COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5260, 1 February 1878, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

The following are the duties collected at the Customs yesterday

Tie following are the amounts of Customs’ duties «oDected at the port of Wellington during the four weeks ending 24th of January : * • , ,

A dull tone has prevailed in this market during the past month in both English imports and colonial produce, which to some extent may be accounted for by the various holidays of this season, which have interfered with the regular current of business: but may also be laid to account of the heavy stocks on hand, and the disinclination of consignees to accept the low rates that as a consequence have been for some time and are in most cases now ruling. No material changes in quotations have occurred since our last month’s report. Brandies hav-i improved slightly, hut not to the extent the high rates in the London market would have led us to expect, and sugar quotations are lower in .Melbourne and Sydney, without as jet affecting this market. At an extensive trade sale by auction on January 18 the following prices were obtained : Morton’s pickles, assorted, 9s per dozen ; tartaric acid, in jars, Is 4d per lb; .St. Julien claret, in bond, Ts Cd ; champagne, X4s per dozen; figs, d.p., Pd per box of If lb ; sultanas, per lb : eleme raisins, 6d; muscatels, lljjrd: Jordan 'tlmonds. Is 9d per lb ; currants, in case. 4}d per lb; Persian dates. s|d per lb; sperm candles, 9jd per lb ; IC sugar. £42 ; No. 2 W, £43 per ton, slightly damaged; Ac., &c. Our arrivals during, the month have been the Wolloraai, from Melbourne, on January 10, with a full cargo of sugar, candles, corrugated iron, etc,, and the Araby Maid and Rialto, from London, on January 22. The Zealandia sailed for London on January 4. with a full cargo of wool, tallow, etc., value £103,000. The Wairoa on January C, cargo, value £80.847, and the Mataura on January 27, cargo, value £84.009. The following are summaries of the two last cargoes : Per Mataura- N.Z.L and M. A. Co.: 1602 bales wool: Krull: 1004 bales ; Bank of N.S. W. : 87 b iles ; Fell Bros, : 750 bales ; Sclandera: 33 do; Nathan: 10 do: Zohrab and Co.: 34 do : Johnston and Co : 311 do : Taylor: 216 do: Mcllae: 41 do; Port: 35 do; Khodes: 9 do; Gear: 185 casks preserved meat, 33 do tallow; Johnston and Co.: 46 casks tallow and sundries. Per 'VVairoa—N.Z.L. and M.A. Co.: 1855 bales wool, 30 pkgs tallow; Krull: 1188 bales wool, 44 casks tallow; Johnston: (507 bales wool 37 casks tdlow; Smith: 125 bales wool; Joseph and Co.; 16 do: Taylor; 7 do; Bank of N.S. W.; Odo: Sclandors: 74d0; Fell: 431d0; Sharp; 164 do:'Nathan: 11 do; Thomas: 13 do; Murray; 2 do, 23 casks tallow; Welford; G bales wool, 63 bags antimony ore, etc. The St. Leonards, loading at the wharf for London, is nearly a full ship, and will sail earlv in February. The only other vessel at present on the berth is the Hurunui, with ti»e greater portion of her cargostowed. Th- following vessels were loading or had cleared for this port from London Tho Gainsborough, soiled October 28; the B nvenuo, 997 tons, sailed November 16; Margaret Galbraith, 849 tons, sailed November 18 ; Lanarkshire, 794 tons. «a led December 10; River Leven, 780 tons, sailed from Glasgow November 1. The Himalaya and Lord of the Isles were loading in London in December. The Renfrewshire, with cargo for this port, has for some time arrived at Napier, bu» has not yet reached here.

