COMMERCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 94, 23 April 1877, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Colouial Agency report as follows under date-London, March 10, 1877:— Wool>— The first series of public sales of colonial |wool. for the present year commenced on the 20th ultimo, with a large attendance of home and foreign buyers. At the opening sale, competition, though under a manifest feeling of reserve, was well sustained throughout at prices showing a fall, compared with November rates, of about ld per Ib on all greasy wools, l|d per lb on washed fleece, _ nd from l_d to 2d per lb on scoured wools. Since the opening of the series the sales have progressed without material change, though there has been irregularity in prices noticeable from day to day. The arrivals for these sales comprise 268,417 bales, of which 5,134 were from New Zealand. Of the above about 13,000 bales were forwarded direct from the ship to the Continent and Yorkshire. Up to the present over 130,000 bales have been catalogued, and about 5,000 bales (chiefly Cape) bought in. The sales will close about 28th instant, and the second series will commence after six weeks' ensuing interval. Arrived for the second series of sa'es:— Waitangi, from Lyttelton; Columbus, from Napier; and Zealandia, from ,Wellington. New Zealand Hemp.— Sales are being slowly effected, and stock gradually reduced. At public sale, Bth instant, VGB ex Halcione brought £22 per ton, and AML first-class sea damaged £24 per ton. Stock, Ist instant, 487 tons, against 1137 tons last year. Quotations—Common, £16 per ton ; fair, £20 ; good, £23; fine, £26. Leather. — The market has been very quiet with moderate supplies, and prices have given way _d per lb. First sides lid to J2_d, seconds lOd to 1 Id, extra heavy lOfd to 12£d, and thirds BJd to 9d per lb. Basils have sold freely at late rates— 4|d to 13d per lb. Hides. — Salted ox and cow. Slocks are much reduced, but the inquiry has been limited. Sales unimportant. New Zealand 4£d to s*d per lb. Wheat and Flour.— These markets have somewhat improved since our last report, but we cannot advise much activity. Best samples of the last crop of Adelaide wheat are worth 565, and old 57s to 58s per 4961bs ex store. There is but little Tasmanian or New Zealand here, but it would bring 51s up to 56s per 4961bs forgood samples. Flour meets with a low sale at 41s for superfine Adelaide, 35s to 38s for fine and 3 ls to 33s for households, all per 280lbs net landed. No New Zealand or Tasmanian on the spot, but it would be worth from 32s to 36s per 280lbs.