Commercial Record.

New Zealander, Volume 10, Issue 879, 16 September 1854, Page 2

Commercial Record.

New-Zealander Office, Auckland September 15th, 1854. Willi the exception of the A'gcrine from S^dnjy, we have had no foreign arrivals since our last ; so that, with markets fully stocked, we have only to trade dull, and, in a great degree, dependent upon the next advices that may be received by the tfleorner William Denny. Our Home Markets may, likewise, bo reported as well supplied ami unaltered. There hare been several

arrivals coastwise ; and by these, upwards of 4000 husbels of wheat, about 400 bushels of maize, and a limited amount of salt provisions have come to band. Wheat and Flour maintain previous quotations ; whilst Maize, although the figure continues the same, manifests a tendency to decline. The Stock Maiiket has exhibited a considerable degree of activity oflale ; and, if we except a slight decline upon the more ordinary descriptions of horse*, full prices have been obtained. In horses, there has been a declension; hut, for heavy working horses, fit for the plough and dray—such as the Suffolk, Flemish, and Clydesdale, so.largely rearid in Van Diemen’s Land, the demand is not only considerable, but the prices offered high ; as an instance, we may quote a two year old filly for which £95 were offered at Mr. Newman s last sale, and refused, £IOO being the lowest reserved price. Mr. Newman had a sale of cattle at Otahuhu on the 6th inst. It was the largest and best sale that has yet taken place in that rising and thriving township, which promises shortly to become not only a (dace of much importance, but a desirable, central, market. We subjoin a few particulars of this sale : —Two fat Cows realised 4of. ; —Two-year old Steers, fetched 12/., and two-year-old Heifers from 71, to 10/.each: —Cowswitli calves from 10/. to 12/. 10s.;—Dry Cows from 10/. to 12/ Yearling Steers from 31. 10s. to 4/. 10s., and \earling Heifers, from 4/. to 31. each. There were fifty head in all sold, and the proceeds amounted to 410/,, thus exhibiting an average of upwards of 8/. per beast. On Saturday last, Mr, Newman sold sixteen horses at the Yard of the Grey Hound Inn. Queen-street. Eleven were importations by the William Denny, steamer, the other five were, we believe, New Zealand bred. The following prices were obtained ; —one 72/. 10s.; one 70/.: two 60/, each : one 56/.: one 52/. 10*.: one 51/.: one 501. : one 48/.: two 46/. each : one 2!!/.; two aged ones 21/- each. The sixteen realised £760, being an average of 47/. 10s. per horse. At a sale, by Mr. Newman, at Newmarket, on luesday last, there was a considerable number of buyers present, and several mixed lot* of cattle were submitted to competition. Notwithstanding that a heavy rain set in during the progress of the sale, which not only interrupted its course, but diverted attention, prices were pretty well sustained, except for fat cattle, the supply of which being large, and of a coarse quality, occasioned lower figures to be submitted to. 1 hirty-two Cows averaged 11/, each ; and thirteen yearling Heifers 61. each. A lot ofeight Bullocks from the Waipa averaged 15/. each, the highest priced being sold for 23/. 10s., the lowest at 12/.°! I 1 *. A mixed lot ef seven cows and steers, from the Bay of Islands, fetched 6/. per head, the highest realising 10/. the lowest 61. 3s. I here were 87 head of cattle sold and the proceeds amounted to 780/., being nearly 91. per beast. Forty-four in Efferent wedders were sold at 19#. each. And one horse for 29/. The total proceeds of the day’s sale were 850/. 16s. Dairy Cows are becoming more plentiful. Twenty Leicester Ram Lambs, from the flock of Mr. Newman, have been sold ptirotely at £3 per head. And ten Ram Lambs of Mr. Rich’s Saxon-Merino flock have been purchased by Mr. Weld nt £lO each. Other sales of the same stock hav been effected at like prices.