Rates of freight to London.—Grease wool, $d per lb.; washed do. per lb.: tallow, in cases, 60s; in casks, 70s; and Irdos, sr>s per ton. Bank Kates.- Exchange lorbillson London—On demand, 2 percent, premium; at 30 days, li percent, do; at 60 days, 1 per cent, do; at 90 days, \ per cent. do. The banks'buying rates arc—For bills at 00 days, 1 discount; GO days, £ discount; 30 days. par. Discount on local bills, under 05 days, 7 per cent. ; under 125 days, 8 per cent.; over 325 days, 9 per cent. Interest allowed on deposits lodged for 3 months, \\ per cent. ; for 0 months, 5 percent.; for 12 months, 5} per cent. The San Francisco mail was delivered on January 25; the Suez mail on January 12. Ale and Porter (duty paid ; duty, bulk, Is per gallon; bottled, Is 3d per gallon).—Stocks of bottl d ales and stouts continue moderately ample, and favorite brands of sound are worth 11s to 11s 3d per dozen for quarts in trade lots; pints are worth 8s 3d to 8s 0d per dozen; bulk ale meets with ordinary demand at £9 10s to £!) 15s per bhd. Bags and woolsacks (duty, 10 per cent).—Cornsacks are low in stock, and holders quote 1 Is 3d mils 61 per dozo i: woolpacks dull, the season * for them being over: full size packs arc worth 3i 9(1 to 45., with little business done. Can lies (duty, Id per lb).—Stocks of gp.-*rrn candles are largely in excess, and prices unaltered from last month’s quotations: Prices Belmonts aro sell ng at 10d »o 10Jd: foreign do, D.jd per lb. / Cement (du’y, is per barrel). —Tlpto is no cement in importers’ hands, and prices rule high in conso-

