COMMERCIAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 153, 16 March 1923, Page 10

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS. AND PRICES At the afternoon call yesterday sales were reported of Wellington. Woollen preference shares at £9. and Wilson’s Cement at 245. 6d. There were no sales recorded at the morning call. Gilt-edged securities were qui£t. For the 5i per cent. War Bonds, 1923, buyers advanced their bids 2s. 6d. to £lOO 17s. 6d. Bank shares were quiet, with few buyers; National Bank were in demand at £6 Bs.. and Union Bank were Is. lower at £l4. There were no changes in the quotations for the shares of financial companies, and gas companies. Insurance shares were steady; there were buyers of National Insurance at £3 15s. 3d., New Zealand Insurance at 28s. Id., and Standard Insurance were 3d. higher at 335. 9d. Gear Meat shares were firm at £2 Is. 3d. Wellington Woollen shares were in good demand, ordinary being wanted at £8 155., and preference at £8 IBs., the latifii' showing a rise of 3s. 6d. Westport Coal shares were slightly easier with buyers at 365. 9d. ; Waipa Coal were firm at 17s. Taringamutu Totara- shares were in good demand at £1 Us., Dental nnd Medical Supply were slightly easier at 235.,

Ward and Co.’s Brewery were 6d. lower at 355., Wilson’s Cement were very firm at 245. 3d. Yesterday’S buying and selling quotations were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ b. d.

BALANCE OF TRADE THREE YEARS’ FIGURES The returns of exports and imports for each quarter of the past three years, with tho balance for or against the Dominion, are shown below:—

133,983,157 139,137,618 In tho three years, the excess of imports amounted to £5,154,461, and it is probable that tho current year will see this deficit wiped out. FEBRUARY’S WOOL EXPORT Exports of wool from New Zealand during February, as compiled by Messrs. Dalgety and Co., were as follow :—

TALLOW EXPORTS Figures relating to the exports of tallow from New Zealand during February, compiled by Messrs. Dalgety and Co., are as follow: —

MINING NEWS WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET ' The following quotations were recorded in the mining market ye’ ter- ’ Buyers. Sellers. £, b. d. £ s. d. Waihi 18 0 18 6 STOCK EXCHANGE. DY TBLEGStrn.—PRU'S association. Auckland, March 15. Sales—Huddart-Parker, 605.; National Pictures, 15s. 9c1.; Wilson’s Cement, 245. 6d.; Moanataiari, 3a. 5d., 3a. 4d.. 3a. 3d. Christchurch, March 15. Sales reported—Bank of New South Wales, £37 17s. 6d.; Westport-Stockton (8 per cent., non cum. pref, cum div.), Bs. 9d.; Ward’s Brewery, 375. 6d.; Whitcombc auU Tombs. 725. 6d. Dunedini March 15.

Sales —Westport Goal. 375.: Waihi,, 28s. (three sales). Sales reported—Dominion Rubber, 19s. (three); Huddart-Parker (ord.). 595. 9d.

NEW ZEALAND DRUG CO DIVIDEND AND BONUS 9 PER CENT. Tho balance-sheet of the New Zealand Drug Co., Ltd., for the year ended January 31, shows a not profit of £37,100, as compared with £32,920 in the preceding year, an increase of £4280. Tho gross'profit was £127,553, as against £113,442, an increase of £14,111. Tho expenditure totalled £90,453, as compared with £80,521, an increase of £9932. The expenditure was equal to about 71 per cent, of tho gross revenue, which was about tho ratio in the previous yeqr. There was brought forward from last year £16,768, which with tho net profit of £37,100, made available £53,868. Tho dividend for tho year at the rate of 8 per cent., and tho bonus of one per cent, together absorb £35,997, leaving £17.871 fit? be carried forward. Tho dividend paid in tho preceding year was 8 per cent., absorbing £31,828. The assets of the company compared with those shown in the balance-sheet of tho previous year and given in parentheses are as follow: —Land, buildings, plants, etc., less £15,000 allowed for depreciation. £329,380 (£311,831); stocks, £213,693 (£226,785); customers’ book debts, £96,928 (£85,116); bills receivable, £21.531 (£10.050); other open accounts. £14,837 (£6832); cash in bank, £16,497 (1130,745). Tho liabilities apart from shareholders’ capital aro: Bills payable, £lB3l (£12,318); general reserve, £86.500 (£86,500); reserve on book debts, £5134 (£5134); staff fund, £3904 (£3754); open accounts and other liabilities, £157,415 (£130,890). LONDON TALLOW MARKET. Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rqc. March 15, 11.10 p.m.) London, March 14. At the tallow sales 1137 casks were offered, and 718 were sold. Fino mutton, 445. 9d. per cwt.; medium, 40s 6d.; fine beef, 445.; medium, 40s. Tho Bank of New Zealand, produce department, has received the following advico from its London office under date March 14: —“Tallow: There is a fair demand. Current quotations:— Good mutton, 445. to 445. 9d. per cwt.; beef, 425. 6d. to 435.; mixed, 425. 6d. to 425. 9d.; gut, 365. to 38s. 6d. Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received tho following cablegram from their London house, under date March 14:—“Tallow: Wo quote present spot values for tho following descriptions:— Fino mutton, 445. 9d. per cwt. ; good he ; ef, 425. 9d.; mixed, 395. Market firm.” AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKETS By Telegraph — press association. —Copyright. (Rcc. March 15, 11.10 p.m.) Sydney, March 15Oats, Algerian feed, 4s. 6d. to 4s. 7d. por bushel; white, 4s- Bd. to 4s. lOd. Maize, 6s. 9d. per bushel. Potatoes, Tasmanian, £6 to £8 per ton. Onions, Victorian, £5 to £5 ss. Adelaide, March 15 Oats, Algerian feed, 3s. 6d. to 3s7d. per bushel. LONDON WHEAT MARKET. Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. March 15, 11.10 p.m.) London, March 14. Wheat cargoes aro steadier in tone in consequence of tho Continental demand, and prices have advanced 3d. per quarter. Parcels are in fair request, and have advanced 3d- to 6d, per quarter. CUSTOMS REVENUE. Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington yesterday totalled £3593.