We may here be permitted to observe that young stock. and specially female st' elf, is most in demand and obtains the largest prices. This is, no doubt, occasioned by the desire of graziers to increase their herds in a degree commensurate with their increasing pastures. It has been, for a length of time, a very prevalent opin’on that the increase of stock has been by no means equal to the increased consumption of animal food ; and, indeed, if there be any importance attachable to the prices paid for butcher’s meat, the fact would almost appear to be established. Some there are who affirm that the increase lias more (ban kept pace with the consumption, and assert that the high price of meat is more justly attributable to the limited supply of large, fat, marketable beasts, with which the Province lias not, ns yet, had sufficient time to stock itself. There is much foico in this argument ; for, it must not he forgotten, that, six or seven years since, Beef and Mutton were comparative rarities in our butcher’s shops. At that date, Pork and Potatoes were the stereotyped fare of N'ew Zealand ; and these were then procurable at a rate scarcely i -fourth of their present market value. It must not be overlooked that whilst Cattle and Sheep have been increasing, the supply ol Maori Pork has been correspondingly decreasing, the enclosed pastures required for breeding and feeding the first together with the demands made upon our lormer Wastes for the necessities Of agriculture, making daily inroads upon, and circumscribing the bounds of | ore no procreation. Swine cannot now be permitted to root and roam at will. The Maories are fully aware of this; and hence the diminishing supply of poik, as the national food, and the gradual, though probably impe-coptihle, increase of Sheep and Cattle. When it is further considered that our population is steadily increasing, and that our harbour, instead of being accustomed to look upon one or two square rigged vessels as a rarity, is now seldom without a doz-m or more such at their anchors, win n these tilings are taken into account, —when it is remembered that lands are being daily and largely brought into pastoral and agricultural cultivation, and that new settlements are springing up in numerous directions, it may be a matter of useful investigation—with tbo e who account the increase or decrease of stock because of great consumption, a moat point —to elucidate the question thoroughly. We have a sanguine hope that the consumption, large as it is, is not acting injuriously upon our Colonial heids ; we do not think it is ; we look upon it as but a temporary difficulty which will speedily and satisfactorily adjust itself.

AUCKLAND MARKET PRICES. Friday Evening, lain Sept.> 1854. Tor. Mims. —Mr. Fletcher's Steam Mill:—Flour’ first fjuality, £35, seconds, £32 per ion. \\ heat, may be quoted at from 1 Is. to 12s. per bushel ; oats (a limited supply), Bs. to 10s. per bushel; barley, very scarce—in fact none; maize, Bs. to Bs. pt r bushel; bran, 3s. per bush'd. Messrs Low and Motion : Flour, first quality, £35, seconds, £32 per ton, Imported Flour £3O per ton; wheat, Us. to 12s. per bushel ; maize, 9s. to 10s. per bushel; bran, 3s. per bushel; Mr. Partington's : Flour, first quality, £35, seconds, £32 per ton; wheat, Its. to 12s. per bushel ; bran, 3s. per bushel. Agricultural Produce. — Potatoes, .£l2 to £t t per ton; wheat, 10s. to 12s. (id. per bushel ; oats (scarce) 9s. to U)s, per bushel; maize, new 10s., old 12s. per bushel ; barley none ; clover seed (white), very scarce red, 112s. per cwt.; grass seeds—rye, ( scarce), 155.; mixed, Bs. to 10s. per bushel ; straw, £.3 to 10 per ton ; hay (pressed for shipment), £l2 to £l4 per ton. Dairy Produce.—Butter (fresh), 2s. 3d., salt 2*. per lb.; cheese (colonial). Is. to Is. 3d. per lb.; haras, Is. ; bacon, lOd. per lb. ; fowls, sa. to 6s. per couple; ducks (scarce), 7s. per couple; geese. 7s. to Bs. each ; Turkeys (scarce), 10s. to 12s. each ; lard. 9d, to 10d. per lb. ; milk, Bd. per quart; eggs, Is. <jd. to 2s. per dozen. Provisions. —Beef (fresh), Bd.—retail—9d. to lOd per lb. ; Irish (wholesale), 7d. to Bd. per lb. ; Sydney £6 10«. per tierce ; mutton, Bd. to 9d. per lb.; veal (scarce), lOd. lo tld. per ib. ; pork, (fresh), 7d. ; 9d, ; New Zealand salt ditto, 6|d. to7d. per lb. lamb, per quarter, 6s. to 7s:; bread 9d. per 21b- loaf biscuit cabin, 455. to 495. ; ship, 40s. to 425.; pilol 335. to 38s. per cwt. Stock,—Working Bullocks from 30/. to 45/. per pair. Calves 40s. to 60s. ; ewes 25a. ; wedders 225. ; Horses for the plough 50/. to CO/. ; cart 70/. to 90/. ; Hacks 25/. to 00/. Groceries.—Tea Congou, £8 per chest; hysonskin (little used), £6 10s. to £7 per chest ; sugar, raw 3ijd. to 4Jd. per lb, ; loaf, 6d. to (J£d. per lb. ; per refined, Cossipore, 5Jd. perlb.; sugars of the common qualities of brown, are deficient. Of other qualities, there is a fair supply. Coffee, lOd. per lb. ; soap, Ids to 45s per cwt. candles, (Sydney mould), lid. Belmont sperm, perlb. Is. fid’to Is. Bd, per lb.; sperm, 2s. to 2s. 3d. perlb. ; salt ( Liverpool) £'C to £6 10s, per ton ; dairy salt, £B per ton ; pickles, pints, (lair sale), 12s. to 12s. fid. per dozen ; salad oil. scarce ; tobacco, a (air supply, Is. to Is. 3d. in bond ; duty, Is. per lb.; soda, crystals, 21s, per cwt’; sperm oil, nme; black oil, none ; 3-bushel bags 245. to 275. per dozen.

