COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 14637, 5 August 1911, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Tlie secretary for the Money Club (Mr Hujrh Mitchell) reports that!during the month of July applications for Si shares were received and loans to the amount of £950 granted. MONEY AND MARKETS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, August 4. —Bank Returns and Discounts.— The Bank of England returns show the stock of gold coin and bullion to bo £8,991,000: Teserve, £28,376.000; proportion of reserve to liabilities, 54.52. The notes in circulation total £30,234,000; public deposits, £7,971,000; other deposits, £44,060,000; Government securities, £14,967.000; and other securities, £26,717.000. ' The Hank rate of discount is 3 per cent. Short loans are discounted at H per cent. ; and three mouths' bills as follows :—London. per cent. ; Paris, 2' 6 per cent. ; Berlin, 2% per cent. Consols are quoted at £73. —Colonial Stocks.— The following are. the quotations for colonial Government stocks, compared with those ruling a week previous :

■—Wheat, Flour, and Oats. — Wheat : The markets are firm, owing to unfavorable reports from America. There is rather more inquiry, but huvers are cautious. Three Australian e-irc;oes have, been sold at 34s fid and one nx 345. Parcels from the three ports, afloat, 35s M ■ August-September shipments. 33s 7id : <'(iie;igu St-ptemher shipment.-, Coi_ to 91-i eents. Australian spot is <|'.:k't at c.6s oil. Flour : The marker is firm, but inactive. o;its : Steady. La Plahi. Ins 10Ad. --J'utter and Cheese.— F.utt.er : The nvirkct is very firm, and (here is a. good demand for Australian. Pri-.'es are uiv-hanged. Cheese : The strike is preventing the unloading of some of the ships' cheese from New Zealand, and prices range from 60s to 71s. Messrs Weddcll and Co.'? annual report states that, the imports of Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian butter for the year ended dune 30 were 61,023 tons, and the imports from foreign countries 161,767 tons. The total was the largest on record by 3.513 tons. They anticipate higher price* for butter and cheese next season owing to the drought. —Metals.— Silver, 24 3-16 d per oz. Copper : Cash, £56 Is 3d ; electrolytic, £SB 7s 6d. Tin : Spot, £l9O 10s; three months, £lB7 15s. Lead, £l3 ISs 9d. Spelter, £25 10s. Pig iron, 46s B£d. —Sugar.— German, 13s lOd first marks, 15s Bd. —Wool.— The Bradford wool market is cheerful. Prices are unchanged. CHPJSTCHURCH MARKETS. There has been more business doing in the wheat market during the week than for some tune prist. This is consequent upon merchants taking advantage of the cheap freight ruling to the United Kingdom by direct steamers. Some 35,000 sacks are being shipped or are booked by vessels now on the berth. The greater part of this wheat is being taken from fperchants' .stocks, but some purchases have also been | made from farmers. A number of lines have changed hands at 3s 3d to 5s 4d for Hunters and Tuscan, and 3s 4J,d to 36 5d j for pearl at country stations. There has been a fair quantity of wheat offering, and growers have been more disposed to sell than they were of laie.

