Commercial.

Evening Star, Issue 3255, 26 July 1873, Page 2

Commercial.

The amount of revenue received at the Cus-tom-house on goods cleared for consumption this day, was L 209 14s fid. v A. Mercer reports for the week ending July 86, retail prices only Fresh butter, in and 1 lb. prints, best quality, la 8d to Is Od per lb,; second quality, Is 7d to Is 8d peril). Fresh butter, in lumps, Is 4d to Is 6d per lb.; powdered and salt butter, Is 4d per lb. Salt butter, in kegs, Is 2d per lb. for good samples ; second quality, Is to Is Id per lb. Since our last quotation there has been an advance in the price of fresh butter of 2d per lb; it is still very scarce, and the market is short of its usual supply. Cheese of good quality, Is per lb. Side and rolled bacon, smoked or otherwise, Od to lOd per lb. Colonial hams, Is to Is 2d per lb. ; English hams, Is 8d per lb. Eggs are scarce this week, and selling at Is 8d per dozen. From an abstract of the duties and revenue collected by the Customs department during the year 1872, we find that the total amount was L 892,784. The principal sources of revenue were Spirits, L 278,532 ; goods by measurement, L 130,813; goods by weight, L 48.224; wine, L 33.000 jJtea, L 02,907 ; tobacco, L 91,000; sugar, L89,251;£01d duty, L53,G56. A general summary of. import, export, and shipping returns' for the* Colony for the year 1872 has been presented to Parliament by command of his Excellency. Although the information has been previously published in the quarterly returns in the Oazeltc, their present form affords a better idea of the state of our foreign trade. In 1872 the imports of the Colony amounted in value to L 5,142,951, and the exports to L5,190,(505, showing an excess of exports over imports of L 47,714. The largest items of our imports were {in round figures) : Apparel and. slops, L 150.000; boots and shoes, LI95,000; coals, L 102.549; draper}', L 091,000; hardware and ironmongery, L 150,000 ; iron, L 169,000 ; railway materials, L 115,300 ; gold specie, L 232,000; spirits, L 155,200 ; sugar, L 381,270 ; tea. L 177.200 ; wine. L 70.700 ; woollens, L 05,706 ; tobacco, LOO,000; stationery, L 57,000; oilmen’s stores, 1.95,800. Our chief exports were Wool, L 2,537,919; gold, L 1,730,992 ; preserved meats, L 161,890; phormium fibre, L 99.405; hides. L31.7G3; leather, L 18,224 ; sheepskins, L 18,245. Dming the year 1872 there entered inwards at the various ports of the Colony 775 vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 300,302 tons. There cleared out during the same period 743 vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 284,300 tons. Of the total number of ships employed UJ were foreign, the remainder being British,

12 o’clock. The wet weather during the past week has caused business to be generally dull, as the roads are in worse condition than at any time during the winter. Kates of carriage remain, therefore, unaltered. The market has been fully stocked with Southern wheat, and sales have been made in quantity at 5s lod. Flour is unaltered. The demand continues regular, at LI 2 10s to Ll3. Really good butter is saleable at Is Id ; cheese, 9d ; and hams and bacon, 9Ad to lOd. In sugars, yellow crystals arc scarce, and in good demand. AVe cannot safely quote as they depend upon the necessities of buyers. Kerosene is slightly lower, and maybe purchased at 2s. We may still quote Henncssy’spak at Bs, but the supply of ease is limited, and 80s is freely offered Candles are in good demand at 11.-jd. at which several large parcels have changed hands. Corn Hficlts may V>e quoted at d4;\d to 15 cl, \>ut tliodemand is not great.