COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1037, 28 January 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

•" INVESTMENT. SHAKES. A fair number of investment salc3 wcro made yesterday; there were transactions in Bank of Now Zcalaud shares at £10 145., Wollincton Gas. £10 paid, at £19 2s. 6d., and £6.155. paid-up, at £14, New Zealand Drug, two talcs at-495.; and Whitcomuo and Tombs at £6 6s. The buying and selling quotations, were as'iindor:—'

A.M.P. SOCIETY. According to a communication from the A.M.P. Society, published in tlto "Sydney Morning Herald," the new business of tho society for 1910 exceeds the previous year's total by over .£390,000, and amounts-to more than £5,170,CE0. in the ordinary department, and over £770,000 in the industrial department. The figures speak clonuently for tho prosperity of the people of Australasia, aud for- the hold which the, society has obtained on public favour. Although tho process of breaking records cannot in tho nature of things be rarmetsd to go, indifinitely. it • may bo pre. dieted that ■ as Australasia pospers so will tho Au«trnlian Jfutnal Provident Society, its loading mutual lifo office.

PROSPECTIVE HIDE MARKET. According to the Kew South Tvale3 Government Commercial Agent in tho East, tho demand foe leather has greatly increased in Japan; and whilo tho leather manufacturing industry, is still in a fairly primitive condition, with tho exception of ono or two larno tanneries, still, it is considered that, as a result of the new tariff, the imports.of foreign leather into Japan, 6uch as sole leather, harnesp leather, leather for boots and shoos, belting, etc.,. will practically cease. Tho desire of the Japanese Government is to.encourage the local industries as much as possible, and this is shown in tho new Uriff. TJndcr the existing conventional tariff, tho duty on 'sole leather is 11-10 d. per 132.271b., but when the now tariff, comes into force the duty will be 31-Ed., an increase of 167 per cent.; whereas hides of cow and buffalo and waste piccos thereof will bo admitted free; sheepskins, 5 per cent. In view of tho above, tho formation of companies to operate in tho manufacture of leather, is now engaging attention, one 'company, with a capita! of £100,0C0, being already under consideration; and it is certain that tin demand for Australian hides will considerably increase, and that all grades will bo in dimand, vi:., light-weights 33 to 381b-, moI dium-wcightti 15 to 521b., and hoavy-v.oights 601b. and upwards.

BKITISH NATIONAL DEBT. The announcement of tho "Daily Chronicle" that the British Government will shortly convert a part of tho national debt into bearer bonds of denominations as low as .£5 is very interesting. The object is to attract the small investor, but it is a question whether the operation will prove successful. Tho bonds will not be so attractive as say "speculation" in rubber and oil shores. Still, if the rate of interest is a little lusher than that allowed by the Post Office Savins* Bank tho applications should be large. The British Government has o.uite a largo amount of exchequer bonds' falling due shortly, mostly 3 per cents., and these could be made, the subject of the now financial operation.

Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £5412 3s.

WELLINGTON MAEKETS. Tho New Zealand Farmers' Co-opcrativo Distributing Co., Ltd., report :-Largo supplies of potatoes continuo to arrive, and tho market is weak. Onione are rather slow of sale. Dessert pears, peaches, and good coloured apples aro in good inquiry. "Large cooking, apples aro also sought after at fair rates. Tomatoes aro reaching a low level, and it is difficult to forecast what will he obtainable for them when tho built of the Butt crop comes in. Eggs aro in good supply. Poultry continues to meet good demand. Porkers are also slow of rale. We have very little chango to report regarding grain and chafT, tho offerings of new season's crop being small;' both buyers and sellers are awaiting' events. Very little fowl wheat will bo available if the weather continues favourable for the harvest, as the bulk will be up to the standard of milling. Potatoes, prime, £4 to £5 per ton; onions, Australian Globes, £6 per ton; cabbage. 2s. to 4s. Gel. per 6ack; green peas, Hutt, Bd. per peck; French beans, Id. per lb.; carrots, Hutt, Gd. rtozon; turnips, white, 4d. to sd. dozen: lettuce, choice 2s. per case; spring onions, 4d. to 6d. dozen bundles; rhubarb, Is. to Is. Gd. dozen; strawberries, Is. Gd. per lb.; passion fruit, 7s. to Bs. 6d. per half-case; cucumbers, Is. to Is. .Gd. per dozen; apricots, 3s. 6d. to ss. per halfcase; peaches, 4s. to 7p. half-caso; plums, o"ans Is, 6d. to 25., liurbanks 2s. Gd. to 3sT, Diamonds 2s. 9d. to 3s. per balf-caso; nectarines. 4s. 6d. to Es. Gd. per half-case; dessert apples, ss. Gd. to 6s, 6d. per case; cooking apples, 4s. Gd. per case;.tomatoes, Hutt 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d., Nelson 23. to 2s. 6d.

