WELLINGTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 528, 25 November 1857, Page 4

WELLINGTON.

From the 'Spectator'of the 14th instant we take the following notice of commercial affairs in Wellington:—

The sales of tins week, although three in number, may be conveniently regarded as two: those on Tuesday, by Messrs. Johnston and Co. and Messrs. R. J. Duncan & Co. being principally of New Zealand produce, and that on Wednesday* by-Mr. J. H. Wallace for Messrs. Smith & Co., being of imported goods. The brevity which the pressure of other matter renders necessary on. this occasion, only permits us to say of Mr. Wallace's sale that the attendance was very good, bidding spirited, and prices encouraging. The other sales, speaking of them together,, present curious features in relation to the flour market. Flour (17 tons) from Canterbury wheat, ground at Schultze's mill, brought £2V 10s. to £22. Akaroa flour—said to be the finest ever produced in New Zealand—brought £25.t0 £25 10s., while samples of flour from three Auckland Mills brought-' as fbllows^liQW and Motion's, £19 10s. to £21; Thornton, Smitlrand Co.'s, £20; and Fletcher and Solomon's, £24tper ton. A quantity of bran was also sold by Messrs. Johnston and Co. at Is. 3d. to Is. sd..per bushel; and about 10.000 feet Kauri timber, at fair but not high prices.

On Thursday, the John M'Vicar arrived from London with a large cargo and a number of passengers, and the Gleaner may be daily expected. —Spectator.

Some new and improved regulations in regard to colonial book postage will come into operation on the first of October next. Hitherto the minimum charge for these packages to the Australian colonies has been eightpence for eight ounces or less; bat after the above date four ounces may be sent via Egypt for fourpence, which reduction, in the case of small parcels of printed matter, will be a considerable convenience, and materially extend the usefulness of the book postage to and from the colonies. Parliamentary papers, trade circulars, prospectuses, maps, and prints may now be sent 12,000 miles for the trifling amount of fourpenee, if not exceeding four ounces in weight. Packages of printed matter transmitted between Australia and New Zealand, the East Indies, Ceylon, Mauritius, or Hong Kong r are charged at threepence only for four ounces: but between the Australian colonies and Malta or Gibraltar, via Egypt, the rate is fourperc; for four ounces.

The following is the progressive rate ofbook postage to Australia:—Not exceeding 4 ounces, fdurpence; not exceeding 8 ounces, eightpence; not exceeding 1 lb., one shilling and fourpenee; not exceeding l^tb., one shilling and sixpence; not exceeding 2lbs., two shillings and eightpence. Exceeding 2 lbs., eightpence for every additional eight ounces or fraction of eight ounces.

Between the United Kingdom, North America, the West Indies, and some other British colonies, the rate is threepence for four ounces, sixpence for eight ounces, and sixpencs for each additional eight ounces up to three pounds, the limit of weight allowed for each packet by the colonial book pest.