There is more inquiry for oats, but supplies are difficult to obtain. There is no fresh development in the chaff market. Potatoes are in better demand, as a few orders are coming in from the North. Sales have been made at £2 5s to £2 10s at country stations, according to distance, there bein£ a fair quantity on offer. There is a fairly large quantity of peas being shipped Home, and consequently the demand has been better. FRUIT AND PRODUCE. Messrs T. E. Shiel and Co. report: Eggs.—The usual drop in price has had to he faced this week. Since our last report values have come back fully 4d per dozen. The market ic. by no means steady, and we shall not be surprised to see prices come back to lOd ik?t dozen. To-day's value for guaranteed stamped eggs is Is Id to Is 2d: ordinary cased (slow of sale). Is ; preserved (nominally). JOd per dozen. Butter, very scarce. First-class quality storekeepers'" separator, pound pat.3, Is lb ; ordinary storekeepers', up to ICd lb. Poultry.—Good demand for well-condi-tioned birds'. Turkeys—cocks 7d lb, hens 6d ; ducks, plump.' 4s_ 6d pair ; young roosters, in good condition, 4s pair; hens up to 5s 6d pair ; poorer qualities at relatively lower rates. Honey.—Good demand for prime clover from 3|d to 4d lb; JJb pats, 2s 9d to 3s 3d dozen : 21b pats. 6s to 7--, 6d dozen. Cheese. —Prime, well matured Akaroa—medium 6d to 6id lb, loaf up to 6Ad lb. Pigs. —Excellent demand for prime baconers, 1401b to 1701b. from 4id to lb; heavier weisbts at relatively low rates : butchers' pigs, 1001!) to 1501b, up to 4J,d lb. Onions, scarce. Prime Victorian, £6 10s; Canterbury, £5 10s ton. Potatoes. —Consignments have been light, hut, the market is still very quiet, the absence of the shipping demand being badlv frit. Prime lines of table Up-to-Dat.es worth locally 60s to 65s ton ; medium up to 55s;' Derweuts up to 70s ton. For shipping, however, these prices cannot be obtained to compete with Northern markets, which are. selling at 60s t.o.b. W r e do not like the outlook of tho mirket, and we think when all the pits are opened prices will recede still further. Chaff.—All lines good quality coming forward meet with steady demand. Prime quality oat, £4 5s to £4 10s; white oat, £4 2s" 6d to £4 ss; medium quality, 5s ton lower. Straw. —Pressed wheaten, 30s to 32s 6d ton; oaten, 40s to 45s ton. Straw Chaff.—Oaten, 60s to 52s 6d ; wheaten, 42s 6d to 45s ton. Pollard. 12>, ton. Bran. 95s ion. Swede turnips. 30s to 52s 6d per ton. Carrots (better demand), 40s to 45s per ton. Vegetables.—These are very scarce at present. Cabbages, 5s to 6s dozen. Cauliflowers. 6s to 7s 6d dozen. Pumpkins. 5s to 5s 3d sack. Apples. —Hobart scarlets, 9s to 9s_6d case; Stunners, 8s 9d to 9s 3d case; New York pippins, 9s; French crabs, 9s. 6d ease. Mandarins.—Choice Sydney 3, ordinary packer, 8s 6d; gins, lis. Oranges.—lsland oranges, 8s to 9s case. Bananas.—Ripe, 2d lb; green (to arrive). 8s to 9s. Walnuts.—Prime Akaroa, lb. Preserved ginger, 141b and 281b boxes, . Poorman oranjps for marmalade, 7s 6d per bushel box; Sovillea, 6s 6d to 7s case. . Lemons.—Mildura. 8s 6d to 9s case. Citron melons for jam, 9s ewt.

THE AMERICAN COTTON CROP. ' Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEWYORK, Augusts ■ (Received August 5, at 8.5 a.m.) The cotton crop as officially forecasted will exceed all -previous crops. Its estimated value is one thousand million dollars (£200,000,000). THE STATE AS POTATO SALESMAN. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. PERTH, August 4. With the object of supplying the public at- a reasonable rate without risking the introduction of blight, the Government have established depots for the sale of potatoes at lis per owt. VICTORIAN FACTORIES. Tress Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE. August 4. Official statistics regarding factories state that the number has increased by 665 since 1904, and the number of hands by 64 per cent. The value of the oufcpult has increased by 584 per cent., and tho total wages paid by 59 per cent. THE PORT OF LONDON. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, August 4. The. Port of London Authority will commence early in 1912 the dock scheme, which involves an expenditure of £14.500.000. The initial expenditure will be £4,000,000. THE KAURI GUM SALES. Press AESociation—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON. August 4. (Received August 5. at 9.25 a.m.) At the kauri cum sales 416 cases were offeree! and 162" fold. Prices are uncharged ; fair to fine three-quarter s::raped,'l6os to 180s. Tho stock is 437 cases.

Julv 28. Au ? . 4 New South Wales 4's ... ... 104 104 Now Sout.h Wa.es 3Vs ... ... 994 58 New South Wain 3's ... ... 87 A 87 A Victorian 4's ... 101i 101A Victorian 3A's ... 98 98' Victorian 3's ... 84£ 84,', Queensland 4's ... 102 102 Oiicenslanrl 3A> ... 98 98 Queensland 3's ... 88 80 Soulh Au.-lrn.lian ,"i"s ••• ... 98.', •98A South .Australian 3's ... 82' 82" New Zealand 4' s ... 1(14 104 Scvf Zealand 7,'.\ ... 97 97 Now Zealand 3's ... 86j H6A Tasmniiian 3A'sP'i 97" 'TcMiiaitian 3's ... 84i81' \Vi:-t. Australian 3i's 97" 97" West Australian 3's '.'.'. &5i 86'