COMMERCIAL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2221, 9 April 1881, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Customs duties collected at Christchurch on Thursday, 'April 7th, were as follows ;—Spirits, £197 5a lOd ; tobacco, £163 13s ; cigars, £7O 18s 3d ; wine, £3-4 Os 6d ; sugar, £6 6a 4d ; tea, £49 2a lOd; goods by - weight, £29 11s sd; ad valorem, £53-13s. Total, £6Ol lls 3d. ENGLISH MARKETS. Th 6 following is Messrs Miles Bros, and Co.'a colonial produce report, dated London, February 21th WOOL. The first aeries of soles commenced on the 15th inst., with the following new arrivals Boles. New South Wales and Queensland 68,371 ' Victoria 144,978 South Austmlia 42,924 Western Australia 246 Tasmania 325 New Zealand 12,138 Cape of'Good Hope 41,094 Total 310,076 Of which 17,000 of Australasian and 11,000 of Cape were forwarded direct from ship to Yorkshire and the Continent, and about 15,000 bales old stock remained on hand. Although the attendance of both Homo and Foreign buyers on the opening night was good, prices nevertheless showed a decline when compared with those ruling at the previous sales. The depression which still exists in the Continent has exercised considerable influence at these sales, and tho descriptions of Australian greasy combing wools usually taken for export Has declined \d to Id per lb. Fine Victorian clips have been selling unsatisfactorily at a decline of say 10 per cent, under tho rates ruling this time lost year. New Zealand’s being scarce, are not affected to the same extent, and the prices obtained for merino scoured ore quite equal to those of last sales. Only a limited quantity of crossbred wool has been offered up to the present time, bnt greasy parcels are Id per lb. and sconred Id to Hd per lb. lower than in December, the lower parcels being heavy of sale. Tho decline in Capes has been for greasy sorts $d per lb., fleeces Id, and scoured and snow whites la to lsd per lb. Bather more animation was experienced at the sale of last evening. WHEAT AND FLOUR. We have no improvement to report in the state of our wheat market, for although supplies of English wheats to the country markets are now very small, millers continue to exorcise great cantion in their pnrehases, and prices have again declined. Shipments of Californian wheat have been made to this country on a liberal scale, and shippers are anxions to effect sales oven at a redaction from.late rates. The Continental demand for cargoes still continues, nnd about thirteen at ports of e&ll have been purchased with 62.6C0 quarters. There are now sellers of cargoes of new Victorian wheat at 45s Bd, and buyers (Continental) at about 45s 6d per 4801bs c.f.i. for orders. Imports of Australian wheat to this market have been larger, and values are somewhat lower, but English wheat being scarce and the supply of Now Zealand smaller, full prices have been obtained for really good parcels from tho latter colony. We quote on spot, ex granary, Australian wheat, 49s to 50s per 4061b5, and New Zealand, long berried, 47s to sus ; ordinary. 4ts to 47s ; nnd inferior, 39s to 435. Australian flour, 33s to 35s per 2801bs ; and New Zealand, 29s to 325. New Zealand oats , fine, 28s 6d to 31s per imperial quarter : nnd ordinary, 23s to 26s per ditto. New Zealand barley, 30s to 40s per 4481b5. Now Zealand beans, 45s to -18 s per 5041b5. New Zealand oatmeal, 190 s to 210 s per ton. TALLOW AND HIDKS. There has been a fair demand for Australian tallow, and the value to-day of good to fine mutton is 36s 6d to 37s 6d, and fair to fine beef, 32s Cd to 34s 3d, being about tho same for the former bnt 3d per cwt. higher for tho latter than quoted in our last. Inferior descriptions still sell well, but at somewhat easier prices. Tho imports daring the month have been'large, viz, 8288 casks, and the stocks in first hands amount to about 8200 casks. Hides are without attention.

Bonk ,rato lowest on I7th inst., from 31 to 3 per cent.