COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4578, 22 November 1875, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington on Saturday, was as follows: — £ s. d. £ s. d. Spirits .. 77 2 0 I Ad val. goods 78 17 2 Tobacco . - 54 17 01 Coffee.. .. 1118 01 Total ..£222 14 8 CHRISTCHURCH COMMERCIAL. (From the Lyttelton Times, November 20. (TRAIN AND PRODUCE. The same dullness that has characterised our markets for some weeks past still prevails, and as our Northern and West Coast markets are overstocked with all kinds of produce, we must look for dull times for the remainder of the season. The lateness of the season is beginning to induce farmers, who have been holding for higher rates than those offered by buyers, to como forward more freely. Large quantities of oats have been bought in during the week, and the better sorts have found purchasers at 2s. 3d.: for inferior sorts 2s. 2d. has been offered, but farmers feel disinclined to accept anything less than 2s. 3d., while buyers are not keen purchasers at this rate. Wheat we quote at 4s. : barley, 2s. 6d. to 3s„ nominal. Millers quotations unchanged. Dairy produce—Ratter, Bja. to 9d • cheese, Bd. to BJd- for oW - Manufacturers of bacon and hams quote Hid. bare. Old, extra m cloth, in equal proportions. STOCK AND STATIONS. Since our last report the weather appears to have assumed a settled aspect, more like what is expected at this season of the year than has ruled since November set in, and the whole country has an appearance of luxnriKnce most pleasing to the eye of a farmer The holidays being over, business has been resumed in a rational manner, and we are enabled to refer to actual transactions in drawing our deductions. In stations we have no transactions to note, although we are aware of several impending sales, which wonld be quickly concluded if a little mutual concession were made. The great bar to business of this kind is the uncertainty which hangs over the disposal of the runs In 1880, and the sooner this question is settled the better. Following the Agricultural Show, the usual number, of sales of pure-bred stock have been held, and we need not go into details of these, as full reports have been given by the auctioneers interested. The want of demand for pure sheep was the most noticeable feature, but this must not be taken as an indication that bur fanners ate tired of. long-woollcd sheep, for such is not the case. The market is merely overstocked for the present, and breeders of good rams must be content to wait for a season or two, before a brisk demand recommences. The local wool sales opened _on Tuesday last and considering the price of wool in the Lohdoa market,

those obtained her, must be considered os gcrad. It is true, the prices given ranged from Id. toljd- below last year's prices, but this is not more than the lau which has taken place in London. At the yards on Wednesday, about 2000 sheep and upwards of 300 cattle were yarded. For both kinds of stock there was a fair competition, as might D© expected, after an interval of a fortnight between sales. Prices did not, however, go beyond our last quotations, which for sheep wo leave to stand at 3d. per lb. for unshorn, and lid. for shorn sheep, good lambs are worth from Bs. to 10s.- Amongst the cattle offered were a number of prize takers, which realised up to £25. Our quotations will stand at 30s. IOOIbs. , with a downward tendency. Store cattle continue in good demand. WINDELER AND BOWES’ WOOL CIRCULAR. London, October 1. The auctions, which have been In duration here since the 17th August, end to-morrow, mere wm then have been catalogued 289,815 bales, and it is estimated that about 20,000 have been withdrawn or held over for the concluding series of this year. At the close of last month the decline m prices winch has been the main feature of the presentsales, had alreadv reached its full limit; at the established reduction of 10 to 12 per cent., as compared with the average of June rates, they continued with mow or less depression for some time, but during the last te days there have been many spirited sittings, and, on the whole, the (dose of the series has been distinctly governed by a better tone. Buyers have shown more confidence in their biddings, competition lias been altogether more regular, so that a slight recovery may be quoted from the lowest point. The attendance of buyers, which was very scainty during the middle weeks of the senes, has latterly been fully up to an average; and although tne foreigners have not been so eager as have been wished, it is estimated that their united purchases will reach 125.000 bales, which, considering the unfavorable reports still current from 1 ranee and Germany, must be looked upon as satisfactory; The scarcity of good to superior washed and greasy Port Phillip fleeces has placed them latterly m rather an exceptional position, and prices realised for them have occasionally shown an advance of Id. per ID. above the lowest point. Good Sydney and New Zealands, which could replace them, have participated to some extent. Half-bred wools, which, at one time, were very neglected, are also now m much better demand, but the general recovery, important as It may bo considered, as showing that the bottom of our market has been reached, does not exceed-id. per lb. all round, leaving still the bulk of Australian washed and scoured l}d. to 2d. per lb. lower than the average of June rates,and unwashed Id, to l£d. per lb. Cape wools, in the present instance, have not followed the course of the Australians ; they have, on the contrary, lost the comparatively firm position that they held during the first portion of these sales, and they are now Id. per lb. lower than then, causing the fall on them to reach now lid. to 2d. per lb. as compared with June. For the next sales, now fixed to open on 23rd November, the available supply will probably amount to 80,000 bales, new arrivals- -of which half may be Capes—and the 20,000 bales withdrawn from the present series.