COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 17, 20 May 1871, Page 10

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Mail Office, Friday evening. During the past month business has shown some signs of improvement, and an influx of orders from the outposts has helped off a considerable amount of the stocks on hand ; but we cannot report any material change for the better in the town trade, which still exhibits the same dull and depressed aspect as heretofore ; yet, with all, the place is apparently sound at the core, if one may judge from the regularity with which current bills are met, though, doubtless, in some cases renewals are necessary, and it is just possible some amount of accommodation paper may be floating about. A more hopeful spirit appears to be abroad, and the prudent caution which has withheld this c®mmu:-iity from indulging in all undue speculation has, we hope, enabled us to tide over the worst of our difficulties. Stocks are light, and though prices may not carry the same amount of large profits as formerly, they are in most instances improving. In drapery and oilmen’s stores a fair amount of business has been done, and the cai’goes of the England and Lochlee will reach an average market. Flour has advanced in price, but, fortunately, the large quantity grown in the colony will enable it to retain the additional profit instead of, as heretofore, putting it into the pockets of the Australian or American shippers. In wines and spirits the usual amount of business has been done, with little alterations in value;

Bank drafts on London are—for 60 days, 1| per cent.; 30 days, 2 per cent.; at sight, 21 per cent.; on the Australian Colonies, 1 per cent.

Ale and Porter, d.p.—Our stock of bottled ale and porter is much less than usual, but prices, owing to the small demand at this season, do not show a corresponding increase. .Bottled ale of approved brands is worth from 9s to 10s 6d per doz for quarts ; pints, 6s to 6s 6d per doz. Bottled stout, 10s to 11s 6d for quarts ; 6s to 73 for pints. There is no English draught ale in the market ; the Colonial brew having entirely superseded it. Bags and Woolpacks—Corn sacks have been cleared out for Southern ports, and there are none at present in stock. Woolpacks—Season over.

Candles—ln sperm candles the market is getting firmer, owing to stocks having been much reduced by shipments to the out ports, and prices have advanced. Price’s Belmonts are now quoted at to per lb. Chemicals—Soda crystals are in fair supply, and worth 190 s to 200 s per ton. Carbonate of soda, in kegs, 15s to 17s per cwt. Tartaric acid—no enquiry at this season. Saltpetre, dull at 4d to 5d per lb. Rosin, £lO per ton. Coffee—Market well supplied with Plantatation, which meets with the customary sale at lOd th 10jd per lb. Flour and Grain—The flour market has slowly advanced during the past month, and prices seem likely to be maintained at present quotations. First class samples of Canterbury flour are now worth £l4 10s to £ls per ton. Oats continue to arrive in sufficient quantities to prevent any rise in value, and are quoted at 2s lOd to 3s per bushel for trade lots. There is a limited enquiry for wheat. Fruits—Currants are in moderate supply, and just now are worth s|d to s|d per lb, with an upward tendency. Advices from London per last mail note a rise in value iia the English markets of 5s per cwt. Eleme raisins are worth from 6d to 6?d per lb; stocks light. Figs—Market supplied. Fine new fruit in small boxes worth 7d per lb. Groceries—This market is well supplied with groceries at fair remunerative rates, and a good demand exists for the oufeports. Wo quote the following rates at which sales have been effected during the month :—Sardines, i, 11s per doz ; I, 7s per doz ; Robinson’s patent groats, 7a 6d ; barley, 9s 3d ; Morton’s salad oil, pints, 11s per doz ; Lea & Perrin’s sauces, 12s 9d per doz : salmon, lib tins, Is 2£d per lb; Champion’s vinegar, 10» per doz ; candied

peel, Is 2d per lb; Gelatine, 5s per doz ; cocoa, Is 4£d to Is 5d per lb ; currie powder, i pints, 6s per doz ; table salt, 5s 6d per doz ; arrowroot, in tins, 7id per lb ; nutmegs, Is 9d per lb ; bleached ginger, ll£d per lb. Hops—Overstocked and dull of sale. New hops are worth Is Id, with little enquiry; old do, 6d to lid per lb. Malt—No demand xor English, which may be quoted at 9s to 9s 3d per bushel. Oils —Kerosene: The fall in price which has taken place in the Melbourne market has been felt here, and good brands are now worth 3s to 3s 4d, d.p., per gallon. The introduction of gas into the city must, however, have a sensible effect on the demand for this oil, and limit its future consumption considerably. Bice is in moderate supply, fine screened Patna being worth £27 per ton. Salt—Moderate stocks of coarse, which meet with ready enquiry at 75s to 80s per ton. Fine salt is worth 80s to 90s per ton; and in good supply. Soft Goods —Heavy stocks, with complaints on all sides of slow sales.

