Markets.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 568, 14 April 1858, Page 4

Markets.

Xookin? at the-present position of the trade of. 'this settlement, we 'find it on the whole very'satisfactory. In the import market, though we iiave to note arrivals to a smaller extent during the past quarter than in the corresponding -period of last year, the supply, except in a fewarticles, -is not deficient. At the same time, it is . •worthyAdf notice that the peculiarity of our market, arising from its contracted extent, leaves on: hand comparatively large quantities of certainclasses of goods, and the-attention of consignors* in England and the neighbouring colonies should | "be particularly drawn to this fact. In drapery, "boots and shoes, hardware, mid' indeed, most articles, it is to be observed that only a suitable selection of goods will meet with a ready market, while the great bulk of uny miscellaneous <assortment!willreniain ; unsold for an indefinite; time. ; This is aTesult that might be anticipated by any one acquainted with the-few and wellascertained channels by which imported goods are absorbed into the country. It cannot be too

strongjy enforced that at the present, time this

•market offers little or no opening to consignors,, , -while the market is an "improving one for suitable 'goods carefully selected and supplied to •order. "A system of ill-considered consignments;

to a small market like this must result in loss to,

the shippers, and irv damage to the character and trade of the place which the lapse of years -.might not entirely remove. "~--iAt the present moment; stocks of drapery are} tolerably large, but the market is by no means glutted "with articles of suitable descriptions. Boots and shoes, oilman's stores, hardware, &c, jnay be placed in the same catgeory. Furniture, cwell .selected, might meet with ready sale. In liquids we note that the market is ' at present well stocked-.with spirits, braudies especially. :There is a* good' demand for ule'and'beer, both in bulk and-bottle, though' it is-probable that in. "the course of a short time we shall have arrivals ~to» order, fully commensurate with the demand. "In--eastern produce the market is at present scantily supplied. '-■ In the export trade there is little to-say; the ■ chief fact to note being the departure of the two principal wool ships of the season. They carry : between them 3106 bales, weighing 1,086,341 IBs. -of wool—valued at £79,200. This value is high, •■ so much so that when comparing the exports of this and past years we might be led to suppose that the amount of wool has increased mo-re largely than has really been the case. The value" affixed is not. however, greater than it .should fairly be; and the actual weight jf wool

will be found to have advanced considerably

•About 1000 bales may be calculated upon as ■remaining for shipment. It is worthy of notice i that-among the shipments to London is begin■shing to' be found the produce of the whale fishery on o\ir coast. The two wool vessels carry to London about 8000 lbs. of bone valued at somewhere about £1000. Part of this is the produce .of a shore fishery on the Peninsula, while part 'is out of whaling ships visiting Akama. The advancement of the whale fishery in these seas j is doubtless to be looked to as an additional I source of wealth and a legitimate field for the enterprise of the settlement. The following is the value of Imports during i the Quarter ended March 31, 1858. £ s. d. jFrom Great Britain 21,035 0 0 " " .New South Wales 11,257 12 2 -" Tasmania 4,167 0 0 •" -Victoria 1,425 0 0 -" Other places 167 0 0 .£38.051 12 2 The value of exports (not including coastwise) •during the quarter was £2,054. The net cus•toins revenue i'or the quarter was £4,141 Os. >6d.

During the past week we have one or two auction sales of importance to notice.

Alessrs. Campbell & Co. had n large sale chiefly of drapery, boots and shoes, &c., ou Thursday 3ast. TJie attendance was good and-the'bidding brisk, and whereas at similar sales>previously it had b2en found almost impossible to get rid of this class of articles at any price, on this •occasion large quantities were pushed off, though at very low figures. For instance mail's blucher •boots fetched ss. 6.1. p:?r pair, watertight.l? 10s. -and 11s., and lace boots ss. Women's leather .boots were sold at-Bs. fid. p?r pair, and children's --.shoes, sizes .2 to 5, realized only 4s. per dozen .pairs.

Mr. Alport had a sale of lan.l. household furniture, &c, at K.iiapoi, on Wednesday and Thursday last. The land was situated at the junction of.the Cam with the Wuimakariri river, and was divided into sections in sizo from one•quarter to half-an-acre. One section of little more than a quarter-acre, with -a good water frontage, sold for £100, and others averaged £80 to £90. The lowest priced lots were those which fronted only on the road, and which were dis-

posed of at an average of £44 per quarter-acre. These prices, though extremely good, have been alrea-.lv surpassed," we learn, in the resale privately" of .some of the lots. The household furniture, * &c, sold readily, aud fetched extreme prices. The present prices quoted for grain are:— Wheat, os.; oats.(nothingdoing) 4s. 6d. ; barley, ss. 6d. Potatoes seem to meet with ready sale at £4 10s.

Retail Markkts. —Tuesday, April 13. CHiusTCHtntcii.—Flour, ISs per lOOffis.: bran Is, sharps. Is 6d per bshl. of 20lfes.-; bread, lOd per 411) loaf; cg?s, 2s Gd per doz.; butter, <fresh) Is4d; do., (salt) Is 2d; cheese.(new) lid; lard Is; beef, 5d to Sd; mutton, 5d to 7d; veal, Sd; candles, 10d per 11). I/Yttei.tox.—Flour, 23s per lOOlfis.; bread Is per 4Jh loaf; earsrs. 3s per doz.; butter (fresh) Is 6d; do., (salt) Is 4cl; cheese, (old) Is 2d, do., (new) Is.-; lard, Is2d; beef.Sd aud 9d; mutton, 6d and 7d; veal, 9d; pork, 9d; candles, Is; per lb. Kaiapoi.—Flour, 20s per 10Ofi>»; batter, (fresh) Is 6d; do., (salt) ls-4d; beef, 6d to Sd; mutton, 6d to 7d; pork, 6d and 7i'; lard, Is: candles, Is per 115; timber, 20s and 2\s per 100 ft., delivered; on the river. •