. to Is. 2d.■'• dozen; cheese 5Jd.- to 6d ( lb„ loaf 7d. to Hi.; Akaroa :machine-dressed, cocksfoot, 73d; to'Bd;iper lb..,'farmers' dressed cooksfoot, "5d." to 6d. per lb.; ryegrass, 3s; 9d. to 4s. 6d. per. bußhel; Italian ryegrass, 3s. fid. to 4a.. 6d. bushel; white clover. 70s. ■to 755. per cwt.; red clover, 755. per cwt,; cow .grass;'.7ss.-per;-owt.; alsike," 82s. • fid. < cwt.;' mustard; 40a'.."'6d.. cwt.;- rape • seed,/ 265. cwt.; timothy, 325. 6d. cwt.; Swede and turnip seed, 60s. to 60s. cwt. .'-.. '■ Onstoms revenue collected at Wellington yesterday' amounted to'£3ll3 lis.- 9d. ...'-.' '.'WHEAT AND FLOTJI",.' By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. "'.■■" ' ; '■'.'■' London, December 23. ■ The' wheat ojid flour -afloat for . ; the United Kingdom, is 2,230,000 quarters; for the Continent, 1,005,000; Atlantic shipments, ,228,005; Pacific,' ■ 20.0C0- quarters. \ --. ; 'V' - :-; .METALS /MAEKETS. ■;':■:'' By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Itec. December.29, 11.5 p.m.) . :')'■-. . > ';' i : London. December 29. •'" -Copper.—On the/spot,;£sl; ;three months; £62. 10s.; electrolytic, £62: 155.. per'"ton.- .: Tin.-7.0n ;:the. -.spot, .£154; three months, •£155:105. per ton. -i'-- .' ..Lead,. £13.75. fid. per /ton.;. J '■'; BANK .; BHAB.E3; AND.'. DEBENTDBES. /' ; ByTelcgraph^-PressAssociation-Oonyright. ;,; London, December 28. , Tho following aro ' tho . latest quota- , tions:—Bank of Australasia,/buyers £108, 'sellers • £108; ;■.Batfk of Zealand Debefrture 6tock, £101. .The rcßt are "unchanged.