COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4272, 28 November 1874, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Customs duties received at this port for the week ending November 20, were as under:— , £ a. d. Spirits .. 490 1 0 agars 0 0 0 Tobacco 300 7 0 Wine 00 14 8 Beer .. .. .. •• 4 16 0 Tea 267 0 6 Coffee and Chicory,. .. .. 17 1 0 Sugar .. .. .. ». .. 277 10 0 Goods by weight 04 5 5 Goods ad valorem 504 10 0 Other duties .. 8 G 8 Light and shipping dues, &c, .. 25 10 0 £2112 5 10 Trade has been quiet during the week, and imported goods are comparatively unaltered In value, the continued increase in stocks rendering any material improvement In prices uncertain, while the large amount ot competition renders quotations equally

difficult. There is, nevertheless, a largo trade doing in the port—if at a minimum of profit—and as stocks become reduced and importers exercise greater restraint upon the amount of their shipments, matters may right themselves in process of time, and a more profitable state of affairs will supervene. In liquids, brandies arc depressed and sales difficult to any extent beyond the supply of local wants. Bottled beer —Heavy stocks, with large shipments coming forward ; any but first-class brands difficult to place. Tennent’s ale, quarts, worth 11s. 6d. to 12s. Blood’s stout, 11s. 3d. to Us. Gd. Sugars—Dull. Teas—Moderate business doing at fair rates. Tobaccoes active, ©wing to high value ruling in tho other colonies. In produce, prices have generally an upward tendency, keg butter being about the only exception, there being little inquiry for export at 9d. to lOd. per lb. for prime cure. Cheese continues scarce, and is worth BJd. to lOd. for Canterbury make. Bacon and hams exceedingly scarce, and quoted at 14d. to 15d. per lb. for Canterbury cloth packed. Oats scarce at Us. (id. to Cs. Od. per bushel. Flour shows some symptoms of hardening, although quotations remain the same as last week—£l3 ss. to £l3 12s. Gd. per ton for Canterbury and Oamaru in sacks. Potatoes— None ; worth £lO to £ll per ton THE LONDON WOOL SALES. Messrs. Jacomb, Son, and Co. report under date October 1.1874: — . , The third series of public sales of colonial wools, which opened on tho 18th August, has closed to-day. There has been throughout a very largo attendance of the home trade, who, being bare of stock before the commencement of the sales, have operated freely. Continental customers were apathetic at first, but have since made more extensive purchases at higher prices, taking all together a little more than onethird of the quantity sold. Some three or four thousand bales have been taken for America. During tho course of the sales there have been pretty considerable fluctuations in prices ; tending upwards for the first week or ten days, downwards for a similar period succeeding, and. thence upwards till very nearly the close. All good scoured wools have sold briskly throughout at an advance of Id. to lsd., and sometimes more, on last sale’s prices ; good fine N.S.W. and Queensland parcels selling at very high rates towards the close. Middle and faulty scoured drooped in price about tho middle of the sales. All washed fleece wools have about averaged the best rates of May-June, with an occasional advance of *«. to Id. New England and other thick stapled N.S.W. fleece were easier to buy after the second week of the sales. Merino wools in grease have not much exceeded MayJune prices. All coarse and half-bred parcels, washed and unwashed, have improved Id. to 2d. per lb. on the depressed currency of the previous sales, and lambs’ wool has realised a similar improvement. A sudden demand for black wools for fancy undyed fabrics has resulted in extraordinary prices for the trifling quantity offered, as much as 2s. 7id. being paid for scoured, lid. for washed, and Is. lid. for greasy. The bulk of New Zealand clip has figured in this series—many of the quondam prime hot-water washed flocks show this season great falling off in growth and condition, which will account for the altered values of some. There is a great increase in the proportion of Lincoln and other coarse crosses ; many parcels of these still run very uneven and irregular. Cape and Natal scoured sold in the earlier sales at about advance, and fleeces Id., but subsequently ruled a trifle cheaper. Ensuing public sales aic fixed to commence on Tuesday, 17th November. The whole quantity available for the series just closed has passed the hammer and about 17,000 bales more, consisting of old stock and wools twice catalogued. The concluding sales of the year will comprise probably something less than 100,000 bales, including everything. The Importers’ Committee have not instructed us when they moan the first sales next year to commence, a fixture which we should have liked to have been able to announce for the guidance of colonial shippers. Messrs, Ilelmuth Schwartze report, under date October 1, 1874; — The third series of London sales of colonial wool, which commenced on August IS, terminated to-day. The following are the arrivals for the series and the quantities catalogued:—

