COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1300, 1 December 1911, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT SHARES. The Wellington Stock Exchange was closed yesterday on account of it being a bank holiday. The course of sales during the past month was as ■ undero— Bank of-'N'ow Zealand. £12, £11 15s. New Zealand and Hiver Plate Co., 40s. (A. Wellington Investment, lis. 9d. Auokland Gas, £3 Bs. Wellington Gas. (£10). £18 10s., £18 7s. 6d. Wellington' Gas (pref.>. 2s. 9d. National Insurance, £1 18s. 3d. South British Insurance, £3 lis. 3d. Canterbury. Meat, £8 5.-. Ohrtstchurch Meat, £14 55.,. £14 55., £14 ss. X.Z: Shipping, £10 16s. , .Union Steam. 405.. 41s. 9d. . Wellington Woollen (prof.),- 58s. 6d. Hikurahgi Coal. 18s. 6d. Kauri Timber (155.), 17s. J}d. Manning and Co., £3'195., £3 19s. Ward and Co., £5. Wilson's Cement. 40s. 3d., 405., 40s. 3d. Kongotiro Co. (2Ca.>. 3s. 6}d. Dpminion Hand Milker, 10s. QUEENSLAND INSURANCE COMPANY. The annual report of the above company for the year ended September 30 shows a. not prolit of £33,958, which is considerably more than that made in the previous twelve months. In moving the adoption of the report, tho chairman said that the day marked • the completion of- the first .quarter of a. century of the existence of the Queensland Insurance Company, I;td., and the occasion was signalised by a. record, profit,, amounting to £33,952. in looking back over, the 25 vears during which Colonel James Burus, himself, and other direetqrs had been connected with the q'ompany, one could only say that the present satisfactory position had been achieved by the progressive methods which had characterised its control, and' by hard work on Ihc part of all concerned. If the. directors' recommendations wcro accepted hy the mcctiug, it'was. Intended; as", the notices to ' aha-rcholdeif indicated, to ' njjply the bonus in payment of the call of 3:.

•id. per =b;ne. u-hicli Hi,, ilir.-cli.rs made ()» tin- Illlli hiillqiiii.' Hiu p'li.l-llp vamp ol cni'li sluii. |~ ],-., r.,\ ~,. ~„ j„. I'"™!" 1 ;,, 1 !"' 11 ' 1 " capil'il from .C75.0C0 to ClCO.Cna. Thiy will |~.-I V< . a Inlamc in prolil, and i,,-. iiccoiiiii of .C 10.176 lo be en moll forward lo n,.-i ~<.„•. T|,j ; . c.napany for many year:* pai.l had pill, lorwaid ii rti-oiiß ple.-i, for preference for AiiHralinn instltiiliims. Dnrinis :«imi> time it «i----as n voice trying in Hit- u-lilcninxs," but no:y year by ywir,. it is benmiiin.' mora imiilmore reeoßiiiNiMl thai thi? pie, was not only (tooil patiioiism. but vrood Imsini'f.-'. "X TUB Ml-STAKD M.MtKKTS. There is .one possc-iion of Wi.-licch, t,be metropolis of the Enßlish r C ns, which hai no counterpart, ami (Hat i- it? annual mustard market?, which arc held on the first, three Saturdays in October. It. is there that such firms a< Mew. Coliinn, of; Norwich, .and Sadler's Mustard (Limited), ot Londou, go for their' seed for crushing purposes, and seed firms so to buv to replenish their stock. Tim. proceeding?'arc watched with interest not only throughout, the British Io!es. but throutrlioui. the world generally. The crop this year ban been somewhat of a surprise The acreage is larger than last year, aud it wis (bought that (he splendid summer weather would ensure an excellent crop, but mifsrtiinitcly an exceptionally long drought had a, disastrous as well as a. hciicficial effect. The quality of the seed this vcar is exceedingly good,, but |hc yield 'poor. The hot, dry weatbir has caused much of the seed to stick to (ho husk, and also caused the seed to ripen before" it was properly developed. The drought also gave rise to the ravages of the mustard beetle. At the opening sales this year the highest price that has been reached for several years— 13s. 6d. per bushel—v.