COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 12764, 17 March 1906, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

♦ The return of imports of madiinery into the Commonwealth during the last year shows that tie importations were valued at £2,067,000. Of this amount £331,000 was for harvesters and agricultural implements. MONEY AND MARKETS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March. 16. . (Received March 16, at 10.20 pjn.) The Bank of England returns show the stock of gold coin and bullion to be £36,380,000, and the reserve £23,635,000. The proportion of reserve to liabilities is 47.55. The notes in circulation total £27,927,000; public deposits, £19,121,000; other deposits, £41,012,000; Government securities, £16,115,000; other securities, £33,723,000. Three months' bills axe discounted at 3 9-16 per cent. Console are quoted at £9O ss. The following are the quotations for colonial Government stocks compared with those ruling a week previous :—■

Mar. 9. Mar. 16. New South Wales 4's 109£ 110 New South "Wales 3£'s ... _ 100 100 New South Wales 3's ... _ 89£ 89£ "Victoria 4'a— ... ... ... 104' 104 Victoria 3£'s ™ ... _ „ 100£ 101 Victoria 3's .„„.„_ 89£ 90 South Australian sj*s ~ ~ 100£ 101 Sotrth Australia 3*3 «- «. „ 88 88 Queensland 4'a ~. ~. ~* 107 107 Queensland 3£'s ~- ,~ ~. ... 101 101 Queensland 3's ._ ... ... .„ 88£ 88i New Zealand 4's .„ ... 110£ 107|

New Zealand 3£'s ~. „. 102 102 New Zealand 3'3 .„ ... _ 83i 894 Tasmaman 3£'s _..--.... 100 100 Tasmanian 3's ~. „ ~. ... 89 89 West Australian 3£'s _ ... 99 99£ West Australian 3's.„ _ _ 89 89

The English wheat markets are dull. There is about 6d decline owing to better crops prospects in India, heavy shipments from bhe Argentine, and pressure sales. American is weak owing to accumulating stocks and good crop prospects. Gargoes are neglected, but holders are firm, asking 30s 9d to 3ls; Victorian afloat, 30s 9d; March and April, 30s 3d to 30s 6d.

Flour : Dull and declining. C.i.f. is offered at 225, sales at Glasgow; 23s 6d for March shipment. Copoer : Spot, £BO 2s 6d; three months, £7B ss.

Tin : Three months, £165 ss. Lead, £l6 2s 6d. Pig iron, 48s 4d. Sugar : Finn. German, 8s lOd: first marks, 10s 4d. Bradford wool : There is a brisk inquiry for all classes. Prices are rather checking business. Common sixties, 26^-d; super, ties, 17£ d. At the wool sales the Gear clio fetched 14§d, and the Stonyhurst 14gd. Sales were animated, and the opening prices often exceeded. Butter: Very dull. The demand is poor; stocks are accumulating. Danish is unchanged. Choicest Australian, 96s to 98s, and occasionally 100s. The quality of the bulk is not satisfactory. New Zealand, 103s to 104s; unsalted, firm and unchanged. Cheese : Firm, Now Zealand white, 625; colored, 645. THE WOOL SALES. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, March 17. (Received a«Mrch 17, at 10.56 a.m.) The wool sales were spirited at fnll rates for all descriptions. THE OAMARU MARKETS. [From; Ora Own Correspondent.] March 17. The amount of business passing in the grain market is much smaller than is looked for at this time of year. This is chiefly due to a marked difference of opinion as to values between growers and millers. The most noteworthy sake of the week have been one of 1,500 sacks of velvet at 3s, and another of 600 sacks of red chaff at 2s lOd, both on trucks at country stations. Some mixed parcels of about 500 sacks of velvet and Tuscan have been placed at 3s at couutay stations, and a line of fair old Tuscan was take at the name figure, ex store. But even money has been broken in a number of instances, both Tuscan and velvet having been sold at equal to 2s lid at country stations. Some business has been done in oats, chiefly in Gartens, which have been taken at Is 6£d and is 7d on trucks at country stations, while Is was given for an extra prime sample. Duns have been sold at is 8d and Danish at Is 6d, both at country stations. No transactions in barley have been recorded, and for malting quality holders are asking from 3s 9d to 4s. There are not many potatoes offering, and growers who have sound tubers have resolved to hold for the higher prices that are expected to prevail later on. Values have varied a good deal _ during tie week, according to the condition of the Dunedin market.

March 17.