Commercial.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 805, 4 December 1865, Page 2

Commercial.

“Eve.riiny Star” Office, 4.30 pm. Tlio total amount of revenue collected at the Customs to-day was £‘732 Is Bd.

F.or the information of merchants we may state that it is notified in the General Government Gazette of the 18th November that the Collectors and Sub-Collectors of Customs may

refund the duty on all articles classed under sub" section 14 of section 3, of the New Customs Duty Act, ISB4, to the various merchants and importers who have paid them under protest. Hokitika. —By the overland mail we have our files to Nov. 27. The Advertiser' of that elate reports :—“ The most marked feature in the market this week has been the very unexpected and sudden fall in the price of timberKauri pine, groved and tongued boards, which a week since were disposed of by the hammer at 355, sold on Wednesday at 265, and scantling is now being offered at 19s on the ground, and as low as 21s delivered. Business generally has

; been very inactive during the week, and we hear complaints in many quarters of a declining 4 trade. Much may be attributed to a long contitihuance of bad weather, and the number of new

houses which are daily coming in competition

..with older established firms. The Bonds are i jammed from floors to ceilings with immense ; stocks of spirits of every description, and prices

are not maintained. We hear of Martell’s Torandy in large parcels having changed haxxdf at a shade -under Ps, which must have been a loss to importers. There is one counter-balancing element in these operations, that all business is being done for cash, or upon terms almost equivalent to it, and wild, reckless speculation such aa„we have been accustomed to witness in other

markets is not known here. Butter and other descriptions of dairy produce meet with many enquiries, and prices are well maintained. X/arge •quantities of English ale of favorite brands have arrived to our market in indifferent condition, most of it being pricked. The greater portion of it passes under the auctioneer’s hammer into the hands of the dealers, who contrive, by some process known only to themselves, to render it passably good, and it goes into consumption. Money is in great demand, and 12 per cent, has been paid for cash advances for short terms. Of course, at such a rate lenders can hold no very sound securities. ”