per half-case; raspberries, in buckets, 6s. fctl. each; pears. %. per case; greengages, •Is. 6-J. to as. per half-case: grapes, Is. 6(1. per lb.; butter, separator aid. bulk. 9d. to 9Jd. pats, dairy Bd. to 9d. per lb.; cheese, l)C6t factory mediums Od. per lb., loai 7il. per lb.j dressed pork, 70's to 90's 4d., 90s la 100's 33d.. baconcrs 3Jd„ choppers (heavy) 2d. to 2»d.; eggs, fresh, Is. Id. per dozen; bacon, factory sides 7d., rolls 9rt., hams 9Jd. per lb.; honey, S£d. per lb. (slow of sale); beeswax. Is. 6d. per lb.; fungus, <M. to sd. per 11).; walnuts, Cd. per lb.; tallow, tins, 28s. cwt.; poultry, cockerels, 6s. Gd. for good birds; small, 35.; t:i'.. roosters, 55.; table hens. 2s. to ss. 6d.; ducks, Is. to ss. per pair; turkey gobblers, lOd. per lb.; hens, Bd. per lb. live weight (poor demand); maize, 3s. 6d. per bushel; wheat. Is. per bushel; barley, feed 3s. 3d. per bushel, Capo 35., 6d. per bushel; Dun ueas, 4s. per bushel; barley meal, £6 ss. per ton; pollard, £7 per ton; oat pollard, 2s. 6d. sack of about. 901b.; bran, £5 10s. per ton; niolafscs fodder, £5 per ton; chaff, oaten siioaf, £5 ss. per ton; hay, prime, £3 to £4 per ton; sucrosine, £6 10s. per ton; straw, wheaten, £2 7s. 6d. per ton; linseed oil cake, genuine, £13 per ton; coconut oil cake, Bs. per cwt.; oats, good feed oata. 2s. 9(1., A grado 3s. per bushel, seed, Sparrow-bills, Gartens, Duns, Storm King, Black Tartars 35., Algerians 3s. 6d. per bu3hcl, crashed 3s. per bushel. The Now Zealand Fruit and Produce Co., Ltd., report:—A better demand for fruit exists with the exception of plums, which met with poor inquiry, with tho exception of anything very prime; good dessert apples are eagerly ■ sought for. Vegetables aro bringing fair prices, first-class peas bringing up to Is. per peck. Tho following aro tho prices ruling during the i week:—Fruit: Oranges, American, 10s. to 15s. per case; lemons, 7s. to 10s. per case; passions, 2s. fid. to 4g. box; bananas, 10s. to Ms. case; tomatoes, 3s. to 3s. 9d. case: cherries, 10s. 6d. to 12s. 6d. per box of 241b.; apricots, 4s. 6d. to 6s. 9d. case; peaches, cooking 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. case, dessert 6s. to 7s. 6d..case;.plums, Is. 6d. to 3s. 3d. case, dark 2s. 6d. to is. case, Diamond 2s. 6d. to 3s. case; greengages, 4s. 9d. to ss. 3d.; nectarines, 3s. to ss. case; raspberries, 4s. 9d. to 6s. per bucket; cucumbers. ss. per case. Vegetables: Ken potatoes. 4s. 6d. to 6s. per cwt.; onions. Australian, 56. 6d. to Is. cwt.; cabbage, 3s. to' 4s. sack; cauliflower. ss. to 7s. sack; carrots, 4s. to 6s. sack; turnips, white, Is. 6d. to 3s. sack; peas. 12pk., 6s. to 125.; broad beans, lid. per lb.; rhubarb, 2s. per dozen; French beans, Zs. to 4s. rack; lettuce, 2s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. case; sninach, Is. 6d. to 3s. case; walnuts, 6d. to 7d. per lb.; dessert apples, local, fo. to 95.; celery, Is. to Is. 6d. per dozen. Produce, etc.: Chart', oaten sheaf, £5 ss. to £5 16s. pct ton; oats, A Gartons, 2s. 7d. to . 2s. 9d. per bnsnel: bran. £5 ss. per ton: pollard. £6 10s. per ton: straw. 2s. to 2s. 3d. per halo; wheat. 3s. Bd. to 4s. 'od. per hushol; peanuts. 235. per sack; rice, Cs. 6d. per mat.: chickens. 4s. 6d. to ss. per pair; ducks. ss. Cd. to 6s. 6d. .pair; hens. 3s. to 3s. M. pair; eggs, Is. to Is. 2d.-per dozen. BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. ByTeleprnnh-Pres- AscocinHin-Copjrrlch' (Kec. January 27, 8.30 p.m.) London, January 27. Tho Bunt of England return issued for the- week ended Wednesday, January 25, is as uuder:— , 'Issue Dep.vrtjit.nt Note Issue... £53.«i.C00 Gov.debt ... £n,mr,.coO Othor seciiri- ■ sins ... 7.431,000 ' GolJ ■„ 3.1.025,000; 153.171,000 £33,474,000 BUvKTXO DEP.VnTSTRST. Proprietors' Govt, securicapital £14,553.000 tics... ... £14,055,000 Public do- Other securi- ' posits ... 11,218,000 ties 28,208.000 Other doposits ... 41,091,000 Kotos ... 20.C23.C00 Res-., 7-day and othor Coin.» _ 051.CC0 Mils 3,535,000 ._ £70.430.003 £70,130,000 . Die leading items of tho Bank ot England return afford tho following comparison:— ' . V ' . This week. Last week. Last yew £ £■■■£; Bullion., ... 33.02. r \OCO 33.E07.0M 31.020,000 Kosorvc 57,177.000 25.695,000 'J7.041.C00 Nolo circulation 27,'251,000 ar.-tIO.COJ 27,715,000 PublioDoposits 11.a5.000 10,057,003 12.271.000 athcr.Doposks 41,031.003 40.0:8,000 41,033,000 -Proportion of reservo to liabilities ... 51.83 61.23 61.85 GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Tlie following are tho latest quotations for Government securities, with' a com-, parison of thoso ruling last week:—