Sugars—The only description now in the market is the Melbourne Sugar Company’s IC., which is quoted at £49 10s to £SO per ton, d.p. Crushed loaf has been quitted at auction at £56 per ton during the month, and holders now ask £6O per ton, but as the preserving season is now over there is little demand.

Tea—There is no really good tea in the place, and although the stock of old and inferior sorts is large, there is comparatively but little of the medium sorts in stock. Prices are unaltered, and good qualities meet with ready sale at adequate values. Wines and Spirits—The stock of bulk brandy in bond is fully up to its usual standard. Martell’s in quarters is worth 7s 4d to 7s 6d per gallon; Hennessy’s, 7s 6d to 7s 8d per gallon. Case brandy (Martell’s) is worth 27s 9d to 28s; Hennessy’s, 30s to 31s 6d per case, with fair stocks. Bum—B.W.P. rum, 10 0.p., is saleable at 4s per gallon. L.H. ditto, 10 0.p., 4s Id to 4s 3d per gallon. Bum, 30 0.p., no stock. Geneva—dull of sale, at 12s to 16s per ease, according to contents. Stocks heavy. Old Tom—No sale.

Whisky—lrish in bulk '(Dunville’s) is quoted at 6s per gallon; case ditto, 17s per dozen. Other brands of Scotch, 4s to 5s 6d per gallon for quarters ; case ditto, 11s 6d to 13s 6d per dozen. Flax continues to he shipped in fair quantities, and several parcels have shown improved manufacture and quality; it is, however, impossible to give quotations of value that would be of any service outside. Butter in kegs has been in better demand for export, but the quantity on hand is so large that holders can look for no advance in value until stocks decrease ; sld to 6d per lb. has been obtained for first-class cure, bub inferior sorts are totally unsaleable. Fat beasts are obtainable in any quantity, hut there is little demand for export, and for the local trade prices xange from 15s to I7s6d per 100 lbs. Store cattle are equally plentiful, and worth 60s to 70s per head, with no present demand. Fat sheep dull of sale, at 8s to 10s each ; no demand for stores.

Various causes, as the arrival of the American steamer Nevada, the departure of Dr. Featherston in her for England, together with a few days of strong inclement weather, have tended to interfere in some measure with busi* ness matters during the week, and there is consequently little of importance to report. The price of flour has hardened, and there seems to be a disposition to this staple to a small extent, although, in the opinion of many who are well posted up on this subject, the ample stocks of wheat which were grown last season in the colony will prevent any continued rise. Much of the Canterbury crop is sure to have been damaged by the heavy rains, and we may expect that some of the flour will suffer in quality; but, as it will have to bo sold at any figure, the low price will not be without its influence on the market, presuming the damage to exist to the extent reported. Present quotations at Kebbell’s mills, £l4 10s to £ls per ton for colonial and £l6 for Adelaide. Oats show a slight upward tendency, but are not in active demand, and range from 2s lOd to 3s 2d per bushel. The low price at which keg butter has been ruling for Borne time past has seemingly caused a little speculation, and several parcels have changed hands for shipment lately, but prices continue at former quotations, 6d being the highest obtainable value for first class cure. In imported goods there is no change. The Lochlee is discharging her cargo, which will supply any lines that were becoming scarce. We note with much regret that Messrs Sands & M £ Dougall are about to discontinue their agency in this city, the large and varied stock of stationery which that firm has held since its establishment having proved a serviceable boon to every one concerned in the printing and stationery trade in the colony.

Colonial Wheat. —Farmers may take heart of grace from the following paragraph regarding the corn trade, which we clip from the ‘‘Lyttelton Times” of a recent date:— The advices received by the Nevada, both from Europe and America point strongly in the direction of a rise in the price of wheat. The crop in California is estimated as likely to yield only three-fifths of that of the previous year, while the state of the markets in Europe is certain to render high prices a matter of certainty for many months to come. Should the next harvest in England be deficient, wheat will rule high for the next year or two. A great authority—Mr Kains-Jack-son —declares that England will have to depend almost entirely upon Australian imports for the best sorts of milling wheat to mix with the sew crop due in September,”