COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4980, 9 March 1877, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

The Import trade of the pant month has exhibited no features of special importance. A. fair amount of sales has been effected In almost every description of merchandise; but owing to the entire absence of any speculative feeling, these sales have been entirely restricted to the supply of the current wants of the retail town trade and the execution of orders’from the various ‘outports, which have come In freely. Prices continue to be moderately well sustained, and exhibit few fluctuations, being rather lower as a rule than is altogether consonant with the feelings of importers. Thhf is not an unmixed evil, and may probably be productive of good results in the future, as the ability 0l our merchants to compete with Australian and the •the? New Zealand importing ports must eventually tmd to further the interests of Wellington os a distributing pert for Uw ml of the colony-a part

for which, by ita central position, it is *o specially fitted. The full details of current quotations, which we append below, render it unnecessary lor us to specify any of goods. Trade, though dull now that the wool season is over, inay be considered healthy ; current payments are well met, and beyond one or two small failures, of no importance or amount, our merchants have no reason to com* plain. , T _ Our arrivals during the month have been the Hurunui, February 18; Adamant. February 22 : Rakaia, February 2S, all from London ; the William Cobb and the Marie, from New York, the former via Dunedin and the latter direct. The Floral Star arrived from Adelaide on February 22, with cargo-2249 bags bark, 500 bags flour, and sundries. The Hurunui sailed on March 5 for Port Chalmers, and the Avalanche and Ocean Mail are about to sail for London, with the following cargoesAvalanche—47oß bales wool, value £83,700 : 160 bales skins, £2005; 417 pkgs tallow, £4220: 413 cases meats, £916 ; sundries, £146; 2000 ounces gold, £BOOO ; 307 ounces gold. £1228; total value, £100,290. Ocean Mail- Wool: 388 bales. Johnston and Co.; 2541 bales. Krull and Co.; 168 bales, Nathan ; 809 bales, Murray and Co.; 45 bales, Port; 113 bales, Rhodes and Co.; 16 bales, Vennell; 65 bales, Taylor ; 43 bales, Stuart and C0.;’263 bales, Watt Bros.; 28 bales, Bank of New South Wales ; 46 bales, N.Z. L. and M. Agency ; 770 bales, Fell Bros.; 15 bales, Sclanders and Co.; 19 bales, Smith. Total, 5329 bales, value £73,637. 24 bales skins, 246 casks tallow, 135 pkgs meats, 4- bales leather, 30 cases glue, &c.: value, £2668. Total value. £76,325. The only vessels now laid on for London are the Rakaia and Adamant, the former having about 300 bales onboard, and the latter, not having yet discharged her inward cargo, has not commenced loading. The following ships were loading in London for this port by lost advices:—Northampton, 1161 tons, sailed December, 7 ; the Pleione, 1091 tons, sailed December 14 ; and- the Bcnledi, 1056 tons, loading. Rates of freight to London.—Grease wool, id per lb.; washed do, |d per lb.; tallow, in cases, 60s; in casks, 70s; and hides, 55s per ton. Bank rates of discount and exchange arc as follow: : —Discount on local bills, under 95 days, 7 per cent.; do, 125 days, 8 per cent.; do, oyer 126 days, 9 per cent. Exchange on London—Buying rate: at 90 days, 1J per cent, discount; do 60 days, J per cent. do.; do 30 days, i per cent, do.; at sight, par. Selling Tate: at 90'days, i per cent, premium ; do 60 days, f per cent, do ; do 30 days, 1J per cent, do ; en demand. If per cent. do. Interest on deposits for 3 months, 4J per cent. ; do 6,months, 5 s6r cent.; do 12 months, 6* per cent. : v '* : . • Ale and Porter (duty paid, bulk Is per gal, bottled Is 3d).—Stocks of bottled ales and stouts continue large, and sales to any extent beyond the. mere quirements of the ordinary trade supply are difficult. There is a fair demand for Tennant’s ale at 10s 9d to 11s per dozen ; Bass’, 10s 9d to 11s 6d ; and first-class brands generally may be quoted at 10a 9d to lls 6d, but ws hear of no trade parcels changing hands. Blood’s stout is quoted at 10s 9d ; Guinness’, 10s Cd to lls 6d, according to bottler. Bulk English ales -have been wanted, and a shipment of 50 hhds of 1 Alsopp’s ale now discharging ex Adamant has been readily quitted at £9 per hhd. ' Bags and woolpacks (duty 10 per cent). —Cornsacks have been in better demand, and we report sales at 10s 6d per dozen ; quotations rule from 10s 3d to 10s 6d : stocks moderate. The market is comparatively bare of woolpacks, but the season being over there is no demand. Candles (duty Id per lb). —Sperm candles, as the winter season approaches, are coming into better demand. Holders have moderately full stocks.. and quote lOd to lOjd per lb for foreign make. Price’s Belmonts are quoted at lOjd per lb, with fair business' doing. Cement (duty Is per barrel).—Stocks of cement have become so low that contractors have had to seek supplies elsewhere, and several parcels have been received from Southern ports. This article is still much wanted, and prices range from 20s to 21s per barrel for White’s or Knieht, Bevan, and Sturge’s manufacture; .Coffee, (duty 3d per lb).— Customary trade doing at Is 3d per lb for plantation coffee in bond. Stocks moderate.