BANK RATES OF DISCOUNT. Tho Bank ot- England rate was reduced on June 9 from 4 to 3 per cent: on September 29 it was advanced to 4 per rent., and on October 2.0 to 5 per cent. On December 1 it was lowered to 4} per cent., end on January 27 to 4 per cent. The Bank of Franco rate was reduced from 3>. to 3 nor cent, on January W, 1908, and remains at the latter figure.

Tho Jmperiai Ban!; of Germany on January 21,19:9, lowered its rate from 5 to 4J per com., aurt on February 10 lo 4 ner cent. But on September 25 it was raised to 5 per cent., at which rate. it remains.

MARKET RATES OF DISCOUNT. Tho following aro tho market rates for best thrco" mouths' bills: —

London Paris Berlin rate. rate. rate. „, . percent, percent, percent. This week 32 23 3£ Last' week 33 2V 3V . Last year 22 ij . 3j Short loans aro Quoted at 32 per cent., as against 31 per cent, last week, and 2J per cent, a year ago.

COLONIAL ASD OTHEK PRODUCE. Wheat.—Tho markets are quiet with a- restricted demand for cargoes. Holders are steady; 375. is asked and 355. 6d. is obtainable. For South Australian, off coast, 365. is asked. Australian, per steamer, JanuaryFebruary shipment, 355. 3d.; Victorian sales of October shipment at 355. l*d. For Australian parcels, Jauuary-Fcbrua'rv shipment there is small demand. Australian, on spot, 375. 3d. A cargo sold at 355. 7Sd. Flour is steady, but inactive. pats arc quiet. La Plata, March-April shipment, 13s. 3d.

Butter.—Danish is unchanged. Australian, salted, 100s. to 1025.; unsaltcd, 1065.; secondaries, 965. to 98s. New Zealand choicest. 104s. -to 1065.; secondaries, 98s. to 100s. There has been a dull trado all tho week, closing steady at tho decline. Cheese is firm and unchanged. An Australian consignment arrived in good condition, and consignees consider it worth 2s. to 3s. per cwt.' bolow New Zealand. -Sugar.—German best, 88 per cent, net titre, unchanged, at 9s. per cwt.; first mark granulated, f.o.b.\ Hamburg, unchanged at lis. ■

