COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1111, 26 April 1911, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. Them vera no transactions in investment share; yesterday, the holiday of the previous day no doubt accounting for this. Reports emanting from New Plymouth have appeared to the effect that'Taranaki Petroleum shares have recently been selling at par (£1). On the Wellington Stock Exchange the selling quotation for Eomo time past has been 14s. to 14s. Gd., the price today being sellers 14s. 6d. The buyinE and selling Quotations,are as uncjer:— Buyer?. Sellers. £ s. d; '• £ s. d. National Bank — 6 0 0 K.Z. Loan and Mercantile 0 10 9 — Gisbornc Gas 3 2 6 — South British Insurance..'. — 3 10 0 Standard Insurance ;..... 19 0 — ■ Christchurch Meat — 16 2 6 Meat Export (£5) 6 7 6 6 10 0 Meat Export (£4) — 5 7 6 Meat Export (525. 6d.) — .370 Well. Woollen (ord.) — 4 2 0 Well. Woollen (prof.) 3 0 0 — Leyland-O'Brion 16 6 16 9 Manning and Co 4 11 0 — Miramar, Ltd.. ■ i-— 0 2 6 N.Z, Drug 2 9 0 —.. Sharland's ordinary-1.-4- 0 — Sharland's preference ...14-0 — Taranaki Petroleum 0 14 6 Taringamutu Totara 2 8 6 — Ward and Co ... 5 0 0 — WilsonV Cement — 2 16 IMPORTS FROM BRITAIN. The following is the return of the principal lines of goods of British manufacture exported to New Zealand during the month of February, 1911, also for the two months ending February, 1911, 1910 shown for purposes of comparison. Compiled from the Board'of Trade returns:—

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE EXPORTED. ' The values of the principal products passed through the Customs for export for the period from April 1 to 15 inclusive, compared with the fißures for the corresponding period of last year show as under:—

855,870 1,337,181 There is a decrease of £481.311, which is rather large. This, however, may arise through the shipping arrangements: at any rate, no special notice can bo taken of the figures of a. half month. GISBOKNE GAS COMPANY. The balancc-shcot of the Ciisbornc Oas Company for the year ended March 31 has been circulated. The director?, in their report, state, that the sale of gas shows an

incrcaso of nearly two and a half million feet—about 8i per cent, over the previous year. The sale of residuals Is emially satisfactory. During the year thu price of gas has been reduced equal to 6 per cent., to consumers. The paid capital of the company has been increased by £893, and. the reserve by £6500 during the year. The reserve for meters, of £1000, and the appropriation of £2500, made at last meeting, have been written off to meet the putting aside of small and inadetiuate plant. On September 30 last an interim dividend of £1842 was paid. There beinc now £5820 14s. 6:1.. the balance in the profit and loss account, the directors recommend that a further dividend of Is. 6d. per share he paid on all shares issued to September 30 last, and 9d. per share on shares dating from January 1, 1911. amounting lo £1845 los.; also that £2000 be carried forward to general reserve, leaving £1974 19s. 6d. to be carried forward. -

Customs duties collected at the port of Wellington yesterday amounted to £4281 7s. 4d.

TRADE IN ALLEN STREET. Potatoes.—A large portion of tho shipmeets coining to hand are still showing signs of "blight; prime quality tubers are selling at- £o IDs. per ton; inferior descriptions are sold for practically what they will fetch.

Onions.—The market is well supplied with both New Zealand and Victorian, and best samples are realising is. 3d. to 4s. 9d. per

Oats.—The market continues firm, with A grade gartons selling at 2s. lOd. to 2s. lid.' per bushel. Dun oats are rcalisine up to 3s. Heavy importations are being made of Vicrtorian grown Algerian oats, which . are being sold at 3s. 6d. a bushel.

Chaff is meeting with fairly active demand, and the current quotation is £5 10s. to £5 15s. per ton, sacks in; straw chaff is quoted at 655. to 70s. per ton, sacks returnable.

Maize has advanced 2d. per bushel during the past week, due to increased consumption.

Bran and pollard are without any alteration in values, and business is fairly active. Capo Barley.—A moderate demand exists for sowing purposes. Fowls' barley is quoted'at 2s. 10d. per bushel.

. Oatmeal.—Tho demand hae increased slightly, tho Wellington quotation beine £13 10s. per ton for best-known brands.

Butter.—Prime milled in bulk is in short supply, and a, good demand exists at lCd. per lb.

Eggs.—Fresh eggs arc in exceedingly short supply, and thu quotation is now 2s. to Is. 3d. per dozen for well-known brands: pr\>ccrved eggs are selling at Is. 4d. per dozen. Vegetables.—French beans arc in demand, and realise from 4s. to 6s. per half-case; cabbages are in fair demand, at 3s. to 6s. according to duality; pumpkins ranee from fe 6d. to ss. 6d. per sack; marrows are in heavy supply, and realise 2s. to 2s. 6d. per sack.

