COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5236, 4 January 1878, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

The following are the duties collected at the Customs yesterday;— £ a. d. £ g. d. Spirits .. 145 14 3 I Goods by wght 917 6 Wine .. .. SI 0 5 Ale (bottled).. 2 7 6 Tobacco ... 9 0 0J Ad valorem .. 1C 10 6 Tea .. ~ 49 1 0 I Coffee .. 8 8 0 Sugar.. .. 94 081 Total ..£366 510 The Customs duties received at this port for the years 1870 and 1877 were as under; — ;

Owing to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays business during the last month has been *f an uncertain and intermittent character. A good demand has been experienced for most kinds of imported goods, both for the town and country trade, but owing to large stocks on hand dealers have confined their orders to the supply of their immediate wants. We hear of no sales for speculative purposes, and-as re - gards quotations, note few ‘or only trilling changes, which will he found below. The retrospect of the past year's trade of the port, as estimated from the Customs returns, slows an improvement to the extent •f £10,8f»7 on ad valorem and other imports, the three last Items; but the improvement has been greater than indicated by that result, as stocks out of bond were much larger at the beginning of 1877 than they are at present, the greater bonding facilities wow enjoyed enabling merchants to keep a larger, amount of goods in the bonded warehouse than could have been done at that time. Upon the whole, tie increasing trade of the port affords matter for congratulation, and although over importation necessarily has kept down profits, wc have few losses-to record, and are gradually but surely making the port a depot for the rest of the colony. The following vessels were loading or had sailed for this port from London >-Kiolto, sailed October 0; Jlenfrewshire, September 20; Araby Maid, October 24; Gainsborough, October 28; Margaret Galbraith, No-

veinberl3: and the Lanarkshire loading. The River Leven sailed from Glasgow on November 1. The Zealandia has cleared for London with the following cargo:—s2oo bales and 33 packages wool, C 7 bales skins, 117 casks tallow, 168 cases preserved meat, 24 packages sundries. Total value, £103,000. She sails to-day. The Wairoa has completed her loading, and sails shortly. The Mataura and St*. Leonards ate taking in cargo at the wharf. The. Waitara sailed for the Bluff on December 21, where she will load for London. Rates of freight to London.—Grease wool, §d per lb.: washed do, ijd per lb.; tallow, in cases, 00s; in casks, 70s; and hides, 55s per ton. Bank Rates.- Exchange for bills on London, on demand. 2 percent. premium; at3odays,li- percent, do; at 60 days, 1 per cent, do; at 90 days, j per cent. do. The banks' buying rates are—For bills at 90 1 discount; GO days, £ discount; 30 days, par. Discount on local bills, under 95 days, 7 per cent.; under 125 days, 8 per cent.; over 125 days, 9 per cent. Interest allowed on deposits lodged for 3 months, 4.J- per cent. ; for C months, 5 per cent.; for 12 months, 5J per cent. The San Francisco mail was delivered on December 31, 1877.

Ale and porter (duty paid, bulk, Is per gallon: bottled. Is 3d per gallon).—Wo report a fair inquiry for bottled ales and stouts. whi*di move off in trade lots at from 10a Od to 11s 9d per dozen, for favorite bruuls if in good condition ; stocks continue ample for all requirements. In bulk ales there is little doing until the new brow comes in ; quotations for Barton ale in hhffs £9 10s to £lO per hhd. Bags and Woolpacks(duty, lOpercent.)—Cornsacks have been in fair request for the coast, and as stocks in importers’ hands are low. prices have advanced to 11s Gd per dozen. Woolpacks are comparatively neglected, the season being nearly over and the stations supplied. Stocks are ample at 3s Dd to 4s for 101 b packs, 3s 8d to 3s 9d for 81b packs. Candles (duty. Id per lb.)— At this time of the year the demand for candles is comparatively light, and as stocks are much in excess we report no improvement in quotations. Foreign make arc worth Old to lOd, and Price’s Belmont’s lOd to lOjd per lb, in small trade lots, Messrs. Kitchen’s local make are coming daily more and more into public favor. Owing to their permanent works not being yet completed, they have more orders on their hands than can be conveniently executed with due regard to the of their customers. They quote 9id for Petrolincs, and SJd for Stars. Cement (duty, Is per barrel). —Stocks oi cement continue low, and in order to supply immediate wants some 1500 casks have been imported from Australia during the month. The demand necessary for the completion of contracts now in progress and the prospective increase of brick buildings in the city, is likely to bo good, and as few shipments arc advised, prices must necessarily advance. Present quotations are 22s 6d to 24s per barrel, according to brand and parcel. Coffee (duty, 3d per lb.)—We report no change m this article. Stocks of Plantation are ample for current wants, prices varying from Is 2ld to Is 31- per lb, in bond.

