COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1185, 21 July 1911, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHAKES. A sale of Wellington Trust, ami Loan at £7 lis. was the only transaction recordsd yesterday. The buying and selling dilatations were as under-.— Buyers. Sellers £ 3. el. £ s. d Union Bank 67 0 0 - National Bank 5 IB 0 Equitable Uuildiug — " 9 16 ° National Mortgage 3 8 6 N.Z. Loan and Mer 0 16 6 0 18 0 Wellington Investment... tl 11 9 • - Christchurch Gas 9 17 6 — ; I'eHding Gas 1 " <> — Well. Gad (£7) 14 10 0 - Jlcat Export (£5) & *> " ~ , •Meat Export life, td.) - S \ » N.Z. Shipping - " " » Well. Woollen lord.) - J » Taupiri Coal , — „ J J' Westport Coal 19 0 18 9 Kauri Timber — 0 16 9 Leyland-O'Bricn Timber... 18 3 — . N.Z. Drug 2 9 3 ~ Hharland's Ordinary 1 3 ? "„ Taranaki Petroleum 0 16 6 0 16 9 Taringamutu Totara 2 6 0 > • 1 Ward and Co 5 0 0 - THE LAST WOOL CLIP. According to Dalgety's Annual Wool lteview, the total exportable production of wool for Australasia during the twelve months ended June 3D last was 2,<!68,75U bales, while 55,'jCU bales were used for manufacturing purposes in tho Commonwealth and New Zealand, a. total of 2.524,750 bales. The'average value per bale of all the wool sold in Australasia during the past twelve months was £12 10s. 4d., as compared with £13 12s. 2d. for the previous year, a decrease of £1 Is. 10d.. or 8 per cent. The average for 1908-9 was £11 6s. lt'd., and for 1907-8 .£l3 os. 2d. nor bale. Taking tho value of the last clip at the average price of £12 lCs. 4d., the income from wool amounted to J831.5E8.937. whicli compares with £33.£C8,912 in 1909-10. The weight of the wool clip was 838.280,6991b., as against 833,611,6551b. in 1939-10. The average weight per bale of tho past clip, as dealt with in Australian markets, amounted to 332.11b.. as against 335.31b. for the previous year, 337.71b. in 1908-9, and 339.71b. in 19C7-8. There is thus a decrease of 7.61b. in tho average weight of the bales as compared with four years ago. The average value per lb. of all the wool sold in Australia during the year was 9d., as compared with 93d. during' the previous year. 83d. during 1908-9, and 9Jd. during 1907-8. The average for the past four years works out at 9d. . The number of sheep in Australasia at latest available date totalled 116,034.173, an increase of ECC.592 head. The smaUncss of the increase is'duo to heavy slaughtering for local consumption and csn'rt. amounting in all to 15,206.144 head. Dividing the total number of sheep into the net weight of wool produced.' the average weight per head works out at 71b. 40z., which compares with 71b. 4oz. in 1909-10. 61b. 14oz. in 1908-9. and 61b. 9oz. in 1907-8. Dividing the number of sheep and lambs into tho total estimated value of the ciip. tho monetary return is cuual to ss. sd. per head, as against 6s. JCd. for the previous season. 4s. 9d. for 19CB-9, and ss. Id. in 1907-8. Tho past dip was composed of 74 per cent, merino, and 26 per cent, of crossbred, or exactly the same as in the previous season. In- 1908-9 tho clip was composed of 76 .per cent, merino, and 24 per rent, crossbred, while, in 1907-8, there was 78 per cent, of merino, and 22 per cent, of crossbred. Tho total ouantity of wool sold in Australasian markets was 1.E65.167 bales, or 76 per cent, of tho total eio-irtnble surplus. In the preceding year 1.ER9.745 bales (or 77 -per cent, of the exportable production) were d<\alt with in the markets of Australia, and Now Zealand.

CRIPPLING MANUFACTURES. Tho persistent demand of trades i,aionists for higher*wage* and shorter hours tenet; to cripple manufacturing. According to a Consular report, whilst trade in San Francisco last year (which .was below its average activity) is still suffering from tho effects of the enormous losses of capital sustained in the disaster of 1906, another thin? that militates against tho prosperity of the district is the condition of the labour market. There are strong unions in all trades, and the higher rates of wages paid, to-

gether with the shorter hours of labour as compared with other towns on the coast, has seriously crippled the manufacturing trades. As compared with 1904 the number of factories in existence shows a loss of over two-thirds.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. In connection 'with tho unemployment clauses of the National Insurance Bill, the Labour Department of the Board of Trade has published a series of tables giving tho rules and expenditure of trade unions in respect of unemployment benefits. The details aro based on information supplied bv omployers to the Board of Trade in connection with a general inquiry into earnings and hours of labour, and relates to all the principal industries. Tho figures illustrate the experience of trado unions with regard to insurance against unemployment as a practical measure. A wide divergence exists between different trades as to tho number of weeks for which unemployed benefit is paid. th» maximum standing at 52 'weeks, while, tfc rate per week receivable by members also varies from over 15s. to ss. Among the different forms of benefit payable arc what is known as "stationary benefit." the weekly or daily payment to ordinary members when out of employment; "travelling benefit," the payment to members when travelling in search of work, which isgenerally made in place of "stationary benefit," while emigration grants and payments of fares to situations are also made in many cases. In the majority of cases members aro ::ot eligible to receive benefits until twelvo months' contributions have been paid. The expenditure by trade unions on unemployed benefits in 1903 for all trades shows an aggregate of 1059 trade unions with 2,357,400 members. Ordinary unemployed benefits amounted to £1,245.10), travelling benefits,to £6200. and emigration to £I'oo. the total, including smaller amount-3 for fares and removals, making up £1,254.100. Separate figures aTC given for th 3 .nsured trades, showing the amounts paid from 1900 to 1909 for unemployed benefits and the cost per head of eligible membership. In this case, 123 trade unions a.ro concorn"d. tho total membership avoraging abo.i-t «O.CCO. of whom about 4Co,oP).\vro eligible to receive unemployment benents during the year. The total amount, of benefit paid varied from £156.6rf> in 19fC t-:> £727.000-tho highest fieiirc-in 1908. the co<a for 1909 having beer. f«4.2C0. The average cost ner head of ehVible mimbe.rslun was 19s 7d. For the building trades tho average cost ner member between 1900 and 19C9 was 14* Gd • ironfounding. 335. 5d.: engineering. 20s! 9d.; and shipbuilding, 245. Id.,; the average of the cneineerir.E ar.d shipbuilding trades together working out at 235. Id. per member.

