COMMERCIAL.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1309, 30 May 1878, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Customs duties collected hero on Monday May 27th, amounted to £407 6s 3d. The items were as follows :—Spirits, £352 lis Id ; wiuo, £2l 4s lOd • beer, £6 18s 9d ; tea, £9 10s ; sugar, £1 K* ; ad valorem. £7 12s ; goods by weight, £5 4s 2d: other duties, £i 0s 9d. On Tuesday, May 28th, the amount collected was £996 18s sd. The items were:—Fplrits, £'296 6s lid; wine, £26 19s ; cigars, £26 ss; tobacco, £231 17s 6d ; tea £4l 8s ■ sugar, £192 6s sd; ad valorem, £163 Bs-'goods by weight, £7 lis 7d; other duties, £lO 16s, THE ENGLISH MABKETS. Messrs Miles and Co. report under date, London, April 10th : WOOL. The first series of sales for the current year, which commenced on the 26th February, closed on the sth inst. The new arrivals comprised . Bales. New South Wales and Queensland... 39,397 Victoria 0! 911 South Australia 40,092 Westeru Australia 59 Tasmania 855 New Zealand 6,892 Capo of Good Hope 30,357 Total, bales arrived 209,093 Less sent direct to manufacturing districts 12.00" 197.H!':; Plus old stock held over 53,000 Total, bales available )P' ( ' 9 ? Less catalogued 282,531 Withdrawn IJ ' (JO ° 213,531 Leaving 30,502 bales for future sales, against 39,000 bales held over from corresponding sales last ye Tho nalc weaj ha* beep wall attended throtjjfhont tfe«M*l*s MddwriPgUwflwtthrs* weeks cw»p*

tition was vei'y brisk, especially for good combing wool, stocks of which in the hands of French consumers had rnn very short, owing to the cautions manner in which they had operated at the previous sales; indeed, most descriptions sold at firm November rates, clothing and faulty parcels only occasionally showing a slight decline. Abont the commencement of the fourth week, however, when the immediate requirements of the trade had been supplied, and matters in the East began to assume a more threatening aspect, prices weakened until they showed a decline of from 5 per cent, to 10 per cent. Just before the close a slightly improved demand was perceptible on the part of our home trade, owing, probably, to Government requirements for army purposes. The rates obtained for extra super clips have been unusually good. Of Victoria fleece, washed, 7 hales realised 4s sd, 10 bales 3s IOJd, 33 bales 3s lid, and 15 bales 3s (Id, while in the grease 28 bales soldforlslld. Cross-bred wools have been in better demand, the returns showing an improvement of about Id per lb on the depressed rates ruling at the previous series. Lambs' wool has realise*! extreme prices on account of its scarcity. The demand for Capes has been limited, but they Bhowed no alteration at the opening, although washed and scoured parcels ultimately deeliued Id to ljd per lb, which was not wholly recovered. The quantity taken for foreign account is estimated at about 130,000 bales, but no purchases have been made for America, as we understand there is no demand for Australian wools there at present. Since the sales closed there has been no alteration in the state of the market, nor is there much likelihood so long as the Eastern Question remains unsettled, but should war be averted we may hope for some improvement. The next sales will probably commence on the 7th or 11th proximo, the fresh arrivals for which to date are : _ , Bales. New South Wales and Queensland... 28,437 Victoria 86,391 South Australia "Western Australia 4,416 Tasmania 5,850 New Zealand 53,737 Cape of Good Hope 21,523 Total 225,475 WHEAT AND FI.OUB. During the past fortnight, in conscqnenco of the resignation ot Lord Derby and warliko rumours, considerable activity was shown in the wheat market, and millers commenced purchasing for fnturo requirements, which caused a rise of from 2s to 3s per qr., which advance, however has not been fully maintained, as a more settled feeling has lately prevailed. Shipments to this country have fallen off considerably, several cargoes both from America and Sonth Russia having been directed to the Continent, whero stocks had considerably diminished. We hear, however, that there will be a large quantity of grain available from the Black Sea ports, the bulk of which will probably find its way to this market. Otters of the new crop of Californian wheat for the July and Angnst shipments are made at 503, and several cargoes have lately been placed at that price ; the harvest prospects in that country are stated to bo very good. The recent arrivals of Australian wheat have been sold readily at from 00s to 03s per 4961b5., and cargoes on passage to United Kingdom may be quoted at 55s to 575. Some samples of New Zealaud wheat of the new clip received by last mail are of very fine quality, and would in bulk realise as high a value as Australian. Stocks of Now Zealaud wheat here are getting low, as some considerable purchases have been made for the Continent. We quote on the spot—Australian wheat, GOs to 02s per 4901 b,, and New Zealand 45s to 53s ; iuferior, 3Ss to 435; Australian flour, 35s to 43s per 2801 b., and New Zealand 30s to 355. TALLOW AND HIDES. The tallow market showed signs of improvement last week, but at sale to-day the demand was again limited ; of 980 casks offered, only 451 casks were sold. Best descriptions brought last week's prices, but middling and inferior sorts of both mutton and beef tallow were Od per cwt. lower. We quote good to fair mutton at 39s to 39s Od, and beef tallow 38s to 3Ss Od per cwt. Hides are in limited demand, and prices slightly lower; the quotations to-day for best heavy New Zealand ox being 4|d to sd, and for light ox and cow hides 4d to 4£d per lb. PRESERVED MEAT. Preserved meat has met with steady sale during the past fortnight, but prices are unaltered. Importations of fresh meat from America have been exceedingly heavy, and were disposed of at increased prices. THE LONDON MONEY MARKET. The following is from Mr Westgarth's Circular, of April 12th : The serious disturbance of the general market of securities caused by the threatening phases of the Eastern Question during the past four weeks, since the precediug circular of 25th ultimo, has caused some havoc in the value of even the Colonial Stocks. In the larger stocks, and especially amougst the newer issues, the fall in, price at the greatest depression last week averaged 2 per cent., which is an extreme of change very rarely recorded against the credit of this comparatively steady class of securities. But there has since been a recovery of about one half of this depression, and the market appears strong towards father recovery. The stocks chiefly affected have been those of New Zealand and Victoria, also the New South Wales longterm five per cents., and the South Australian four per cents. The changes to be now recorded are again, as in our previous issue, comparatively few. New Sonth Wales fives, 18S8-1902, at 107-9, are 1$ per cent. lower, while the drawings fives are 1 lower, and the fours at 994-100} are § per cent, lower. In Victoria stocks the sixes 1883-5 are \ lower, the fives are 2 lower, and the fours 1} per cent, lower. Queensland stocks after a fall of 1 per cent., have recovered to i to $ per cent, reduction. South Australian fours are at I per cent. fall. Tasmanian stand unchanged. In New Zealand stocks the old fives due 1914 have relapsed as much as 3 per cent, and the Consolidated fives \\ per cent. The sixes are lower by about 2 cent., the five-thirty 41 per cents, by 1 per cent., and the five-thirty 5 per cents, by \ per cent. The Municipal loans have not been adversely affected as to quotation. Indeed the Auckland town and harbor loans are respectively quoted 2 and 1 per cent, higher. There has however been but very limited business in either these or the Colonial Government securities.