AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume VI, Issue 19, 15 September 1859, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MARITIME REPORT.

From the Ist to the 15th September. Since our last number, there has been little ofinterest in the commercial world around us—unless we except the continuous and advantageous arrivals of ships from England, with large additions to the working population of the country; and with means for the immediate and " largely profitable consumption of all descriptions of food and produce. A tide hasset in which, if wisely fostered, is calculated to push on the prosperity of New Zealand in a manner and degree never heretofore experienced ; and we rejoice to hear, from well informed sources, that both our Native and European growers have extended their cultivations this year, to a breadth hitherto unknown. The season has been a most favourable one for such operations; and looking to the demands made upon the corn producing world by Australia; as well as to the heavy requirements which here wil', in all likelihood, exist for several years to come, we cannot but conclude that the farmers must find a very encouraging and increasing home market for their produce. The last advices from Sydney, and Australia in general, exhibit no alteration of prices though, in wheat and flour, there was an evident tendency towards a rise. Stocks were said to be gelling short; and much of the Victorian and New South Wales wheat was alleged to be of very inferior quality. Limited as our own supplies have, this year been, and although, some months since, considerable importations from Adelaide and Sydney took place, it is a noticeable fact that several exports of wheat and flour have since been made to Australia; and that flour has been shipped in goodly parcels to the Southern settlements and ports of New Zealand—a clear proof that, with steady and patient industry, the resources of this Northern portion of the country cannot fail to be rendered largelyand richly productive. The arrivals, of the past fortnight, were the splendid ship, Spray of the Ocean, 806 tons, Captain Slaughter, from London, with a general cargo of merchandise, and 176 passengers. The brig Gil Bias, 175 tons. Caplaiu Gallois, from Newcastle, with 240 tons, coals. The ship, Sir George Pollock, 630 tons, Captain Withers, from London, with a general cargo, 5 officers, 61 soldiers, 6 women, and 3 children of the 05th Regt.;

and 47 private passengers. The schooner Gazelle, 212 tons, Captain Cunningham, from Sydney, with goods, and 6 passengers. The schoonerEliezer, 56 tons, Capt. Kean, from Napier, 750 bushels wheat, 7 passengers. The schooner Ann, 57 tons, Captain Wallace, from Napier, with sundry merchandise. The schooner Mimmie Dike 90 tons, Captain Kenselt. from Otago, with sundries. The steamship White Swan, 198 tons Captain Cellem, from Napier (and the South), with 450 sheep, 43 passengers. The steamship Airedale, 286 tons, Captain Johns, at Onehunga, from Nelson and New Plymouth, with 12 packages and 4£ cwt. bacon, 2 kegs butler, 21 bullocks, 227 sheep, 20 bags potatoes, sundry merchandise, 12 passengers. The ketch Pegasus, 45 tons Captain Brier, from Napier, with iOO bushels maize. The schooner Mary Louisa, 50 tons, Toohig from Lyltellon. with 618 bushels wheat, 7 passengers. The schooner Zephyr, 56 tons, Captain Everinghim, from Napier, with sundry of her original cargo from Melbourne. The schooner Henry, 42 tons, Captain Wallace, from Otago, in ballast.

The departures were the brig Moa, 258 tons, Captain Anderson, for Sydney, with 54 tons potatoes, 500 hides, 11 coils wool lashing, 5 tons flour, 5 casks whale oil, 29 passengers. The briganiine Comet, 92 tons, Captain Cork, for Otago, with 65,000 feet sawn timber, sundry merchandise of her original cargo from Newcastle, T passenger. The steamship Airedale, 286 tons, Captain Johns, from Onehunga, for Nelson, New Plymouth, and the South, wit'i sundry merchandise, 9 passengers. The schooner Eliezer, 56 tons, Captain Kean, for Napier, with 400 feet timber, 15,000 shingles, 50 tons firewood, a general cargo of merchandise, 2 passengers. From the coast the arrivals were 52 vessels of 1167 tons, with 175 passengers, 4201 bushels wheat, 956 bushels maize, 12i tons potatoes, 5 kits onions, 88c\vt.pork, 25c\vt. bacon, 580 lbs. lard, 120 lbs. honey, 4 boxes eggs, 22 tuns whale oil, 52 tons kauri gum, 2i tons tanner's bark, 15 head cattle, 2 horses, 8 pigs, 101 fowls, 800 feet and 10 tons house blocks, 11,000 laths, 2260 posts and rails, 1500 feet crooks, 95,00 shingles, 46,400 feet sawn timber, 564 tons firewood, 1 boat, 6 bundles fruit trees. The departures for the coast consisted of 56 vessels 0("767 tons, with 122 passengers, anct the usual trading supplies. The following arrivals and departures coastwise during the fortnight ended the oist

August -were crowded out of our last number:— The brig Prince Edward, which a few months since arrived from Prince Edward Island with passengers has been purchased by Captain Butler of Mangonui, from which port she will be fitted out for the Whale Fisheries which, in competent hands, ought to be one of ibe most profitable trades, and the most lucrative sources of expoi t to New Zealand. It is probable that Auckland may, ere long, have vessels fitted out for a like occupation. There have arrived, coastwise, 55 vessels, of 1218 tons, with 165 passengers, 4585 bushels wheat, 1289 bushels maize, 26 bushels oats, 42 bags grass seed, 10 tons potatoes, 8 cwt. onions, 10 cwt. pumpkins, 5 kits kumeras, 5 cases lemons, 120 lbs. honey, 1 box eggs, 70 lbs. butter, 672 lbs. cheese, 722 lbs. lard, 55 cwt. bacon and hams, 14 tons salt pork, 2 hhds. salt 12 pigs, 2 fowls, 2 horses, 360 sheep, 2 kits flax, 71 tons kauri gum, 26 hhds. oil, 24 bundles whalebone, 22 tons copper ore, 420 tons firewood, 1550 posts and rails, 790 feet house, blocks, 5000 laths, 1400 palings, 107,500 shingles, 500 feet piles, 92 pieces junk limber, 44,480 feet sawn limber. The departures for the coast were 52 vessels of 11.79 tons, with 150 passengers, and ihe customary trading cargoes. The following are the Market Prices Current, corrected to date:— Bbead Stuffs. Flour, fine, 247. per ton. Flour, second quality, . . 18/. per ton. Flour, of native manufacture, fromlOJ to 18J. Biscuit at from . . 225. to 265. per cwl. Bread per loaf of 2lbs 6d. Bran Is 6d. per bl. Groceries. Tea .... 9J.105.t0 10/, pr chest Sugar . . . . 4d. to 6d. per lb. Coflee .... lOd. perlb. Wee . . . . 2d to 2ipcr lb. Soap .... 55s per cwt. Candles .... 10d. perlb. Beer and Mutton from . od. loSd. per lb. Pork (fresh and salt) . . sd, to 6d. ditto I.ivf. Stock. Dairy Cows . . 8/. lo i 2/. each. Calves from . . 255. to 40s. each.