Commercial Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 45, 4 November 1867, Page 273

Commercial Intelligence.

MELBOURNE j COMMERCIAL SUMMARY. (Trcun the Argus, .September ,270

V „ STATE OF TRADE- - , ; The trade of! the' past month, influenced by ex,ceptional; causes of a.temporary nature, shows a considerable improvement on its predecessor, but any thing likely to relieve the monotony and diilness, which have had to be submitted- to for many mouths; canuot hut be hailed with sbme little deffree’of satisfaction. 'The gr°ss'value of exports ior;the hionth; ending July : 15, shows a decline of £182;822,- as :—Victoria, decrease, £196,836; Sydney, do., £98,140 ; N ew Zealand, do.; £12,573;. Queensland, increase, £47,688 ; Adelaide; £44,065;

Tasmania, £32,974. Advices from China to 23rd July report the departure of nine vessels, for the colonies, with 3,000,000 lbs. of tea, while flvo more were loading." Iri 'breadstuffs. we note a . firmer market, though, the business transacted has not been of much importance. MEA.T BISCUITS. . MrM’Cuhbin, baker, King-street, who supplied meat b'scuits for the Burke and Wills Expedition, has sent us samples (which are very good) of such biscuits, both plain and sugared, made by a new process, which he has patented. The matter is important at present, seeing how very large a number of sheep are likely to be boiled down this season for-their fat alone. Mr M’Cubbin informs us that as he only requires the substance of the meat without the fat, he finds that he can, with a boiling-down establishment or slaughtering company, make bread containing equal proportions of animal and breadstuffs, at a small cost over that of common cabin or navy broad. He has made samples that contained no less than six parts of rqeat to one of flour, and has flavoured them with vegetables and spice necessary to. make any kind of soup. He can also make this biscuit with such a proportion of meat as to keep for years, 11 e invites the presence -of gentlemen anxious to witness the process of making this useful description of biscuit.

WOOL CIRCULAR. S. B. Edenborough & Co, Wool Brokers, London, report as follows:

24th August, 1867. The third series of Colonial wool sales for 1867 opened on the 15th inst. The quantity of new wool arrived since the opening of the new series is as follows, viz.:—

Total 127,051 “ To which may be added about 20,000 to 25.000 hales held over, so that the quantity avail able for sale is about 150,000 bales.

The attendance of buyers has so far been hardly so large as usual, but there has been fair competition at about the average rates of May-June. Port Philip.—The better grades are in fair request, and being limited in quantity are likely to improve should trade in general show any revival; but the lower classes are abundant, and we think not likely to move upwards. There is a very large quantity of scoured skin wool, which sells about 4d to Id below last sales. Half-bred wool still continues neglected. New Zealauds, its will be seen above, are in verylarge supply, and must be quoted at about average rates of May-lane, or fully Id lower than the high prices paid in the last week or two of that series. The quantity of scoured wool from this colony has considerably increased, but except in a few instances the scouring is not well done, and requires more care; and amongst the flocks in the grease a little more attention to skirting would be desirable.

Adelaides are a poor lot. chiefly the wind-up of clips, and offer no fair criterion. In Sydneys, the tendency is still towards a decrease in the supply of fine-haired clothing wool, and this description is well maintained; the good combing grades, however, are barely so firm, as they suffer from the competition of other sorts Scoured are in fair supply, and the better qualitie. meet with good demand; low faulty moiety kinds, however, are difficult to sell. Cape wool fully maintains the average rates of last sales, which were indeed so low that a further fall could hardly be anticipated. The quality-of the wool now coming forward seems but poor, though the quantity will be large. Burr and seeds are very prevalent, especially in the Free State parcels.

Buenos Ayres and Monte Video wool meets a quiet but steady sale at about late rates, and some rather large lots of washed Monte Video have lately changed honds. English wool and all classes of low wool are and have been a perfect drug on the market for some months past, and even a serious concession in price fails t.o bring forward any number of buyers. It is very ditiicult to predict what the future of colonial wool may be, under any circumstances we think it would be unwise to look for any great imirovement. The unprecedented abundance of money, coupled with a fair harvest and a settlement of the political uneasiness on the Continent, would no doubt give some impetus to the demand and induce an improvement for the time on such descriptions. as are not in over-abundant supply; but the very favorable report as to the lambing season in almost all wool-producing countries, and anticipations of a large clip in all quarters, joined to the severe check given to trade, and which it will yet take a long time to recover, will we think prevent any marked rise, even under the most favorable circumstances, and we should recommend much caution in all operations in the colonies.

LONDON WOOL REPORT. August 30, 1867. SrucE the commencement of this series of sales the following quantities have passed the hammer Sydney, 7316 bales; Victoria, 10,565; South Australian, 1708; Tasmania, 2127; New Zealand, 11,461; Cape, 6112; total, 39,289. IVe have had only a moderate attendance of buyers, and the biddings, although tolerably well maintained, have been extremely cautious. As a rule the closing rates of June Lave not been maintained, especially for wools in the grease, which are decidedly easier. ’Washed fleece and scoured may be quoted about the san:? as the average i*ates of last series. Lambs’ wool is rather dearer.. The state of the wollen'trade on the Continent is far from satisfactory, and we cannot expect that the purchases ou foreign account will be nearly so extensive as they were in June. The effects of a good harvest at home may have a favourable influence on the market, but we do not anticipate any upward movement iu prices for some time to come., The great commercial panic of last year, so little felt, comparatively at the time, in our trade, is even now exercising an unfavourable influence, and its effects must have time to wear themselves out.

N. 8. "Wales ana Queensland ... 29,134 bales "Victoria ... 25,278 “ South. Australia ... 6,908 « West Australia ... 465 “ Tasmania ... 4,940 " New Zealand ... 38.477 •* Cape of Good Hope— Eastern Province ... 20,955 ** Western Province 894 “