COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4195, 31 August 1874, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

The Customs’ duties received during the past month, from tho 27th July, to the 27th August, were as follows :—Spirits, £2005 11s. Id. : cigars, £lO6 4«. Id. : tobacco, £SS4 4s. 9d ; wine, £428 I4s. lOd ; beer, £223 17s. Gd. ; tea, £538125. 9d.; coffee and chicory, £35 17s. 9d. ; sugar, £590 14s. 4d. ; goods by weight, £404 Bs. 2d. ; do. ad valorem, £3130 Is, lid. ; do. other duties, £222 9s. 9d.; light and shipping dues, &c., £167 14s. 9d. Total, £9458 lls. Dd. The trade of the month has been moderate and fluctuating with the weather, wliich has been wet and stormy, but on the whole there is no reason to complain. Bills are met with commendable regularity, and as the busy season is coming on, there is every prospect of a large demand for all descriptions of imported goods. Making every allowance for the difference caused by tho alteration in the tariff, the astonishing increase in the Customs’ receipts for this year, as shown by the following return, must be taken as a conclusive proof of the improved trade of the port, and of the great strides it has made in so short a time. The receipts for January were:—

Being an increase on each average mouth of £3148 I7s. 4d. per month. Our shipping returns for the month are unimportant. Tlie Conflict and Reichstag, from London, have been landing their cargoes; and the Free Trader arrived from Hobart Town, with a cargo of timber. The Waikato, after discharging cargo, has sailed for Auckland. The following vls:cls were on the berth in London, or had sailed (several being now much over-due); —The Euterpe, St. Leonards, Strathnaver, Douglas, Langston, Hindostan, Wanganui, Cartvale, Star of India, and Hourah ; the J. A. Thompson, from Liverpool; the May, from Foochow; the Marion, from Hew York (now at Lyttelton); and the Oneco, from Hew York. Bank rates remain unaltered from last month. Ale and Porter (duty paid; bulk. Is. per gallon; bottled, is. 3d). —Bulk English ale is apparently coming into favor in this market in spite of the great disparity in price between it and the Colonial I brew, several parcels having been taken up immediately on arrival. In bottled beers, the amount of business has been confined to regular requirements of the retailers, and prices in most cases have a downward tendency. Bottled stouts of favorite brands are quoted at 12s. Gd. per doz. The market is full of outside brands, which meet with little inquiry at prices ranging from 10s. to 11s. 3d. per doz. Bags andsWpolpacks (duty, 10 per cent.)—Cornsacks are neglected at this season; stocks moderate; present value, 13s. Od. per doz. Woolpacks being out of season are also neglected; full size ’packs, nominal at 3s. lOd. to 45., and as some large parcels are coming forward, there is not much prospect of improvement. Candles (duty, Id. per lb.) —Stocks of candles arc diminishing, owing to several large shipments to other Hew Zealand ports. Holders are asking 104 d. per lb. for Price’s Belmonts. Cement (duty, Is. per barrel).—Stocks of cement in contractors’ hands are ample for present wants, and quotations remain unaltered at 21s. to 225. per barrel, we report the sale of five hundred barrels of Knight, Bevan and Co.'s brand in aline at a concession on our present quotations for Portland. Ho inquiry for Roman.

