AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 5, 31 May 1856, Page 15

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

For May. The supplies of wheat, oats, flour, potatoes, and other produce which continue to pour into the Sydney and Melbourne Markets, not only from the interior of those Colonies but -from Chili and California, have Irad the effect of depressing prices even lower than *hose stated in our last report. By the Inst advices, received per the William Denny steam ship, and which date to the 17th of the present month, we learn that little was doing, and that the markets were exceedingly quiet. Flour of first qnalitv was 26L second quality 2«. per ton. Wheat 8/6 to 0/6 per bushel. Potatoes U to m. per ton. And onions from 15*. to 2<K. per ton. The depression of prices in Australia have occasioned a corresponding decline in the Auckland markets; the millers having been obliged to submit to a reduction of 81, per ion on flour; and to make their purchases of grain at a proportionate reduction of price. Wheat, we are happy to learn, is beginning to arrive more freely; by which means money is being circulated and the lately inactive coasting vessels are again obtaining employment. 4t is of great importance that the farmers of New Zealand should be able to export largely and increasingly to Australia, let the market prices there be what they may. If our farmers do not do this, Australia will look to other sources for supply, and New Zealand will lose a ready and beneficial customer. Let the prices, not of one season but of four or five, be estimated, and the New Zealand grower may depend he will find the mean to be greatly in his favour. There has been no arrival from England during the present month. The beautiful ship Josephine Willis, a vessel of nearly a thousand tons burthen, which we mentioned in the last number of the Messenger as being shortly expected in Auckland, was unhappily wrecked oil the coast of England, on the 3rd of February, on her passage hither. She was passing a place called Folkestone about 8 o'clock in the evening, sailing at the rale of seven knots, when she was run into amidships by a large iron steamer named the Man.gei'ton. Which after niltincr IiAP Hnwn In. tlvA

which quickly filled and went down. Captain Canney of the Josephine Willis displayed the most noble and heroic constancy or this 'lamentable occasion, to the last moment of• his own liFe striving to sustain the courage ' and to save the lives of his unfortunate pas-; sengers. Out of 100 souls on board the ill fated ship, upwards of 70 were lost, her brave Captain being one of those who perished. An inquiry had taken place into the matter; and, at a Coroner's Inquest held on the bodies of some of those who were drowned, the Jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against the Captain of the steam ship for gross negligence in mismanaging bis vesselThe arrivals from Australian ports Tiave been the barque Galatea, 327 tons, from Newcastle with 940 sheep, and 30 tierces beef. The Maria Louisa 97 tons with 231 sheep from Melbourne. And, from Sydney the trig Moa, 236 tons, with 109 sheep, 152 tons coal, a general cargo of merchandise, and 9 passengers: —the brigautine Montezuma, 136 tons, with goods and 3 passengers: the , schooner Sisters, 30 tons, in ballast:— And j Che steam ship William Denny, 600 tons, with a very large cargo, and 26 passengers. The Sydney whaling brig Phantom 154 tons, came into port from the fisheries to refit and refresh. She transhipped her oil, 150 barrels, ou board the Moa. The departure during the month of May, have been the splendid ship William Prowse, 602 tons, for Ceylon, whither she carried 40 tons of New Zealand potatoes as an experimental trial of the market:—The schooner Grafton 77 tons, with 5 tons kauri gum, 1 ton flax and 21 passengers for Melbourne: the brig Wanderer, 173 tons, with 20 tons copper ore, 30 tons kauri gum, 700 bushels wheat, and 6 passengers for Sydney:—the briganlineMoutezuma, 136, for Chatham Islands:—Aud the barque Galatea, 327 tons, for Kaipara, to ship a cargo of spars for England. There have arrived, coastwise, 57 vessels of 1588 tons, with 143 passengers, 8202 bushels wheat, 16 bushels maize, 150 bushels oats, 314 bushels apples, 4-J tons onions, 39 ions potatoes, 2barrels flour, 6 casks honey, 5 cases fruit, 29 head of cattle, 200 sheep 456 pigs, 274 fowls, 42 casks pork, 2 casks sperm and 41 casks black oil, 24 bags and 55 tons kauri gum, 2 bales wool, 2566 posts and rails,, 44,000 shingles, 35,500 feet sawn limber, 487 tons firewood, 1 cask butter, 21 bags grass seeds, 2 bales flax, 20 tons copper ore, 610 feet house blocks, 15 bags low, 25 coils wool lashing, 7 coils rope, 50 pumpkins. The coasters, which have departed with the usual trade cargoes and supplies, have been *u vPK&isaf .1798 tons, carrying 76 passen-