WAR LOANS— 4J p.c. Insc. Stock, 1939 — 97 7 6 44 n.e. Insc. Stock, 1933 97 0 0 64 p.c. Insc. Stock, 1933 100 15 0 101 0 0 44 p.c. Wai Bonds, 1939 97 0 0 44 p.c. War Bonds, 1938 97 0 0 44 n.e. War Bonds, 1930 97 0 0 — n.e. War Bonds, 1933 ICO 17 6 — 5 p.c. P O. Bonds. 1927 27 7 6 — 5 p.c. P.O. Insc. Stock, 1927 97 7 6 — BANKS— National 6 8 0 6 8 9 New Zealand •—* 2 17 3 Union 14 0 0 — FINANCIALAbraham and Williams — 4 5 o Dalgety and Co 12 5 0 N.Z. s and River Plato 1 1 3 — Wellington Invest 0 9 4 —— Well. Trust Loan . 5 14 0 GASAuckland (paid) —- 1 6 0 Napier (.£10) 10 2 6 — Wellington (pref.) 0 16 6 — Wellington Fractions... —— 0 5 9 INSURANCE— National 3 13 3 — New Zealand 1 8 1 1 8 6 Standard 1 13 9 —— MEAT FREEZINGN.Z. Refrig. (10a.) 0 14 0 0 14 0 Gear 2 1 3 —— .Well Meat Ex, (£5) ... — 4 12 6 Ditto (.13 12a. 6d.) ... — 3 2 0 TRANSPORTUuddaWParker (ord.) 2 19 3 2 19 9 Union Steam (pref.) ... 0 19 10 — WOOLLEN•Kaiapoi (ord.) — 1 4 3 Kaiapoi (con.) — 0 12 0 Wellington (ord.) 8 15 0 —— Ditto (pref.) 8 18 0 9 1 0 COALWestport 1 16 9 — Wainn 0 17 0 — TIMBERTarin gamutu 1 11 0 —- MISCELLANEOUSDen. and Med. Supply 1 3 0 1 4 0 National Electric —— 1 1 6 N.Z. Paper Mills 14 9 —— Shetland and Co 1 1 9 ——- Ward and Co 1 15 0 1 17 0 Wilson's Cement 14 3 1 5 0

Quarter. Mar.. 1920 . June, 1920. Sept., 1920. Bee., 1920 . Exports. £ .. 11,408.278 .. 11,400,284 ... 12,350,475 ... 11,246.329 Imports. £ 9,780.006 14,385,433 18,978,140 18,410,274 Excess. 1,628,272* 2,985,149t 6.627,6651 7.163,9451 ,46,405,366 61,553.853 : 15,148,487 Mar., 1921 Juno, 1921 Sept., 1921 Dec., 1921 ... 13,196,514 ... 14.008,276 ... 9,261,620 ... 8,385,132 15,638,982 12,518,667 7,121.310 7,445,163 2.442,468t 1,489 £j9* 2.140,310* 939,969* 44,851,542 42,724,122 2,127,420* Mar.. 1922 June, 1922 Sept., 1922 Dec., 1922 ... 12,162,570 ... 14.729,796 ... 8,253,429 ... 7,580,454 8,781,030 . 7,347.557 7,856,817 9,874.239 3J81.540* 7,882,239* 603,3881 2,293,7851 42,726,249 34,859,643 7.668.606* . ‘Exports. flmports. Taking the figures for the three years, the position is as under:— Exports. Imports. Year. £ £ 1920 ... 46,405,363 61,553,853 1921 ... 44,851,542 42,724,122 1922 ... 42,726,249 34,859,643

CortesMonth Total for ponding 8 mths, of Feb. 8 mths. 1922. Bales. Bales. Bales. Invercargill 14,112 24,171 27,625 Dunedin ... ] 0,908 22,910 49,400 Oamaru .... 59 389 8,206 Timaru .... 789 15,328 41,762 Ch’hurch .. 22,522 60,357 103,643 Blenheim .. 1,091 3,539 15,853 Nelson — 1,649 1,351 Wellington 28,630 76,819 77,410 Wanganui . 10,070 47,834 22,805 New Plymouth andWaitara 104 601 709 Napier and Wairoa . 27,189 62,748 49,654 Gisborne, Tokomaru Bav, and Hicks Bay 4,139 33,007 38,641 Whakatane —- — —• Auckland and Opua 445 23,243 26,523 120,058 372,595 463,582

Month Total for ponding 8 mths, 1922, Tons. of Feb. Tons. 8 mths. Tons. Invercargill ... Ill 960 1,233 Dunedin 87 1,178 1,112 Oamaru . 14 134 244 Timaru . 62 899 1,388 Christchurch . 530 2,529 3,202 Blenheim . 33 60 15 — .— 65 79 Wellington ... Wanganui .... 797 95 2,584 823 3,516 959 Now Plymouth 277 361 and Wa.itara 5o Napier and and Wairon . . 601 1,680 1,207 Gisborne. Tokomart! Bay, and 941 1,564 Hicks Bav .. . 206 Whakatane ... ■ " —■ 112 Auckland and Opua . 438 2,885 1,335 3,029 15,015 16,327