Confectionery (duty, fid per lb).—Tveiller’s confectionery is quoted at 10Jd to IOJd per lb, owing to the high price of sugar in the Home market, and meets with the usual demand. This item of imports is likely to be less in the future, as we have now —in addition to several small manufacturers of confectionery—the extensive steam works established by Mr. S. Griffiths, which, having all the most recent improvements in machinery imported from England, i will enable him to turn out goods of equal quality at a lower figure, in quantities amply sufficient to render importations unnecessary. Flour (duty, 20s per ton).—Adelaide flour is now held firmly for £l9 per ton for sacks, and as the price is still kept up at the port of shipment we see no present prospect of lower rates ruling for best brands. The Floral Star brought only a small parcel of 50 tons to order, and stocks must he getting light. A shipment of 60 tons Californian flour, ex mail steamer, lias been received, and quitted at £l7 10s per ton. Fruits (duty, Id ner lb).—Currants owing to the advance in the Home market are worth 4|d to sd: Eleme raisins, 5Jd to 6d ; sultanas, 7id to 7Jd; and muscatels, Is to Is 2d, according to condition ; dried apples, 6Jd to 7d. Stocks of dried fruits are ample, with only a moderate trade doing at this season, owing to the presence of large importations of green fruits. Hops (duty, 3d). —This season’s hops are offered at 2s 8d to 2s lOd per lb for fine Kent, but meet with little encouragement from the brewers, who use the colonial growth at a much lower figure. Sales of Nelson hops at Is 5d per lb. Malt (duty, Is 6d per bushel).—There is no English malt in stock, but at the present time it is wanted by '"the brewers; as the supply of colonial malt usually runs short at this season;

Metals(duty, lOpcr cent.; duty on corrugatediron and wire, 20s per ton). —The demand for corrugated iron continues good, but stocks are increasing to an extent that unless importations become moderate, importers who must realise will have to submit to a severe loss. Morewood’s and Gospel Oak, 26 gauge, are worth £3O per ton for Pto Bft. lengths ; Oft. lengths meet with no enquiry. * Other brands are in less demand, but a parcel of 50 tons was quitted at auction by Mr. N. J. Isaacs on the 9th,at £29.£3o,and £3l per ton,for Phillips and Hill’s and Brady’s brands. Stocks of fencing wire are moderately ample, and good brands of Nos. 6,7, and 8, assorted, are selling in small parcels at £l7 10s per ton. Oils (duty, 6d per gallon).—The arrival of the William Cobb, with 2300 cases for this port, has tended to lower the quotations of last month ( and sales have been made at 3s per gallon. Current quotations are now 3s 8d per gallon. The Hermann is just about duo, having 4300 Cases on board : but as the demand will increase with the advance of winter, and supplies from America appear to be falling off. we do not look for lower quotations. Paint oils continue in fair demand ; quotations for raw linseed in hulk, 3s 9d ; in drums, 4s per gallon. Boiled do, bulk, 4s ; drums, 4s 3d per gallon. Castor oil. in drums, is worth 6s 3d to 5s 6d Colza oil, 5s 6d per gallon. Oilmen's Stores (duty, 10 per cent.)—Stocks of every article coming under this head are becoming larger each month, owing to recent arrivals with large shipments on board; and unless importations are reduced we may look for a similar state of-affairs as existed some four, years ago, when heavy reductions below cost and charges had to be submitted to under the hammer, and even then It was almost impossible to effect sales'

