AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 10, 31 October 1856, Page 13

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

FOR OCTOBER. The intelligence received from the neighbouring colonies, during the past month, exhibits a downward tendency in grain and flour. The supplies from the interior of Australia, and the imports from Chili and California have kept the markets sufficiently slocked for present wants; whilst the appearance of the country and the prospects for the ensuing crop wereso favourable as to prevent any attempt at speculation. Wheat and flour, notwithstanding, command fair and reasonable prices,—such as ought to induce our New Zealand growers to dispose of all their available surplus; since, if they cannot make a profit at existing rates, it will be idle to imagine that they can retain possession of the Australian trade, much less compete with the agricultural industry and commercial enterprise of Chili and California. In Auckland, flour has given way since our last, the various millers quoting at 31. per ton less ihau last month. Wheat has likewise receded; but, in maize and oats there h no alteration. Business is still very dull, and without any sign of immediate improvement.

There have been several arrivals from Various quarters. Among ihese are two ships from Loudon ;—The first, the Martaban, is a noble vessel of 9 »:» tons, built of iron, the first sailing ship of the kind that has yet visited Auckland. She has brought a large cargo of merchandise, ond IOS passengers. The other vessel, the Gipsey, a smart ship of 420 tons, was here about two years since. She called at New Plymouth on her way, and brings a considerable cargo, and 23 passengers. I here have arrived from Sydrtey during the present monih—the brigs Sporting Lass, 184 tons, and .Vloa, 256 tons, and William Denny, steamer, 600 tons, all of them with goods, 3 horses, and -25 passengers. We have, likewise, h:id the schooner Eliezer, 56 tons, from Tahiti and the South Sea Islands, with cocoa nuts and cocoa nut oil; and the hrigantine Vixen, . 165 tons, from Manila, with a full cargo of sugar, cofiee, tea, rice, &c. The departures for foreigrt ports, during the same pei tod, have been The brig Gertrude. I -20 ions, for Sydney, with 1000 bushels wheat, 15 tons flour, 1 ton oil, 46 tons copper ore, 19,000 feet timber, and 4 passengers. The brig Sporting Lass, 184 tons, for the Chatham Islands with part of her original Sydney cargo. The briganline Harp, 156 tons, for Melbourne with pari of her timber shipped at Hobart Town; and It) tons kauri giun, 16 kegs butter, 7 casks pork, and 158 casks oil. The William Denny, steamer, 600 tons, for Sydney, with 25bags wheat, 1 case merchandize, 2 ditto clothing, 7 kegs butter, 10" bags flour, 6') bags bran, 1 case merchandize, 2 bales 1 case ditto, 14 coils woollashing, It bales wool, ms hides, 800 bags potatoes, 2 bales draperv, 4 boxes tobacco, 6 hhds. rum. 40 bags wheat, 12 > bags flour, 1 7 packages rope, 2 boxes tobacco. We are happy to have report no abatement in the activity which has recently been exhibited in the coasting trade. "Small profits and quick returns," —has long been a maxim with thriving dealers; and if our native growers will only act upon this wise old adage and sell wh n they can, there will be no fear for the iucreasing prosperity of New Zealand. During the month of October, 71 vessels 0f'2!58 tons, carrying 145 passengers, have entered coastwise, with 10,518 bshls. wheat,