-os paid for seed. PIIOGEESS OF U.S.A. . Ac official compilation which has been issued by the United States Department of Commerce and Labour gives an interesting statistical summary indicating the progress of the country mentioned during the period 1800-1911. It shows that the public debt, which was JSIK6CO.CCO in IBM, now stands at £203.CC0.0C0, the per capita amount having, dronocd from'£3'2s. 6d. to £2 3e. 4d„ but in 1865 it stood at £15 Bs. Likewise tho interest charge per head, which amounted to only 2s. ?d. in the year iir.-it mentioned, has receded to lid., and.'the total interest .charge has "moved backwards until it has •touched: £4,2iXJ,CCO/ • Money in circulation 'in the -earliest year lncnli oiled was X5.300.0C0, but at the close of. the financial .period 1910-11 it was £645.725/00, the ■ per capita circulation beine approximately .El and £6 17s. sd. respectively; Deposits in banks prior -to 1.875 cannot be given. In t.bat year they aggregated slightly more lhan .£400,000,000, .as against over £3,0C0,0C0,K0 in 1910.- The number of depositors .in-savings banks in.the Slates in 1820' was a little less than 9MO. whilst last year tho total'was-over 9,000.000. Exports of domestic merchandise,, which-in IECO represented .K.4Q0.C.00.- aggrtgate.d £400,000.000 -at-Iho middle of-the current-year, and in> 'ports rose in the sanie period from £18.200,000 to £300,cr<l,f00. -Tho continental area, of the TTilited States'meantime lies risen from £43,255- sohare miles to "3.C25.78D mites, and the 'population from -5,320,0C0 to .93,750,000. • • _ ' ' ' '' '' ' .'INCREASING EXPENDITURE. . The Sydney "Daily Teletnph," in dealing with the genera! outlook in Austr."]ic in i(s issue of November 23. says: "One thing'js certain, Australia has launched oitf, into expenditure at a rate she h.is not indulged in since the booir. of more than twenty 'years ago. That the exp'-nditure has increased is annarent on nil sides. The seven Governm-ntR of Australia in 1956-7 expended .f-36.H5n.rr0 out. of revenue, and in 1909-10 £42,700 000 But, in 1910-11 those outgoings were £49.CC0.(-CO. and this year they are to be over JESS.rOO.CCO. At the.same time the loan exnenditure is being ranidly extended.' As for the expenditure of-the p'eonle,' it is also very apparent. Both in Sydney and Melbourne this year the bank clearings have increased over ■J525.0C0.C00.' The bank advances within the Commonwealth in the rest twelve months have increased i,12.5C<).f00, and also substantially in New Zehlend, and while the exports'have 'been nenrly "stafionnry. tho imports .this yeer-evhibit a eopsidorablo expansion. Tfo, see, similar indications in' the'-biiildiptr-operations (?oine on-aronnd ns. in.the. high prices paid for construction material,-.' (p -the strecrMi of InnC values'.' in snite of heavy .-additional. taic'atioji.'in the' activity on the Stock' Exchange, and■ iD.'thV-taii'iness of the shoos. 'But in spite.'of the boom on (he Stock Exchange prices'are not as a rule higher, and, lat le-lv at any rate, business has been noticeably less active. Peorl-> are , gettinc anxious, more as to the character 6f the season than as to the nature of the Wis-I.i-tioil with which the country is burdened. Bu,t tbe riost prominent feature of 191! h!