AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume III, Issue 3, 31 March 1857, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

FOR MARCH. Our communications with Australia have been sadly interrupted since our last, in consequence of the unfortunate stranding of the steam-ship Willliam Denny. The mourner sailed from Auckland on the evening or Monday Hie 2<id i«ist. % and in the course or ihe following night, there being a densefog at the time, she took the ground, but so gently, it is said, aai in so soft a spot that she was quickly backed oft. The vessel's course was immediately changed from N.N. W. to S.E., and in a lew minutes thereafter to N.E. Sometime afer that, the man on Ihe 10-.k out ahead shouted to stoji the engines, but, before ihat could be. done, the vessel struck the b?ltom twice and remained fast, in which position she lias since continued. Fortunately the weather, though thick, was calm, the" passengers and caivjo, were, therefor*?, all saved- The spot wh-re the Denny lies is m a nook, e oso u> the Worth Cape, well sheltered from every wind but a Soirh-easier. The beach■ rs'suvp. shingly, and r.u-ky ; she has one or two holes in her hoiiom. and ihe tide flows out an 1 in. Captain Mahler savs he is con'.ideiu of getting her on" with mi any very great damage ; but it will cost a largesuur'of monev. The steamer VYongu has been twice dowii tovi<»t her, but could render no assi*ian.-e. As they have in variably done, in eases of shipwreck, the natives most praisewoithily aTorded all the help in their power, leading 3 ) water ca>ks, furnishing horses and gu des to Captain Copper and Mr. Taylor who proceeded to Mongonui to procure aid; and a diver went under water and examined the ships bottom. In consequence of this disaster, and the inlerru.jlion of our communications, we have no recent intelligence from Sydney; the advices last received represent the proJuce markets to be much the same as last month. By the last arrival of theZingari, steamer, from Nelson, intelligence has been received of the gold Gelds in Massacre Ray being worked in an advantageous ma/wer. The gold obtained is of a very fine quality, and it is said to extend over a considerable range of territory. The steamer called at Aorere, where the gold is found, on her way to Auckland. There are upwards of" 500 persons already at work, and the probability is, should further accounts continue to

tee encouraging, that vast numbers will be attracted to Nelson from all parts of New Zealand. P The foreign arrivals of the month have been, the brig Gertrude, 118 tons, Dunning, from Sydney, with a general carsro and 0 passengers; the brig Moa,-238 tons, Thompson, also from Sydney, with goods and i2 passengers: the American ship Polar Star, 46 i ions, Weekes, from the whale fisheries, ■with 330 barrels whale oil, 31)0) lbs. bone; —the steamer Ziugari, 200 tons, Million! from Nelson and the South wiili BJO bushels barley, 250 sheep, 120 bags grass seeds 70 k««gs butter, and 16 passengers'; the schooner Ellen. 40-tons, Wedgewood. from Lv;ielton. with 340 bushels grass seeds, 163 Dushels oats. The departures of the month are the •schooner Krm, 38 tons, K an. lor Lvtieiion, Wilh 31.38S feel kauri tim >t. »ui\ 4 ra-eehi,f»i; -ihe siea-n r William^i)e>iuV, 600 tons. Maiiler. for Sv <nev, on shore :ii lh«» Noilh <:a;»e;—ihe store "ship America. 41H tons, Lu:-e, via the Bay of Is'an Is, for N'»w Hertford, with oil an I bone iraasnip ;»<'d fr.mi the American waa.'ers James Alturv and Polar Star;— Hie ship EuplnniMs, 385 tons, Howard, for New Plvm mtn. with pari of tier own and cargo of Viseoant Sandon from England;— the brig Gertrude, 118 tons, Huhfiiurr, for Sydney with the mail of the sle.im-ship VVilliam Itenny, 06 Cons potatoes, 140 bushels oats, 2 bales 6 bags wool, 23* tons kauri gam, 8 passengers;—ih«brig doa,23Bions. Thompson, for Sydßey. with SO tons poiaities. 71 ions copper ore, 660 bags kauri g un i, 47 coils rope, 51 passengers;—ihe schooner bin prise, 50 tons, Braund, for Melbourne with 40 tons potato* 200 ri< kers, 40 eases apples, 73 bags kuuri gum, 53 bags oats, 16 bales wool;-theship Viscount Sandon, 540 tons, Hughes, for Shanghai, with 46,500 feet sawn limber, 130 bags potatoes. The arrivals coastwise have been 49 vessels of 1403 tons, wifh loi passengers 5932 bushels wheal, 138 bushels maize 2)0 bushels barley. 20 bu he!s oals, 2 tonsflour, 10 tons potatoes, 5 tons onions, 2 tons pumpkins, 456 packages mixed (rails, I case grapes, I case honey, 20 casks pork, i cask lard, 2 tuns 14 barrels sperm oil 19 barrels, 5 casks oil, 24 pigs, 27 head calile, 2 horses, 10 fowls, 10 kits smoked flsh, 10 tons Towai bark 5 bales wool, 3 J tons flax, 5! tons kauri <nim 1000 bushels shells, 176 house palings, 2769 posis and rails, 28,000

shingles, 57,200 feet sawn Umber, 483 tons Tuvwood. The departures coastwise were i 3 'vessels of 1290 tons, carrying -i25 passengers, and the usual cargoes of native supply.

The subjoined are the Auckland Market Prices Current corrected to this date. It fs necessary, however, to observe that prices quoted and prices obtained vary a good deal at the present moment. •Bread Stuffs. PJonr, fine, iS/. per ton. Flour, second quality, . . 16/. per ton. Biscuit (prices unsteady) at from . . .. \ . 20s.to25s.per cwt. Bread per loaf of 2lbs. . . sd. fcran ...... Js.od. .pcr-bl. Butchers Meat. Beef and Mutton from . . sd. to 6d. per lb. Pork (fresh arid salt) . . sd.£o6d.diito Farm Produce. Wheat, (scarce) ss. Od. per bushel Maize, . . . 4s. lo 4s. 3d. per bushel. Oats, ... 4s. to 4s. 6d. per bushel Potatoes, . 01. JOs. to U. per ton Onions . . . . I-id. to 2d. per lb. Hay (plentiful) . . hi. to «/. per ton. Dairy Produce, Butter ... is. 3d.? per lb. E?gs : . , . 2s. 3d. perdoz. Poultry ... os. 6d. per couple Ducks .... ss. to <>s. per couple. Geese . . . . ss. to Gs. 6d. each. Turkies .... 7s. to Bs. 6d. each. Hams and Bacon . iOd. to 1 id. per lb. Groceries. Tea . ... 5?. to 5?. ss. per chest. Sugar .... 3d. to sd. per lb. Coffee . . . . lOd. per lb. Bice .... 2d to 2£ per lb. Soap .... 355. per cwt. Candles . . . . 10d. per lb. Tobacco . . . . id. lo Is. per lb. Live Stock. Sheep from . . 17s. to 255. a head. Dairy Cows . . 9J. lo i2/. each. Calves from . . 255. to 40s. each.