COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1164, 27 June 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAKES. A sale of National Eank shares at £6 Is. 6cl. cum dividend was tho only transaction recorded in investment shares yesterday. The huying and selling quotations were as under: — Buyers. Sellers. £ 5. d. .£ p el National Bank 6 10 6 2 0 N.Z. and Itivor Plate 2 0 6 - Well. Trust and Loan ... 7 13 0 7 15 6 Well. Deposit — 0 8 6 South British Ir.suranco 311 0 — Christchurch Meat 16 0 0 — Meat Export (£5) '6 5 0 — Heat Export (55-. 6d.) — 3 5 6 New Zealand Shipping ... 11 12 6 11 15 0 Union Steam 2 10 — Well. Woollen (ord.) ... 4 1 0 - AVoll. Woollen (prof.) 3 10 — Westport Coal 19 0 — Loyland-O'Brien 17 0 — Manning and Co — 4 8 0 N.Z. Drue 2 9 3 2 9 9 N.Z. Paper Mills — 116 Taranaki Petroleum ...... 0 16 3 0 17 0 . BEE HAZARD. Many queer kinds of insurance contracts arc 'made by Lloyd's underwriters, and amongst the rest we see that, through tho British Beekeepers' Association, a premium of one penny per hive per anuuiu secures protection to the extent of .til) in iinj- one year against claims for injury' to the persons or property of outsiders. As the average bee uoes not carry a number plate on hi= business end, the sufferer from an individual sting might have clitiiculty in identifying his foo, but we presume the chief risk is when concerted action leads to the death of dogs or horses, or when a swarm lights on tho head of someone who has not the nerve to wait until it got'.? olf again. These events are, of course, rdrc, but protection against even a remote contingency is worth a penny, and a general adoption of thn rchemo would come to a good deal of money. NATURAL CAS. The nmigarifln Government has decided to monopolise the tremendous natural gas sourco recently discovered at Kissarmaf, in Transylvania, of which the daily yield amounts to 26,000,000 cubic feet. This ia the most important source of gas in the world so far discovered. The gas comas out of the ground at a pressure" of ovri' 30 atmospheric, and the noise it makes is heard many miles away. In view of (he tremendous pressure, it is puito impossible to reach the orifice of the well, which promises to become a source of wealth for the whole country. The prices for laud in tho neighbourhood have already increased tenfold, and Kiesnrmas, from being only yesterday a little hamlet lost in the mountains, promises to become a very iranorlaiit industrial centre. The gas can' be utilised not only for industrial, but r.hn for illuminating purposes. It burns with a, very clear name, and has a high cilnrifi? value. The Government engineer-; ostium - * that of the yield there will be sufflexnt gai \o illuminate all the towns and villages in Transylvania, and al=o to bring over lrpipes large quantities oT gas to Budapc-t

OCEANIC STE.UI NAVIGATION , . The report of tlic Occnnii; Steam N"iviRation Company (White Star Line) for li:.t year phtnvs a profit on the year's worltiii" or £1,058.519, while interest on iiivcstinont's brings in £11.755. A Tier dodiictm E Debenture mid general interc-l, directors' i'oo*. income tax, etc.. writing nir £373,016 for depreciation on Heel wharve?, investment.:-, etc.. ni'.ii the balance of Ihe cn?|. of j)cbentnre i?=m: amnuntini; tn £43,375, there ri'jiiiiiu!, v.'il'u .£30,726 hroncht. forward a total at rralil i:f profit and loss account or £571.337. r>iiriii!T the year dividends iimouniini; in .E2'JS.CtO were paid (the bal-ance-sheet i;ives the .mount of slvire capital 35 £750,C00, ?n that the distribution works uiil iit JO per cent.), ami in view of the incrcarc of the fleet, and the inti'oiluuiion of a larger rlass of tonnage Hut ilircciors have it prudent to open .in insurance fund, and the sum of jaCO.COO has Iretn set aside for this cur-

pose. The Rencral re.-ervo fund has alro hci'ii increase i io £5Cf/,(i"O Ijy the Iran:-for from profit and loss accauiit of £107,215, and a fni-thcr sum of £IGO.CCO lias been trau.-ferrcrt to a ncticral purpo.-c fund, lcffiviiiE .i-39,ii0 to he carried forward. The company has ac<iuirc<! a half share in tho Waimania, nmv building to the order of th;- Shaw, ftivill and Albion Company, and the litter has taken a half interest in a steamer which is boincr built for the company by llarhnd and Wolff.