Kice (duty, Jd perdb.)—An advance of 80s. per ton on this cereal In the Sydney and Melbourne markets has led to a corresponding rise in-this, and quotations for dressed samples are now £2O to £3O per ton. Salt (free).— Shipments advised to arrive are light, and as this article continues very low in stock, holders are firm at 120 s per ton for fine,salt, and 100 s per ton for coarse.. Spirits (duty, 12s per gallon).—Brandies remain firm at last month’s rates. Martell’s and Hennessy’s, in quarters, 10s per gallon ; cases 32s 6d to 33s 8d per dozen: outside brands receiving the benefit in the improved demand for lower priced spirits. Rum is dull at 3s 7d to 3s 9d for 10 per cent. 0.p., and 4s to 4s 4d for 30 per cent, 0.p.: Geneva meets with little inquiry at 13s to 17s per case, according to contents. Whisky, Dunville's Irish, 6s‘per gallon ; bulk, 16s 9d per case; Kinahan’s, 20s 6d ; Mitchell’s 16s 6d per case : Scotch, 4s 8d to6s 6d per gallon for quarters ; case do, Lome, 19s 6d : Long John, 17s 6d per dozen ; old tom, 13s 6d to 15s per dozen. Sugar (duty. Id. per lb.)—There has been a fair trade doing In sugars during the month, quotations remaining unaltered from last month’s rates. It was reported that, a. telegram had been received down South advising that , the Sydney Refinery Companyhad further advanced their price 40s per ton, but as yet no confirmation of the advance has' been received here.' Sydney Company’s No/ 2 white is quoted at £4B to £49 per ton d.p.; I C, £47 to £47 10s; C, £42; and Y,‘ £4O per ton. Brewers’ crystals are wanted, there being none in stock. English • crushed loaf is worth £64 to £66 per ton. ; ■ ■ ■ Tea (duty, 6d per lb.)—Usual trade doing. , Lowpriced tea in boxes is rather' scarce. Full stocks'of chests and halves. Tobacco (duty, 2s 6d per lb.>—Trade during the month has been only moderate, but prices of best brands.of tobacco are, well sustained. Cameron’s twist, ls 9d ; Black SWftn, Is BJd i Shellard’s, Is 6Jd to Is 7d per lb: Venus tens. Is 91d to 1s lOd per lb. . Cigars (duty, 6s per lb,)—Usual demand. Wine (duty, 4s per, gallon.)—The wine trade has been dull during the month, and beyond the customary supplies for the retail trade we report no special sales. ■ i , , Colonial Produce. Butter.—Keg butter is more in demand than heretofore, and several,parcels. have been quitted at9jd to lOd per lb for shipment to the coast: but the trade as a whole, except for local consumption, appears to have almost become a dead letter, owing mainly to the indifferent manner in which in many cases it was cured. Exceptionally prime cured butter may be quoted at lOd to IOJd per lb. Cheese.—Canterbury cheesehas been in fair demand; but stocks having increased beyond local requirements, prices have given way, and we cannot give higher quotations than 7d to 7J<l per lb for goodsamples. Hams and Bacon.—Supplies of these articles have come forward freely, and stocks In the dealers’ hands are rather heavy, Prime Canterbury cure in cases, fairly assorted, arc selling at 9d to lid per lb, according to condition. Flour.---Our market has had unusually low stocks of Canterbury and Oamaru flour during the whole of last month, and holders have had' no difficulty in obtaining full rates. Prices have ruled from £l6 10s to £lolos for sacks in bakers’ lots. The market is quitebare of flour in bags, and in fact the stock of sacks Is but trifling, and only kept up by small shipments per steamer. Grain,—Stocks of oats have become low, and holders have advanced their quotations to 3s 3d to 8s 6d per bushel, at, which rates sales to a small extent have been effected. As prices are high in the Southern province these quotations will rule for some time for town consumption ; but as our country districts have produced this season larger crops than heretofore our requirements from the South will be considerable less than usual. There is no good milling wheat In stock; fowls feed is selling at 4s 6d to 4s 9 ; maize, in moderate supply, at 5s 3d to 6s 6d per bushel. Potatoes.—Fair supplies are coming forward at 70s to 80s per ton. Timber.— Notwithstanding the largo amount of building going forward in all parts of the city, sawn timber, owing to the quantities received from the various mills on the coast, continues, without any material alteration for builders’ lots; pine boards and scantling are quoted at 12s ; totals, 17s; and kauri, J6s per 190 ft. On the Oth Uenn, Beauchamp, Camp-

bell, and Co. sold the cargo of the Canterbury from Pelorus Sound, consisting of 30,000 ft sawn red pine timber, under the hammer, at from 7s to 9s per 100 ft.

BY TELEGRAPH AUCKLAND, Thursday. Brokers report Moanatairi sellers at 955.

The Custom* duties received at this port yesterday were as under £ 9. d. ■£■ ■■■ s. d. Spirits .. .. 162 14 1 Ale (bulk) .. 25 0 0 ■Wine . .. 15 15 7 Goods by wght. 17 4 4 Tobacco .. 58 12 6 Ad valorem .. 80fy 9 11 Tea ,. .. 3 0 0 Other duties .. 34 5 0 Sugar .. 22 19 2 ——■ Ale (bottled) .. 20 7 6 Total .. £731 8 1 The' Coatoma dutiea received at this port for the four weeks ending March 2, were as under:— • . £ a. d. £ s. d. Spirits , . 0378,18 8 Goods by wght. 911 7 11 Cigars.. . 191 14 10 Ad valorem .. 6604 2 9 Tobacco' . 1147 5 0 Other duties.. 270 14 8 Wine,. . 386 12 6 Light dues, Beer .. . 480 11 2 ghipidriK. &c. 594 i 2 Tea .. . 794 7 2 Coffee . 212 14 7 Sugar.. . 1403 13 2 Total £16,441 3 7