Commercial.

Evening Star, Issue 3600, 5 September 1874, Page 2

Commercial.

Mte amount of revenue received ab the Oua t.iaa-house or. ..oods cleared for consumptioithis Hay was L97010a lid. A decided improvement marked the tone of business during the past week. The up-country demand has much increased, and several extensive orders have been received. Sugars have been moving off freely. Good yellows command L 34. Several lines have been received of the Yarraville Refining Company’s last shipment, and have been placed at full rates. Brandies remain unchanged, except as to demand ; very heavy parcels having been placed by private sale. Rum is in good demand, and prices firm. There is a full supply of kerosene, the price of which is somewhat easier. Candles are firm, at lid. Provisions are, on the whole, unchanged although butter and cheese are coming in freely. Ale and porter are in good supply, and prices as last quoted. Mr A. Mercer reports for the week ending September 6:—Retail prices only; Fresh butter in ilb and lib prints, best quality, 2s per lb: second quality. Is 9d to Is 101 per ib j in lumps. Is 6d to Is 8d per lb. The fresh butter is com* ing in very freely, and the grecers are now able to class the quality ; prices a Jittle on the decline. Good salt butter, new season, Is 6d per Ib; second quality, Is 4d per lb. Side and relied bacon, lid to Is per Ib j Colonial hams, Is to Is 2d per lb; English hams, Is 4d to Is 0d per Ib } beef hams, 9d per lb j cheese of the best quality. lOd to- Is per lb j inferior quality unsaleable. Eggs still continue to be veryplentiful, and are in good demand at Is 4d jfcrwanb "■ SHAREMARKiE Mr Hooper reports that the share nmrket i* exceedingly buoyant. Good* stocks are 'eagerly inquired for, and fam jide inftltnifents Ana

ready investor*. Many of the mines of Otago, of which the public know but little, because they are in few handSj are paying excellent dividends; and this reticence is to be regretted, as, wereit otherwise, it would evoke a healthy speculation, especially in quartz mining. At the present time the Garrick Range quartz “i®* 9 (Cromwell) are very promising, the Star of the East yielding, for a fortnight’s work, 190 ounces of gold from 160 tons of stone, with improving prospects, The Elizabeth, on the same line, is driving a cross-cut to intersect the same run of stone. Present quotations :—Star of the East, L 7 ss; Elizabeth, L2 2s; Shotover, no transactions : sellers, 4s —buyers, 2s 6d, for 20s paid upj Arrow River, no transactions : last quotations, 8s j Lucknows, 525. In coal mines, Albions are at par ; Grey mouth, 9s ; Walton Park, 4s 6d. Mesgiel Woollen Oo.’s shares are advancing in value, and are at 365, tor 40s paid up. Insurance Companies ; National, 30s 6d; Standard. 10s 6d; South Briti'-h, 525, ex div. Banks : New Zealand, Ll7 los j National, L 3 9s, ex div.; Colonial, greatly improving, and very firm at Hs. THE LABOR MARKET. Mr Skene reperts that the demand has been goed for servants and assistants of all kinds during the week. The new arrivals seem an excellent class of people, but it is out of the question to absorb them as quickly as they are coming now. • The following wages are given to useful people :—Female servants (general), from L26to L 3 6; experienced do, from L36to L 45. Cooks, barmaids, &c., L 52 and more. Ploughmen and shepherds, L6O and L 6 5; new arrivals, L6O and L 55. Married people, L 75 to LBs— in all cases. Masons, carpenters, and bricklayers, from 12s to 15s per day, depending on quality. Gardeners, 30s per week and found. Pick and shovel men, 8s and 9s per day. Smart boys and girls, 6s, 6s, 7s, and 8s per week. [By Telvojraph.] Melbourne, August 29.—The markets are very dull, and business has received a check pending the result of the Budget. Sugars, especially yellows, have sold at an advance ; flour and grain very dull; milling oats held for 5s 3d ; tobacco, good demand- London telegrams of August 27 report an advance on scoured wool of breds, higher; lambs are selling well, to English buyers principally. 680 guineas was paid for a single sheep yesterday, London, August 18.—The London Colonial wool sales opened this evening.' The arrivals amounted to 260,000 bales, and upwards of 5,000 were offered. The attendance of Home and foreign buyers was large, and biddings commenced with great spirit, and closing rates of last sales well maintained. August 22.- At the wool sales, at the opening, competition was well maintained. Prices • continue very firm. The com market has experienced a considerable fall. The weather is favorable for harvest operations. August 25.—At the wool sales, the competition continues extremely vigorous, and prices show a general advance, compared with previous sales, of a halfpenny to a penny halfpenny. Foreign arrivals of wheat are abundant, and prices have fallen. At the sales oi new wheat yesterday, purchases were made reluctantly, at a reduction of seven shillings.