COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1613, 3 December 1912, Page 8

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

The Wellington Slunk Kxcliiuikc wan dosed yesterday for holiday, eoiisc<|iioi>tlr thero are no share market quotations fur publication to-day. A YKAlt'fi HIIHMIUIIiDINO. Tho annual report of Lloyd's-Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign HliipfuiiLilitm —covering the period to June 30, 1912, shown that 10,455 merchant ve'sol.H, ixiKlslciiiiß about 213 million tolls held oiapscß aligned li.v the commlUei! of Lloyd's lieBister; 6494 were Urilish, of 13,283,604 tonlingo (6073 tains strainer;, of 1K,05'1,&17 tonnage) and 3951 vessels belonged lo foreigncountries, including 3271 steamers, or 7,305,DO'I tonnage. During tlie your clnsisw wei'e assigned by tho ooiiun.il tec lo 604 new vessels, with registered gross tuinia^i 1 of 1/60,165. 'I'lie figures • represent 6'is !iiteaiueiw of 1,-155,908 lohk and CI sailing vessels of 2t;178 tons, and of the lokil 1,CCG,535 lons, or about. 68J per cent. were built- for l-lio United. Kingdom and <61,631 tons, or <ibout 31* ikt cent., for the British colonics and foreign countries. Compared with the pre-nc-riinii twelve months, Mm present return indicates an increase of 306,065 tonh •on steamers mid 2825 loiib. 119 regards sailing vessnls. Tho tonnage ill course or construction for the quarter ended Heptoinber 30 last was 1,820,392 giws, n. number never before reached in the history of Lloyd's. A noticeable feature of the nocioty*B operations during t!» past twelve months wa.s the largo number of Btcnmcrß of up war do of 5000 tons oaoli which luid received the 100A1 class. No fewer t1i0.11.06 uucli vcbeois have been classed during the year undor rovjow. Tlio doiuand for new eteamore intoiidod for carrying oil in bulk, which Inst year was unusually brisk, enormously incroosod.. Sinco July 1, 1911, 16 tobbcJa (of 66,911 tons) intended to bo ireed for this purposo liiad been assigned tlio Bocloty'a classification, wliilst tlioro wero now preparing and in coarse of construction, at JIOIIIO and abroad, 87 vessels, registering 479,CC0 tons, the plans. for which have been approved by the committee. Ttieso llgtircfl represent practically the wholo of Biioh tonnage under construction; Ton of the vessels aro 525 ft. in length and of about IO.OCfI tons groes, tlisEts vcEc-ela bcloiiK largor than any yet constructed for carrying oil in bulk. Concurrently with the incrcaso in tlio number of vessels under construction for 'carrying oil in bulk, thero was a great development taking place in tlie use of oil fuel instead of coal. At the present time oil fuel bunkers aro being constructed in 45 oil-carrying vossels. anil in 19 oilier vessels, whilst complete oil-burning installations are to lie jltted in 35 of the former, and, in nine of the latter. In the course of the year the plans of B<sl vessels intended to bo built of steel. 49 of wood and three of composite material—making a total of 893 vessels—were submitted for the committee's consideration .with a view to tlio approval of the vessels for classification by the soc'oty. The great development in the oversea carriage of frozen and chilled meat, fruit, etc., showed 110 signs of abatement, and at the present time there are 161 vessels in rcsnect of which the certificate of classification'of refrigerating machinery had been issued, whilst in addition 22 vessels are be-, in? built the- refrigerating machinery of which is under the insnection of the society's surveyors. The 183 vessels will altogether have insulated cargo chambers representing n.