Coffee (duty, 3d. per lb.)—This staple is a little easier in price, and may now be quoted at Is. 3d. to Is. 4d. per lb., in bond. Chicory (duty, 3d. per lb.)—Moderate stocks with only limited demand, worth G.|d. per lb. duty paid. Confectionery (duty 10 per cent.)—ln fair supply at 10|d, per lb. for Keiller's make, with moderate amount of business done, Flour (duty 20s, per ton). —Adelaide flour has been sold at lower rates, and is now quoted at £l7 to £l7 10s. per ton. Stocks moderate with only limited enquiry. Fruits (duty,ld. per lb.)—Currants are become exceedingly scarce in this market, and are worth at present sd. to sjd. per lb.; there are, however, large shipments due, and sales to arrive have been made at 4Jd. to 44d. per lb. Eleme raisins are also becoming low in stock, and are quoted at Od. to C|d. per lb. Sultanas overstocked at o£d. to 7£d. Figs, in fair supply, at 9d per lb. There are no dried apples in first hands, quoted at 9d. Hops, (duty Sd. per lb.)— I The stock of hops in importers’ hands is light, and the news of the advance in the Home market has led the brewers to provide against possible contingencies, by operating to some extent on this import, and sales are reported at Is. Bd. to is. 9d. per lb. for new Kent hops. Tasmanian growth lias also been quitted at Is. Sd. per lb. Holders are now asking an advance on these rates. Malt, (duty Is. Od. per bushel.) —English malt has been comparatively neglected, there being a large quantity of Colonial now used by the brewers. Holders are asking 11s. 3d. per bushel, but we can report no sales to any extent. Metals (duty 10 per cent.) —Corrugated iron is exceedingly scarce, and a good demand exists for Morewood's make, which is worth£3o per ton, and shipments to arrive by vessels now due will meet with ready sale. Fencing wire continues in active demand, and Ryland’a make is worth, for Ho. 0, £25 ; Ho. 7, £2O ; and Ho. 8, £27 per ton. Oils (duty Od. per gal.)—Kerosene oil stocks have quite run out, and quotations have reached 2s. Od. per gal, for small lots. Sales to arrive have been made at 2s. 2d, to 2s. 3d. per gal., by the Marion, which has not yet put in an appearance, although she lias been for some time at Lyttelton, with 2000 cases on board for this port, and importers are complaining loudly of the delay. Boiled and raw linseed are in demand at 4s. lOd, to ss. per gal. for drums, the stock of the former being very low. Colza, dull, at ss. Od. to Os. per gallon. Oilman’s Stores (duty, 10 per cent).—During the month stocks of several articles classed under this head have become low. Large shipments are now due by various ships which will replenish any lines that may be now wanted. Rice (duty, £d. per lb.)—We have full stocks of this grain, which is exceedingly dull of sale. Cleandressed Patna is'worth £3O per ton; ordinary to fair, £24 to £2B per ton. Salt (free). —Stocks large, owing to recent importations. We report sales of 90 tons ex Reichstag at C6s. to 70s. per ton. Spirits (duty, 12s. per gallon).—Brandies have slightly declined in value during the month, and we cannot quote for quarters of Heunessy’s and MarteU’s a higher figure than 10s. 3d. to 10s. Cd. per gallon ; case ditto, 31s. per dozen, at which rates sales to a moderate extent have been made. Denis Mounie’s case brandy is now in favor at 30s. Cd. ; Bisquit Dubouche’s, in quarters, has been quitted at Bs. 3d. per gallon ; case ditto, 255.; but as a rule inferior brands of this spirit meet with little favor in the market. Rum, 10 per cent 0.p., is quoted at 4s. to 4s. 3d. per gallon, with moderate amount of business done. 30 per cent, o.p, is worth 4s. Cd. per gallon ; Red Hart Rum, in case, 225. Cd. to 235. cd. per doz; geneva, neglected, price nominal, at 13s. to ICs. Gd. per case, according to contents ; whisky, Dunville’s, in case, scarce, at 17s. Gd-; Long John, about the same figure. Sales of Booth’s Old Tom at ICs. Cd. per dozen. Sugar (duty, Id. per lb.).—From some unexplained cause, the sugar trade during the month has been less than ordinary. Ho sales of importance are reported, and quotations remain at a small decline on last month's rates. Finest whites, £4C j.ier ton. First counters, £44 10s. Counters, £4l ; and yellows, £3O to £4O per ton, duty paid. Tea (duty, Od. per lb.).—Trade moderate. Several small lots of the new season’s teas have been received via Melbourne, mostly to order, for the retail trade. Our first shipment direct will bo by the May, due in about five or six weeks, from Foo Chow : in the meantime, importers are clearing out their stocks of last year’s teas at fair rates. Tobacco (duty, 2s. Cd, per lb.). —Moderate business done, at Is. 4hd., for Shellard’s, and Is. sjd. to Is. Old. for Black Swan Twist, at which price holders are not anxious to press sales, the news of the advance of ODO penny per pound in the Melbourne market having had some little effect in this, although to only a moderate extent. Wines (duty, 4s. per gal).—Sales during the month dull. Ports and Sherries rang© from 4s. Cd. to 12s for quarters, in bond: fair quality meeting with a moderate demand at paying rates. Champagne has been in fair demand. We report—Rcedeter’s, at 90s. ; Gelslcr’s, 80s. ; Perrier’s Carte Blanche, CSs. per doz., duty paid. NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE. Butter,—The demand for keg butter appears to be limited entirely to the local requirements of the City population, all inquiries for export to the other Provinces having ceased for the present. Supplies como forward very sparingly, and present rates rule from Is. Id. to Is. 2d. per lb. for prime cure. Cheese.—Moderate stocks of Canterbury, which is worth Sd. to Sid. per lb. Flour.—Stocks of flour for present wants are ample, and there has been but trifling variation on former rates during the month, regulated mainly by the desire to push sales. Oamaru brands of flour are quoted at £l3 2a. Cd. to £l3 10s. per ton for sacks ; Canterbury ditto, £l2 10s. to £l3 per ton for bakers’ parcels. Hams and Bacon.—Prime cure bacon is worth Bd, to 9d. per lb. Hams, in canvas packing, 12cL to IScL per lb. * Oats. —Stocks of this grain arc becoming low, and prices show an upward tendency. Present quotations range from ss. Id. to ss. 3d. per bushel for Otago oats ; ss. 3d. to ss. Od. for Canterbury, according to sample. We hear that several shipments are advised. Potatoes.—Potatoes have advanced considerably during the month owing to deficient crops in this locality, and are now worth £S per ton. Timber.—Active demand. Kauri, 14s. to 18s. Cd, per 100 feet; T and G, 20a, ; red pine, 12s. to 12s. od.; totara, ISs. to 225. lor wholesale lots.

isrs. 1874. £ s. d. £ s. d. January .. 6699 2 9 11,781 9 6 February .. 5020 18 5 .. 13,165 9 1 .March -7588 18 4 .. 8,987 4 10 April 6715 11 6 7,525 4 8 May 8254 7 C 9,769 9 8 June 7614 10 2 9,237 3 I July 6309 2 11 .. 10,278 18 0 £48,702 17 7 .. £70,744 IS 10