AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 9, 30 April 1858, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL AND MARITIME REPORT.

From the 15th to the 30th April. According to the latest advices from Australia, the Produce Markets, if not rising, were firm at former prices and with a decided upward tendency. Flour, as before, was quoted at 48t. per ton for first quality, 461. for second. Wheat was extremely scarce. Some small lots had been parted at Bs. 3d., but, for realty prime samples* Bs. 6d. per bushel could be readily obtained. Oats fetched from 7s* to 9s. Barley 7s. to Bs. 6d., and Maize Bs. to 8s 6d. per bushel. Potatoes were moderate In price, selling, but by na means readily, at from 11. !os. to HI. per ton. Tbe shipments from Auckland, and tbe supplies from other places sufficed to feed the market; and, unfortunately for our New Zealand exporters, the Moa, the Bristol, and the Sybil, all with considerable quantities, arrived in Sydney within three days of each other, litis, it may be estimated, depreciated the value of their several cargoes at least twenty shillings per ton. Teas and Sugars have still a downward tendency, and may again be expected to resume their former and more natural level. . As seed time is now rapidly approaching, we think it is a duty which we owe to our native readers and to all the inhabitants of our common country, Maori or European, to remind them of the importance of extending their cultivations to the utmost possible limits. A very large accession is anticipated to the population of Australia in tbe course of the next twelve months, and we have reason, to believe that there will also be a considerable influx Into New 'Zealand during the same term. In Australia* calculations have been made in past times, and with singular accuracy, with respect to the seasons of drought, and, by consequence, of] the Mure of crops. It has been said that such seasons of drought may be looked for I during the current and. following years? Should these predictions prove correct, the Agriculturists of New Zealand would do well to put themselves in a position to supply the wants which will be so largely created. Now is the time for preparation, and we heartily hope that every exertion will be made to subdue our soil and. fepleoish our garners,,

Tne interconrse Willi the other Provinces I of New Zealand is still on the increase. We | have had the following arrivals since our last :—the brigantine William Alfred, 118 tons, Captain Tilney, Trom Wellington, in ballast, with 18 passengers; this vessel is one of the Sydney and Wellington traders, and was chartered for the conveyance of Colonel Sillcry and his family to Auckland. Mr. Maclean of the Native Department, returned from the South by this vessel;— the schooner Henry, 43 tons, Captain Butt, in the Manukau, from all the Southern ports, with 5 kegs butter, 4 bags bacon, l box eggs, 244 bushels grass seeds, and 21 passengers the schooner James Daly, 42 tons. Captain Nicol, from'Lyltleton, with sundries; the schooner Eliezer, 56 tons, Captain Kean, from Napier, in ballast, 3 passengers;— the schooner Salopian, 40 tons, Captain Blair, from Napier, with 100 sheep, 4 passengers;—and the brig Moa, 236 tons, Captain Bowden, from Sydney, with a general cargo of merchandise and ii passengers. The departures have been the schooner Swan, 42 tons, Capiain Lewis, for Napier, with 5000 feet sawn timber, 50 tons lirewood ; the Bishop of New Zealand's schooner Southern Cross, 70 tons, Sustins, with the Bishop, Mrs. Selwyn, the Rev. Mr. Patteson, and 33 Mclanesian lads from St. John's College, where they had been receiving instruction, who were being taken, for the winter, to their several island homes; —the schooner Tyne, 9-i tons, Captain Aked, for Melbourne, with 80 tons potatoes, 45 tons kauri gum, and 1 passenger;—the brig Gertrude, 217 tons, Captain Grange, for Melbourne, with 90 tons potatoes, 23 tons kauri gum, 3603 lbs. cheese, 1187 lbs butter, 2 tons pork, 16,000 feet sawn timber, 47 passengers;—the brig Sarah, 421 tons, Captain Firth, for Sydney, with 90 tons potatoes, 3 tons onions, 4900 lbs. wool, 4 case apples, and 43 passengers ;—the brigantine William Alfred, 448 tons, Captain Tilney, for Sydney, with 4 J t n ns potatoes, and 9 passengers; and the schooner Henry, 43 tons, Captain Wallace, from the Manukau, for New Plymouth, Nelson, and the other Southern ports, in ballast, 2 passengers; the schooner Zillab, 67 tons, Captain Bristow, for Napier, with merchandise. 24 tons firewood, and 3 passengers. The arrivals from the coast bave been 28 vessels of 734 tons, with 85 passengers, 5690 bushels wheat, 460 bushels oats, 400 bushels bran, 413 bushels apples, 47 tons

potatoes, 4 tons onions, 2 tuns 48 gallons oil, 28 tons kauri gum, 50 cwt. flax, 507 sheep, 47 head cattle, 34 pigs, 5 cwt. pork, 6 casks slush, 15 cwt. leather, 400 lbs. wool, 2 boats, 2000 shingles, 2 spars, 60,000 feet sawn timber, 220 tons firewood. The departures, coastwise, were 23 vessels of 509 tons, with 36 passengers and the M&ual trading cargoes. The markets .remain much as before. The following are the prices current corrected to date. Bread Stuffs. flow, fine, . . . # . 481. per ton. flour, second quality, . . 4 ft. per ton. Flour of native manubcture from 12/. to 4<4 Biscuit at from . . 245. to 28s. per cwt. Bread per loaf of 2lbs. . . 4d. to sd. Bran • « « ._ . 4s. od. per bl« Beef and Mutton from . 6d. to 7d. per lb. Pork and salt) . . sd. to Od.ditto Farm Produce. Wheat ...... ss. per bushel Maize . . . . 6s. 6d. to 7s. per bushel Oats 7s. per bushel Poutoes . ... 51. 40s. to 61. perton Onions . . 2d. to 3d. per Itf. Hay(pleiiiifol) . . 51. perton. Kauri Gum ... 91. to 10f. Lite Stock. Sheep from . . 20s. to 30s. a head. Dairy Cows • . Bi. to 42/. each. Calves from • • 255. to 40s. each. Groceries. Tea .... 9/. to 9/. 40s. per chest Sugar • . . . 7d. to Bd. per lb. Coffee . . . . 40d. per lb. Rice .... 2d-to 2$ per lb. - Soap . . .. 355. per cwt. Candles . ... 40d. per lb. Tobacco. . . . 2s. 6d. to 3s. per lb. Dairy Produce, ' Butter . . . . 4s. lb. Eggs .... 4s. perdoz. Poultry . . . . 35.6 d; per couple