COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 12870, 20 July 1906, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

Dealing with the outbreak of fire amongst the wool cargoes of Home-going vessels from New Zealand, a -writer in the Adelaide ' Register' says .- —" The ships recently referred to in this connection are laden with New Zealand wool, and it is more excusable fot wool to be shipped damp from there than from any of the Australian States. Most of the New Zealand wool is grade wool of some sort or the other, cross-bred, etc. Although a lighter wool, and containing less grease than the merino, it is more likelv to contain moisture. It is much harder 'for a merino sheep to get wet to the skin than for any cross-bred or grade wool, .and the gTease would also assist dampness being adhesive. Probably the ships were laden with 90 per cent, or more of cross-bred and grade wool of some sort. The idea that the high price ruling for wool now in the Home market or elsewhere has anything # to do with the shipping of damp wool is out of the question. Such a deliberate "wrong would never be allowed by practical sheep farmers and wool experts." The report of the directors of the Sun Insurance Company for the year ended 31st December, 1905, states that the premium income, less reinsurances, amounted to £1,319,329, being an increase of £13,000 for th« preceding year. The income from investments amounted to £97,000. The losses paid amounted to £605,000, being at the rate of 45-88 per cent, on the premiums received. . After providing for the payment of £114,000 rn dividends, a balance of over £450,000 stands at the credit' of profit and loss account. The losses to the office owing to the earthquake at San Francisco are estimated not to exceed £350,000, and the payment of these losses can be met out of the profit and loss account, leaving the whole of the funds of the company intact. THE WOOL SALES. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July 19. (Received Jury 20, at 12.26 p.m.) At the wool sales croas-breds were firm, and were the highest of the sries. There have been considerable withdrawals of faulty merinoes. The Weana clip realised 121 d, Bea Ohau 9£d< and Ohokft 20£ d.