Commercial.

Evening Star, Issue 3546, 4 July 1874, Page 2

Commercial.

The amount of revenue received at the Cuf tom-house or. ~oods cleared for consumption was this dav L 1,207 12s 3d. Glen sections still continue to be eagerly inquired for. We hear of several having changed hands at L4O, very few of them still remaining to be sold. Business during the week has been satisfactory. Brandy, which in the earlier part of it tended to lower prices, again advanced on receipt of advices, by the Albion. Prior to her arrival, parcels of. Henessy’s were purchaseable at 10s 9d and 325, but holders are now firm at 11s and 32s 6d. This advance is justified by action of the French distillers, Henessy having raised the price full 15 pel per cent. Whiskey is becoming scarce, and is much inquired for. Beith, Ross, and Co.’s brand commands ss. Geneva partakes of the general firmness, and 13s fid to 13s 9d hj readily obtained. Currants are in good demand at 3|d for shipments. Dried apples are scarcely to be met with, the market being nearly cleared of them; _ high prices are. consequently asked. Butter is somewhat firmer. Hams, bacon, and cheese unaltered. Kerosene, which last week tended to easier rates, is again firmer, and is held for Is lOd. Candles are in demand at Ud. Mr W. Hooper reports that the share market is active. Many of the mining companies are faying well, noticeably the Star of the East, 'resent quotations are as follow :—Star of the East, L 8; Elizabeth, L 4 ; Heart of Oak, L 3 12s fid. Shotovers are greatly depreciated in value ; present price (5s paid up,) Is 6d. Standard Insurance, 13s 3d; National Insurance, 30s; Arrow River, 7s 6d ; Greymoutb Coal, 7s fid ; South British Insurance, 46s fid. , Mr Skene reports for the week that the greater number of the late arrivals have Sot settled down or spread over the country, lany new arrivals have taken the wise plan of finding work for themselves, instead of waiting and spending the little money they have got before something turns up. There is a complete dearth of farm and general country people, also of females of all kinds. Work of almost all kind is plentiful. Wages are good, and fair offers are often refused. The building trade is still active, and there is every likelihood of its being so for some time. The difference between the builders and carpenters seems to b« getting amicably arranged. Shepherds and gardeners are asked for ; handy lads are scarce, and such are picked up to learn. Railway laborers and bushmen are wanted. The run of wages does not vary much from the following Masons, carpfliters, and bricklayers, about 14s per day ; good ploughmen, from L6O to L 65 per year and found; married do and wife, handy about dairy, &c., from L7O to LBO and LBS : shepherds, from L 55 to L 65 and found ; new arrivals getting a lower figure to start on. General servants get from L 35 to L 45 ; cooks, 'barmaids, &c., L 52, and coach fare if up country ; young) girls get from 6s to 10s per •week : day laborers, 8s to 10s per day.

THE OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND INVESTMENT COMPANY (LIMITED) The tenth ordinary general meeting of this company was held cn May 13, at the offices of the company, Adam’s Court, Old Broad street, James D. Thomson, Esq., in the chair. The report was taken as read. The chairman said he had looked over the report of the last two meetings, and had very little to say in addition to what fell from the chair on that occasion, by remarks from a gentlemen on the other side. The company had been successful, and had been happy in having no history. During the ten years of its existence the care of its managers on this side in obtaining monejr on investment, the confidence which the investing public on both sides of the Tweed had reposed in the company, and the assiduous and {>rudent'inanagement of Mr Morris and his .coleagues in New Zealand, had resulted in their being able to repay the original shareholders, who had invested L 40,000 in the company, oyer L 36,000 in the way of dividend, besides placing L 7,500 (if the meeting approved the report) to the reserve fund, in addition to L 2,500 which occurred from the'preraiums on the new capital just issued. Besides all this, they had paid L 60,000 in interes to those who had intrusted the company with their money. He thought he might fairly cwl that a very satisfactory state of things. They hoped bye-and-bye to augment their business, which eould to be safely done, as they had utereased the capital of tie company. Touching the issue of shares in the Colony at a pte-

mium of ss, he stated that of the 10,000 the directors had authorised their manager to issue, only 2,885 had been taken up. Although the Board felt disappointed regarding this, it was satisfactory to state that the shares jffered on this side had been taken up previous to January 31. The plethora of money in the Colony had tended to reduce business, but still the business of the company was satisfactory. The Chairman concluded by moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, and the declaration of a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum. Mr Morrison seconded the resolution, which was unanimously carried. The retiring directors and auditors were re-elected. Mr Marshall moved, and Mr Castellan seconded, a motion that the best thanks of the meeting be given to the directors, the committee at Dunedin, and the officers of the company in London and New Zealand, for their attention to the affairs of the company. European Mail. ’