Bradford Tops.—Tho market is cheerful, and shows a hardening tendency. Forties, 3d. higher at 13.! d, per lb.: forty-sixes, MJii.j fifties. 18{d.; fifty-sixes, 21c1.j common sixties. 24Jd.; super sixties, 253 d.; sixty-fours, 253 d. THE METAL MAEKETS. Copper.—On spot, £55 ss. per ton; three months, £55 16s. 3d.;.c!eetrolytie, £55 12s. 6d. Tin—On spot, £195 per ton. Dead, £12 18s. 9d. per ton. Pig-ii-on, 4id. - lower at- 49.i. 4d. per ton. Spelter, £23 6s. 9d. per ton. LONDON WOOL SALES. By Telegraph—Press Ass'-v'-vM-" V London, January 26. There is a. strong market at tho wool sales, and prices aro well maintained. ... ' . SILVER. ; By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, ■ January 26. Bar silver is quoted at 24Jd. per ounce standard. LONDON lIAHKETS Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's Limited, have received tho following cablegram from their London house under date January 25:—Wheat: Sale 3 of Australian havo been made at 355. Hd. c.i.f. Thero is very littlo.demand owing "to heavy stocks, and the general outlook is discouraging. Oats-. Wo quote:-Gartoris, 18s. 3d., and sparrolvbills. 17s. 9d. Market firm, with a fair demand ■' * GEAIN MAEKET. (By TclozraDh-Prcss ;Association.! ."■'.■ Christchurch, January 27. - A good turnover iu now wheat is taking place, millers being tho principal buyers, the quality being so excellent. The rango of prices i 3 very narrow as compared with last season. Tho bulk of tho purchases are being made at is. 2d. at country stations, and a few lines at 03. Id. Tho fine weather of the past week and the dry condition of, tho grain lias resulted in an unusually large quantity of stock threshed wheat being placed on tho market.

Oats aro still scarce, only a few small lots coming forward. Many farmers say thcy will require all they havo for their, own use, where the crops have been very light, or where caterpillars havo done damage. : There is likely to bo less oats availablo than these districts will require. ; •.-.,.

Cocksfoot is now selling in fairly large quantities. 6Jd. being tho highest. price reported for Peninsula feed.' The crop is said to bo turning out less than was oven' expected. |

Buyers Sellers £s.d. £ a.il National Ban!: 5 15 0 — Equitable Jluildliis — in 5 0 Wellington Investment ... 0 11 0 . 0 11 6 Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 16 0 8 0 0 Christohurch Gas 10 0 0 - .Fcildinc Gas 119 — Gisborna Gas 2 19 0 — Wellington Oa3 (£10) 19 2 6 • - Well. Gas (£6 15s.) 13.17 6 - Gear Meat (£11 3 2 0 - Meat Export. (52s. 6d.) .... -.320 Kaiapoi Woollen 5 1.6 -- Well. Woollen (ord.V 3 15 6 3 16 6 Wcll.-Woolkn (pref.) 2 15 0 2 17 0 Tanpiri: Goal ..:........::. 119' — D.I.O., preforenco — ■ .13 3 Lcvland-O'Bricn — 1 .?'? Manning and Co - , J 11.0 N.Z. Con. Dental 12 6 13 6 Rliarland's ordinary 119 , — 'Bliarland's preference .... 119 — Taranalii Petroleum ■ 0 11 0 — Ward and Co — 5 10

Variations ' H cornpa ed Prloo. with ■ : ■ last week. : • £ s.,d. 25% Imperial Consols 79 VI l> 5s. lower 4 „'N.S.\V.1933Jan.-Jnly 105 0 0 Unchanged 3i „N.S.\V.191S.uai\-Sep. 69 0 0 Unchant'ed 5 „K.S.\V.U35Al>l.-0i!t. 87 10 .0'- lOs.hiBlwr' I ■ .jVjo. 1930 Jan.July. ■ 10! li 6 Uncnauxtd 3i„.Vic.lftjlnSJan.July 97 0 0 Unchanged 3 ..Vic.lSffl-iOJnn.-July S410 0 Unchanged 85 „S,A. MlDJan.-July 93 10 0 Unchanged 3 „S.A. 1J1G Jan.-July 8110 0 5s. lower I '„Q'l'dl915-24,Ian.-July 103 0 0 Unchanged 'ih ..Q'l'dlUiMOJan.-July 96 10 0 Unchanged 3 „(JTdl!)iU.j7Jan.-Jiily S310 0 Unchanged i „N.<5.1923JIay.N'ov. 10110 0 Uucli&ncod' aj „N.Z.1010Jan.-Jiily ■ 98 0 0 7S.Gd. higher 3 „N,i!.194.-.Aiu-il-Oct. i>5 10 0 . Unclrangoil 34„\S*.A.lftiO-jOMay-Nov C7 0 0 , Unchanged 3 „W.A,1915-25,May-Xov S3 10 0 Unchanged 34 „ Tas. IMOJan.-July 97 10 0 Unchanged 3 ..'ras.MJ-ipJan.-jnly 85 0 0 Unchanged