Arrivals, Catalogued. Sydney .. .. 44,289 bales .. 47,763 bales. Port Phillip .. .. 60,103 „ .. 60,131 „ Van Diemen’s Land.. 7,502 ~ .. 77,750 ~ Adelaide .. .. 12,443 ~ .. 13,073 ~ Swan Elver .. .. 1,712 ~ .. 1,739 ~ New Zealand.. .. 85,041 „ .. 89.958 „ Capo .. .. .. 48,927 ~ .. 34,157 ~ Total .. •.. 260,982 bales .. 201,182 bales. The total sold is thus about equal to the arrivals, but as 15,000 to 10,000 bales of the latter were forwarded direct from the ship, it follows that equivalent quantities of wools, either held over or withdrawn from former sales, or of second-hand lots, wero put upon the market, which thereby becomes almost entirely cleared of old stocks. The sales were well attended, and despite their lengthy course, remarkably free from serious fluctuations. A halfpenny above or below the line of established prices covers about all the changes the bulk of the wools experienced. This is particularly the case with the descriptions usually taken for export, which, as they followed in this series a course of their own may, for the sake of clearness, be treated separately. Australian combing fleece and grease ruled at the beginning of the series on a par with the highest June quotations, and on that level they have, with few exceptions, remained stationary. The exceptions are the superior kinds of Port Philip and New Zealand grease and fleece, which—especially the fleece sorts—commanded some advance during the last fortnight of the sales. Medium and inferior New Zealand and Sydney fleece was also rather dearer, but compared with the highest June rates the difference is not considerable. While the bulk of foreign wools thus remained where the close of the June series had left them, the kinds bought for home consumption experienced a more or less marked advance in nearly all instances. The home trade operated with great reserve in June; it was therefore insufficiently stocked, and under the influence of a strong demand, based on immediate requirements, prices rose the easier, as before they had remained on a comparatively moderate level. The medium and faulty scoured sorts and washed Australian pieces, profited most by this revived home demand. They were for the first three or four days often 2d., and even 3d., dearer than last sales, and though these excessive rates continued but a short time, an advance of Id. to IJd. on June closing rates was yet obtained for these wools throughout the series. Superior combing scoured—Port Phillip and New Zealand—commanded full rates, but were on the whole but little dearer than at the close of last sales. Cross-breeds show a rise of Id. to 2d. per lb. (on super washed Port Phillip occasionally even more). The demand for them was always active, and increased as the sales proceeded. Among fine Australian clothing wools, super Sydney scoured met invariably with good competition. The selection offered was a very good one, and prices, as far as a comparison with the June series is possible, show a full Id. advance. Superior Sydney fleece sold less regularly—at times very good prices were realised, at others, the wool seemed comparatively neglected. Lambs have also met with an irregular demand, find the rates obtained vary: but on the whole, last sales’ closing rates have been maintained, and more frequently exceeded than not reached. The commencement of the fourth and last series of sales has been fixed for Tuesday, November 17. What has arrived, and is advised as afloat, is given hi the following:— Arrived. Afloat. Sydney 7,782 bales .. 10,398 bales. Port Phillip .. .. 5,150 „ .. 3.336 „ Adelaide .. .. 1,537 ~ .. >, Swan River .. .. 405 „ .. Van Diemen’s Land.. 207 „ .. ~ New Zealand .. .. 7,391 „ .. 1,930 „ Cape 17,247 „ .. 6,550 „ Total .. .. 30,728 bales .. 