COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 63, 14 March 1908, Page 4

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURNS. By Telegraph. — Frees Association.— Copyright LONDON, 13th March. The Bank of England return issued for the week ending 1 Wednesday, 11th March, is as under: — > tBSUE DePARTUENT., I Koto issue £57,029,000 Gar. debt £11,015,000 1 Other securities ... 7.434.000 Gold ... 88,680,000 \ £67,029,000 £57,029,000 ' Bajtking Dbpirtjtent. IVprieVrs' " Gov. socuricapibtl £14,553,000 ties ... £13,760,000 Public de- Other seposits . 19,263,000 ouritiei... , 34.050.000 Other de- Notes ... 29,07^,000 posits... 41,6*8,000 Coin ... 1,419,000 Best, 7-day and other Dills ... 2,837,000 £78,801,000 ' £78,301.000 The leading items of the Bank of England return afford the following comparison :—: — ' This week. Last -week. Last year. £ . £ £ Bullion .. 88.580,000 37.915,000 34.551,000 Reserve .. 30.491.000 29,518,000 20.638,000 Note cir'u 27,957.000 28,212,000 27.716,000 Deposits 60,911,000 59,471,000 57,465,000 Proportion reserve to liabilities - 50.01 49 59 46.39 GOVERNMENT ' SECURITIES. The following are the latest quotations for Government securities, with a comparison of those ruling lost week: —

• lutereat payable in Muy and November. t Interest payable in January and .July. Jlnteresc payable in April and October. THE MONEY MARKET. The Bank of England's rate of discount for best three months' bills is unchanged at 3^ per cent. The open market rate is Is 3d lower at £3 Is 3d per cent. COLONIAL iND OTHER PRODUCE. Wheat.— The 'markets are- lifeless, buyera having withdrawn owing to tho unexpected increase in the quantity on passage. There has been a general decline of about 9d a quarter. Australian afloat is offering at 36s 6d to 375; FebruaryMarch shipments, 37s 9d; steamer parcels afloat, 365. Spot Australian is dull at 38s; Now eZaland is nominally quoted short berry, 34s to 355; long berry, 35s to 365. Flour.— The demand has stopped. March shipment is offering in Glasgow at 28s 3d landed. Butter. — Sold steadily at late rates till Thursday, when 0. reduction in Danish of 5 kroner caused a sharp dooline. Quotations :— Australinn, choicest, 114s; unsalted, II63; Now Zealand, 116s to 118s; Danish, 120s. Mauy of the Viotorian and New South Wales brands have been affected by the heat at the time of manufacture. Sugar.— German beet, f.0.b., Hamburg, 10s od; first marks, 12s 3d per cwt. ' Wool. — There is nothing doing in the Bradford tpps market pending the opening of the London sales on 17th March. THE METAL MARKETS. Copper.— Spot, 20s lower at £58 2s 6d; throo months, 40s higher at £58 12s 6d per ton. Tin.— Spot, 20s lower at £134 10s; threo months, 10s higher at £132 per ton. Load.— Unchanged at £13 15? per ( ton. Spelter.— s3 higher at £21 per ton. Iron.— 6d higher at £2 11s 4d per ton, PRODUCE MARKETS. [BT TBIEGBAPH. — PBESB ASSOOIiTION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 13th March. The grain and produce market is extremely dull, and practically no busincs of any consequence has been transacted this week. Grower) still have firm ideas in regard to values, and buyers aro not inclined to operate at the prices they demand, although prices have hardened ■slightly. In regard to wheat, little is offering, and few lines have changed handb. Oats are coming forward slowly, and prices remain about tho same. Very little chaff has been offered, and £3 15s is the price quoted by thoso who are at all anxious to obtain supplies. Tho price of cocksfont stiil remains firm, 6£d to 7d boing now the general quotation. This is accounted for by tho fact that it is nearly all in second hands. WOOL, HIDE, AND SKIN SALES. The selling brokers (Dalgety and Co., Ltd., Levin and Co., Ltd., Murray, Roberts and Co., Ltd., Loan and Mercantile, Abraham and Williams, Ltd.), report that at the fortnightly sales yesterday thoy submitted fair catalogues to a good attendance of buyers. London cables naving recorded a general dcclino in sheepskins, local values receded in sympathy, tho declino hero ranging from Jd to £d per Ib. Tho market for wool was weak and depressed. Hides also wero easier by id to Id a lb. Quotations:— Wool.— Modium crossbred, 4|d to sid por lb; inferior, 3d to 4Jd; lambs wool, 4id to 6Jd ; /piccos, 2id to 3£d ; locks, Id to 2d. Sheepskins.— Fine crossbred, 6d to sid por lb; medium crossbred, 43d to sid; coarse crossbred, 3£d; dead and damaged, 2d to 4d; dry pelts, 2d to 3id; lamb skins, 4d to 4}d; green pelts, Is to 2s 7d each ; groon lambs, Is to 2s 2d each. Hides.— Ox -hides, heavy, 6d to 6Jd per lb; medium, 5d to s|d; light, 4d to 44d. cow hides, 4d to 4Jd ; cut and slippy hides, 2d to 3Jd; stag hides, 2J<l to 3Jd ; ball hidos, 2d to 3id ; calf, best, 4d to 4£d ; calf, cut, 2(1 to 3d. Tallow. — Weaker. Parcols in shipping order, £23 6s to £23 10s per ton'; tins, £15 to £20 10s ; rough fat, £13 to £15 10s. Honiehair, 13 to In 3d por lb; horns, 5s to 17s 6d ocr hundred: cow tails, li per .dozen*

-' f£rice. Variations compared with last week. ' !J% Imperial Consols I % New South Wales ... lis> New South Wales ... 1 % New South Wales .. L % Victorian ij[% Victorian ! % Vietoriau ... \ ... tj% South Anstnlian ... i % South Australimi I % Queensland i}>% Queensland ! % Queensland I % New Zealand* \k% New Zealandt t'% Hew ZeaUndJ t.i% Weatiidion i % WcstXidian i&% Tmmaiii.tn , J % Xasuianiau £ 8. d. 87 5 0 UO 0 0 99 10 0 SO 0 0 101 0 0 101 ') -0 8U 10 0 100 0 0 « 10 II 107 0 0 M> U U 90 0 0 ioa o o iuu o o 83 10 0 93 IV 0 yd o o D 3io U 89 0 0 20/ lower Ifi.clinuged Unchanged Unchanged ITni-lmuKed Uncb.inged Uuo<aui:ed Oi>chaiis^U 10/- higher Unchanged Unchanged Unchanged Unchanged Uiu-huuged UuchungeJ. Uucliaus;<*d | Uucliauged Uucliuuged i Uncliauged