COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 23, 1 July 1871, Page 10

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Mail Office, Friday evening. The inclement weather of the past week has put a stop to trade in town for the time being, but we are glad to notice increasing activity n shipments to the outppvfc3.. Business is, nevertheless, duller than it ought to be, and the stock of most articles in the market is so exceedingly light that, in the event of a sudden reaction, leading to increased demand, they would prove insufficient for our wants. Candles are in light stock; in fact, this market is qrite bare ; and holders pre now asking llf d to 12d. Kerosene —This market is supplied with this oil through the continuous arrivals of small parcels, and there is a large quantity advised to come forward. Sales at 3s 3d, duty paid ; sales to arvivo at 3s to 3s 2d per gallon. Holders of brandies have advancrd their prices 6d per gallon on our last quotations owing to the last advices from Europe, which state that the piice among the leading French houses has been advanced lOd per gallon, and one of the largest shippers has refused to execute orders duivng the present unsettled state of the market. Our shipments to the outports have been larger than usual in both quarters and case brandies drr'ng the past week. Town trade dull. AUCKLAND SHARE MARKET. [N.Z. Herald, 24th June.] J. Newman reports Caledonians at £2lO to £212 10s; Otago, £4 5s ; Shotover, No. 1,8 s; Central Italy, £llßs ; Kuranui, £2 15s. Mr J. Tonson Garlick reports Caledonians, £212 ; Middle Star, £5 ; Tookey, £4O ; Thames, £4l; Tokatea, £3 ; Centrrl Italy, 38s; Moanatairi, £3 17s 6d ; Belfast, £7 ; Middle Star (new issue), buyers ; Belfast, buyers at £7; Central Italy, sought after j Red Queen, sellers at 10s 6d ; Junction, £2 15s. Mr Pittar reports Red Queens at 10s 6d ; Otago, £4 10s; Thames, £42; Unas, £1 3s; Middle Star, £5; Cure, 235; Shotover, 9s ; Belfast, £7 ; Una, Cure, Belfast, Poverty and Charleston enquired for. (Special Commercial Letter to the News of the World.) New York, May 24. Since last advices, the brig Belle, for Dunedin, has sailed from this port, and the barque Chasca, for Melbourne, from the port of Boston, and I enclose herewith full statements of their respective cargoes. The former includes 4500 cases of kerosene, 450 cases of oysters, 50 cases lobsters, 88 half barrels, and 14 quarter barrels dried apples, 140 packages tobacco, 81 barrels rosin, and general cargo. In articles of import there has been no sales recorded of Australian products. New Zealand flax is quoted at 9 to 9|- cents. Kauri gum, 12J to 15 cent 3 for ordinary to prime scraped. Wool.—The demand for domestic fleece continues without abatement, but the stock is almost exhausted, and business consequently has been confined entirely to small parcels. The maaket for foreign wools continues to present a very active appearance, and prices generally are a trifle firmer, and rule strongly in favor of the seller. At Beston I note a sale of 14,0001bs Australia on private terms. ENGLISH. We take the following from the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co.'s circular of May 19 : N3W ZEALAND FLAX. The further serious fall in the value of Manilla hemp has again affected the value of flax, and for good clean description a further reduction of 20s per ton has been established. Common kinds, which are now comparatively scarce, have realised fully previous rates. At auction 1890 bales have been offered, which

have chiefly sold, —fine cleaned, £29 to £33 ; good medium, £25 15s to £2B ; medium half clean, £2O to £25; common rough, £ls to £l7 10s. Tow, £ll to £l2 10s per ton. Stock 1112 tons; arrived in April, 165 tons; delivered in April, 172 tons. Altogether the market has been quiet, and barely 300 bales are reported to have been placed privately. Seven vessels have arrived with 3500 bales flax and 80 bales tow, the bulk of which is of the better qualities. We believe that manufacturers are now becoming fully alive to the value of the New Zealand flax for all ordinary purposes, and that trade will no doubt continue to develop itself satisfactorily. There i 8 great need of improvement in the preparation, as also in the packing, some parcels coming to hand in very loose condition, thereby necessitating considerable eharges in putting into condition on this side. We would advise keeping to 3001 b bales, which should bo screwed, and bound with ropes of common flax, of course, care being taken that the flax is in proper condition before packing. This would tend very much to lower the present high rate of freight, which adds so considerably to the charges as compared with Manilla hemp and other fibres from India. WOOL. The arrivals for the current series of wool sales which have* been in progress since the 13th ult amounted to 196,819 bales ; of this, 121,831 bales have passed the hammer. Competition has been from the commencement steadily and increasingly brisk from all sections of the woollen industry, but the unexpected demand from the French trade has been the chief feature of interest, and, perhaps, the most direct cause of the improvement which has been established in the market. NEW ZEAXAITO CONSOLS. Some large transactions have been carried out in the scrip of the new loan, and the market presents features of improvement. The Stock Exchange Committee have appointed a special settling day for the scrip to be marked.