COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1585, 31 October 1912, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

INVESTMENT RIJARES. Christchurch Gas shares changed hands at £8 55., and this was the only transaction recorded. The quotations were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ 5. a. National Bank — 6 16 Equitable Building .. ~ 917 6 N.Z. and Kiver Plate- - 2 2 0 vVoll. Trust and Loan- -• 7 10 0 Christahurdi Ga« 8 2 6 — Well, (luti iSAU: • - 18 0 0 Well. Gas (third issue) ... - 14 12 6 Gear Jlcat <£4) N — 12 17 C Meat Export {525. 6d.) — 3 0 0 K.'/j. Shipping 14 0 0 — Union Steam — 2 5 9 \Vt?ll. Woollen (pref.) — 2 17 6 Hikurangi Coal 0 17 3 - Leyiand-O'Brien 17 0 — Tarinsramutu Tot-ara — 2 6 6 Golden Hay C-emcnt ....... 10 0 10 6 N.Z. Drug Co. - 2 10 9 Sharla-ndV ordinary — 12 6 Ward and Co 4 19 0 5 2 0 BANK RETURNS.

The Melbourne "Argus," dealing with the banking averages for the pact quarter of the banks in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania shows that as compared with ths June quarter deposits decreased £2.610.484 in tho four Australian States, and £1,560,(30 in New Zealand. together £4.171,114; which follows a i increase of £813,765 in the Fame five States in the previews quarter. Advances on the other hand show nn increase since the June quarter of £974,71! in the four Awtralian States, anil a rtcercaee of £925,762 in New Zealand, leaving a net increase of £-.8,949; which 'follows nn increase of £533.G24 in the previous quarter.

A comparison of deposits with the corresponding quarter l:\ei year is as follows:— Deposits. fept., Sept., 1911. 1912. £ £ Victoria 45,£04,547 46,132.011 New South Wales ... 54.092.807 56.f;94.349 South Australia- • 10,679,511 11,185.731 Tasmania 3.822,812 4,229,025 Four States 114,999.677 117,641,116 New Zealand 27,075,883 25,181,291 142,075,560 142,822,407 During the twelve months the four .Australian .Slates show increases in deposits aggregating £2,641/39, while New Zealand shows a decreneo of £1,594,592, leaving a n-st increase of £7£G,847. this an inaroase of £5,462,777 has taken place in advances, etc.. the four Australian States showing an increase of £4.907.849, and Now Zealand an increase of £574,923. The following is a comparison of advances, ctc., with a year ago:— Advances. Sept., Sept., 1911. • 1912. £ £ Victoria 37,164,955 33.587,330 New South Wales ... 44.856.747 48,043.2*4 South Australia 8,461,573 8,611,873 Tasmania 2.922,027 3,070,709 Pour States 93/05,507 98.353.1W New Zealand 23,665,601 24,240,529 117,070,903 122,553.685 The substantial growth of advances, in contrast with the much smaller increase in deposits, indicate one of the sources of the hardening in the money market. LONDON BUTTER MARKET. tip to the end of August the imports of butter into the United Kingdom were lc?<; than in tho corresponding period of last j year by 299,085cwt., of which the AustraI jian and New Zealand figures account for about 193,0CCcwt. The total imports for the eight months to August 31 c-orapare as follows:— 1911. 1912. From— Cwt. Cwt. Victoria 239,716 197,168 New South Wales 239.C38 157.073 Queensland 144.297 77,544 New Zealand 228,793 276,493 901,844 708,283 Denmark 1,219.328 1,090,928 Russia 445,990 496,693 Sweden -252,000 220,630 Netherlands 77.362 78.569 Frince 126.317 136,565 United States 11.693 2,596 Canada 25,393 25 Argentina 7,747 35,601 Other countries 42,429 35,667 Total 3.110,6-12 2,011,557 JAPAN'S BUTTER MARKET. In a dispatch furnished his Government by the Ruayian Consul at Kobe, it was recently pointed out that Russian butter had made its appearance on Kobe market during recent years. It is supplied in kegs and hermetically sealed lib. tins. For 1909, 1841 Japaneso pounds, valued at £81 25., were imported: for 1911, the quantity was 11571b., valued at £74 45.; while I for tho first four months of the current I year, 43191b., valued at £309 14?., were imJ ported, and freely sold. "This product." | says the report, "is exported from tho I town of Novo-Xikolaevsk. and is retailed at fairly high price?, viz., 90 and 95 kopeks (roughly. Is. 10Jd. and Is. 113 d.) per lb. avoirdupois. Although of splendid quality, surpassing Australian butter, it nevertheless cannot successfully compete with tho latter, owing to the conditions of carriage. Tho firms which order this butter are obliged to go without it. during tho summer months, on account of the drawbacks of transport, thanks to whioh the butter arrives in a state unfitted for use, whereas the Australian butter, conveyed.in steamers which are equipped with refrigerating apparatus and proceeding direct from Australia, reaches the market unspoiled, irrespective of the weather. Thi\s break in tho supply of Russian butter inevitably affects its suece?* in competition with rival products. Consequently, in order to ensure it-s further export to the Far Ka*t, conditions must he crcated for its improved conveynn-je on the Siberian and Chinese Eastern railways, and energetic. rtep.s taken to put a. stop to thefts of goods on the former Hue." Aus« tralian butter exports to Japan to date, this rear, total 279 bosce. while for this

corresponding period of last year tho amount was 263 boxes. Thcwe figures rc« present a fairly ytcudy trade. Cm-torus duties collected at the port of Wcllinjtou yesterdav amouii'tcd to £9293 fc. 6(1.

DUNEDIN CHAIN MARKET. (Br Teleeraph.-l'recs Association) Dunedin, October 30. Yerv few oats have been coming to hand, but all consignments of prime Gartons and Sparrowbills meet with a- ready -ale at late rate*. Medium and inferior linos are not inciuired t'or, and are w.w hard to place. Prime milling, 2s. 2d. to fc. 2d.; pood to best feed, ?«*. to 2s. Id.; medium, Is. 6d. to Is. lCd. lit wheat there in practically no change to report. Very few prime samples are coining to hand, and business ia restricted. . Good fowl wheat is inquired for. Prime milling, 3s. 9d. to 3s. lCd.; medium to g-ood, 3<j. fid. to ss. Bd.; bef/t- whole fowl feed,- 3s. 3d. to 3s. 5d.; medium to good, 3s, to os. 2d.

DANK SHARKS. By Telegraph—Press Adsuc-.ution—Copyright' » London, Octobcr 29. Yesterday's closing quotations were Bank of New Sout.li Wales, £44 (buyers) nnd £46 (sellers); Union Bank, £55 10s.and £56 lite. METAL MARKET. (Rec. October 31, 0.35 a.m.) London, October 30. Copper.—On spot, £75 55.: three months, £75 155.; electrolytic. £80 15s. Tin.—On spot, £230 155.; three months, £230. SILVER. London, October 29. Bar silver is quoted at 29 3-16 d. per ounce standard.