COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 21, 17 June 1871, Page 10

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Mail Office, Friday evening. The business of the past week has been a fair average for the time of year, but not of sufficient extent to affect prices. Sperm candles are becoming very scarce. A large quantity of kerosene has come in, but tho greater part has been placed, and we hear of sales, to arrive, at 3s per gallon. The news of the advance on brandy in England does not appear to have influenced prices here, and sales continue at former 'quotations. Flour is firm at last week's prices. Oats are inquired for. At Mr James Smith's sale by auction on the 14feh, a large invoice of saddlery, partly damaged, realised the following prices : —Gentlemen's saddles, 435, 52s 6d, and 67s 6d each by the case; ladies' side do, £3 to £9 15s; trap harness, £4 j>s to £5 the set; American chairs, wood seated, cane, 'and office, 43 9d to 9s each; rocking do, lis 6d each. The attendance was good, and the bidding more spirited than usual, and evincing confidence in the advent of a better state of trade than has been shown for some time past. —At Messrs Johnston and Go's sale there was an equally good spirit ihown, and nearly the whole of the lots wei 0 cleared at fair prices.

Chbistchttrch.—The " Lyttelton Times" of the 10th reports :—Oats remain without any animation, but holders in store are quietly waiting rather than accept present rates. For good bright samples of potato oats we now quote at 2s 3d to 2s 3£d ; few parcels, however, are offering. Tartarian cannot be quitted over 2s to 2s Id for picked lines. Discolored oats range from Is 6d to Is lOd, and as high as 2s has been given for potato oats to complete shipments. Barley is likewise very inanimate ; few really good bright samples are offering. Quotations range from 2s 4d, 2s 6d to 2s 9d, up to 3s 3d, according to the quality and requirements of purchasers. In stock we glean the following:—Messrs Bird & Bennettreport —Sheep—about 800 penned, mostly fat; sales were effected with difficulty, and a portion turned out unsold ; fair Merinos realised prices equal to l£d> cross-breeds, 2d per lb. Horses —There is a* steady demand for useful draught and young upstanding light horses. At Tattersall's a considerable number changed hands, chiefly light and weedy, which were quitted at low prices. We quote firstclass draught, £32 to £42; medium do, £22 to £26; good light harness horses and hacks, £l6 to £25 ; useful do, £lO to £ls j inferior, £3, and upwards. Mr Alport reports' having sold at Carlton Yards on Wednesday a small mob of fat Merino ewes, 4s 6d ; superior 2-year-old heifers, £4 Is to £5 12s 6d; good yearlings, £2 2s 6d to £3 2s 6d ; inferior cows, £4 to £5 10s; 2-year-old steers, £4 7a 6d.

DuNEDiif.—The "Times" of the 6th reports : —For spirits, the demand is languid, and generally, importers prefer holding to accepting the lower rates offered for better sized parcels. In brandies, both case and bulk, the tendency of the market is in favor of holders ; Hennessy's case continues scarce at 335, the same brand in bulk is quoted at 7s 6d. Moderate sales of geneva (JDKZ) are noted at 13s 3d to 13s 6d. Kerosene continues to move in moderate parcels at 2s 6d. Sugars move at maintained rates j stocks in the hands of importers are now materially lessened. For teas there is also a good current demand, chiefly for good ordinary and medium description?. Corn sacks, full weight, are worth 13s 6d. In the produce market we note a good current demand for grinding wheats, chiefly the effect of the late Australian advices, which has caused an enquiry beyond that of the millers ; good samples cannot now be quoted afc less than 5s 9d, and inferior parcels are looked at with more favor. Flour has sustained an advance of equal to 20s per t«n; and we now quote at £ls as the value of town made. There is but little enquiry for oats, except with buyers for immediate consumption, who give 2s 3d to 2s 4d, while parties inclined to buy to hold are indisposed to give these figures even on long terms. Barley still comes forward very si jwly, 3s 9d to 4s are the rates obtainable for samples fit for milling or malting. Provisions are without alteration'; cheese is too heavy in stock to admit of improvement; prime shipments of butter are worth 9d to 9£d ; good parcels of hams and bacon scarce. Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., report, for the week ending 3rd June, as follows:—;Fat Cattle—About 60 head, mostly good quality, were yarded, of which we sold 38 head. We quote prime quality, 20s per lOOlbs ; middling do, 17s 6d. Fat Sheep —There were only 400 penned and these of very inferior qualility, which we sold at 5s 9d each. A few fat lambs brought 5s 3d. We quote prme quality half-breeds 2|d per lb : do merinos, 2d. Store Cattle —We have enquiries for good framed cattle, and have placed two herds under offer. We quote 3 to 5 year old bullocks, £3 to £3 10s; mixed cattle, £2 to £2 10s. Store Sheep —No transactions. AUCKLAND SHARE MARKET. Mr Tonson Garlick reports sales this day as follow :—Caledonian, £175; Thames, £36; Belfast, £6 10s ; Nebraska, 15s; Golden Lion, 15s; North Devon, 455; Tookey, £27 ; Alburnia, £l3. Tookey in demand; held for a higher figure. Mr Jidgar W. Walker reports share market active. He has sold Caledonian at £175; Thames, £36; Whau, £3 7s 6d; North Devon, 47s 6d; Nebraska, 8s; Tookey, £26 ; Alburnia, £l3. Buyers, Tookey, Belfast, and Poverty and Charleston, at fair rates. Mr Martin Sholl reports sales to-day:— Caledonian, £172 10s; Tookey, £26; Whau, £3 10s; Kelly, £4 7s 6d; Belfast. £6; Moanatairi, £3 15s; Una, 20s 6d, sellers at 21s; Caledonian, sellers at £175; Thames, £36; Tokatea, £5; El Dorodo, 15s ; North Devon, 47s 6d; Excelsior, 17s; Golden Calf, 4fis: Dauntless, 15s; Ballarat and Rising Sun, 17s 6d.—" New Zealand Herald," June 12.