New Guinea And Papuan Gold

Sharemarket

The following gives details of shares of New Guinea and Papuan goldmining companies, listed on the Sydney Stock Exchange, with latest available market price:

Weekly Fluctuations.

The following shows weekly fluctuations for two of the main New Guinea concerns:

But note what happens. It is one of two things. Either “the fruit is rotten” or “the market is glutted.” What comes back to him? Not a big win nor even a square break. He gets back a huge debit note. The surplus of oranges has disappeared. They are in cold storage behind lock and key, bought by the auc tioneer at a low price.

The shipping facilities: what of them?

Are they in accordance with what has been learned along the hard road of ex

perience for the producers and exporters at the Islands. We fear not. We say deliberately that the shipping facilities provided for the carrying of tropical fruits are primitive, placed side by side with the facilities provided for the stow age of butter and cheese.

Upon whose shoulders must be respon sibility rest for remedying these defects and shortcomings. The answer is diffi cult to give. The position bristles with obstacles. Fruit producing communities of the Pacific are scattered. Marketing interests are consolidated.

But the appalling idiocy of landing rotten fruit at the markets is obvious.

It seems that action by Governments, without the co-operation of shipping companies, would be futile. Cool storage space at the marketing end controlled by the exporters themselves appears to be essential. Better picking methods are wanted.

As matters stand to-day, the fruit ex porting business at the islands is a des perate gamble —a throw of the dice with potent factors operating against a rea sonable degree of security.

EDITORIAL NO TEL —We are entirely in accord with every word of this vigorously-written article. As a matter of fact, following a visit to Rarotonga, Shmoa, Fiji and Tonga, we wrote for the N.Z. newspapers an article about the disabilities of the orange-growing industry, and expressed almost exactly the opinions set out above. And that was in May, 1914 —nineteen years ago! Which only goes to show that, if the orange-growers want something done, they will have to do it themselves. Talking will get them nowhere. To our knowledge, they have been glaring at the N.Z. fruit merchants, with dark suspicion, for 20 years. It surely is time they acted.

Company.

Authorised Capital. £ Shares Issued Number.

Amount.

Paid-up.

Market Price Buyer.

Seller.

August 20. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d.

Akmana New Guinea, N.L pd. 30,000 140,000 0 1 0 0 1 0 — — Akmana New Guinea. N.L ctg. 360,000 0 1 0 0 0 7 — 0 — Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd $6,000, 000 765,000 $5.00 $5.00 4 11 0 4 12 0 Gold, N.I 50,000 50,000 1 0 0 1 0 0 — — Mount Kaindi, N.L pd. 50,000 90,000 0 4 0 0 4 0 — 0 1 2 Mount Kaindi, N.L ctg. 160,000 0 4 0 0 1 3 0 0 6 0 0 7 Mount Lawson Blocks. N.L. pd. 48,000 80,000 0 4 0 0 4 0 — — Mount Lawson Blocks, N.L. ctg. 140,000 0 4 0 0 1 0 — — Mount Lawson Extended, N.L. pd. 48,000 80,000 0 4 0 0 4 0 — — Mount Lawson Extended, N.L. ctg. 140,000 0 4 0 0 1 0 — — Mount Sisa, N.L. pd.

Mount Sisa N.L. ctg. 70,000 120,000 0 4 0 0 4 0 — 190,000 0 4 0 0 1 10½ — — N. Guinea Developments, N.L. 40,000 643,800 0 1 0 0 1 0 — — N. Guinea Gold Deposits, N.L. pd. 20,000 20,000 0 2 6 0 2 6 — — N. Guinea Gold Deposits, N.L. ctg. 100,000 0 2 6 0 1 9 — — N. Guinea Gold & Osmiridium, N.L. 10,000 80,000 0 2 6 0 2 6 — — N. Guinea Goldfields. Ltd pd. 5,250,000 4,055,186 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 8 11 0 9 0 N. Guinea Goldfields, Ltd ctg. 375,000 1 0 0 0 1 0 — — N. Guinea Options. Ltd., N.L. pd. 50,000 50,000 0 2 0 0 2 0 — — N. Guinea Options, Ltd.. N.L. ctg. 0 2 0 0 0 9 — — North East N. Guinea, N.L. pd.

North East N. Guinea, N.L. ctg. 50,000 90,000 140,000 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 Placer Development. Ltd $500,000 80,000 $5.00 $5.00 12 8 0 12 10 0 Sloane’s New Guinea, N.L pd. 25,000 0 2 0 0 2 0 Sloane's New Guinea, N.L. ctg. 25,000 200,000 0 2 0 0 0 8 — — * Quotation not granted these shares.

July 22.

July 29.

August 4.

August 11.

August 18.

Placer D’ment, Ltd.— b £11/15/ s £12 b £11/15/ s £11/16/ b £11/10/ s £11/15/ b £11/10/ s £11/12/ b £12/2/ s £12/4/ N.G. Goldfields, Ltd.— b 6/ s 6/2 b 6/11 s 7/ b 6/11 s 7/ b 7/9 s 7/10 b 8/10 s 8/11