Commercial.

Evening Star, Issue 3706, 8 January 1875, Page 2

Commercial.

The amount of revenue received at the Cus tom-house on >,oods cleared for consumption this day was L 1,637 8s 3d. Messrs WhitelawandCo. report having offered for sale by auction to-day the cargo of new seasons sugars ex Robert Jones, from Mauritius. There was a large attendance of the trade, and after some spirited competition, about 5,000 mats were placed at the following rates, viz.:—Yellow crystals, L3l ss; fine yellow, L 33 5s to L 33 10s. ; brewers’ crystals, L 32 10s to L 34 ; white crystals, L 33 7s 6d ; finest whites, L 35, and snowdrop crystals, L 35 15s to L 36. All in bond. Mr A. Mercer repon.3 (retail prices only) for the week ending January 8 as follows .-—Fresh butter in Jib and 11b prints, Is to Is 2d per lb ; fresh butter in lumps, Is per lb ; powdered and salt butter, _ Is 2d per lb. The supply of fresh butter is still very plentiful, and no change in the prices is likely to take place. Salt butter, in kegs, prime, Is to Is Id per lb. Cheese, new season, is scarce, and the best quality is worth Is per lb. Side and rolled bacon is in good demand at Is Id to Is 2d per lb; Colonial hams*» la 3d to Is 4d per lb ; Knglish bamo, 1b 6d to 1c 8d per lb. Eggs are still plentiful, and retailing at Is 6d to Is 8d per dozen. 41b load of bread, 7d. New potatoes, 3d per lb. Messrs Brown and Sons report In the grain market we have no material alteration to report, except in oats, which are being offered more freely, and are a little easier in price. They may now be quoted at 5s 3d to 5s 6d. Prime samples of wheat are readily taken up at 6s 6d; middling, 5s to 5s 4d. Barley for malting is not much inquired for, except for prime samples, which still command 5s 6d ; feed, from 4s 3d to 4s 6d. Flour is in good demand and firm, at Ll3 to Ll3 10s. Pollard and bran scarce, at L 0 10s and L 5 10s. The ‘Evening Post’ states that the Otago brought a telegram from the London headquarters of the National Bank of New Zealand announcing the declaration of the first dividend, which is for the half-year ending 30th September last, and at the rate of six per cent, per annum. It will be payable at the local branches on receipt of mail advices.

Messrs Maclean Brothers report for -week ending January 7 as follows : Fat Cattle.—At last Wednesday’s market 125 head were yarded, principally good quality, for which the demand was good, the whole lot being taken by the trade. Our sales consisted of several lots on account of vendors, amongst which was a very fine lot of 32 head, on account of Mr John Andrew, which were disposed of at prices equal * o 30s per lOOlbs, which wo quote as present value for really prime beef; medium and inferior, 22s 6d to 255. Fat Sheep.—About 1,000 of all sorts were penned, realising, for shorn cross-breds, from 14s 6d to 16s 6d each; short merinos, 9s to 12*. Our sales consisted of a lot of merinos at Us. We also sold privately 400 at 10s. We quote prime cross-bred mutton, shorn, 3d per lb : do merino, 2jd to 2.1 d. Fat Calves.—A few medium quality were penned, which were disposed of at from 20s to each, according to quality.

Fat Lambs. —Close on 150 were penned, which were disposed of at from 9s to 13s 6d each. We have sold and placed under offer several lots during the week at market rates. Store Cattle.-—Quotations remain unaltered, and we look for a steady demand in this description of stock for some time to come. We quote good well-grown bullocks, LG to L 7 ; do cows, L 4 10s to L 5 10s; mixed herds, 50s to 70s. Store Sheep.—We have numerous inquiries for good half-bred ewes and wethers and young merinos, and have several sales pending, .V e quote 10s to 10s 6d for 4-tooth half-breds, and 8s to 8s 6d for 2-tooths. Merino ewes, 4tooth, 7s to 8s ; wethers, 4, 6, and 8-tooth, 5s 6d to 6s. Horses. —The demand for well-bred draught stock, particularly mares, continues very brisk, and any really good lots coming forward within the next few weeks are like to bring satisfactory prices. On Monday, the 4th instant, we disposed of 19 head medium weights, ex Prairie, from Hobart Town, at from L2O to L 57 per head. Sheepskins.—At our weekly sale on Wednesday last we sold a large number of green and dry skins at prices ranging up to 6s 6d each for green cross-breds. Merinos, 5s 7d ; dry station skins, 2s 6d to 4s 6d, according to weight. We also sold several bales washed skins at 14 per lb. Hides. —We catalogued 70 medium weights, which were disposed of at from 15s to 18s 9d each. Calfskins, 2s Id to 5s Gd each. Grain. —Quotations show no material change. Prime samples of wheat may be quoted at from 5s 4d to 5a - 6d; medium and inferior, 4s 6d to 5s ; malting samples barley, 5s 3d to 5s 6d ; feeding samples, 4s 6d. Oats have this week been a little easier, on account of several lots coming into the market. Good feed may be quoted at from 5s to 5s 6d ; milling samples, 5s 6d to 5s 9d. We have sold 600 bags during the week at quotations. THE CUSTOMS REVENUE. The partial returns of customs revenue for 1874 are to hand, and these of the principal towns enable us to ascertain the great advance made over 1873. 1873 1874 Increase \£ £ £ Lyttelton ... 126,373 ... 174,086 ... 47,713 Wellington 88,560 ... 124,330 ... 35,770 Napier ... 33,101 ... 43,398 ... 10,297 Auckland ... 194,183 ... 221,130 ... 26,947 Dunedin ... 283,778 ... 357,199 ... 73,421 [By Telegraph.] Auckland, January 8. —Mr Buckland reports ship-borne cattle 25s to 27s per lOOlbs; fat sheep, 3d to 3|d; lambs, 12s to 19s ; wethers, 8s to 15s. Wellington, January B.—Mr James O’Shea reports flour easier, at Ll3 to Ll3 lOd ; bran, Is 3d; oatmeal, 25s ; oats, 6s 3d to 6s lOd ; wheat, none ; barley, no sales ; hams, Is Id to Is 2d; bacon, Is; cheese, to 9d.