>s undoubtedly been the creat it;id reneral exnansion in expenditure, both Government and private." CUSTOMS. The Customs revenuo collected at the port of 'Wellington yesterday totalled £6276 14s. sd. The revenue collected during No vembor amounted to £82.093 15s. IPr!.. as against £71,446 17s. lOd. in November of last year. n.'he beer duty for the past month totalled £1174 165., as compared with £1122 3s. in November 1910. LONDON WOOL SALES. SPIRITED COMPETITION. . By Telegrapb--Press A: ociation-Cnpvright London, November 29. •' There wae-spirited-competition at the wool.sales for all. sections. Prices were generally in sellers' favour. TALLOW SALES. By Teiesraph-Frcss ■ London, November 29. At tho tallow sales. 1266 casks were offered and 380 liold. Prices realised—Mutton, fine 375., medium . 345. Beef, fine 355.. 6d., medium 335. ' - SILVEG. Bj Telegraph—Press A?<=nciation-Convrl<rht London, November 29. Bar silver is quoted at 25|d. per ounce standard. > TIN. By (Kec. November 30, 10.10 p.m.) - .. . London, November'3o. Tin,'on spot,is : nuoted at-£2Ol per ton, three months'. £192. RABBIT SKINS. At the sales 4300 bales were offered, ant' 1800 were 6old. Milky sorts were n penny to three-half pence- lower; fair, this season's incoming sorts to lower light packs' kittens and suckers were a halfpe.unjhigher. ' WHEAT. . ' '.; .' .; By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyisht London, November 29. The American, visible supply of wheat is 106,989,000 bushels.... AUSTRALIAN .PRODUCE MARKETS. By Telegraph-Press Aisoeintion-Copyrijht' (Eec. December 1, 0.5 a.m.) „, ; • • Sydney,, November 30. Wheat. 3s.- ojd.i.flour., city, £8 155.. country £7 17s. 6d.;oats, Algerians feeding ?« 6d. to 2s. Bd.; seeding. 2s. 10d.; Snarrowbill" and Three Giants, 3s. to 3s. 4d.; barley, Cane 35., English malting 4s. 6d. to. 5s ; maize, 3s. lOd. to 4e.; bran. £5 10s.; pollard, £6; notaloes. locals- £5; onions,.old £4. new £6 to £8; butter, selected 120s„ prime 108s. to 1165.; cheese, 6ld. to 71d.; bacon, 63d. to TJd. Melbourne. November 30. Wheat, 3s. 7«d. to 3s. Sd.; flour, £8 10s.; oats, Algerian feeding- 2s. 7d., milling 25.9d.; maize; 3s. Bd.: bran and pollard, £5 10s.; chaff, oaten, dunined. 80s. to 855.; compressed, 85s. to 905.; with fair demand: potatoes, old £3. new to £6; onions, old, to £4, new £5 10s. Adelaide, November 30. Wheat. 3s. 6d.; flour. £3 55..t0 £8 10s.; bran. 13} d.; pollard. 13d. •.-'._ HIDES. By Telegraph-Press Aesochlion-Copj-rieh I . (Rec. December I,' 0.5 a.m.) . Melbourne, November' 30. Hides are very firm, with average supplies. Kips are-a shado dearer. LONDON MARKETS. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cablegram from their London house, under dc.te November 29:— Tallow—We quote present spot vulues for the following descriptions :-Good mutton, 365. per cwt.; good beef, 345. 3d. per cwt.: mixed, 31s. 9d. per cwt. Market' inactive. Sheepskins.—The market, is firmer. Wheat.—We have sold tin Australian eargo at. 355. 3d., e.i.f. There is very little-de-mand owing to fine weather. The Argentine outlook is uncertain. . NOVEMBER EXPORTS. (By Tclegraph.-l'ress Association.)' Auckland, November 30 The value of butter exported from Auckland during November was .£107,653, 'a = compared with £.94.928 in the corresoonding month of la»;t year. Incrca-cj' ; ;i'c also shown In the exports of cheese and timber. WAIMARAMA, ESTATE. Great interest was taken yesterdav jji an auction sale, of 66C0 acres. IbL being portion of the famous Waimarauii Est.-ite, Tbe ?'jle was authorised bv the executor" of the late Mrs. O. P. Donnelly. The loti varied from ten' acres up to scveiu! hundred acres each. About "50 persons were present, and bidding vr.-i.s fairly. bri-U. \alucs varied from £1 up to £18 per acre' ar.d the bulk of the offcrinits found purchlieiL