A we-ek ago tho Blue Star Line con tract toi the South African service was to have been signed, but, up to the hour of writing, no progress appears to ha\e been made. A remarkable tend erness seems to be shown this Mr. Sleigh, of Melbourne He has been given almost unlimited time to matuie his plans, the ongmal contract has been altered to please him, and yet lie does not seem to bo able to get up to tho mark and sign the agreement The service, if established, will bene fit the Australian produceis a gieat deal moie than their New Zealand com petitors The vessels are to be allowed to call at tw o Australian ports to fill up with caigo, and New Zealand is to pay £30,000 a year for this privilege When the contract is definitely fixed, it will, m all probability, be found that an Australian shipping firm, that has al ready appeared rather prominently i" connection w ith the transport of Contin gents will have, a big say in the service. * • * The Mauriceyille Lime and Cement Company, Limited, recently foimed in Wellington, has been registered, and took over the property acquired on Tuesday, The shaiemarket is very dull, and the business passing is very restricted. The sales reported on the Wellington Stock Exchange are not large enough to give a single broker a single cigar extra in a month. Insurance- shares have weak ened no doubt because of the State Fire Insurance Bill. Meat shares are in fair demand, but prices show no change. The conferences and meet ings to discuss the frozen meat problem have not scared shareholders * * * Mining is lifeless, and brokers do not expect to see any change, although their hopes are all the other way. The dredging returns, although averaging well, are not very large when the num ber of working dredges is taken into account * • • The Alexandra Lead is one of the few dredging companies whose prospects have improved during the past three months. 