AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume III, Issue 4, 30 April 1857, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

FOR APRIL. There has been a slight revival in the potato trade in consequence of recent advices from Melbourne and Sydney, where the crops have been found to be much shorter than was anticipated. This deficiency Tasmania iias been unable lo supply; because, discouraged by the ruinous results of ihe overproduction of -ISSo, there has been so little planted there in 1856, that instead of being able to supply others there is not even a sufficiency for their own consumption. Several vessels have loaded at Auckland for Melbourne with potatoes, oats, onions, gum, and the like; another is now taking on board ' a cargo in the Tamaki ; more vessels will, no doubt, follow to the great advantage of our long drooping trade, unless it should be, suicidally checked by a demand for impossible prices on the part of the growers. Wheat and flour are still low in price in ; the Australian markets; the former, accord-1 ing lo quality, fetches from Gs. t065.91. per! bushel, and the latter from £ls to £l7 per' ion, for Australian. There are, however, 1 large stocks of Chilian and Californian flour' on hand, and these have the effect of de-' pressing the market. i For Barley, Oats, Maize, Bran, and all! descriptions of Horse feed there is a steady' and increasing demand in the Melbourne ! markets, and at very remunerative prices.! Oats are worth from 7s. 9d. to Bs. 6d. per' bushel. Maize ss. 6d. to 6s. Gd. Barley 7s. to Bs., and Bran 2s. io 2s. 4d. So "real' is the demand for these grains and so limited ' the slock on hand, that, in several instances,! horse keepers were using cracked wheat for 1 food for their cattle. Now, as no climate! can be more favourable for the growth of; both barley and oats than this of New Zealand, and as the Australian demand is much more likely to increase than to diminish, it ought to be a matter of the mast serious consideration, with our Native fanners, to extend their culture of oats and barley and to employ themselves diligently, during the coming seed time, in order That thev and the country may profit to the utmost by" a trade which invites their acceptance. Our intercourse with the neighbouring colonies continues, for the present, to be limited. Two or three vessels from Sydney may, however, be immediately expected. The steaui ship William bennv, at the

da'.eoflast intelligence, was still on therocks near the North Capo. Mr. Nicol, tho sliij) b.iilder, together wiih Captain Mailler and several assistants, have been for some time endeavouring to repair an;! float her o!T. Tho coasting steamer Wonga-Wongn, Captain Uowden, has Invn withdrawn from the Northern trade, in which she was losing money, and is at present laid up. We-are a PP>': however, lo learn that there is every probability of this fine little vessel being placed in the South Eastern coa>t trade, between Auckland and Ahuriri, and perhaps extending her trips to We'lingion, Nelson, saranaki, and Manukau ; and from thence baek by the same route, calling at the same ports, on her return to Auckland. The removal of the Wonga-Wor.ga from the Northern trade has caused provision to be made to supply her loss; and, in rlTeeting this, v,c are very much gratified lo find that much is due to Native enterprise. Captain Ta-atari of Paihin, who has so lon-; and efficiently commanded the fine schooner Osprey running between Auckland and the Bay of Islands, has. in conjunction with Mr. 11. Williams, purchased the beautiful schooner yacht St. Kilda for the sum of £80:5. With two sucii smart vessels as the Osprey and St. Kilda, the Day of Islands trade cannot fail to be carried on with regularity and dispatch. Equal soiiciitice has been shown to provide for the wants of the rising and thriving settlement of Wangarei, the Naiive Cmef Yn Tiraran having purchased the new and handsome cutter Petrel. This is a swift and staunch vessel of 40 tons. She is well found, ably commanded, and sailed et the expense of io iirarau. She performs her trios weekly between Auckland and Wangarei, and with very commendable punctuality. We are greatly pleaded to notice these facts. They furnish a happy illustration of the mutual benefits it is in the power of the Natives and tsie Europeans to confer upon each Giher. It serves lo show how largely each may contribute to the other's progress and prosperity. Since our last Report we have to note the arrival of the ship Cashmere, G4i) tons, Captain Pearson, from London, via New i'lvmoutii, w:th 120 passengers and a general cargo of merchandise. The schooner 2il!uh, GG tons, Captain Hunt, from Melbourne, with goods, and 19 passengers, 'i he bi igawtine Emily Jane.. 146 tons, Captain Beer, from Sydney, with goods and 7 passengers. Ihe departures have been the American

ships James Maarv, 575 tons, Captain Currv, ancl Polar Star, 464 tons, Captain Weekes, both for the whaling grounds. The brig Gertrude, 217 tons, Captain Grange, for Melbourne, villi 46 tons potatoes, 2 tons onions, 1 ton cheese, 1571 bushels oats, 40 tons kauri gum, 15 bales fiax, 9 bales wool, 53,000 feet sawn limber, and 6 ' tons sperm oil. The schooner Emily Allison, 100 tons, 1 Captain Collins, for Melbourne, with 80 tons potatoes, 5 tons kauri gum, and 555 bushels oals. The schooner Ellen, 40 Jons, Wedg-i wood, for Otago, with 25.000 feet sawn! limber, 5 tons (lour, and sundry merchan-j disc. The Bishop of New Zealand's yacht j Southern Cross, 70 tons, Captain Su?tins, for j the New Hebrides islands, with several lads: natives of that group, who had been to St.! John's College to be educated. The schooner; Ziilah, 66 tons, Captain Hunt, for Melbourne, j wiji 50 tons potatoes, 2 tons onions, 250 ! bushels oals, 2 v tuns sperm oil, 4 bales Hax, < and 5 passengers. I The supplies coastwise have been af mod- j erate amount. There arrived 7 > vessels, of I 1692 tons, with <SS passengers, 9171 bushels ; wheat, 924 bu>hels maize, 2 tons flour, 51 ; tons potatoes, 51 tons onions, 162 packages! mixed fruit, 82 cwt. salt pork, \&h cwl. hams and bacon, 80lbs. lard, 10 cwl. smoked fish, 7 barrels slush, 52 barrels oil, 29 head' cattle, 459 sheep, 57 pigs, 1 horse, 150 cwt ! flax, 19 tons kauri gum, 55 tons tanning j bark, 27 cwt. wool lashing, 80 bushels! clover and grass seeds, 51 bales wool, i 000 j fire bricks, 10,000 shingles, 400J posts and | rails, 54,590 feet sawn timber, 449 tons I firewood, 1 whale boat. The departures coastwise have been 65 vessels of 1605 tons with 129 passengers and the usual cargoes of native supply. The subjoined are the Auckland Market PricesCurrenlcorrecled, asfaras practicable, to this date It is necessary to slate thai these are not the prices paid to the producer by the dealer, but the prices charged by the dealer to the consumer. The dealer derives his profit upon the prices charged. Our Native readers must remember that there are many expenses that dealers have lo incur. Bread Stuffs. Flour, fine, iSL per t on Flour, second quality, . . 16/. per ton' Biscuit (prices unsteady) at ,lom 20s.to25 s .per cwt. Bread per loaf of 21bs. . . sd. Bran 1 s. sd. per bl.