COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 14535, 10 December 1910, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

At a recent meeting in London (presided over by Lord Avebury), which was attende by a largo and representative gathering of commercial men, the following resolutions 'were carried . —" That, in tho interests of the trado of the British Empire, it i 6 desirable that a trade mark, to bo known as the British Empire trade mark, bo established, under proper control, for the purpose of distinguishing products of tho various parts of the British Empire; that tho British Empire trado mark should bo controlled by a council, to be formed under tho auspices _of the British Empire, League, in association with tho official representatives o( His Majesty's Dominions Beyond tho Seas, tho London Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Chamber of Commerce, tho Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, the British Chamber of Commerce in Pai-is, and such other Chambers of Commerce and other bodies as may bo determined." Tho secretary for the Money Club (Mr Hugh Mitchell) reports that applications for loans to tho amount of £225 wore received at this week's meeting of trustees. MONEY AND MARKETS. Presß Association— By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON. December 9. —Bank Returns and Discounts.— Tho Bank of England returns show the stock of sold coin ami bullion to bo £54,538,000; reserve, £25,885,000; proportion of reserves to liabilities, 50.58. Tho notes in circulation total £28,203,000; public deposits, £10,057,000; other deposits, £41.096.000; Government securities, £15,594,000; other securities, £27,404,000. Short loans are discounted at 3| per cent., and three months' bills as follows :—London. cV,- per cent,; Pans, 2' per cent.; Berlin, 4g- per cent. Consok aro quoted at £79 (last week £79 15s). Bank Tate, 4i per cent. —Colonial Stocks.—

The following aro the quotations for colonial Government stocks, compared with thoso ruling a week previous :

Dec. 2. Dec. 9. New South Wales 4's 106 104 New South Wales 3i's 975 98 New South Wales 3's 85i 85£ Victorian 4's W0 Mi Victorian 3','s w* Victorian 3's 85;; °* Queensland 4's 103 A Mi Queensland 3Vs 97J; 96 Queensland 3s 84 f ! 85 South Australian 3J's 98J 98;* South Australian 3's 83 83£ New Zealand 4's 103! 105 i New Zealand 3J's 96; 95 New Zealand 3's 85i 85^ Tasmanran oi's ... ~ 99 97^ Tasmanian 3's 86 85 West Australian 3i's 96 96 West Australian 3's 86J 86i —Wheat and Flour.—

Beorbohm's estimate of tho world's wheat crop is 459,100,000 quarters. Chicago December wheat is quoted at to 93,cents. The wheat markets are dull and favoring buyers. There is but littlo inquiry for cargoes. Australian cargoes sold at 395. Holders are asking 36s 9d for South Australian off tho coast, and 35s 9d for January and February shipment. A parcel of tho latter sold at 355. There is a. small trade in Australian spot at 37s 6*l. Flour : Flat. Australian patents, spot, 29s 3d. —Butter and Cheese. — Butter: Tho market is flat, owing to heavy supplies of colonial for the rest of tho mouth, the muggy weather, awl tho elections. Choicest Australian, salted 104s to 106s, unsalted 106s to 108s, secondary 93s to 100s; choicest Now Zealand, 108s to 110s, secondary 100s to 106s; Danish, unchanged. Cheese : Firm. New Zealand, white 55s to 565, colored 575. —Metals.— Copper : Spot, £57 2s 6d; three- months, £57 17s 6d. Tin : Spot and threo months, £174 17s 6d. The advance is duo to the syndicate buying and the bears covering. Lead. £l3 3s 9d. Spelter, £24. Pig iron, 49s lid. Silver, per oz. —Sugar.— German, 9s; first marks, lis Id. —Bradford Wool.— Bradford wool is dull. Prices for 1911 delivery : Forties, 14) d; 46's, 15id to 15' d ; 50s, 19id to mon 60'«, supers, 26d ; 64's, 26.U1. —Sheepskin Sales.— (Received December 10, at 9.50 a.m.) At the sheepskin sales there was a good demand, and practically all tho offerings wore sold. Combings wore unchanged, and clothings from par to Jd above the October rates. —Copper Stocks.— The American stocks of copper are 130,389,0001b. SHEEPSKIN SALES.

The Bank of New Zealand has received tho following cable advice from its London olKce regarding the side of sheepskins in London :—" All kinds of sheepskins, prices are practically unchanged: cross bred pelt 6, prices are par to 5 per cent, higher."

NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MERCANTILE AGENCY COMPANY.

Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., have received cable advice from their" London office that tho annual generaj meeting of shareholders was held on December 8, and passed off satisfactorily. Tho annual toport and recommendations of the directors regarding dividend of 7i per cent, and payment of debenture interest wore adopted. Tho balance-sheet provides for £30,000 beinig written off premises account, £5,000 placed to staff benevolent fund, and £45,000 carried to reserve, making the total reserves £500,000. THE SOUTHLAND MARKETS. [Si'KCur, to the Star.] INVERCARGILL, December 10. Qnle. —Tho oat market has been a shade easier during the i«ist few days on account of recent shipments to the North Island having temporarily eased tho demand from that quarter. It is expected, however, that Northern buyers will have to come on Southland vendors very soon for further supplies, and then the market will lirm again. To-day's trnotations aro: A grade Gartons. up to Is lid, 0.t., cs.; A grade sparrowbills, up to Is 10£ d, 0.t., cs., with B grado J>d less. Grass Seed.—Thero is very little teed in growers' hands, and consequently very little has been offering to merchants during the week. Owing to the dry weather in the North local merchants anticipate that high prices will rule during tho next few months. Good heavy lines arc worth up to 2s 9d, o.t, oe. Chaff. —There is a fair demand for chaff, and prices have suffered another advance during the week, good prime lines being worth £4 ss, 0.t., c.s.; but inferior is not in demand.

Potatoes. —Old potatoes are now out of date, and it will bo two or throo months before tbo new season's traffic -will make a commencement. FRUIT AND PRODUCE. Messrs T. E. Shiol and Co. report for the week ended to-day : The past week has been a most busy one. Strawberries and cherries have been the principal lines coming forward, snpplies from Teviot, Alexandra, and Waimate districts for this week being nearly 300 crates. The fruit shows 6ighs of going off in quality, and clients requiring jam fruit are advised to make early purchases. Prices are much higher. Jam fruit ie difficult to secure at anything under 7d I per lb, while as high as has been obtained ; choice, to-day, from 9d to Is 2d per lb. Cherries.—Market is steadily supplied. Same may be'sakl to apply to gooseberries,

being much inquired for. llipc, 4d to s£d; green, 2d to 2£d per lb, according to quality. Tomatoes. —Increasing in supplies; market closes firm. Choice Christchurch, lOd to Is Id per lb; North Island, lid to Is. Green Poas.—Short supplies. Market steady, lid to 2d per lb, according to quality. French Beans.—lnquired for at 4d to od per lb. Bananas.—Monthly Suva shipment due to .arrive Tuesday. Prices will be high. Quotations: 20s po roease; Rarotongan's, 9in cases, due to arrive also, 14s to 15s per case.; ripe, sd.to 6d per lb. Plums.— Arrivals up to the present have been unsatisfactory. Choice, worth 4d to s>,d per lb. Rhubarb, 7s to 8s 6d cwt. Apples.—Shipments to arrive from America, "Winesaps," Pearmams, Hum bolts, 12s 6d to 13s 9d; Hobart Stunners, 10s to lis per case. Lemons.—Adelaides, 12s to 13s case; Aucklands, 6s to 7s ca^e. Produce.—Business is somewhat restricted for most lines, owing to the unseasonable weather. Chaff is very firm, while old potatoes arc practically finished for the season. Oats : Difficult to find buyers owing to buyers' and sellers' ideas of prices being at variance. Fresh, eggs are meeting with an active sale; same applies to butter. Good poultry is now beginning to bo inquired for. Eggs (guaranteed, stamped), lid dozen; ordinary cases; IOJd dozen. Butter.—Separator, 9d lb to 10£ d; storekeepers' lots, to BJd lb. Bacon.—Slow sale. Rolled, 6d to 7d; hams, 8d to BJd lb. Pies—Butchers', from 100 to LiO, 4d lb; baconers, 130's to 160's, 4{d to 4Jid lb ; heavy-weights, 4d lb. Cheese.—Prime factory, 5Jd to s|d lb. Onions.--New season's early " t.'oldeu Globes." £9 to £lO per ton. Chan'.—Best oat sheaf, £5 10s \_ scarce. Sales havo been mado up to £5 15s. Wheaten straw, 30s to 32s 6d ; oaten, 40s to 42s 6d. Fowl wheat, os 5d to 3s 6]d bushel, scarce.

Oats.—Black Duns, Gai-tons, Sparrowbills, 2s Id to 2s 4d. Potatoes.—Market is being steadily supplied. The quality of Aucklands this year is very satisfactory. Auclkands, in cases, 16s to 17s; bags, 13s to 15s; Oamaru and loca's, 15s to 16s; Peninsula, 2d to 2|d lb; Victorian, 12s to 13s. Poultry.—Consignors are advised not to hold on to their poultry for Christmas, but to forward it in, as much better rates are ruling now than will be ruling during Christmas week. Prime hens, up to 3s 6d ; ducks, 4s to 5s per pair; geese, 5s 6d to 6s 3d: turkey cocks, Sd to 9Jd lb; hens, 6d to 7d lb. Rabbitskins.—Docs, 32d to 35d ; winter Hoes, 18s to 23d; winter bucks, 19d to 22<1. Tallow, 18s to 22s cwt. Horsehair. Is 3d to Is 5d lb. Fruit Note.—lt is unfortunate that, owing to a delay, the Monowai will not be here till Tuesday. This steamer has the Island fruit as well as American shipments. The delay from the fruiterers' point of view is most unfortunate, as supplies of all these lines aro badly wanted.