AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 12, 31 December 1856, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

FOR DECEMBER. There is a great and continued dullness in trade, not only in Auckland, and throughout New Zealand, but in ail the neighbouring colonies of Australia, which even at this, usually one of the most stirring periods, of j the year, has experienced but very little of a beneficial impression. No reaction has taken place in the grain and produce markets, which, according to last advices, are exceedingly inactive, and which give every indication of that further decline of prices which, in our last number, we predicted as being likely to occur. The potato trade, which a few seasons back was a source of so much wealth to New Zealand, is for the present at least, completely at an end. It behoves the NewZealand farmer, therefore, to turn his attention to the production of some safer and less uncertain crop. Wheat, oats, barley, and maize, will always be more or less in demand in Australia, and if our native growers will only bend their minds to raise it at such a price as will enable our mei chants to export it to profit, they cannot fail to enrich themselves, and promote the best iuieresls of their country. GreM attention is being directed to the natural productions of New Zealand, with the x'wvi of discovering what substances may he rendered articles of beneficial export. With this end in view, liberal regards have been altered to whoever may construct a machine by which the Native' flax may be prepared and rendered an article of merchantable value. Several parlies are busily engaged in the prosecution of such discover-

fes. At Matakana, a faclorv has commenced work ; and 25 bales,two of'fino flax, and the . remainder of fibre for the manufacture of! paper, have just arrived to be iransmiited j to England to experiment upon. If these i efforts should be successful, ii. will be a • mailer of the deepest consequence to the! immediate prosperity of New Zealand. There have but few ships arrived from foreign ports, and there have been as few departures during the month. With Melbourne, trade has become nearly extinct ; and with Sydney it has dwindled to a small compass. Several ships are expected from London, and more from Liverpool: and were a wise and earnest attention but directed to the breeding of sheep and the growing of wool, there would soon be such sin increase of onr maritime traffic as would impart on extraordinary and beneficial activity to the agricultural and commercial industry of the country. The arrivals have been the steam ship William Denny, 600 tons, with goods and 2i passengers; the brig Gertrude, 120 tons, with goods, coals, and 2 passengers; the brig Moa, 256 tons, with goods, coals, and 4 passengers; all from Sydney. And another brig, also railed the Gertrude, of 217 ions, from Cape lireton, North America, in ballast, with J92 passengers. These people arrived in Auckland at the suggestion or friends who came here about two years since and have settled successfully at Wangarei. They are a very industrious) excellent class of colonists, and are likely to be followed by many more from the same quarter. The departures during the month were the ship Gipsey. 420 tons, for Baiavia, with 108,000 feel sawn timber; the steamship William Denny, 600 tons, for Sydney, with 56 bales wool, 238 bags kaurf gum, 490 bags wheat, 12 loos cheese, 7 casks black oil, 81 hides, 2 casks hams, sundry merchandise, 40 passengers, and a detachment of invalid soldiers ; the schooner Flying Cloud, 40 tons, for Melbourne, with 51,900 feet sawn timber, 12 casks oil, and 5 passengers. There arrived coastwise 72 vessels of 2162 tons, earning 145 passengers, and laden with 10,21 fi bushels wheal, 5407 bushels maize, 108 bags flour, 4 lons and 44 kits potatoes, 28 kits onions, 25 cases fruit, 4lg tons and 29 kits kauri gum, 18,084 v s. salt pork, 500 irs. lard, 450 *s. bacon, ,5 tons 9 casks and 100 gallons oil, 78 bales and 14 bags wool, 7 tons limestone, 100 bushels lime. 87 head cattle, 211 sheep, 21 pigs r

200 fowls, 10 calves, 2 horses, \ ton rope, 5 kits flax, 2 bales flax and 23 bales paper fibre, 58 tons copper ore, 700 posts and rails, 400 palings, 46,500 feel sawn limber, 59,000 shingles, and 667 tons firewood. The departures coastwise have beon 50 vessels of 1262 tons conveying 94 passengers, and the usual general cargoes of native trade;

The following are the Auckland Market prices corrected to the 3 st insu , Bread Stuffs. Flour, fine, ..... 22;: per ton. Flour, second quality, . . 20J. per ton. Biscuit (prices unsteady) at from ..... 2os.to3os.per cwt Bread per loaf of 2lbsi . . sd. Bran Is. 3d. perbl. Butchers Meat. Beef and Mutton from .- . 6d. to 7d. « i - . P er ,D ' Pork (fresh and salt) . . M. lo 6d.ditto Farsi Produce. Wheat, (scarce) . . 6s. Qd. to6s. 6d.per . , , bushel Maize, (plentiful) . , 4s. to ss. per bushel. 2 ats » •■ • • 4s « to 4s. 6d. per bushel Potatoes. .. . . jt l 0 3 j. perton Onions .... lid., to 2d. per lb. Hay (plentiful) . . Si. l 0 61. per ton. Dairy Produce, Butter . . .- is. Od.to Is, 3d, per lb. E £gs . ... 45.3d. perdoz. Poultry . . . 4s. 6d. to ss. per couple Ducks .... 6s. to 7s. per couple. Geese , . . . 9s. to 10s. each. Turkics . . . . io Sr to Us. each. Hams and Bacon . *od. toild. per lb. Groceries. Tea • . . . SI. to 51. os. per chest. Sugar .... 3). d. to sd. per lb. Coffee .... *od. per lb. Bice .... 2d to 2£ per lb. Soap .... 555. per cwt. Candles .... *od. per lb. Tobacco .... led. to is. per ib. Lite Stock. Sheep from . . 20s. to 28s. a head. Dairy Cows . . 10*. lOi. to 10/. each. Calves from . . 235. to 40s. each.