2121 bushels maize, 30 ions potatoes, 40 cwt, onions, 4 2 cwt. bacon, 44 tons pork, 7 kegsbutlcr, 1 box and 43 dozen eggs, 20 baskets and 56 lbs. smoked fish, 200 lbs. lard, 36 luns oil, 40 cwt. whalebone, I cask honey, 86 head'cattle, 269 pigs, 120 fowls, 2 horses, 7 donkies, 4 boat, 42* tons kauri gum, 3d spars, 4 47,0 0 shingles, 80,400 feet sawn limber, 4100 posts rails, 543 tons firewood, 450 sheep, 7 casks beef, 3 tons and 47 bags flour, 13 cwt. flax, 5 tons Matakana stone, and 500 bricks. The departures coastwise have been 61 vessels of 4564 tons, carrying 105 passengers, and the customary cargoes of groceries, agricultural implements and stores, and other necessary supplies. Of the Native canoe trade from the Ist April to the 30 June we derive the following particulars from the Inspector of Police; There arrived in Ancklund2il ranoes navigated by 960 males and 494 females, conveying 52 ) kits potatoes, 6 ; kits onions, 426 kits inaize, 16 kits kumeras.. 498 kits cabbage, 492 kits pearlies, 226 bundles grass, 39 tons firewood, 2694 bundles fish, 5 pigs, 13 ducks, 425 fowls, 16 bags flour, 62 bags wheat, 95$ tons kauri gum, 72 kits pumpkins. 47 kits melons, 45i kits oysters, 50 kits grapes. The estimated value of these several products i> 2 45 465. 6d. At Onehunga, during the same period, there arrived 15 ; canoes, navigated by 454 males and 79 females, conveying 23 kits potatoes, 450 kits inaize, 40 kits kumeras, 36 kits cabbages, 498 tons firewood, 438 bundles fish, 99 pigs, 4 553 bushels wheat, 168 bundles straw; ths whole being valued at £924 1 's. The following statistics respecting the trade and commerce of Auckland are compiled from the Auckland Gazelle lhe quantity of live stock, aud provisions imported during the last quarter amounted in value to articles were sugar, 5147/.; tea, 4942 J.; salt beef and mutton, £4063, horses and cattle, 4250. lhe value of exports, during the same period, is estimated at £16,436, the principle items being—wheat £5 42, kauri gum, i.282 , timber *2123, flour £1638, copper ore £4 >SO, oats -976, oil, tBO *, wool t7 The imports of the quarter, couslwise, amounted in estimated value to 22,544/. 445. Ltd. There entered, coastwise, 218 vessels of 7458 tons, and 518 men, and there cleared 221 vessels of 79,6 tons and 582 men.

At Russell 27 vessels of 1439 tons and 161 men entered inwards ;:.and26 vessels of 1252 tons and 150 men-cleared outwards. The imports, in value, amounted io< £658 ss*; the exports to 8911.145. Bd. At Hokianga, 6> vessels on 68 tons, and 25 men entered inwards;: and 6 vessels of i< 8 tons, arid 22 men cleared outwards. The imports were nil; the exports 69 If.

The following are the* Auckland Market prices corrected to the s.st inst. Bread Staffs. Flour, fine* . ... . 32r. per ton. Flour, second quality, . . 20r. per ton; Biscuit (prices unsteady) at from ...... 25s.to5Gs.per cwt. Bread per loaf of2lbs. .. .. 6d. Bran .. . . . . . Is. sd: per bushel* Butchers Meat. Beef and Mutton from . . 7d. to 9d. per lb. Pork and salt) . . od. io 6d.dido Farm Produce.. Wheat, (scarce) . „ 6s. od. to 6s. 6ti.,per bushel Maize; (plentiful) . . 4s. to ss. per bushel. Oats, . . . 4s. to 4s. 6d. per bushel Potatoes, .. . , to3f. perion ©uions ... . . . ||d. to 2d. per lb. Hay (ple»iiftil) _ . 5/. to 61. per ton. Dairy Produce, Butter - . . Is. Od. to Is. 3d; per lb. Eggs .... Is. 6d. per doz« Poultry . . . 4s. 6d. to ss. per eouple Ducks . . . . 6s. to 7s. per couple. Geese .... 9s. to 10s. each, Tuikies .... 40s. to Us. each. Hams and Bacon . 10d. to l id. per lb. Grocehies. Tea • ... 51. to 51. ss. per chest. Sugar .... s?;d. to sd. per lb. Coffee .... 10d. per lb. Rice .... 2d to 2i per lb. So&p .... 555. per cwt. Candles . . • . iOd. per lb. Tobacco . . . . 1 d. to Is. per lb. Live Stock. Horses from . . 15/. to 60/, per bead. Working Bullocks 2"if. to 55/, per pair. Sheep from . . 20s. to 28s. a head. Dairy Cows . . 10/. 10s. to 15/. each. Calves from . . 255. to 40s. each.