Fruit.—The steamer from Fiji is duo here to-morrow, with the usual monthly shipment of case bananas and,bunches. The Maitai is also due to-morrow from the Cook Islands, carrying Island oranEcs, bananas, and kumeras. for which a good demand should be experienced, as supplies in retailers' hands are.on the light side. Tho first of the persimmons for the season »».« reached tho market, and for sound fruit tho prices range from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per box. Tomatoes have advanced considerably in : value, and up to ss. per half-case has been obtained for choice samples, -/cmohs are in more plentiful supply. South Australian grown selling at 14s. to 15s. per case; pears have advanced considerably, choice- varieties being worth lCs. to 12s. There is a fair demand for choice coloured dessert apples: russets are selling at '.\s. to 6s. 6d. per case, cooking anplcarange from 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. according to quality.. THE MEAT MARKET. . (By Telegraph—Press AsFociation,) Christchurch, April 25. The British-New Zealand Meat Co. has received the following London cablegram:— Mutton — Prime Canterbury; 3-M to 33d.; North Island, 2Jd. to 2Jd. Lamb-Canter-bury, 4-? d. to 4sd.; North Island. 4d. to 4»d. Beef-Hinds. 33d.; fores, 213-16 d. The mutton market continues to bo depressed. Tho prospects for lamb are bad, but distant prospects good. Beef is weaker, with a downward tendency. BEET SUGAIi. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright London, April 25. Herr F. O.' Licht, of Magdeburg, in his monthly circular, states that the production of beet sugar in Europe during the first six months of tho 1910-11 campaign, which began on September 1, shows an increase of 802,000 tons as compared with tho previous campaign. JIo estimates that tho total amount produced during tho current campaign will bo about 8,147,000 tons, or an incrcaso of 1,939,000. '

CANTERBURY GRAIN MARKET. rUir XclcEraDh.-l'ress Association.! 7 Christchurch, April 25. There is a. slightly firmer tone in the wheat market, due to the better feeling in London, which, however,, has been more strongly reflected in Australia than hero. The best offers from London are 225. 9d. and 335., go that exporters can make no advance on the price 3 that have lately been given, 3s: at country stations- beine t.im limit. There, is consequently very, little business doing, as growers are not offering, only one sale during the last'"few days being reported, the price being 3s. on tracks. Oats are firm; and there is nothing fresh to report. Chaff ia a:so firm, with a moderate demand. Potatoes are worth 70s. to 755. at country stations, though several buyers are not offering more than the lower figure, owing to the dilßculty of. turning over sunn!ic3 ouickly as they come in from the paddock. Pitting has now commenced, however, and the present plentiful supply may shortly be expected to ease off.

TARANAKI PETROLEUM COMPANY. (By Telegraph-Press Association.) New Plymouth, April 25. In reference to the press telegram from Wellington to-day ouoting Taranaki Petroleum Company's • shares on the Stock Exchange there at from 14s. Gd.-to 145.. the "Daily News" publishes authoritative information from the chairman and secretary of the company to the effect that an application was received to-day for the transfer of .a- parcel of shares at 205.. the tame price as stated in a- telegram sent from New Plymouth about a week ago.

Month' ending Two months Fob. 28. .. ...ending Fob 28. 1910. 1911. 1910. 1911. Beer and ale 2,447 4,046 4,587 6.792 Spirits ......... 21,135 21,281 27,656 43,622 Iron and steel and manufactures thereof ..;... 44,767 107,152 127,402 216,796 Copper,'wrought • " and manufactured 2,435 8,426 4.4S2 10,244 Cutlery 2,789 4,238 4,766 6,048 Hardware 10,015 16,598 16,954 ' 26,097 Cotton, piece goods ol all kinds ..53,056 65,220 122,421 142,335 Woollen and worsted manufactures ...... 28,646 . 49,077 81,876 413,112 Haberdashery and millinery ..; 4,719 .6,731 13,135 13,983 Jute manufactures 2,325 4,638 5,882 9.C61 Linen, piece goods of all kinds 8,48t 10,335 19,089 19,816 Apparel 50,806. 78,732 123,631 162,692 Boots and shoes 19,130 32,043 38,222 50,559 Kaddlevy and harness ...:.. 1,784 5,354 5,053 7,856 Earthenware and glass ... 6,166 10,927 11,957 20,101 Writing and printing paper ... 8,789 18,440 17,135 26,115 Cement 1,975 2.365 3,272 4,863 Stationery,other than paper... 3,176 5,099 . 6,328 8,000

19U. 1910. flutter 24,376 13-1.779 Gheeso 48,803 113,278 Beef 37,330 41,596 Mutton 89,156. 101,305 Logs and pieces 4,661 6,731 Lamb '. 203,324 207.676 Wheat 13,523 5,967 Oats 240 1,849 Potatoes 169 9 N.7: hemp 23,298 30.543 Ilabbits 2 — Tow ; 1,182 3,417 Kauri gum 9,389 5,329 Grain and pulso 10,054 14,393 Hops 391 i.u97 Hides 4,675 10,789 Skins 41,665 54,973 Tallow 49,728 61,933 Timber 14,198 13,595 Wool 229,226 432,793 Gold 49,980 94,129