22,204 bales. The total is not likely to exceed 80,000 bales, half Australian and half Cape wool. LONDON AUSTRALASIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. Wheat Ain> Flour. —Messrs. Burrows and Perks report : Best Adelaide wheat is in only limited demand at from 525. to 545. per49olbs. ex granary; the sale of these qualities is much interfered with by the low figures (475. to 495. per 4001b5.) at which good Chilian wheat is now offering. The late arrivals of New Zealand have been most serious, both in quality and condition, so much so that the value ranges from 425. for smutty and inferioi qualities, up to 48s. and 40s. for the better samples. Tasmanian is worth from 48s. to 51s. per 49Clbs. ex granary, the quality being decidedly better than the New Zealand. Best brands of superfine Adelaide flour are worth from 375. to CDs. per 280 lbs. ex granary, but secondary and inferior qualities arc most unsaleable, this being an especially bad market in the years of large harvests for any but the very first qualities. Hides, Tallow, Leather, &c.— Messrs, Anning and Cobb report as follows;—Australian tallow has been in fair demand throughout the month, and nearly the whole catalogued at the weekly sales has been disposed of. There has been but little fluctuation in the value of the best assortments, but low and inferior qualities continue to be well competed for by exporters, and consequently bring very high prices. The present quotations arc—mutton, fair to good, 40s. Gd. to 425., and beef, fair to good, 38s. Od, to 40s. per cwt. Australian hides.—The arrivals are still moderate ; good heavy hides are much wanted, and have improved jd. to Jd.j light weights have also advanced ■ld, told. The sales comprise 3428 hides. Australian leather'has continued to meet a good inquiry, and almost all brought forward at the sales lias found buyers at fully previous rates. The transactions amount to 8602 crop sides'-heavy, fair to good, 12£d. to 13d.; ditto, common to middling, llf|d, to light, fair to good, 13d.: extra heavy, common to good, ll£d, to 12ijd.; 2mls and inferior, 10id. to 113 d. per lb. Horns. No transactions have taken place since our last. The quotations arc—New Zealand, av. 9g to lloxs., 295. to 445. Cd. Preserved Meat.—We gather from the report of the Australian Meat Agency (Tallerman’s) Company, that "since the departure of last mail a marked improvement has taken place in the demand for preserved meats. Many parcels have changed hands at advanced rates, and holders are seeking better prices on all goods. This improvement is traceable in the first instance to the requirements of the French Government ; secondly, to the arrangement of their halfyearly contracts by the public institutions; thirdly, to a slight improvement in the inquiry by shopkeepers, which bids fair to increase as the cold weather approaches ; lastly, to an improvement in the demand for shipping purposes. Boiled beef in all sixes and 21bs. corned beef is scarce. The arrivals for the month have been 17,410 cases, being an increase of 83 cases over the imports of August, South America and other ports contributing 3000 cases more than last month, while Australia sent 2918 less." Hors.—Prices for choice and fine qualities of Engllsli hops are well maintained, but inferior sorts can be purchased for leas money. The harvesting of the crop may bo considered as now finished, and, so far as can bo ascertained of the yield, the quantity does not exceed the estimates which have for some time been . current of It, being two-thirds less than tiro crop of 1873, and this appears to bo about tiro extent of tire deficiency common in Europe this year.

NEW ZEALAND HEMP.

Messrs. G. and J. A. Noble’s report, dated London, 21st September, is as follows: — Since our last, dated 20th ult., a very steady market has been tho chief feature in this staple, caused by continued colonial orders, and increased firmness of importers, a good number of whom, in obedience to slubbers' wishes, have withdrawn many consignments from the market to bo brought back again only in event of a considerable advance. Towilnds buyers at about £7 10s. per ton, in large quantities. Quotations will be as follows : —Common, £lo 10s. per ton ; fair, £2O per ton ; good, £2l 10s. per ton ; tine, £26 10s. per ton. landings for August. 1873 • 420 tons; 1874, nil. Deliveries for August, 1873, 2,0 tons; 1874, 185 tons. Stock, Ist September, 18/3. 113tons. 1874, 2210 tons. BY TELEGRAPH. CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Quotations.—F.O.B. wheat, 6s. Gd.; Oats, Cs.; dour, £l2 10s.: pollard, £0 55.; sharps, £/; cheese, 9d.; bacon and hams. Is. 2d. Stocks of wheat and oats low. AUCKLAND, Friday. G. W. Binny reports:—Grain market firm;flour, £l4; wheat, Gs. to Cs. 3d.; bran, £7 to £7 10s.; oats, ss. 9d., barley, 4s. Gd. to 55.; hams and bacon, lOd. to is.; cheese, 9d. to 10d.: butter. Is.; jams, 7s. Gd.;oatmeal, £3G; pearl barley, £26.