Wines. —Champagne. Claret, anil Madeira very dull Port, £7 to £8 per quaOer cask ; iu cases, dull; sherry nominal. Spirits in 11. no, Duty Cs.— Brandy, (lull supply) Martell's dark, 1 s. to 15s, per gallon; Geneva, (full stocks) 20a. to 21s. per case; rum, (very hare) 7s. to 10s. per gallon ; whiskey, 10s. to 12a. per gtllon. Bleu. — Ale. Bass’s Burton, (barely supplied) £9 to £lo 10s. perlihd; colonial 4/. per lilid. London bottled 15a. to Ids. per dozen ; porter, Truman’s, XX, (heavy stocks) £7 10s. to £8 per hhd.; colonial, £4 10s. per hhd. ; London, bottled, 14a. to 13s. per dozen. Boots and Shoes. —Both men’s and women’s (hj avvi are in demand; Nspoleon’s 355. to 40s. per pair; Wellington’s English, 3 s. to 32s ; colonial, 35a. to 40*. per pair; Blucher’s and Oxford, English, 12s. colonial, 14a. par pair; Women’s cloth hoots, Bs. to 10s. per pair ; shoes, 4s, (id. to 6s, per pair. Building Mateiuals. —Timber, 235. to 255. per 100 fee’ ; shingles 15s. to 20s. per 1000 ; palings, 18s. to 20 per 100; bricks £5 JOs. to £6 per 1000 ; slates (countess), none in the market. Sundries. —Firewood, (on the decline), 10s. to 11s. per ton; coals, £4 10s. to £’s per ton; posts, £6; rails, £4 per 100 ; Flax, (very scarce, and in demand)

£3O to £4O per ton, according tq quality; kauri, gum, (on the decline), £l7 to £2O per ton. v Labouh.— Mason’s. (per diem), 12s. tolas., bnc • layers, (per diem), 12s. to 155.; carpenters, (per diem), 125.; cabinet makers, (per diem,) ’ (arm servants, (with rations,) from £os to £jo per annum ; female servants. Bs. to I2s. per week ; day labourers, 7s. to Bs. per diem. , Cart and Dray Hire, (in town), from os. 6d, to 4s, 6d. per load.