COMMERCIAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4355, 5 March 1875, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

DUNEDIN IMPORT MARKET. (From the Times, March 1.) Business has been dull duriDg the week ; and not all during this month of February, now at its close, has it reached such a condition of activity as, in accordance' with moderate expectations, would have been accepted—all things considered—as reasonable and fair. Quiet expresses the condition of the market. The cause of this is not fully explained, when a general fulness of stocks—without a crushing plethora being the condition of anything—is conclusively pointed to. _ There exists probably a complication of causes—and in a healthy market, as. that of Dunedln most undoubtedly is,. with credit sound, and the abilitv and willingness to hold abundantly manifested' -these causes are not by any means uniformly undesirable. We mav remark -that the extensive.nse which is made of the bonded warehouses by soft goods houses leads sometimes to miscalculation or misapprehension. These houses have lately been removing from bond very extensively—and bonded goods proper have received credit for the large sums which appear as paid to the Customs, although only a moiety is for this reason derived from them. Spirits have not improved in any degree, and remain precisely as last reported—very difficult to move, but firmly held. Ale and stout, imported, we'may almost say, are neglected. Tobacco wears a decidedly improved aspect, and the trade, convinced by the stoppage of the manufactories in America and in Sydney, have at last conceded the advanced costs, and are laying in supplies with confidence. In dried fruits there- is no alteration. Of cheese, colonial, good parcels are scarce, any arriving in town being picked up at once ; prime quality is worth BJd. Butter has assumed its winter course of ascending prices, the grass being by. this time less luxuriant in .summer. In hams and bacon, the colonial cure, "of prime quality ,_„is. hardly-to *be got, and- the; . season for curing has not advanced far enough , to be depended upon. When? winter has more fully set in we look for a more regular supply. If the farmers attend to keeping up the stock of-pigs, and now that there is a prospect of grain being low in the market, we would commend this to them as a profitable use to which a portion of it might be put. Some two or three parcels of Irish (imported) have, in consequence of the scarcity of local, been selling for town and up-country supply at Is. sd. per lb. English hops are firming, although brewers are still very loth to pay the high prices demanded. According'to last English reports, however, these prices are more likely to rise than to fall. We notice that Messrs. Wolton, Son. and Co., in their circular . of 24th December, allude to the small resources of the 1574 growth, both on the Continent and in England, and to the gradual advance of the price from 20s, to 40s. per cwt,—"leaving a strong market, with very small prospects of alleviation, to those brewer 3 who stand aloof in this hope." Nelson and Tasmanian hops should, benefit by these: advices. In sugar, the sale by auction at the rooms of Messrs. McLandress, Hepburn, and Co., of the damaged portion of Yarraville sugars was satisfactory. Thirty tons (the entire quantity) were. sold at from £33 ss. to £34 155., sound of the same parcel having' realised £35. It is to be remarked that these prices were obtained on terms, while'cash is usually demanded for damaged goods. We regret to have to announce that the Queensland consignment referred to hy us last week was badly damaged by sweating—so badly, that we infer from an-advertisement for consignees, that these gentlemen were not over forward in claiming their interest. Galvanised iron continues in brisk demand, a limited addition to 'stocks now very low is in j the Wellington, and will no doubt meet with ready sale. Cement is still sdarce arid.in good inquiry. Parcels to arrive are being booked at from 235. to , 253. In timber, we would refer to a new feature in purchasing exhibited by the-trade, by contractors, and the smaller builders. Messrs. McLandress having offered the kauri cargo of the Alexandra, consisting of some 200,000 ft., the < whole - has been taken up at 143. Gd. to 18s. Gd., in quantities to suit purchasers. There has; been ;also'an; improved deIniand for Baltic deals and flooring-boards, not from L the yards, which are full, but from the same class of "purchasers.. Flour has declinedasrwas expected, and is now quoted at £l2, with the certainty, very shortly, of a further decline. . Nsw wheat, which Is now being ground, is qupted„at from 3s. Gd.,to 3s. od., jmme-. diatc delivery—forward- delivery a-'shade less'.- Old wheat is quoted at from 3s. 9d. to 4s. Old oats fetched at auction the other day—feed/ discolored, 2s;. 7d.; sound, 3s. New oats, for immediate'delivery, -2s. Od.; forward delivery, 2,s. ; Gd. r Jn barley, nothing' is being done. There are no stocks of bran or pollards ; but inquiry at last quotations continue. r CHTvISTCHTJIICH IMPORT MARKET. ; ; -.(From the-Py-ess, February 27.) --'; .' * Large sales of wheat have been made during the. week at 35., and as no orders of any importance come : forward from outside markets, -buyers do not appear very anxious to, operate extensively even at 3s. i 'The yield is turning but exceedingly well' throughout ■ the province, very few deliveries being under thirty : ; bushels the acre, while many are fifty to sixty bushels, and even' as much as seventy busheLs the acre ' "lias been,-obtained in some cases.*: Oats 'are selling' ■ freely at 2s. Cd., as a moderate export, demand - heavy - •in Otago, which F will-shortly, be in the^market,,buyers do not: appear disposed to advance pricea wheat is selling at 2s. 3d. and'2s. Gd., and can be used for , Flour has been sold at£p.in 1001 b. sacks, f.0.b., but 'prices must ere long give way. - ! Bran isselling.at £3, mand at 4s. Gdi for really prime samples, arid although' higher prices* are.reported to have, been..paid, we cannot hear of any, leadingi buyer operating at over-this prices Butter ; i3 worth 10d., and cheese ,A rrioderato. business ; has been done* ;in the import ■ markets-during thepast week;' Tho-W..'W. Smith,' -Trom. London/ arrived ,dn the 25th.inst., with a full cargo of general- merchandise. ' The Mallard cleared for London on the 22nd inst. with cargo of wool, \skins, and tallow. Teas—Several sales have been |niade in these lines at our last-quotations. We 1111{"derstand the s.s. ptago is'bringing the cargo of tea. transhipped from the W. G. Patton, at ! Melbourne. This, cargo:ought to-sell well, as the market is very. barely, stocked with -good to, best lines. ; (-Sugars have been disposed of "freely. realised £35 to £3s'l'od.; ! yellows', £33'103. to £34, 1.8. Spirits— A few parcels of Hennessy's "case have been placed at <2os. to'29tf.;Cfl.; bUlkimeetsTwith'usual" tirade sale'' at 19s. od.' Kartell's dark 93. 3d. to 9s. Cd. ~ Geneva, r JBKZ—The demand for this'line has been very good ; sales have been effected at!ss, to 18s. Gd., 1.8. We have nothing new toreporjt;Jjn thejother lines of spirits beyond the usual good trade, sale. Ba«3' bulk; ale-UThe demand for-this is-increasing; sales have, been, made at m £9 : to £9,?,05; In, bottled ,alea: and stouts'fche business, transactions, have not been,. 'great '? sales, are pushed at lis*.'Gdrto 12s. Gd. for the best -"brands, -■ Price's candle's find purchasers 1 -In large parcels at lOgd. Kerosene is offering freely at* ;la. 5d., LB. A few sales have .been effected at this 'figure. For clearing.a (large, line, holders would make a considerable concession on this quotation. , A few pockets of English. Irops.rhttye been quitted at : 2s. ;i lld.,'"J>.P,!'; stock's veryr smaller Cornsacks, have been sold freely at 12s,' p'er| dozen. Tobaccoes—Sales have-been very few. The prices 'quoted are—ls; oh\y for best ca«e; twist/ Is. B'id. to Is. 9drfor qr-tierces, 1 ; .in bond. ...-" ....