AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 4, 30 April 1856, Page 13

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

For April. The produce markets of Australia, at the date of our last advices, continue dull and without any indication of a rise. The amount of crops safely harvested, and now being brought to market, is affirmed to be not only abundant, but good in qualify. Of potatoes there is an unusual glut; indeed so much does the supply exceed the demand, that (bey have been hawked about the streets of Sydney and Melbourne in the carts of the growers, where they are retailed in the former City at from three she (lings to three and sixpence by the' hundred weight, and at from five and sixpence to six and six pence in the latter city. According to estimates which have been made of the quantity of potatoes grown around Melbourne and in stock in Van Die men's Land, there are no less than 30,000 tons within thirty hours' sail of Melbourne. It is clear, therefore, that, for this year at least, there is little to be hoped from the New Zealand potatoe trade. And as the worm is again so prevalent, it is to be questioned whether in the event of a rise at the fall of the year we shall have any potatoes, sufficient for shipment, left.

Notwithstanding the prolific crops of the present "season, there can be no degree of reliance placed in the general harvests of Australia, where the years of plenty are bot too often followed by years of scarcity. It cannot be too often inculcated that it is by underselling the Australians in their own markets the New Zealand farmers must hope to prosper. Soil, climate, ample water courses arethe elements in pur favour, and with these we should be able speedily to make New Zealand a great and wealthy country. We rejoice to perceive that the coasting trade which, for a time, bad almost become extinct, is beginning to resume a healthy tone again. Our native growers appear to have wisely abandoned the idea of hoarding their grain in the hope of an improbable rise. This is a sound and sensible amendment; since to lock up the fruits of the soil is to shut np the industry of Ibe mariner also, as well as to prevent the circulation of the money employed iu commerce-a circulation which never was more important than at the present moment. Last month, the returns of the coasting trade had dwindled down into utter insignificance. Vessels came into port with little

or no cargo ; and the consequence has been that ihe crews of some of the finest of them have been paid off, whilst Ihe vessels themselves have been dismantled and are still laid up at their anchorage. When produce can be purchased, this stale of ruinous inactivity will disappear—Commerce will revive --ships and sailors will find employment—and although neither buyer nor seller may hope to make rich, they will at least be enabled to effect something in discharge of their debts, and in paving the way for future and more successful enterprise. Let our readers compare the Report for March with that of April, and they will not fail to be struck with the marked improvement that has taken place. This month, we have 78 vessels of 2695 tons arriving coastwise with 166 passengers, 7512 bushels of wheat (more than ten times as much as that which came to hand last month), 1292 bushels maize, 627 bushels oats, 20 bushels bran, 88 bags flour, 123 casks and cases apples, 557 kits potatoes, 90 kits onions, 8 kegs butter, 1 case cheese, -46 packages fruit, 18 cases honey, 9 casks and 1£ tons pork, 5 casks beef, 71 pigs, 16 head cattle, 12 horses, 13 fowls, 1663 sheep, 180 bags grass seeds, 2 tons flax, 6 bales wool, 40 tons copper ore, 1 cask oil, 30 spars, 5000 palings, 3349 posts and rails, 15,00 » laths, 3000 bricks, 25 tons building stone, 62,240 feet sawn limber, 2 boats, 675 tons firewood 28 tons and 245 bags kauri gum. If this import list be contrasted with that of last month, it will at once be seen that activity has taken the place of inactivity, and that the arteries of our home trade are coming once more into healthful play. Wheat, as we have already remarked, is more than ten times in amount, maize is nearly double, sheep are three times as numerous, and in every article, whether of food or domestic necessity, the increase is remarkable. The vessels conveying the usual cargoes of coasting trade outwards were 72 of an aggregate cf 2320 ions, with 161 passengers, 700 sheep, and 3 horses. It is a significant and a satisfactory sign to witness the coasting trade in sheep, backwards and forwards, on a steady increase. We are without the arrival of any English ships during the month—but two, the Josephine Willis and the Chatham, may almost immediately be looked for. The i' vivals from the neighbouring Colonies have been as follow From HobarlTown, the schooner Ellen of 4o tons, with sundry merchandise and ten

passengers. From Newcastle, two ships of 900 tons, with 16 passengers, 292 head of cattle, 59 horses, 580 sheep, and 36 tons coals. From Melbourne, 5 vessels of 575 tons, with sundry goods, and 92 passengers. From Sydney, 4 vessels of 1165 tons, with 'sundry t merchandise, 21 horses, 22 head cattle, 2o tons coals, and 54 passengers. The departures to been— To Melbourne, 2 vessels of 246 tons with 130 tons and 882 bags potatoes, 5 cases fruit, and 25 passengers. To Sydney, 3 vessels of 1383 tons, with 26 bags potatoes, 14 bags onions, 420 bags wheat, 13 coils wool lashing, 58 bales wool 700 frigs and 4o tons copper ore, 1220 packages kauri gum, 193 hides, and 99 passengers. For the Fisheries, the fine Sydney whaling barque Sutton which called at Auckland to refresh previous to proceeding to the coast of Japan. We are happy to say that there is every probability of a fine steamship being placed in the trade between Auckland and Melbourne. As an inducement to the steamship owners of Australia, the Provincial Council of Auckland have offered a sum of 6ooof. a year in aid of a suitable vessel; and as that sum is looof. more than what is paid to the William Denny, there can be little doubt that we shall soon see another fine steamer making her monthly voyages to and fro. If the William Denny has been of great service to New Zealand, a steam ship from Melbourne will be likely to be even more so. She will be apt to bring passengers and money amongst us. And with such a prospect in view, we can see no stronger incitement to our farmers to crop the utmost possible extent of land during the seed time now so close at band. If they can only raise sufficient produce f>r shipment we shall want for neither money, steamers or settlers,—but if our Agricultural industry do not keep pace with, or outstrip, that of Australia, we must linger on, instead of anticipating that large prosperity which at some future day will assuredly be accompeished.

The following is ibe Auckland Market Prices Current, corrected to dale •

Bread Stuffs. Flour, fine, 30/. per ton. Flour, second quality, . . 28/. per ton. Biscuit (prices unsteady) at - from 3Gs.to3ss.per cwt. Bread per loaf ofSlbs. . . Bd. Bp an *s.6d. per bushel. Butchers Meat. Beef and Mutton front . . 7d. to 9d. per lb. Pork (fresh and salt) . . 3d.to6d.dhto Farm Produce. Wheat, (scarce) . . 6s. to Bs. per bush. Maize, (plentiful). . 4s. to ss. per bushel. Oats, (none and not in demand) Potatoes, . . 4J. per ton. Onions . ... lid. to 2d* per lb» Hay (plentiful) . . 5/. to 6/. per ton. Dairy Produce, Butter .... is. 9d. per lb. Eggs .... 3s. perdoz. Poultry . . . . 6s. to 7s. per couple. Ducks . . . . 7s. to Bs. per couple. Geese • . . . 9s. to 40s. each. Turkies .... 40s. to 445. each. Hams and Bacon . 40d. to lid. per lb. Groceries. Tea .... 6/. to 61.405. per chestSugar .... 3Jd. to 3d. per lb. Coffee .... 40d. per lb. Kiee .... 2d- to 2j per lb. Soap .... 40s. per cwt. Candles .... 2s. per lb. Tobacco. . . . 25.. 3d. per lb. Live Stock. Horses from . . 20/. to 70/. per head. Working Bullocks 30/. to 40/. per pair. Sheep from . , 20s. to 28s. a head. Dairy Cows . . 40/. 40s. to 43/. each. Calves from . . 2155. to 40s. each.