Customs duties collected at the nort of Wellington yesterday amounted to £2203 Is. lCd. LONDON WOOL SALES. By Telegraph—l'ress Association-Conyrlnht London, July 19. At the wool sales prices were firm, and competition was keen and General. (Rcc. July 20, 10.20 p.m.) London, July 20. At the wool pales the following prices were realised for tho fleece portion of the clips named:—Boaumont, top price lljd., ivorage price. 10d.; Kurihelia, 121 d. and ilßd.; Wilden, 13Jd. jind 12d. Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd.. Wellington, have received the following cablegram from their London office, under date July 19 ; _"Wool market, firm. Prices for greasywool's are practically on a par with closing rates of last scries." The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agehcv Company. Limited, have received the following cablegram from their London house under date July 19:-London Wool Sales:—As compared with last sale's closing rates, prices arc higher by about par to 5 per cent, for greasy and scoured merino super and fine greasy crossbred; about the same for coarse greasy crossbred; lower by about par to 5 per cent, for merino inferior, medium greasy crossbred, and faulty wool; lower by about 5 per cent, to 7i per cent, for scoured crossbred and slipo medium crossbred; lower bv 5 per cent, for slipe. fine, and coarse crossbred. There is a small demand for America. WHEAT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, July 19. Tho visible supply of American wheat Is 2,025,000 bushels. TALLOW. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright London, July 19. At the tallow sales 2341 casks were offered and 1538 sold. Mutton, fine 365. per cwt., medium 325. Gd.; beef, fine 335„ medium 325. METAL MARKETS. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright London, July 19. Copper.-On the spot, £56 12s. W. per ton; three month?. £55 17s. 6d. Tin.-On the snot, £194 per ton; three months, £!EG 15s. Lead, £13 7s. 6d. per ton. LONDON GRAIN MARKET. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cablegram from their London house under date July 19:—Wheat: Have sold a New Zealand parcel at 325. 3d. c.i.f. The market is steady. There is very little demand, and unfavourable cron reports. The outlook for market orosnects in Russia is uncertain. Wo uuoto per nuarter c.i.f. New Zealand wheat:—Long-berried 325. 3d., short-berried 31s. 9d.

jrtTiHOURXK HIDE MAIiKKT. By Tclcgranh—Press Association-Copyright (Dec. July 20, 11.0 p.m.) Molbournc, July 20. Hides were.in fair supplies at to-day's sales. Stouts were unchanged, but other lands-were inclined to be easier. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. By I'cic.eraDli—Press Assoo.iation-Copyrighi (Roc. July 20, 11.0 p.m.) Sydney, July 20. Yt heal.—Sellers arc offering from 3?. 3»d. to 3s. (id. Flour, city, £8 IC.-.; country, £8 ss. Peas, Tasmanian blue, 6s. to 6s. Gtl.; grey, 3s. 6d. to 3s. 9tl. llarlcv, Victorian Cape. 2s. &1. to 2.5. E:l.; English, 2-:. Id. to 2s. CJ. Maize, 2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d. Bran .and pollard, £5. Oats. Tasmanian sparrowbill?, 2s. lCcl.; giants, 2s. lid.; Algerian milling, 2s. 7(1.: feeding. 2s. 3d. to 2s. E<l.: seed. 2s. 7d.; Tartarian seeds, 2s. lid. to 3s. Onions, £5. Potatoes, Tasmaiiians, £8 55.: Victor, ian, £5 lCs. to £7. Butter, HZs. Bacon, 6Jd. to 6J(I. Cheese, 6c!. to 6VJ. Melbourne. July 20. Chaff is in fair supply, and the market is firmer. Quotations for compressed cats dumped arc from 70s. to 725. Gd.: for compressed, 755. to 775. 6d (covered): and. 70s. to 725. 6d, (uncoveied). Th'j wheat market is steady, and inactive, at 3s. 4jd. Flour, £8. Oats, Algerian milling. 2s. Id.: feeding, Is. 6(1. to Is. lll.d. Barley, malting. Chevalier, ss. to ss. 3d.; Cape, 2s. Bd.: feeding. Is. 9(1. Jlaize.-2s. 6d. llran and pollard, £5. Onions, £3 ss. to £4. Potatoes, £3 to £5 lCs. Adelaide, Julv 20. • Wheat, 3s. 3d. Flour, £8 ss. Oats, Algerian, 2s. 4d.