COMMERCIAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 84, 4 December 1912, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

LONDON MARKETS

Lon'don, December 4. Wool.— Castle, top i4jcl, average 12 Id. Tallow. —The stock is 32 Scasos; imports 205/ cases, deliveries 2701 cases. Copper.—Electrolytic supplies are 33,7 Ud tons, deliveries 41,628 tons, stocks 40,716 tons, afloat 6.M0 tons, total European visible supply 43,2 m tons. „ , Tin.—Stock 13,697 tons. Spot lot_3 tons, afloat 4608 tons, deliveries 2870 tons.

AN ADVANCE IN BUTTER. (Received 10.25 a.m.) London, December 3. Butter is firm at 2s advance, and the Morea’s consignment is clearing well. i WOOL SALES. London, December 3. At the wool sales there was a good selection, with a spirited Continental demand. For line liaireds prices are firm, and cross breeds are stiong. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S RETORT. Wellington, December 3. The following is the High Commissioner’s cablegram under date London, November 30 (quotations, unless otherwise specified, are average market prices on spot):— Mutton. —The market is firm. Canterbury 41d, North Island 4£d. Lamb.—The market is firm. C.uiterterbury syd, other than Canterbury sfd. Beef.—Tho market is steady, with an improved deriiand. New Zealand hinds 3£d, fores 3d. Hemp.—Tnc market is steady, with an improving demand. New Zealand good fair grade £33, fair grade £3l 10s fair current Manila £33 lor any position. The output from Manila for the week amounted to 21,000 bales. Wool.—The market is strong.

N.Z. LOAN AND MERCANTILE Wellington, December 3. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Limited and Reduced, will hold its annual meeting in London on the 12th inst. After writing off bad debts and customary replacement, also a special sum of £21),000 off the premises, and providing a further £SOOO towards the staff beheyclerit fund and carrying an additional £IIO,OOO to reserve, making a total reserve of £720,000, the directors recommend a dividend of 7J per'ceric. on shareholders’ paid-up capital, and an extra per cent, interest on tnird debentures, making on the latter a total of 7 per cent, for the year.-

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Limited and Reduced, Stratford, report under date, London, 24th October, 1912: Wool.—There is no fresh feature to report as regards the London .market! The outbreak of war between Turkey and the Balkan States, and the-conse-quent disturbance of the money market, have caused a feeling of uneasiness amongst those engaged in the textile industry, but so far this has not been reflected in any general weakening in the values of tops in the Bradford , market. It remains to lie seen, however, to what extent .Continental operations may have to be curtailed by a restriction of credit, but already there has been a falling off in the demand for yarns for Germany. Apart from these disturbing factors, business' on the whole continues good in all the manufacturing centres alike, and while consumption is maintained at the present level, unless farther complications in the political situation arise, and slump in values of the raw material in the near future need hardly be looked for. Frozen Meat—The market has been, and still is, abundantly supplied with Home killed and Dutch meat, English ewes for some time being sold at prices under those ruling for frozen. A very slow demand for all descriptions of frozen mutton and lamb has,/in consequence, been experienced, and although supplies have been in moderate compass, in order to effect sales it has been necessary to accept lower prices. For the first fortnight after date of our last report, with only moderate quantities of chilled beef offering, last quotations were maintained, but the heavy shipments which have come to hand since have proved much in excess of requirements, with the result that prices have materially declined. There are also considerable supplies of Irish .beef on the market, which realises from 4|d to 5d per lb. In these circumstances there has been little enquiry for frozen sorts, and values have declined fd to per lb. We quote Scotch and English meat, old to' 8d ; Canterbury sheep, 4RI to 4gd; North Island sheep, 4|d to 4£d; Australian sheep, 4d to 4|d; River Plate sheep, 4d to 4fd; New Zealand ewes, 3rcl to 4d; Canterbury lamb, old to old; North Island lamb, 5d to s|d ; Australian lamb, 4j}d to 5d ; River Plate chilled beef, 3;Jd to Plate chilled fores, 2;{d to 3d; River Plate frozen beef, binds 3|d to 3|-d, fores 2ld to 2|d: New Zealand beef, binds 3|d to 3ld, fores 2ld to 2fd; Australian beef, binds 3,|d to 3sd, fores 2|d to 2jjd, per lb ajl off the hook