TRADE OF BRITAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21698, 13 January 1934, Page 7

TRADE OF BRITAIN

PAST YEAR'S RETURNS ADVERSE BALANCE DOWN . DECEMBER IMPORTS RISE LONDON, Jan. 11 The Board of Trade returns for December show that the imports into Britain totalled £63,161,000, compared with £60,633,550 in December, 1032, an increase of £2,527,450. Exports totalled £30,429',000, compared with £32,445,347, a decrease of £2,016,347, and re-ex-ports totalled £4,042,000, compared with £4,133,001, a decrease of £91,001. The principal decreases were:—lmports: Grain and flour, £749,000; meat, £703,000; other food and drink, £484,000; oils and fats, £435,000. Exports: Cotton yarns and manufactures thereof, £853,000; vehicles, £340,000.

The chief increases were:—lmports: Wood and timber, £714,000; tobacco, £317,000; raw cotton, £477,000; wool, £1,364,000; hides and skins, £569,000; non-ferrous metals and manufactures thereof, £526,000. Exports: Iron and steel and manufactures thereof, £387,000.

Following is a comparison of the returns for December of the last three years: — Dec. Imports Exports Re-exports 1931 . . £77,027.303 £32,077,425 £5,530,444 1932 .. 00,033,550 32,445,347 4,133,001 1933 .. 03,101,000 30,429,000 4,012,000 The apparent adverse balanco in December, 1931, was £39,413,434. It decreased in 1932 to £24,055,202. Last month the excess of imports increasod to £28,690,000. Corresponding returns for tho last three years are:— Imports Exports Re-exports 1931 . . £802,174,709 £389,103,817 £04,035,317 1932 . . 703,132.725 305,137,785 50,913,593 1933 . . 070,319,339 307,390,210 49,237,527 The excess of imports over total oxports decreased in 1933 to £259,691,602 as against £287,081,3-17 in 1932 and £408,975,545 in 1931.

GOLD AND SILVER QUOTATIONS IN LONDON (Received January 13. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 11 Fine gold is quoted to-day at £6 7s Id an ounce, same as yesterday. Silver is quoted at 19 3-10d.au ouneo spot, and 19$ d forward, compared with 19|d both positions yesterday. The quotation for silver at per fine 07-. is 20 11-16 d, compared with 20Jd yesterday. Tho following table shows recent fluctuations in tho price of fine gold at per ounce:—

PRICES OF METALS LONDON MARKET FIRMER (Received January 12, 7.35 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 11 Following are to-day's quotations on the London metal market compared with those of January 10:

CANTERBURY MARKETS INQUIRY FOR POTATOES [nY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday More inquiry for produce has developed during the week. Northern merchants have come on the market for forward potatoes and have mentioned £3 15s a ton f.0.b., sacks included, for May-June delivery. A little business has been done at this figure. Inquiry has been fairly widespread and indicates that Southern potatoes will be wanted much earlier than usual, possibly as soon as the crop is ready in April. Last season there was very little inquiry until July and the total quantity shipped north for the season was the smallest for many years. Oats are not attracting much attention. Quotations are nominally 2s 7d a bushel for A Cartons and 2s <ld for B grade f.0.b., sacks included. The partridge pea crop suffered some damage by heavy rains and gales, but there is no quotation so far. The small seeds market is firm, but no business is reported. Merchants are awaiting more definite indications of the crops, and growers, satisfied that these will bo small, aro also&waiting. Some ryegrass was threshed tfiis week, the first of tjje soason.

LEAD STATISTICS LONDON, .Tun. 11 Statistics of lead for tlio United Kingdom at tho end of December, compared with tho three previous months, am: — Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Tons Tons Tons Tons Imports .. '21,409 22,436 27,942 23,540 Australia .. 8,019 11.547 14.159 13,051 Exports .. 1,487 990 1,320 1,353 MELBOURNE PRODUCE MELBOURNE. Jan. 12 Following aro to-day's quotations on tho Melbourne produce market:Wheat, 2s 6d. Flour, £7. Bran, £4. Pollard, £4 10s. Oats, 2s 4d to 2s sd. Barley: English, 3s. Maize, 4s to 4s Id. Onions: Fair demand at £3 to £3 ss. SYDNEY TALLOW SALES SYDNEY, Jan. 12 At tho Sydney tallow sales there was a small offering and the market was irregular. Prime sold at £l9 10s to £2O a ton (down 10s). Good at £lB to £l9; fair to good at £l7 to £l7 10s.

CALL AND DIVIDEND LIST Dividends— Duo Wiluna Gold Corp., Ltd.—firßt interim, 2s, sterling, a share of 20s each • • Jan. 16 N.Z. and Eiver Plate—final, 2 p.c., sterling (less English tax at 5s in £1) Jan. 16 Tvuala Lumpur Tin—Gd a share Jan. 20 A. P. Assurance—year, li p. 9. . Jan. 30 British Tobacco (Auh.) —int. prof., quarterly, GJ p.o. p.a. , (less special property tax) . . Jan. 31 Union Bank—interim, 2s a share. sterling (tax free) • . . Jan. N.Z. Refrig.—4 p.c. and bonus 1 p.c. Jan. Com. Bank Aus.—interim, prof., 2 p.c.; ord., 2i p.o. ». Feb. 2

£ a d £ s •d Dec. 19 . . G G 3 Jan. 2 . . G 7 0 Dec. 20 . . G G n •Tan. 3 . . G 7 -6 Dec. 21 . . G G 2 Jan. 4 . . B 7 r> Dec. oo . B 6 :t Jail. 5 . . G 7 c. Dec. 2;5 . G G ■l Jan. C . . G G 11 Dec. 27 . . 6 6 r> Jan. 8 . . C» B e Dec. 28 . . G 6 3 Jan. 9 . . (! 6 S} Dec. 29 . . 6 G a Jan. 10 . . 6 7 l Dec. 30 . . G 6 6 Jan. 11 . . 6 7 j

Jan, , 11 Jan. 10 Per ton Per ton £ s d £ 8 d Copper, stan, spot . . 3-2 1 3 31 6 3 Copper, stan., 3 mos. 32 3 li 31 8 9 •Copper, electrolytic . 35 0 0 34 5 0 to to 35 10 0 34 15 0 Copper, elec., wire bar s 35 10 0 34 15 0 Lead, soft, spot 11 5 0 10 18 9 Lend, Boft, forward .. 11 10 0 11 5 0 Spelter, spot . . ., lit 13 9 14 6 3 Spelter, forward 15 0 0 14 11 3 Tin, stau., spot 220 17 G 224 8 9 Tin, stan., 3 mos. 227 7 C 224 13 •J 'American, 8 cents a lb., snmo as on January 10.