FINANCE AND TRADE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4588, 17 February 1902, Page 6

FINANCE AND TRADE.

The Customs returns for the past week amounted to £16,714 16s 9d, tho beer duty for the same period totalling £149 Os 6d. Saturday’s returns amounted to £IOOS Is sd. COMMERCIAL CABLES. PEES 3 ASSOCIATION. LONDON, February 15. BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. The Bank of England return issued for tho week ending Wednesday, 12th February, is as under:—

GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. ’ The following are the latest quotations for Government securities, and a comparison wiih those ruling last week:—

♦lnterest payable in May and November. •Hafcerssfi payable in January and July, jlnoerest payable in April and Ootobac.

MONEY MARKET. The market'rate of discount for best three months’ bills is 1 l-16th higher at 2J per cent. The Bank of England rate is 3 per cent, as against 31- per cent on the Oth February and 4 per cent on the 22nd January. COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. Wheat —Tho English and American markets are firm bub inactive; Continental dull, France weaker. Cargoes are dull and unchanged, buyers holding off. Sugar is firm. Gorman beet, 88deg, lid higher, at fis 9d per cwt; first-mark granulated, f.o.b. Hamburg, unchanged, at 8s 71 d per cwt. Butter is very firm. Colonial, 110 s; occasional lots, 112 s. The demand for secondary sorts continues. Danish is firm at il6s to 118 s. Rabbits are firm at 9d to Old. Hares are dull, a few being sold at Is dd to Is fid. Bradford Tops.—The market is quiet. Common CO's, Jd lower, at 19R1 per lb; super 60’s Jd lower, at 201 d per lb. THE PRICES OF METALS. Copper is dull. Spot, 5s lower, at £54 17%fid x>er ton; three months’, 12s fid lower, at £54 2s fid per ton. Pig iron—Glasgow warrants, No. 1 cash, Is fid higher, at 51s lid per ton f.o.b. in Clyde. Lead, 12s fid higher, at £ll 13s 9d per ton. Spelter, £l7 11s 3d per ton. Tin on the spot, £ll3 5s per ton; three months’, £IOB. Silver, 2s lid per ounce. STANDARD INSURANCE COMPANY. DUNEDIN, February 15. The Standard Insurance Company’s report shows a balance of £17,705. An interim dividend absorbing £2812 was paid in Juno last, and it is recommended that the balance be apportioned thus:— To reserve fund (which null then standat £29,000), £4000; dividend at the rate of 7J per cent for the half-year ended December, £2812; bonus of 21 per cent, £1875; leaving £0205 to carry forward to next year. COAL EXPORT. WESTPORT, February 16. The coal export last week was 12.195 tons ■ 9cwt, of which 11.900 tons were from the Westport Coal Company’s mines, and 295 tons fiewt from the Westport Co-operative Company’s.

GREYMOUTH, February 16. Exports for the week were as follows:—Blackball Company, 2231 tou° 17cwt coal; Brunner Company, 1637 tons llcwt coal, 42 tons 1-icwt coke, and 2G tons bricks.

Issue Department. No:e iFBUe.. £52,311,001 Got. debt.. £11,015,009 Other Booatities 6.760,000 Gold.. 84,539,000 £52,814,000 £52,314,060 Ganexio Department. Proprietors* Gov. securl* capital .. £U,653, ODD ties * .. £17,274,001 Public deOther seposits .. 14,078,000 ourities .. . 28 665,000 Other de* Notes .. 23.5SU.000 posits .. 39,-132,000 Coin.. 2,354,000 Best. 7-day and other bills .. S 810,000 £71,873,000 £71.873,000 The leading items of tho Bank of England return afford tho following comparison * This week. Dasfc week . Dastyear £ £ £ Bullion .. 31.539.000 84,125,000 30,810,030 Reserve .. 25 934.000 25,181.000 22,721,000 Noteoiroul&tiou .. 28,734,000 28,900.000 28,636.000 Deposits .. .. 53,610,000 61,399,900 46,252.000 Proportion reserve to liabilities 48*24 43 76 48-90

Price. Variation. 22 % Imperial Consols, •. £ 8. 94 10d 0 Unchanged 4 % Now South Wales m> o 0 Unchanged Bi %New South Wales IU4 0 0 15/- higher 8 % New South Wales 4 % Victorian 97 0 0 10/- higher ill 10 0 Unchanged 8* % Victorian 104 0 0 10/- lower 3 % Victorian 96 5 0 Unchanged 8i %8outh Australian 104 0 u Unchanged 8 % South Australian 98 10 u 10/- lower 4 % Queensland .. Its 0 0 Unchanged S£ % Queensland 104 0 0 Unchanged 3 % Queensland 91 15 0 Unchanged 4 New Zealand* 112 0 0 Unchanged BJ% Now Zealand! 3 % New Zealand! 105 0 0 Unchanged 95 O 0 Unchanged 8i% West Australian 103 10 0 Unchanged 64 % Tasmanian . • 104 0 0 Unchanged