AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 12, 16 November 1857, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL AND MARITIME REPORT.

From the Ist to the 15th November. The latest intelligence from Sydney is to the 3rd instant. The Market Reports are less

favourable than they have latterly been; for although the prices quoted for flour and wheat are still the same—that is to say 25£. per tow for best flour, and from Bs. to 10s. per bushel for wheat, —there were no buyers at those rates; indeed, small sales of flour had been made at lower prices, and dullness and depression were generally prevalent throughout the Australian Colonies, nor was any immediate change likely to occur* This is not at all surprising, at this season of the year when the Australian harvests are so near at hand, and when the merchants stores are largely stocked with grain imported from so many quarters of the world. No doubt fair and paying prices will be obtainable for all, and more than all, the produce which this country can spare; but r as we have repealed again and again, if the farmers of New Zealand expect to command the Australian Market, and to enrich themselves and their country by the traffic, it must be by the production of a choice article, and at a price that shall defy other competition. Whilst speaking of the growth' of choice grain, there is a matter of much importance to native cultivators to which w r e invite their special attention. There is a description of wheal, of a red colour, grown by the natives, and known as Hump-back. This wheal is of so very inferior a kiiad as to be altogether unmerchantable. It produces a large q antity of sharps, and not only an inferior but a very bad quality of flour, quite unfit for mixing wilh any olher flour. Millers refuse to purchase Humpbackwheat at any price, and we have been told of some thousands of bushels that have been brought to but rejected by them. Now r if the flour or wheat of this country is to become a staple article of export, the growth of Hump-back, which is unfit for any purpose, must be carefully avoided. It is but the olher day we saw a sample of white wheat, native grown, of excellent quality, and which, whether for seed or flour, was all that could be desired. Clean, good, sound, seed, and a frequent change, are points that the native husbandmen should carefully atend to.

In the general aspect of Australian commercial affairs there exists the same depression as that which characterizes the Produce Markets. Teas and Sugars, which of late have risen so rapidly, appear to have reached •their highest:; and, though no fall has asyet occurred, it seems probable that there will be a decline hefore long. There has been comparatively little stirring in our Shipping trade of late. We have had no arrivals from England, but the •ship Eastfield may be shortly expected. The melting of the snow has put a stop to the working of tke Nelson gold fields Tor the present, and many who hurried from Auckland prematurely, would have been very happy to have returned by the Osprey, or Henry, schooners, which brought back 25 passengers between them. There have been two arrivals from Sydney,—the brig Gertrude, 118 tons, Captain Dunning, with goods and 4 passengers ; and the schooner Gazelle, 212 tons, Captain Jones, with an assorted, general, cargo, and 14 passengers. The schooners Fairy and Erin, we regret to say, have both been lost, the former, the properly of {the natives, at Awanui; the latter was driven ashore and went to pieces, in a heavy gale, at Rakokuri. Id neither case was there any loss of life. The departures since our last have been—the schooner Sybil, 108 tons, Captain Kelly, for Taranaki, with 10,000 feet sawn timber, 10 tons flour, 500 bushels wheat, sundry merchandise and 6 passengers; the schoouer Henry, 43 tons, Capt. Butt, for Taranaki and Aorere, with sundry goods and 3 passengers ; the brig Moa, 257 tons, Captain Bowden, for Sydney, with c 6 tons copper ore, 29 bales wool, tuns polar oil, 42 cwt. flax, 2 coils rope, 20cwt. wool-lashing, 56 hides, 10 tons flour, 59£ tons kauri gum, and 19 passengers. The arrivals from the coast have been few, amounting only to 19 vessels of 551 tons, with 41 passengers, 2657 bushels wheat, 474 bushels maize, 8 tons potatoes, 1 tons kauri gum, 250 lbs. bacou, 35 head cattle, 3 bales wool, 250 posts and rails, 259 tons firewood. The departures, coastwise, have been 19 vessels of 485 tons, with 44 passengers, and &he usual cargoes of supply. There is no alteration in our Market Prices, which are as dull as those of our

neighbours, and, like them, exhibit an inclination downwards. We give the quotations corrected to dale. Bread Stuffs. Flour, fine, ..... 20J. per ton. Flour, second quality, . . ill. per ion. Flourof native manufacture from \M. to ioZ. Biscuit at from . . 245. loSOs. per cwt. Bread per loafof2lbs. . . Gd. Bran ... is. 3d. is. Gd. per bl. Beef and Mutton from . sd. lo Gd. per lb. Pork (fresh arid salt) . . sd.to6d.diUo Farm Produce. Wheat . . . , 7s. to Bs. per bushel Maize .... ss. Gd. lo 6s. per bushel Oats . . . . 7s. to 7s. 6d. per bushel Potatoes . . 11. 10s. to SI. iOs. per lon Onions . . . . sd. per lb. Hay (ptei:iiftii) . . 51. per tor.. Kauri Gum . . . IQI. per ton Live Stock. Sheep from . . 475. to 255. a head. Dairy Cows . . Si. loi2Z. each. Calves from . . 255. lo 40s. each. Groceries. Tea .... 9?. to 91.105. per chest Sugar . . . . 7d. lo Bd. per lb. Coffee . . . . iOd. per lb. Rice . . . . 2d lo Zh per lb. Soap . . . . 355. per cwt. Candles . . . . iOd. per lb. Tobacco . . . . 2s. Gd. lo 3s. per lb. Dairy Produce, Butter .... 9d. to is. lb. Eggs . . , . 9d. to is. perdoz. Poultry . „ . . 3s. 6d. per couple