COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4422, 22 May 1875, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Customs duties received at this port for the week ending May 20, 1875, were as under: £ g. d. £ s, d. Spirits .. .. 71111 4 Goodsbyweight 103 16 2 Cigars .. .. 00 0 Do. ad valorem 279 IS 5 Tobacco.. .. 130 0 0 Do. other duties 2 5 0 Wine .... 36 8 1 Light dues, Ale .. .. 43 15 0 shipping &C. 53 15 3 Tea and Coffee 211 2 0 Coffee .... 17 3 0 £1784 5 3 Sugar .... 188 11 0 —: The absence of English shipping during the past week has given an appearance of dulness to the port, and generally the import trade may be said to have been more than ordinarily inactive. Wc report no change in quotations, and beyond ordinary trade requirements, no transactions requiring comment. Our market is quite bare of galvanized iron, and several shipments to arrive have been taken by the building trade at £36 to £37 per ton, and with this exception stocks of English goods are ample. The Malay, from Hobarton, has brought 1500 cases jams for this market. In the produce market a fair amount of business is being done, several articles under this head being greatly in demand. Hams and bacon are wanted, and prime quality Canterbury cure could be readily quitted at lid, to 15d. per lb. In keg butter there is absolutely nothing doing for export, any sales that are made being for home consumption, mainly owing to the present high price of fresh ; we quote Is. 2d. per lb. for prime (kegs 6s. each). Canterbury cheese continues scarce, every lot being taken up by the trade as it arrives at lOd. to per lb. Flour remains at former quotations. We report ales of Ruddcnklau’s and Saunders’ Mills at £llss. per ton for bakers’ parcels; Oamam flour ranges about 20s. per ton higher. Stocks are at present rather light, but largo purchases are known to be the the way, and quotations are not likely to rule any higher this season. Bran is in moderate demand at ls._ 3d. per bushel; pollard, 6s. Cd. perlOOlbs. Oats continue low, and cannot be quoted higher than 3s. sd. to 3s. : 7d. per bushel, according to parcel. Maize is in fair supply at Cs. per bushel for new. Malting barley is more inquired for, and worth ss. 6d. to Cs. for a prime sample. Potato market well supplied at 80s. to 90s. per ton.

The Melbourne Produce Market (May 8) ; — Business generally has been moderately active during the week, though prices have in manyinstances shown a tendency against holders. In breadstuffs, wheat, after showing considerable steadiness at ss. Id. for best Northern, suddenly eased, and ss, is now a fair quotation of value, a figure which millers cannot exceed without loss in the present condition of the flour trade ; receipts have been moderate, otherwise a more tangible decline would probably have ensued. Country flour has hardened slightly; sales have been made at £lO 12s. 6d. to £lO 155., according to brand, and higher rates are asked by some holders, but the demand has not been sufficiently strong to admit of their being realised. In feeding grains the steady dropping inclination in maize has at length been arrested, the market settling at 4s. sd. to 4s. Cd. for fair quality new. Oats do not find favor with buyers, recent large arrivals having stocked the trade heavily; feeding sorts have sold at the wide range of 3s. 2d. to Ss. lOd. for inferior to very prime, and Tartarian kinds have been disposed of at 4s. 3d. to 4s. 6d. for superior samples. Cape barley has fallen to 4s. OJd.; malting kinds have dropped to ss. Cd. to Cs. 3d. for common to very good. Peas have realised 4s. 3d. to 4s. Cd. Bran is selling at Is. 2Jd. to la. 3d., and pollard at Is. 2d. to Is. sd.— Leader. BY TSLEORAPH . CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Export prices f.o.b. at Lyttelton:—Wheat, 4s. ; barley, ss. 3d. to ss. Cd.; oats, 35.; flour, £lO 10s. to £11; bran, £5 10s. ; sharps, £C. Stocks of wheat getting low. and will be no difference between this and spring flour. Market brisk ; millers freely supplied with orders. WESTPORT, Friday. Thirty-three cattle in; best, £l7los. to £19.; inferior, £ls to £10; sheep, 15s—per St. Kilda. AUCKLAND, Friday. Mr. G. W. Binney reports Market very quiet; wheat, 4s. Cd. ; oats, 3s. Cd. ; barley, market full; flour, Oamarn, £l2; Christchurch, £11; Nelson hops, 2s. ; butter, is. 4d.cheese, lOd.; hams and bacon, Is. Id.

Mr. Buckland reports:—Fat cattle have advanced ss. per lOOlbs,, 35a. to 50s. ; fat sheep, 4id. ; store sheep, Bs. to 11s.