(juence, as few shipments are coming forward. Fortunately most of the -contractors are supplied; but any fresh undertaking will have to pay a high figure. We quote 23a to 24s per barrel for small lots. Coffee (duty, Sd per lb). —Usual trade doing in plantation, which is worth Is 2Jd to Is 3J per lb; full stocks. , i* Chicory (duty, 3d per lb). -Colonial grown chicory sells at s£d per 10, and has entirely displaced the foreign article, which is quoted at Cjd to 7d per 10, dU Confeot Otiery (Au'y. 2(1 per lb).—English make meets with little inquiry. Keiller’s being quoted at 10Jd to 10}d per lb. A qood demand is reported for Griffiths' colonial manufacture. . - Klour (dutr. 20s per ton).—Owing to the reported advance in Adelaide, best brands of Adelaide arc firm at £l7 to £lB per ton. Recent advices state that Messrs Duftleld cl ared out the whole of their stock faomo 800 to 1000 tons) at £l4 per ton net cash. Fruit (dutv, Id per lb).—Dried fruits of every description are' overstocked, and as green fruit comes into market in largo quantities at this season, our demand is but trifling, and prices have given way. M e quote errants, 4jd to 4Jd per lb; eleme raisins, .>Jd to (id per lb; figs, 6d to 6.Jd per lb; sultanas, Gd to Cid per lb- but at auction lower rates have been accepted. Hops (duty. 3d per lb),—There are no Kent hops m this market, the colonial growth being now generally used by the local brewers. Californian Imps are worth Is 2d to Is 6d per lb; Tasmanian and New Zealand are Is 5d to Is Gd per lb . Malt (duly, Is Od per bushel).—English malt is unsaleable except at a heavy loss to the shipper M e report the sale of a small shipment recently, leaving a net lo* of £5 per tank. Colonial malt is quoted at Ss 3d to Od per bushel. Metals (duty, 10 per cent).— Corrugated iron is unaltered in value from last month’s rates, although stock* have increased by recent arrivals, and the domaud is somewhat less, owing to the holidays having interfered with the buildings ! n progress. We quote Braby’s Sun brand. £29 to £3O per ton ; Morewood s Gospel Oak, £2B to £29 per ton, for builders lots ; teirintr wire, £l6 10s to £l3 10s per ton for Nos. 6, 7 and 8; sheet lead, £27 to £2S per ton ; zinc, £36 per tC> oils (duty, Gd per gallon). -Kerosene remains at Is 10J per gallon, at which rate mu di of the stock that ha? been received during the month was previo sly sold to arrive. The C. A. Littlefield, with -000 oises • the Lorinda Borstel. with 3400 cases; and the John A. Stanhope, with 3400 cases, are expected daily. Paint oils are heavily stocked at 8s lid to 4s for drums ; turpentine, 3s 4d to 3s Gd per gallon. Oilmen’s stores (duty, 10 per cent.)—O ily moderate trade doing in articles under this head. Stocks are increasing i’» importers’hands. Rice (duty, jd per lb).-Moderate demand at £26 to £27 p*‘r ton for dressed samples. Stocks ample tor present wants. ' . . Salt (free).—Fair stocks at 95s to 100 s per ton for fine and coarse. ■ x .... , Spirits (duty, 12s per gallon).—Martells and Hennessy’s brandies have advanced in value during the month and are now quoted at 9s Gd to 10s per gallon for hulk, and 33s Cd to 34s for case. Denis Moume s bulk brandy is coming more into repute in this market and is worth Ss Cd to 9s per gallon, at which rates it moves off freely. Other brands meet with little inquiry. All other spirits are unaltered, and as stocks are heavy sates are restricted to the current wants or the retai trade. We quote B.P. rum 3s 9d to 3s 10d ; Scotch whisky. 4s to 5? Gd per gallon, according to brand ; Danville's Irish do, 5s Cd to 5s 9d for bulk, and 18s to 18s 9d for case; geneva, full stocks at 11s Gd to 18s per case, according to contents. Sugar (duty, Id per lb).—A report was current in this city that the Australian Sugar Company had reduced their pric s 403 per ton, but no advice has been received that th information was co reel, and quotations here are unaltered. We quote No. 2 white £46 15s per ton d.p.: IC, £45 15s; C, £42 ; and Y, i;39 per ton: crushed lo*f, £56 to £53 per ton for English. Tea (duty, Cd per lb).—Moderate trade doing, with no variation in price for the better cl vss of teas. A large quantity of inferior and damaged teas has been selling bv auction at low rates. Tobacco (duty, 2s Cd ; cigars, Bs per lb).—A steady trade has been and is still doing in tobacco and cigars, but entirely confined to the wants of the retailers, with no change in quotations. Black Swan twist is quoted at Is Gd: Cameron's do. Is Sd; Barrett’s, Is 4d to ,1s Gd ; Ve ;us tens are worth Is 8d; outside brands Is 2d to Is 4d. and difficult to place at those figures. Swiss cigars are in fair demand at 45s ; manillas. 60s to 80 per 1000. ■ • • -. Wines (duty, 4s per gallon).—Fair trade doing in the better class of ports and sherries, at good ..values. Market overstocked with inferior sorts. COLONIAL PRODUCE. Butter.—Keg butter has met with more inquiry towards the close of the month ; but owing to the low price at which fresh butter has been ruling, there has been little improvement in value, although we hear of sales of exceptionally prime cure at Bid to 9d per lb; go d saleable quality is quoted at Sd, which is an advance on last month’s rates. Bmon and haras.—Cloth-packed hams and bacon of the new season’s cure are worth Bsd to 9d per lb. Quantities of lost season’s cure are sold at auction at nominal rates, Daring a considerable loss to the shippers Cheese.—Canterbury cheese has been in fair supply, and holders are now Arm at BJd to 9d per lb for 'prime samples. Stocks of old and inferior are still heavy, and only saleable by auction at nominal rates. Flour. There has been no change in this staple in the market, although prices are advanced b®th in Oamaru and Canterbury. Holders quote £l4 per ton for sacks of best brands, guaranteed ; but stocks arc ample, and th© desire to realise le ds to lower rates. We hear of sales at £l3 10s to £l3 17s Gd: The harvest down South having been a fairly good one, there is little apparent prospect of higher rates unless some unforeseen demand should arise. Grain —The quotations for oats are weaker, owing to the prospect of the new crop being shortly brought in. Stocks are ample for present wants of the <’onsumers, quotations ranging from 4s to 4s 3d pir bushel according to quality ami amount of parcel. Maize is dull of sale at 4s 9d to 5s ; fowls’ wheat, 3s 6d to 4s ; bran. Is to Is 2d per bushel, and is low in stock. Pollard dull at £7 to £7 5s per ton. Timber.—Sawn timber continues in active demand, in consequence of the I rge amount of building going on in all parts of the city. Pine boards and scantling are quoted at 10s to lls ; totara, 15s to 16s: kauri. 13s to'l4s per 100 ft., for cargoes from the coast We understand that it is the intention of the saw-mill proprietors to advance their rates from the,beginning of February, and prices will be Is per 100 ft. higher.