■total capacity of over 12,0C0.000 carcasses of mutton. The increasing extent to "which wireless telegraphy and submarine signalling are being used in passenger stoamers is shown by the fact that there are now recorded in the society's register bool; 1392 vessels fitted with wireless telegraphic installations, as compared with 1013 at this date last year, and 630 fitted -with submarine signalling a.oparature, as compared with 566 last year. The number and gross tonnage of yachts classed in the society's register of yochts (ire 676 yachts, of 117,798 tons.' Of these. 310 of 105.702 tons are steam yachts, and .305, of 8163 tons, are sailing yachts, while 61. of 3933 tons, are fitted with internal combustion engines. THE BTJTTBR MARKET. The butter market is steadier, and the demand ,h'as improved. It is very probable that further improvement will be noted this week, for the nearer we get to Christmas the greater will' be the demand. Much, however, will depend upon European weather conditions, and thero is eome prospcct that for the nest five or six weeks at, least the market will be .firm and ac.ti\ v c. LIVERPOOL MARKET REPORT. Messrs. G. and R. Munro forward us the following Liverpool market report dated October 24:— ,'.' • • Frozen Beef. River Plate.—Fairly large shipments coming regularly to hand, but the demand is disappointing and prices lower. A largo parcel of iliver Plate foros ie reported sold here .this week at 2Jd; per lb. Best branda fores, 160-200, are (juoted at 21d., and hinds, same weights, 3Jd. per lb. Australian.—Heavy shipments continue to arrive, the supply beim- very much in excess of the demand, especially, for hinds. G.A.Q., 01 hinds, Hft-2201b., have-been sold to arrive at 3sd. per lb.;"c.i.f. and cow hinds aro offering freely at 23d. to per lb., cj.f., per steamers close, at hana. Ox. crops are .quoted, ex store, , at 2Sd. to 2Jd: per lb., aria ox hinds-at 33d. por lb. Cow hinds arc very difficult to move. C.i.f. buyers of Australian beef are very much disoon66rted by the publication of the figures of October. shipments. Lighter shipments were, anticipated, and the following figures warranted this belief:—,luly shipments 219,000 Quarters, August shipments 131.0C0 quarters, September eTiipm-ents 36,000 quarters. But October to date, with. shipments por steamers Roscommon and Sussex, yet to como in; are lO'-1.000 quarters, and these two steamers will probably bring the total for the month up to 150.K0 Quarters. New Zealand.—Nothing offering in this market cither on the spot or forward. Frozen Mutton. River Plate.—Very moderate supplies, but demand limited, prices ruling from 4Jd. to 4Jd. per lb. Heavy supplies of Irish sliOep and English ewes are selling at about the '6amo prico as frozen mutton. This restricts the demand and keeps' down the price of River Plate-and New Zealand mutton. Australian.—Stocln? are fast disappearing, but, the demand and prices have also been affected by th? home-ldlled-shocp. Sydney ewe.?, 30-Jolb., 32d. per lb.; f.a.t;. wethers, 36-EQlb., 4d. por lb.; several c.i.f. sales have, been made, this week at 3id. for Sydney owes. 30-50, Norombor shipment, and 3Jd. per lb. for f.a.n.. wotliorß, 30-501b., November shipment. Even at those prices buyers are very few and far between and extremely cautious. Now Zealand.—Buyers in tlieso parts are fir-awing small lots from London of North Island wethers, heavy-weights, tho lowest prico hpjng 4 3-Bd. per lb. on trucks, London, with a weight allowance equal in 1 value to tho' cost of railage to Liverpool. Frozen Lambs. New Zealand.—A very limited business doing, ■ "Crowns" and'"Diamonds" malting 5Jd. por lb., no prime grades offering. Australian.—Nothing on the spot. Some c.i.f. sales of Victorian and Adelaide lambs for prompt shipment are reported at 51d. to 5Jd. per lb., according to weights and quality. Chilled Beef. The supply exceeds tho demand, especially of fores. Prices in buycru' favour; best fores, 23d. to 3d. por lb.; hinds. 