Australian Commercial Items.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 87, 9 October 1896, Page 2

Australian Commercial Items.

(Per Press Association. I Sydney, October 7. Neither with regard to the volume of business nor fluctuations of value has there been anything of special interest this week. In the stock market prices were firm, with a decreasing number of sales. Mining shares were in a little better favour both silver and gold (especially the latter) closing firmer. The turnover, however, was comparatively very limited, and prices without much change. The consolidated revenue last quarter decreased by £119,000 compared with the corresponding quarter of last year. This, however, is fully accounted for by the loss of £235,000 as the result of the repeal of the customs duties. Against this loss has to be placed £133,000 received in the previous quarter, making the total returns from this source about £164,000. On articles still subject to customs duties there was a comparative increase of £33,000. The railway revenue improved by £24,000. The chief decrease was in land receipts, £68,000, but the expenditure decreased by £31,000. In the import market, though business has been quiet, prices remained firm. Breadstuffs and produce lines have been steady at late quotations. During the week 930 tons of San Francisco wheat and flour arrived. The shipment by the Monowai this week brings the total of Australian gold sent to America within the month to close upon a million. The banks have forwarded this specie to America under orders from London, because, according to cablegrams, we had a large quantity of gold which they did not know what to do with, and which has been lying idle for years past.