KAIMVAY ACCIDENTS IN 1910. The returns of the various railway companies in the l/nitcd Kingdom showinc the number of accidents and casualties which occurred during tho year ended December, 1910, have just been issued by the Hoard of Trade, The total killed is Riven as 1C62, as compared with 971 during 19C9, and the increase in the number of those, injured amounted to 750. The caiiso of the exceptionally larfre increase in the latter instance i.-i mainly diiß to accidents to trains-, rulling stock, permanent way. etc.. and of the 750 injured. 721 aro accounted for under this headiiiK alone, while as regards t!'.3 former, tho mortality occurred nrineiiiaily in the case of servants of railways nnd contractor? from causes not stated, the number of fatal injuries, under this denomination being 56.

In addition to the above, tho railway companies have reported to the Hoard of Trade the following accidents which occurred upon their premises, but in which tho movement of vehicle.", used exclusively upon railways -was uot concerned, namely: —Two pc sscnirers, 37 servant.-: of companies or contractors, and 20 other persons hilled, and li'i passengers, 20.413 servants and 590 other persons injured, making a total in this class of accident of 59 persons killed, and 21,708 injured, as afrainst a total in the previous year of 65 perons killed and 20,792 injured.

Customs dutios collected at tho port Wellington yesterday amounted to £1! ss. led.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLE. Tho Commerce and Tourist Division of the Department, of Aericulture, Commerce and Tourists has received .tho following cablegram, rclatinp; to tho state of the London markets, from the Ilijli Coiumissionsr for New Zealand, dated London, June 24. (Note.—Quotations, unions otherwise specified, are average market prices on spot):—

General.—All markets are rjtiiet. and small business doing, on account of Coronation festivities.

ilnttoi).—Holders am firm. Demand is chiefly for lisht weight. Hates have advanced Jd. per Hi., viz.: Canterbury <Jd., North Island ll.d. per lb. Heavies arc romewhat difficult to cell at about list quotations (North Island 3jd. per lb.). Lamb.—A good demand continues. Canterbury, 53d. to <Jd. per lb.. other than Canterbury, 5Jd. to 4Jd. per lb. Beef.—The market is weaker, and slightly lower. Naw Zealand hinds 3!d.. fores ?'•(]. per lb.; South American chilled beef, 2jd. to 33d. per lb.

Butter.—There is no change in prices, viz.: New Zealand ICBs.. Australian 101s., Danish 1155., Siberian ids. per cwt .

Cheese.—The mnrket is steady, with a very Rood oY-mnjul at. lost onotatioii's, vis • Npw Zeabud, 595. £d. per cwt. llcaip.-Thc • market is quiet, but firm. There is no chance since last report. New Zealand, sood fair, on spot, por ton, .«1; f■"> Krade. £19 155.: fair current Mnniln £19 !Cr. Forward shir-nent-New Zc-ibml, Kood fair. £21 7=. fd.: fair irrade, .£2O; fair current Manila, £20 Jβ. Th" mitr.ut from Maiiila, for the week was 23.CC0 bales.

BANK OF ENGLAND KETUP.N. By TclcEraph- Press Assoeiation-Copyricht - London, Juno 2f>. The Sink of Eiißlnml vet urn issued for ivcplc ending Wednesday, Juno 21, is as under: — , ko4s:jsuc... £57.0:8,0ca g O v. aeht... ai.nn.oM ' Other securi. tiei ... 7.«4.m) Gold ... .3BA!).(XM £57X08,003 JC57.003.C0a BIXKJXG DF-PARTires-T. rropriotors' Govt. eccurlrSffio- ■■ aiJmm oti&M" 1 -* 0 ™ oiffic ""• Tffl,flH tics iOSSi ™ posils ... JJ.OCE.COO xolcs M . 25.03" COO Best. 7-day unci other WUs - ... 3.1C0.r00 Coin ... . 1.257.003 £73.580.003 £73.580.C00 The loading items of the Bank of Ensland return afford the following compufiThis week Last week Last year £ £ £ niillion 38.649.CC0 38,2C0,C00 <1,766,CC0 Reserve 29,319,000 29,198,000 33,858,000 Note circulation 29.0C6.CCfl 28.739.0C0 27 634 OCO Public Deposits 14,769,000 13.633.CC0 27.870.0C0 Other deposits 41,068,000 «,625,CC0 40,017,000 Proportion of reserve to liabilities 52.49 52.62 49.85 WHEAT AND FLOUR. By Telczraph—Press Association—CopyriehS London, Jnno 25. The wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom totals 3,350,000 quarters; for the Continent, 2,500.000 quarters; Atlantic shipments, 103,000. Tho total shipments to Europe during the week amounted to 1,160,000 nuartcrs, including: 257.C00 from Argentina, 320,000 Huesian, 80,000 Danubian. 303.CC0 from India and 45,000 from Australasia,

Bar*, Leafy & Williams, Algar T. Williams. E.W.Uunt, F.I.A.N.Z. Sl:arcbro!(crs and Professional Accountants, TelegTami-—"Barley, Wellington."