4d. per lb.; this market is oxpectcd to wind up tho week at lower priccs. All prices mentioned heroin, unless otherwise stated, are ox stove, Liverpool, the c.i.f. equivalent beinu Jd. per lb. loss.' ; THE WOOL MARKET. Tho London wool salos are progressing very favourably, and latest reports indicate that the tendency is towards firmness. Values may not appreciate further during the currency of this sale, bccauso the class of wool is not of the best, at all even to there is not a. great quantity of new clip, but tlie firmness is bound to be reflected 111 the local sales. l That is already apparent, as the tone of the Napior sales indicates. The statistical positidn of wool is very strong, 'and if tho political nituation in Europe improves the January rales.should see prices considerably higher than they aro now. The Bank of New Zealand lias received the following caiblc advice from its London office, dated November 30:—"Current nriros for North Island—Farmers' lots, in average condition: Coarse crossbred, 3C-40's quality, to H." por lb ' : ™«'Uum crossbred, 44-46 s quality, lid. to. lljd. per lb.; fine crossbred, 50's quality, 12d. to 13d. per lb." Messrs. Murray, Roberts, atid Co.. Ltd, Wellington, liavo rceoivod the following cablegram from their London friends. Messrs. Sanderson, Murray and Co., dated November .30:— Wool market stronger, with <1 hardening tendency. Compared , with lost _ London sntes. closing i s ntcis, oombinf? morino, greasy, good, .advanced 10 per cont. SccjiTcd merino, faulty and Inferior, also medium descriptions, have advanced 10 per cent. By Telegraph—Prees Association—Oopyright (Pec. December 2, 9.30 p.m.) t»j j, , ~ l-ontlon, Decomber 2. Bidding was spirited in all classes at the with a hardening tendency. Of 27,796 bales catalogued, 26.851 were sold. WHEAT AFLOAT' London. December 1. Shipments of wheat and flour afloat on November 30, a week previously, and a year previously, were:— , Nov. 30. Nov. 23. Dec. 3. 1912. 1912. 1911. QnaT- Quar- Quar-t-LTs. tf>ra. t-crs United Kingdom... 2,710,000 2,695,000 2,895~000 Continent 2,715,C00 2,380,000 1,305,000 ; 5,425,000 5,075,000 4,200,003 The wheat shipped from the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of North America during tlie past week, the previous week, and the corresponding week of la.st year is eati•noted by "Brudstrcot's" to lie-.— Atlantic Coast ... 531.CC0 565,K0 388.000 Pacific Coast ...... 35,000 35,000 40,Ct0 566,0 M 600,000 428,000 The quantities of wheat and flour shipped w Europo from thu ooimtriM enumerated . wow c$

Ai'KPNllne - 13,000 32.0C0 Jliiwin - 2,15,000 1%,000 Diuiublnn HUilta - 2(K1,C00 276,000 Ulilia - 110,000 VZ.ICO Au.;li-nltislu. ICCOO 16,000 CB.OM 660,000 MJ.OOO Total nliliimoiltn to I-'uropo tram all exnnrtliii? i-ouiitrlcn Tor Ihn nnnt wcolt totall«(l 1,100.000 (lUli.l-lorn. flL'iiinel. 2,005,000. i|ua.rIcrs Just week, mid 1,10!>.000 i|iin-rtcr» for tho tmrrcsDomllni! wt'cli »l liibl .vi'iir, WJIBAT MAKKI7I'. London, DcoMnber 1. Wlicat Iβ (oihHiik vnnlcr, owlmj lo tho inwo favoilniblo weaMior in Mio Aricciitiiio. I/ONP.ON MAUKIv'IH. London, Dccombcr 1, Oopra.-Tlic rfoiiMiml Iβ iic.Uvc. Houlh Hca, bacßod, Is iiiiolcd nl> X 25 12s. 6d. Ncr ton. Iloiiip.—The niwliul. \n Btrotiß. There Iron licoii. nil (ulviHH'o of 'An. for lilifii grnih. .liiiiiMiry-Murcli nlii|im(.«t Is limited nt J>s2 Pol , t'lii Hiibber.—Hub linxtl I'n-rn. rubbor In n«oVcd lit Is. Cd. per lb. C'Jllon.—NovombDr-llwH'inbcr nhipinento of Amorloan inlildlliii; cotl-mi nro (iuot«d at C.OP.il. per Jb. liliiKiod Oil—Spot pipes, olTorJnc fl.t £27 tier ton. Jlidie—Thero Iβ a mairniflcont buainewi iMnir. Heavy CJuconflftudD aro folMni; at 'iiCT°lißr'lß firm. First WcUlneton, Lβ. 61(1. per lb.