Chlcorv (duty, 3d per lb.)—This market is now supplied with local grown chicory, quoted at 6LI per lb ; imported is quoted at C£d to 7d per lb, duty paid, but meets with only moderate sale. Confectionery (duty. 2d per lb.)—There has been an active demand during the festive season for our local manufacture, and Mr. S. S. Griffiths’ steam works have been kept in full play to supply orders from town and country. English manufacture is moving off slowly, but is gradually givintr place to our own make. We quote Keillcr’s at to lOld per lb dutvpaid. Flour (duty, 20s per ton).—Adelaide flour lias moved off in small lots daring the month at £l6 KD to £l7 per ton, but importers have within the last few days advanced their rate to £l7 10s, for sacks. We see ho reason to expect that flour will rule higher this season; on the contrary, owing to large importations .to the English market from the States and California. Australian wheat shows no margin of profit, and must be usfd up in the colonies at best obtainanb* value. Stocks on hand are ample, with advice of about 400 tons on the way. Fruits (duty. Id per lb.)—Dried fruits have been in fair inquiry, and stocks are becoming more manageable, Cun-ants are firm at 4sd per lb, with an upward tendency; Eleme raisins are worth 6;]d to 6pl per lb for good fruit; figs, 7d per lb ; sultanas, Gjd to 7d ; muscatels, Is Id to Is 2d per lb; dried apples in little demand at 6d per lb. I lops (duty, 3d per Ih.)—No English in importers’ hands. Tasmanian hops are worth Is od to Is Cd per lb: Californian. Is 3d; Nelson. Is Sd to Is Ski per lb. Malt (duty, Is Gd p;r bushel).—No English malt in stock. Colonial malt is quoted at 8s 3d to S.s Dd per bushel.

Metals (duty, 10 per cent.) Corrugated Iron and Fencing Wire, 20s per ton).—Stocks of corrugated iron are ample, but the demand for this article continues active at fair remunerative prices. Braby's Sun brand, which is coming greatly into request in the building trade, is quoted at £29 to £3O per ton for 20 guage; Morewood and Gospel Oak, £2B 10s to £29 10s. Fencing wire moves off fairly at £l6 10s to £lB 10s per ton, for Nos. 0. 7, and S, the only numbers that are required. Sheet lead is worth £27 to £2B per ton; zinc, £3G per ton. Oils (duty, Gd per gallon). —Tkere has been no change in quotations for kerosene during the month, prices remaining at Is lid to 2s per gallon. Stocks are becoming lower, but as several shipments are advised as on the way, we look for no improvement in rates. The C. A. Littlefield has 2000 cases, the Lorinda Bristol .3400, and the John A. Stanhope 3400 cases for this market, and are all nearly due. Paint oils continue dull, and overstocked. Haw and boiled linseed in drums, 3s lid to 4s per gallon. Turpentine, 3s 4d to Ss Gd per gallon. Oak varnish, 9s: copal do. 11s Cd per gallon. Wlutelead, No. 1, £35; No. 2. £33 p*r ton. White zinc, £36 to £37 per ton. Stocks of pa’nts, &c., are heavy, and difficult to move, except in small lots. Oilmen’s Stores (duty, lOpercent.)—Trade has been rather quiet in most of the articles coming under this heading, hut stocks being rather lighter than usual, •prices have become more favorable, but even now yield but a small percentage of profit. Rice (duty, kl per lb.)—Fair supply at £2O to £27 per ton for best dressed samples. Salt (free).—Moderate stocks at 95s to 100 s for fine and 90s per ton for coarse salt. -pints (duty, 12s per gallon).—Brandies arc slightly firmer, but owing to the large stocks in bond here and in the neighboring colonies, prices have not advanced in the ratio of the advance in Europe, MarteU’s and Tfeiinessy’s in quarters are dull of s <1" at 9s 3d, case do being worth 33s to 34s per dozen: other brands nominal. . There is no change in prices of other spirits, which remain low. and only move off to meet current wants —stocks of all being heavy. Dunville’s whisky is quoted at 5s 6d to 5s 8d per gallon for bulk, and 18s to 18s 6d for bottled. Scotch whisky 4s to 5s Cd per gallon, according to brand. Case gin in ample supply at 11s Gd according to contents. Old Tom in little demand at 13s and 13s Gd per dozen for Barnett’s and Booth's. Sugar (duty Id per lb). - Our usual regular supplies have come in from the Sydney and Melbourne refineries, and prices remain unaltered from last month’s rates. No. 2 white is worth £46 15s per ton d.p.; IC. £45 15a; C, £42: and Y, £39 per ton, English crushed loaf is in fair demand for preserving, and is worth £56 to £53 per ton. Brewers’ crystals scarce, and worth £4B to £SO per ton.

