AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 10, 15 October 1857, Page 13

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

From the Ist to the 15th October. There have been advices from Sydney to the 30th of September, and from the other ports of Australia to nearly as late a date. In the markets, which continue to be exceedingly dull, there was no change, fine flour remaining at 257. and second quality at 23?. per ton, with wheat at from Bs. 6d. lo 9s, 6d. and 10s, per bushel. Some extensive sales of flour,—in one transaction 800 tons,— had taken place at Melbourne, and several large shipments, of from 1500

to 2000 ions of flour, had been made from Adelaide to India; —yet, notwithstanding this, there was no activity in the trade, although a rise of prices was still confidently anticipated. At Melbourne a want of employment was complained of, and there was a great deal of dissatisfaction among a number of discontented people, who, in many cases are unwilling, as well as incompetent, to undertake the duties which colonial industry requires. Men 100 frequently rush to these lands of gold without ever giving themselves the trouble to think whether they are equal to the arduous occupation of mining, and when they find themselves in an almost destitute condition they are too api to abuse the country instead of condemning their own folly. Fine dry weather has rapidly followed the frightful floods which so terribly ravaged Australia. From some quarters, the accounts of the crops are tolerably satisfactory; from others they are altogether the reverse; refreshing showers are already said to be necessary for the health of the growing grain, and it would seem as if the indications of a of drought had thus early manifested themselves. The more we read and learn, the more we feel convinced, if our New Zealand farmersonly take care to improve the time before them, that they will, in due season, reap a handsome reward. There have been several arrivals since our last,—five from Sydney, namely her Majesty's ship, Iris, 26 guns,* Captain Loring C.8., which came into Auckland for supplies required at Norfolk Island. His Excellency Sir William Thomas Denison, the Governor General of Australia, was a passenger on board this frigate ; the others were the schooner Acadian, 42 tons, Captain Duncan, with coals and sundries; the briganline Urislol, IGS tons, Capiain McLean, with a general cargo and 5 passengers; the culler Surprise, 49 tons, Capiain Braund, wfth 15 passengers, most of whom are artisans who are now employed in an endeavour to remove the stranded steamship William Denny from the spot where she went on shore near the North Cape ; and the brig Sporting Lass, 183 tons, Capiain Cellum, with sundry merchandise and 5 passengers. There lias been one arrival from London, the Anne Longton, ship, 690 tons, Captain Kirby, with a general cargo and 87 passengers. We have had also the schooner Henry, 45 tons. Capiain Buti, with 249 sheep, 2 "cwl.

bacon, and 8 passengers; and tho James, 15 ions, Captain Hopkins, with 50 sheep and 2 ions salt pork, both from New Plymouth ; the Salopian, 40 tons, Captain Bain, with 100 sheep and 2 passengers ; the Erin, 57 t >ns, Captain Sherret; Use Dolphin, 41 tons, CapDoughty, from Ahuriri ; and Use Ellen, 40 tons, Captain VYedgwood, from Wellington.! The departures for the Nelson gold Tields have already been numerous, and threaten to be still more so. Many of the Auckland settlers are leaving for that quarter; and it: is to be feared thai, very shortly, Auckland ' will have lo complain of an Insufficiency! of the labour which, in Melbourne, is over! abundant. It will be seen that sawnj limber and provisions constitute a portion of] the cargoes, tvlii Ist groceries, tools, clothing' and ironmongery make up the remainder*;! the vessels last sailed are the schooner Sybil* i IOS tons, Captain G. Kelly, with 9000 "feet 1 timber, 15 tons flour, sundries, 51 passen-! gers; the cutler Tay, 18 tons, Captain-Aus-1 tin, with 100 bags flour, 40 bags biscuit, 5 i casks pork, 2350 lbs. bacon, 2 passengers ;! the schooner Osprcy, 47 tons, Captain Hunt, I with 100 bags flour, 40 bushels maize, 136' packages bacon, 1400 feet timber, 19 passengers ; and the Henry, schooner, 45 tons, i Captain Butt, with an assorted cargo and 2! , passengers. \ The schooner Daring, 53 tons. Captain' Brier, for Ahuriri, with 40 bags and 5 tons j flour, 16 bags biscuit, 40JO feet boards,

7000 shingles, 120 feet house blocks, and sundries; the barque Cornubia, 459 ions, Captain Ellison, (or port. Lyitclton, with 55,500 feet sawn timber, remainder of her original cargo from London and 1! passengers; and Her Majesty's ship, Iris, 26 guns, Captain Loring C. B. for Norfolk Island and Sydney. The receipt or produce coastwise during the past fortnight has been exirooiely satisfactory, and affords most hopeful encouragement for the increasing productiveness of The country. There have arrived 54 vessels of 9-42 tons, with 50 passengers, 1 i,o>7busheSsj wheal, 1670 bushels maize, 27 tons potatoes,! 85 cwt. salt pork, 45 cwt. bacon and hams' i 4 cwt. lard, 42 pigs, 26 head cattle, I 1 fowls, 6 tons flax, 19 tons kauri gum, 56 tons copper ore, 242 tons firewood, 600 posts and rails, 400 feet house blocks, 10,500 feel sawn timber, and 80,000 shingles. The departures, coastwise, during the fortnight, have been 26 vessels of 659 ions, and 77 passengers, with the usual amount of native supplies. i

The following are ihe Market Prices* Current corrected to date. Bread Stuffs. Flour, fine 20J. per ton. Flour, second quality, . . ill. per ton. Biscuit (prices unsteady) at from 25s.to28s.per cwt. Bread per loaf of 2lbs. . . 6d. Bran . . . is. 3d. Is. 6d. per bl. Beef and Mutton from . . sd. to Gd. per lb. Pork (fresh and salt) . . Sd.ioGd.diito Farm Produce. Wheat 7s. Gd. to Bs. per bushel Maize ss. per bushel Oats . . . . 7s. to 7s. Gd. per bushel Potatoes . . . GL 10s. to 11. pcrlon Onio»s . . . . 2d. to per lb. Hay (pleL-iiful) . . 51. per ton. Lite Stock. Sheep from . . 17s. to 255. a head. Dairy Cows . . SZ. to I2J. each. Calves from . . 255. to 40s. each. Groceries. Tea .... BJ.loSMos.percbest. Sugar . . . . 7d. to Bd. per lb. Coffee .... lOd. per lb. Bice . . . . 2d, to 2J per lb. Soap • . . • 555. per cwt. Candles . . . . 10d. per lb. Tobacco . . . . 2s. Gd. to 3s. per lb. Dairy Produce, Butter . . . . 9d. to Is. lb. Eggs . . , . 9d. to Is. perdoz. Poultry . . . . ss. 6d. per couple Ducks . . . . ss. to Gs. per couple. Geese . . . . ss. to 6s. Gd. each. Turkeys. ... 7s. to Bs. 6d. each. Hams and Bacon . lOd. lo lid oer lb.