FINANCE AND TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4294, 1 March 1901, Page 6

FINANCE AND TRADE

The Customs returns for yesterday amounted to £672 9s 2d. The total amount received for the month was £14,640 2s Id; and for beer dutv £7Ol h- 3d. Tho “Trade Review” in its report f«,r the week of the money market, says; The Bank of England rote has beou reduced by two drops of a half per cent each, from 5 to 4 per cent., and the London'open market terms are still lielow the bank rate. Should tho downward movement continue, an opening may occur for floating some of the coli p.ial loans, which have been waiting for an easier market. The local supply in the colony is abundant, and money is readily oblaiiiablo, on freehold mortgage, at from 4j- to ut per cent., according to character of security and margin. Dank rates arc unaltered. Shares of a. good claims and freehold properties of a suitable character are in good demand tor purposes of investment. Messrs F. It. Jackson and Co. report having had a full yarding, principally of ■dieep, at their last Wanganui sale. The market was good for slice]), but slack for cattle. Prices were as -follows :—Cattle —Forward steers £6 6s, 3-year steers £4 17s 6cl to £5 11s, 21 to 3-year steers £4 5s to £4 10s, 2 to 2.1-year steers £3 10s, 18-months stcesrs £2 5s to £2 12s 6d. weaners 2Cs to 30s, fat cows £5 os to £5 11s, springing heifers £4 to £4 10s, store cows £2 to £3, purebred Jersey heifers 09 to £l2, Jersey 18-months to 2-year bulls £lO to £l3 ss. Sheep—Fat and forward wethers 15s 6d, fat and forward wethers and owes 12s 6d, 2-tooth wethers 13s to 13s Bd, 4 and 6-tooth wethers 14s (id, poor store wethers 9s, fat owes 12s Gd, breeding owe*; (Mr Murray’s) 12s 8d to 14s 6d, 2-tooth ewes 13s 3d, woolly lambs Cs 9d tc Bs, shorn lambs 5s to 7s Id, rams 2to 3 guineas. Pigs—Baconors 25s to 30s, others 12s Cd to 18s. COMMERCIAL CABLES. PIUESS ASSOCIATION. LONDON, February 27. The total’quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 3,510,000 quarters, and tVu- tho Continent 1,050,000 quarters. Bank shares—Australasia, 765; Union 375. Others unchanged. Tallow —At the sales 1375 casks were offered, and 425 sold. Prices for all kinds were unchanged. THAMES GAS COMPANY. AUCKLAND, February 28. The half-yearly meeting of the Thames Gas Company was hold to-day. The profits for tho period were £7ll 12s 2d. A dividend of Is per share was declared, leaving £212 to be carHed forward. The profits show a decrease, owing to tho increased price of coal and freights.