Tea (duty Gd per lb). —Wo report no change in values. A fair business lias been doing in new season’s' teas at rates that afford a good margin of profit. Tobacco (duty 2* Cdperlb). Cigars (duty 5s per lb) — A fair amount of trade has been done in tobaccoes and clears at prices unchanged from last month’s report. Best brands of twist are quoted at Is 5d to ]s 7d per lb : tens, Is 4d to Is Od: Swiss cigars, 45s to 46s per 1000; Manillas, 60s io 80s, full stocks ; Ifavannas are worth from £l2 to £2O. per 1000 in bond. Wine (duty 4s per gallon). —Usual trade doing; stocks ample. Best brands of pprts and sherries realise full rates. COLONIAL PRODUCE, Butter. —Keg butter has ruled low during the month, and farmers are as usual holding hack their stocks. Prime cured is not worth more than Od to 6Jd per lb, and only moves off in small lots for retail trade wants. Cheese. —Canterbury cheese has slightly improved in value, but owng to r.he large quantity now produced and coming into this market the price rules low, and quotations remain at 7d to 8d lb for good samples. Haras and bacon.—Stocks of cloth packed are lighter, and holders now ask 8d to 9kl per lb. During the past month large quantities of *ld and inferior cured have been pushed off under the hammer at very low prices, which has necessarily tended to depress this market. Flour.—Camara and Canterbury flour has shown little fluctuation during the month, £l4 10a to £ls 10s per ton having been the ruling quotations. Stocks equal to the wants of the trade. Grain.—Cats have shown indications of improvement, and prime feeding sorts are now worth 4s to 4s Id per bushel, stocks in dealers bands having become low. Bran has moved off readily at lOd to 12d per bushel; pollard, £7 to £7 10s per ton ; maize is in fair supply at 5s per bushel ; oatmeal, £lB to £l9 per ton. Timber-Largo stocks of sawn timber on hand, while as the demand for building’purposes still continues good, prices remain unaltered. Wo quote red pine boards and scantling. 10s to 11s ; totara, 15s to 16s ; kauri, 13s to 14s per 100 ft, for cargoes of mixed sizes from the sawmill?. Wool.—Shipments to a considerable extent continue, but are made mostly on growers' account. The few sales that have come under notice show an improvement of a halfpenny per lb on what was paid last season. BY TELEGRAPH. . DUNEDIN, Thursday. H. Driver reportsWheat—Llttleanlmation; milling, 4s Cd to 5s for good samples. Oats in brisk demand, supplies coming In slowly. Barley—None offering; demand alack;

1876 Spirits .. 1877 £44,520 Cigars .. 3,223 Tobacco .. 13,498 14,523 Wine .. 6,180 Tiecr .. 6,454 0,510 Tea .. .. .. 9.492 11,421 Coifee .. .. 1,295 ■ / .. 17,617 1.346 Sugar 17,630 Goorts by weight .. 10*114 12,997 Aclvtlorern .. .. 46*003 52.823 Other duties .. .. 5,046 6,207 - £101,873 £177,380