AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 13, 16 August 1858, Page 10

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

From the Ist to the 15th August. The tidings last received from Australia respecting, the existing state and future prospects of the flour and cora markets are exceedingly conflicting. A slight fall in 'flour has taken place at Melbourne, but prices remained as before in Sydney. Wheat, in both Markets, was also quoted a shade lower, but there was evidently so much of management in all tmV and such a great difference of opinion concerning the quantity of wheat in the several Australian Colonies, that a sudden rise may at any moment take place. In. Sydney, calculations nave been

made of the estimated supply of wheat available before next harvest; those calculations appear to have been made with great care and they show a deficiency ; in Melbourne, however, the accuracy of the Sydney statements is denied, and it is said that the official returns of the quantity of wheat produced in the colony has exceeded the supposed amount and tended to depress the market, as the stocks, respecting the amount of which considerable difference of opinion existed, are now generally considered sufficient for requirement, the ample stocks of Tasmania and surplus produce of South Australia being taken into consideration. We ourselves do not place any reliance in the asserted "ample stocks or Tasmania," oh the contrary we believe that those stocks will be found to be deficient; we are entirely of opinion with the writer in the Sydney Herald that the whole of the Colonial stocks of wheat are light, and that the depression spoken of in the Melbourne market has been effected by wealthy speculators with a view to forcing the market by and by to an unnatural advance. - Oats have fallen considerably in value, at Melbourne and the arrival of a ship, the Young America, from Liverpool with 15,000 bushels on board had glutted a market previously overstocked; added to which the failure of several corn merchants and the forcing of their stocks for sale had operated so injuriously that foreign oats were selling at from ss. 3d.' to ss. 9d. .colonial grown from 6s. 6d. to 7s. per bushel. Barley had likewise been affected, and was dull of sale at from 7s. to 7s. 3d. Maize had shared in the depression of all other kinds of horse corn; the price quoted was 6s. 6d. to 7s. per bushel, but very few sales were taking place. Teas and Sugars still continued to maintain high prices, and with little present prospect of a reduction. There has been scarcely a foreign arrival since our last, the prevailing bard North Easterly gales preventing any of the overdue ships from Sydney and England from making their passage; no doubi, with the first shift of wind, we shall have a good many vessels finding their way into harbour together. The only vessels to report are the brig Missie, 198 tons, Captain Reynolds from Melbourne, with sundry merchandise, and 7 passengers; the American schooner Caroline E. Foote, 145 ions, Captain Worth,- from Sydney* with goods, and 9 passengers; and the brigantiue Spray, 106 tons, Captain

Anderson, from Napier, in ballast, with 5 passengers. There have been bat two departures, the barque Bride, 547 tons, Captain Spowart, for Hong Kong, with 92,000 feet kauri timber; and the brig Gil Bias, 475 tons, Capt, Nicol, for Otago, with 120,000 feet kauri timber, and I ton kauri gum. ■ ■ The brig Missie is loading for Melbourne, and the schooner Caroline E. Foote, for Sydney. The arrivals from the coast consist of 29 vessels of 696 tons, with 480 passengers, 2672 bushels wheat, 450 bushels maize, 48 bushels fruit, 80 bushels oats 50 bushels bran, 4 ion biscuit, 5 tons potatoes, 6} cwt bacon, 420 cwt pork, 220 lbs butter, 60 lbs lard, 31 pigs, 24 fowls, 4S head cattle, 6 tuns 80 gallons oil, 53 tons kauri gum, 4 ton flax, 6 tons flax leaves, 4 bundle fruit, 3 bundles forest trees, 4 case lemons, 300 lbs whale bone, 4 00 palings, 750 posts, 4QO rails, 450 feet bouse blocks, 59,000 shingles, 46, 700 feet sawn timber, 280 tons firewood, 2 boats. The departures for the coast have been 26 vessels of 736 tons, with 408 passengers, and the customary trading cargoes.

The Markets are without any alteration, the following being the prices current corrected to date. Bread Stuffs. Flour, fine, ..... 201. per ton* Flour, second quality, . . 18 J- per ton. Flour of native manufacture from 44fc to 16 Biscuit at from . . 245. to 28s. per cwt. Bread per loaf of 21bs sd. Bran. • ... • . Is 3d. per bl. Beef and Motion from . 6d. to 7d. per bl. Pork (fresh and salt) . . sd, to 6d. ditto Farm Produce. Wheat . 6s. per bushel Maize • • • • 6s. 6d. to 7s. per bushel Oats • .".'.". . . 7s. per bushel Potatoes . . . • 57.405. to 6i. per ton Onions • • 2d. to 3d. per lb. Hay (plentiful) • , bl. per ton; Kauri Gum . • ♦ 91. to 4 Of. Lite Stock. Sheep from • • 20s. to 30s. a head. Dairy Cows . . B*. to 42J. each. Calves from • • 255. to 40s. each.