The Customs duties collected at the port of Wellington for the month of January were as follows:

For the corresponding month of last year, £12,040 Ss. 6d. Mr. George Thomas reports produce prices:—Flour, colonial. £l4 to £l4 10s; Adelaide do., £18; oats, 4s 2d to 4s 3d: bran scarce, and in demand, at Is Id; wheat, no demand, 4s; hams, 9d; bacon, 8d; cheese, full supply. 7Jd per lb; potatoes, new, £0 per ton; pollard, market glutted, 4s; maize, ss; butter, 7d. BY TELEGRAPH. AUCKLAND SHARE MARKET. (rnon our own correspondent.) AUCKLAND, Thursday. Mr. A. Saunders reports ;—Sales ; South British, 78s; National Insurance, 30s; Albumin, 70s; Cure, ss. Bayers ; National Bank, 72s Gd : Colonial Bank. 50s ; National Insurance. 30s; Union Insurance. 13s; Moanataiari, 81s. Sellers: Hank of New Zealand, £23 17s 6d; Standard, 235: Tookey tribute, 0s 3d; Tokatea, Os 3d; Kurunui, 15s Gd. DUNEDIN, Thursday. Mr. ,1, B. Bradshaw reports :—Bank of New Zealand, £24; Colonial-Bank, £2 lls. cum. div.; National Bank, £3 14s; National Insurance, £1 10s; Standard Insurance. £1 2s; South British Insurance, £3 8s; New Zealand Insurance, £4 15s: Union Insurance, 13s; Mosgiel Factory, C 3 7s; Shipping Company, £4 ; Union Steamship Company, £7.

Spirits £ s. .. 12 0 d. 0 Wine .. ..6 4 0 Tobacco .. 72 11 6 Tea .. 8 15 0 Sugar -. .. 77 10 6

£ s. d. Spirits ,. 2843 16 10 Cigars.. .. 22i ie 4 Tobacco .. 792 1 3 Wine .. ,. 489 9 10 Beer .. .. 477 6 3 Tea .. .. 1220 13 10 Coffee.. .. 80 10 11 Sugar.. .. 1644 18 1

£ 3. d. Goods by vrgi 20 16 0 id valorem ■ 714 1 Total .. £205 11 1

& s. d. Goods bywgfc. C97 5 9 Atl valorem .. 1320 5 0 Other duties.. 202 « 7 Light dues, shipping, &c. 1207 19 8 Tola! £11.323 10 i

Spirits & s. 3139 11 d. 2 Cigars.. 273 3 C Tobacco 1293 7 9 Wine .. 510 4 0 Ale, bottled. 618 12 0 Ale, bulk 30 0 0 Tea . 1142 4 3

£ S, d. Coffee.. .. 182 12 Sugar,. .. 1833 6 2 Goods by wgt. 1251 0 4 Ad valorem ., 8112 10 3 Other duties.. 431 8 1 Total £18,823 0 5