COMMERCIAL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2092, 6 November 1880, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Customs duties collected at Christohuroh Thursday, November 4th, were as follows:—Spirits, .£455 33 6d; tobacco, .£24110a -6d; wine, £23 12s; beer, £5 25.; sugar, £69 0s 8d; tea, £56 Is 81 ; good 3by weight, £25 13s 3d; ad valorem, £26 8s ; other duties, £i 4>a lOd. Total, £9i3 7asd. There has been nothing of a special natnre is ■the import market during the week. Busines -on the whole continues very quiet, and a very •limited enquiry can only be noted for • this period of the month. The fourth luw passed over satisfactorily, acceptances and payments have been made promptly. The business passing through hands has -embraced mo3t lines, but transactions have been more or less of a retail character. Sulphnr, consequent on the reported breaking out of the -scab, has been selling freely, and values have farther advanced to £l9 10s and £2O. Boiled oil to land, ex vessels discharging at present, has been quitted at a concession on previous •rates, vi*., 4s 6d to 4s 7d. We note that the shipments of oil for this market have increased to a considerable extent. Galvanized iron has iad fair attention during the week for odd lots, at £29 to £3O. There has been some enquiry for invoice lines, but pending arrivals no business can be recorded. Galvanized nails and screws are selling at sls to 56a. The demand for plain galvanized iron is comparatively dull. Cement is more difficult to place, the recent 'heavy arrivals having momentarily depressed the market. American plaster has changed hands at 18s to 19s. Pig iron is saleable at £5 15s to £6. There is a large quantity now afloat for this port, the bulk of whioh, however, has been placed to arrive. The imports of this article in 1877 were 223 tons ; '7B, 330 tons ; '79, 465, and the clearances from London up to the end of August were 312 tons. In 1879 311 tons of ..-galvanised iron were brought in, while the clearances upto August show 312 tons. Fencing ■wire haa had as much attention as any line, whioh may be accounted for by station holders, now the wool is beginning to come down, sending it as back loading. The different factories •report considerable activity in standard making, orders having lately come forward freely. Thi3 -arises also partly from the cause above described. The beginning of the wool season haa elicited a few orders for hoop iron. Stocks, however, are low, and holders are firm in •quoting. Spot lots of soda crystals are songht after at £lO. Considerable salea to arrive have been made at a Blight reduction on the above price. Considerable forward sales of fine salt have transpired. Spot parcels are being delivered at £5 5s to £5 10a. Teas in half chests have been taken up at Is to Is 3d in bond. Beat white sugars have been sold at £33 to £35, and light yellows and browns at £25 to £2B in bond. Cut loaf of good quality has been sold in small lots at 52s to 53a. Coleman's white starch now ■ landing is being delivered at 4Jd. Currants are being pushed at s£d to 6d. Small deliveties_ of dried apples are reported at 5d to SJ-d, according to quality of fruit. Hobart Town jams at the moment ore in full supply. Tartaric acid in jars is now quoted at the advanced rates, viz. 2a 3id and 2s 4d. No alteration U observable in the value of candles, quotations for Belmont sperms standing 9f dto lOd. The late •few days of warm weather has brought about a better enquiry for cordials and clarets. Sales, however, have been confined greatly to small trade lots. Little can be noted in brandy. A.Y.C. in quarters haß been taken up at 7b 9Jd to 7a lOd. A few quittances of champagne can be recorded, but the is scarcely worth noticing considering the time of the year. Cable advices received in town within the last day or two report the sailing for this port direct of the ship City of Lahore.