COMMERCIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11029, 18 March 1914, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

TASMANIAN LOAN, By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyrigM. (Received March 18. 9.10 a.m.) LONDON; March 17. The Tasmanian loan of £1,500,000, four per cent at has been underwritten. The prospectus of the loan lias been issued. It is repayable in 1940-50, and th<( last instalment payable in May, a half-vear's interest being payablo on July 1." f ' GENERAL. (Received March'lS, 10 a.m.) • LONDON, March 17. Banks—Australasia £llO and £llß ex dividend, New South Wales £4O, £4l, Union £s3s 10s. £56 10s, New Zealand £8 15s and £9 15s ex rights. Jute —March-April shipment £32 10s. RUSSIAN GRAIN TAX. (Received March 18, 10.5 a.m.) ST PETERSBURG, March 16. The Duma Committee of Agriculture and Finance has adopted a tax on grain, peas and beans of thirty kopeks per pud as a counter measure to the veiled export bounties granted on German export to Russia.

LONDON WOOL SALES. (Received March 18, 10 a.m.) .. LONDON, March 17. The wool sales closed with prices firm and good competition at late rates.

AMERICANS BUYING FREELY. [Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, March 18. . The High Commissioners' market report, dated London, March 17, states that the wool sales closed with a brisk demand from all sections of the trade, including. America. The prospects are favourable for Home and Continental trade, being good and likely to ,continiie. . • It is estimated that the American purchases totalled approximately 17,000 bales, against 5000 bales at the last sales. One thousand three hundred bales of New Zealand wool were held oyer.

The estimated values of superior merinoes is Is Id to Is 3d, medium lOd to Ib, .inferior Bid to 10d, fine crossbreds all grades Is Id to Is 3-Jd, medium cross-breds all grades lOd to Is, coarse cross-breds all grades 9d to lid.

The following is a copy of. a. cable received bv, I)algety and Company, Limited, Christchurch, from their London office, dated March 17, 1914: "Wool sales closed firm, without further change. As compared with last sale's closing rates,, merino wools, mejfiuin to good greasy, are 10 pelcent 'higher, heavy earthy and wasty par to o per cent higher, and other descriptions 5 to 71 per cent higher. Greasy cross-breds, fine quality 10 per cent higher, medium 5 per cent higher, coarse 7J per cent to 10 per cent higher. Scoured cross-bred wools, 5 to 7i per cent higher. Slipe wools, 7i per cent higher. Lambs' wool, sto 7i per. cent higher. Total net quantity available for sale amounted to 144,000 bales, of which some 17,000 • bales 1 sold fqr America, 83,000 bales for home consumption and 40,000 bafles for tHe Continent. Ojie - thousand bales were not offered and 3000 bales were carried forward."

The National Mortgage and Agency Company of New. Zealand, Ltd., is in receipt of the following cable, advice from its London office:—" "Wool Sales.—As_ compared with opening rates, merinoes and fine cross-breds closed slightly dearer; medium and coarse cross-breds slightly easier:"

The Bank of New Zealand has received the following cable from its Lon-. don office:—"The market lias closed with good demand for fine and coarse cross-breds ; " medium cross-breds neglected. total quantity held over, .3500 bales, of which 1250 bales are New Zealand. Prices for cross-bred medium greasy average are 5 per cent owea compared with the opening of this series."

N.Z. CROWN MINES, LTD. From Ja.mia.ry 19 until February 28, 1653 tons were crushed and treated for a return of £3112. The total won from the mine to date is £874,700. AUCKLAND STOCK EXCHANGE. [Pub Pjuws Association.] AUCKLAND, March 18. Sales reportedßoss os .od to, 4a 9d; Talisman Jlb 3d; Auckland Gas 27s 6d. Gas 27s 6d. WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March. 18. Sales reported:—National Insurance £2 lis 3d; Kainpoi Woollen (pre*,) £5 os; Mosgiel Woollen £3 ,12s; Waitangi Is. DUNEDIN STOCK-EXCHANGE. • [Pkr Pexss Association.] DUNEDIN, March 18. Sales reported:—Junctions 26s 3d and 2ts 3d. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. The following were the ruling prices in this morning's markets:— Apples, dessert 4s to 8s per case. Apples, cooking Is 6d to 'is per case. Peaches, Is to 2s per. <**se. , Oranges, 13s per case. Pears, 2s to 4s per case.

Bananas, 7s to lis per case. % Plums, 4s 6d to 7s 6d per case. • Cucumbers, Is 6d per box. , Tomatoes, lid to 1-Jd per lb. ; ' Grapes, 7d to 10c! per lb. fish. 1 The following wore the ruling prices in this morning's markets: —Ling 2s Id to 3s od each, flounders 3s 2d to 12s fid per dozen, soles 4s to 12s 6d, red cod "is (3d to 3s 9d, gurnet 3s to 6s, mold Is to 2s 6d each, butter fish 2s to 2s 4(1. The supply of fish is small at present. POULTRY. Farmers now take advantage of the "Wednesday poultry sale and to-day there was a good entry in the market and prices were high. Table chickens realised 4s Od to Ys 1 Od, ducks 4s to 5s 3d, hens 2s to 4s 6d. Pullets were in good demand and one fine line of purebreds realised 21s per pair. EGGS. Eggs are coming forward freely and equal. to the demand. Canterbury Egg Circle extras realised Is od, seconds Is 3d to Is 4d, stores Is 2d to Is 3d per dozen. SKIN SALE. At the Canterbury By-Products Com. pany's weekly skin sale at Sockburn on Tuesday the following prices were obtained :—Three-quarter-bred 7s 6d, pelts 2s 4d to 4s 7d, lamb skins 3s 6d to 4s 3d.

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK EXCHANGE. The following: aire the It test quotation's: — Buyers. ' Sellers. £ 8. d. £ a. d. BREWERIES— • Manning . . 4 2 6 Ward . . . c . 6 0 0 COALTaupiri . . . 1 1 0 Westport . . . 1 10 9 GAS-Christ-church , , 7 16 INSURANCE— National of N.Z. « 311 6 SHIPPING— Now Zealand ' . ' . 16 12 6 New Zealand (pref.) . 10 10 0 I MISCELLANEOUS— • Bowron Bros. . 0 6 0 ... 0 6 6 N.Z! Farmers' Co-op. . 3 . 6 0 Taranaki (N.Z,) Oil ( • Wells ... 0 5 0 Whitcombe and Tombs o 17 6 Sales reported:—Mutual Benefit (Canterbury), £11 5s ; Christchurch Gas , £'■