AUSTRALIAN EXCHANGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22933, 11 January 1938, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN EXCHANGES

INDUSTRIALS FIRM BETTER INQUIRY FOR METJALS (Received January 10, 8.50 p.m.p SYDNEY, jjan. 10 Industrial shares retained a finui tone on the Stock Ivxchange to-day nni) there was better inquiry for base metal shares. Business included:— e s (i Commercial Hanking, Sydney 2oir> o Ditto t»0 17 I) National Bank A'asia (£.">) 7 4 O Hank Now South Wales .. 33 10 o Mercantile Mutual Insuranco 111 o Cioldsbrough-Mort .. .. 1 12 t> Wlnchcom he-Carson • .. 1 in <« Adelaide Steam .. .. 1 13 a Australian Gas (A) .. 7 8 <« Tooths Breweries .. .. 215 0 Australian Glass .. .. -1 l-l 0 Broken Hill Proprietary .. 3 4 « Colonial Sugar .. .. 47 1." 0 Carriers (old) .. .. 1 13 a Dunlop-Perdriau .. .. 1 3 7'/, Ditto (pref.) .. .. 117 0 Electrolytic Zinc .. .. 2 8 3 Ditto (pref.) .. .. 2 11 9 Fnirymead Sugar .. .. 1. 10 0 Mark Foy .. .. .. 12 0 Sargents .. .. .. 1 I<> 0 Ktandnrd Cement .. .. oIS 0 W. R. Carpenter .. .. 2 7 o Wool worths .. .. .. 100 Mount Morgan .. .. o 10 o Mount Lyell .. .. 1 12 J) Broken Hill South .. .. 1 15 10% Rawang Tin .. .. o 10 3 Commonwealth Bonds.—l per cent, 10.1 H, £lOl Os 3(1; 104-1, £lO5 ss; 1057, £lO5 ss. MELBOURNE EXCHANGE Tli9 Melbourne mnrkot was quiet and featureless. Sales included:— „£ n d Commercial Bank Australia 017 0 National Bank A'asia (£10) I t ft 0 Broken Hill Proprietary ~ 3 4 a British Tobacco .. .. 2 10 C. Dunlop-Perdrinu .. .. 1 3 o Ditto (pref.) .. .. 117 0 Electrolytic Zinc .. 2 S 3 Ditto (pref.) ~ .. 2 110 Mount Morgan .. .. o 10 7 Mount Lyell .. .. 113 0 North Broken Hill .. .. 2 110 Broken Hill South .. .. l 10 o Emperor 013 5 Loloma .. .. .. 0 17 0 NEW YEAR OPTIMISM, MARKETS IN LONDON GOOD START RECORDEJD HIGHER COMMODITY LEVELS LONDON, Jan. 0 Even pessimists admit that tho London markets opened the new year well. The unemployment returns curbed I optimists, but the City took them well! in its stride. The excellent series of bank profitrs proved a welcome tonic. The aggregate published profits of the "Big Five" 1 — Barclay's, Lloyd's, Midland, National Provincial and Westminster—totalled £10,099,000, compared with £9,680,000 last year, which was the highest since the 1929 total of £11.888.000. The profits of industrial companies continue to be satisfactory and, in some cases, for instance, Manchester cotton, had a surprisingly good result. Commodities had a really good week, and there lias even been talk of inflation. The improvement started after President Roosevelt's message to Congress, and has continued without a setback, since most commodities closed atl the best levels of the week.

FINANCES OF SAMOA ESTIMATES ISSUED an Increase in revenue [from our own* correspondent} APIA, Dec. 30 The estimates of the Mandated Territory have been issued. For the year 1036-37 the receipts were estimated at £96,335, but the collections amounted to £117,908. The expenditure was expected to be £95,308, but £116,613 was spent, leaving; a surplus of £1295. During the year £11,330 was paid in interest and sinking fund on the public debt and £20,256 went in public works. The medical costs were £18,802, Treasury and customs, £'10,687; police and prisons, £8991; secretariat, £7382; education, £5599; postal and radio, £5685. The principal revenue was derived from Treasury and customs, £90,089; medical, £10,793; postal and radio, £6986; public works, £4827; police and prisons, £2850; education, £855; and justice, £639.

The estimated revenue for 1937-38 is £119,40-3; made up as follows:—Treasury and customs, £90,755; health, £11,110; postal and radio, £7965; public works, £51,125; police and prisons, £2800; justice, £700; native, £350; lands and survey, £250.

Last year in the Native Department £2138 was sjwmt on six European salaries and £5430 paid to Samoan officials.' The fono cost £7BB and £75 went in furniture. The total cost was £7253, and the revenue £302. In the Post Office Savings Bank £32,233 was deposited and the withdrawals were £21,854. There is now a credit deposit balance of £65,459. HIGHER BANK DIVIDEND QUEENSLAND NATIONAL The Queensland National Bank, Limited, has declared an interim dividend at the rate of 4} per cent per annum. Last year's interim dividend was at the rate of 4 per cent per annum, and the final at the rate of 4\ per cent per annum, making a total of -li per cent for the year.

BRITISH POST OFFICE YEAR'S RECORD BUSINESS A record volume of business was done by the British Post Office in the year ended March 31, 1937. A statement issued by the AccountantGeneral's Department of the Post Office showed that the transactions with the public during the year totalled nearly £902,000,000. That was an increase of some £01.000,000 over the previous year's figure, itself the highest hitherto recorded. Almost all branches of post office business contributed to the increase. Letters, postcards, etc., reached a new high record at 7,700.000.000, an increase of some 350,000.000 over 193536. Parcels also showed a marked increase at 174.000,000, against 162,000,000 for 1935-36. For the second year since the introduction of the Gd rate (on May 31, 1935). inland telegrams showed an increase—19,250.000. against 44,500,000 in J935-36. Oversea telegrams, at f1.250,000, sliowed an increase of 500,000.

CALL AND DIVIDEND LIST Dividend* — Due Woolworths (Sydney)—int., 2 p.c. Jan. 15 Nat. Tobacco —prer., 8 p.c., ord. 12% p.c. .. Jan. 3l Com. Bank Aust.—int., pref., 4 p.c. p.a.; ord., 0 2-3 p.c. p.a. Feb. 11 CallsGrey River—fifth, Is 3d a share Jan. 21 Broken Hill Pty.—new, os a share Mar. 81 Burns-Philp—new. 5s a share (making 10a paid) . ApL 1