COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5302, 23 March 1878, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The following are the duties collected at the-Cus-toms yesterday;— . & s. d. £ »• <*• Spirits .. 172 10 0 I Ale. bottled .. 22 0 Wine.. .. 40 10 0 Goods by wgt. 29 11 4 Tobacco .. 188 12 GI Ad valorem .. 38 8 7 Sugar!’. !! 278 'I 81 Total .. £778 13 1 The amount of Customs duties collected at this port for the week ending March 21 was as undtr:—• £ s. d. £ s. d. Spirits ■ .. 994 1 3 Goods by wght, 287 11 5 Cigars .. 49 10 9 Ad valorem .. <l2 14 0 Tobacco . 275 2 « Other duties.. S 3 8 1 Wine.. 124 4 9 Light dues, Beer .. .. 184 11 3 shipping, &c. 49 12 2 Tea .. .. 120 2 0 Coffee.. .. 14 18 C Sugar.. .. 133 810 Total ~£3035 0 0 The import market during the past week has been characterized bv a general feeling of dullness and inactivity in all departments of trade. With large population now resident in the city, there is, of course, the usual demand for articles of general con- ! sumption, but the demand has been strictly limited to current wants, and we note a total absence of any speculative activity; nor can we report any improvement in quotations, which continue low, and greatly in favor of buyers. Some inquiry has existed for case brandy, Hennessy’s brand being quoted at 335, but we hear of no sales of importance. In colonial produce butter is little inquired for, prime cured, in kegs, being difficult to quote at 8d to 9d, while the large quantity of inferior cured at present in the market, is unsaleable at any figure beyond 2d per lb. Cheese is in fair demand, and first-class samples are worth to 8d per lb. Flour shows a downward tendency, and cannot bo quoted higher than £l2 10s to £l3* for first-class brands of Canterbury and Oamaru mills. The new flour lias not yet come into this market, but wo believe the quality is likely to be good, and as the crops have been heavy prices are not likely to improve. Oats: Light stocks at present, owing to the late harvest, but as stocks to come forward are heavy, wedlock forward to a relaxation of present rates. Maize scarce, and worth 5s 3d to 5s 6d. Fowls’ wheat, 4s per bushel. Mi. Georg* Thomas reports produce prices as follows:—Colonial flour, £l2 15s to £l3; Adelaide do, £18: oats, 4s 3d: bran, is Id to Is 2d; wheat, 4s to4s 3d; hams, 9d; bacon. Sd: cheese. 7£d; maize, 5s to 5s 3d; pollard, Gs Gd; potatoes, £4 15s to £5; butter, lOd; malt, 6s 9d; barley (fowl’s), 3s Sd. From a return lately to hand it appears that New Zealand exported in the year 1577 350,000 bales of wool, about a tenth of the whole amount being exported by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. MELBOURNE WOOL MARKET. Messrs. Clough and Co. report, in their circular dated M elbourne oth March, as follows Wool —The telegraphic advices of the opening of the February series of London wool sales having been received, we held our usual Monday’s sale on Friday last, when a catalogue of 400 bales was submitted, nearly the whole of which found buyers, at prices which, with some irregularity, showed a small improvement. Sheepskins.— We have had our usual supply during the week, and in consequence of the more favorable reports of the Home wool markets, following the settlement of the war in the East, there has been a rather brisker demand for skins, which we quote ns follows Green pelts. Is 3d to 3s 3d; lambs, Is 9d to 3s; dry skins, 3s Gd to 5s each; and dry station skins, in bales, 4£d to 7}d per lb. Hides.—We note the market this week is a little flatter, though without any absolute falling of prices, and have cleared a large supply at following rates, vi -—Green ox hides, at ISs to 40s each; cow's, 2jd to 2>]d per lb; Victorian.salted, 3jcl to 4£d; and several parcels of prime heavy-weight New Zealand, up to old per lb.; calfskins, Sid. to 4d. per lb. Tallow. This market remains firm, supply being small. Our sales have been—for inferior, £2O to £27; mixed. £2B to £33: beef, £3O to £33 10s; and mutton, £33 to £34 per ton. BY IELEGRAPH. AUCKLAND SHARE MARKET. (from our own correspondent.) AUCKLAND. Friday. Mr. A. Saunders reports ;—Sales : Bank of New Zealand. £23 15s; South British. 77s to 78s; Auckland Gas Co, £10: New Zealand Insurance Co, 90s. Buyers; National Bank. 73s Gd; Auckland Gas Co. £10; Union Insurance Co. 15s; Loan and Mercantile Co (new issue), 60s; Caledonian, 57s Gd; Tookey’s, 4s; Hunmui, Bs. (pkr press agency.) Mr. Lackland quotes : Fat cattle, 25s to 26s per 100 lbs ; fat sheep. 2d to 2jd; pigs, 2id, live weight. Mr. Binney quotes : Old flour, no sales ; new, £l4, in demand : oatmeal, £22 (market very bare); bran, £0; pollard. £6; bacon and ham, 8d (market well stocked); cheese. 6d; butter. Is; potatoes, 3s lOd; oats, 4s Cd; maize, Gs 3d CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The grain and produce market is very quiet. Quotations, f.0.b., at Lyttelton:—Wheat. 4s 9d to 4s lid; oats. 3s 3d to 3s Gd; barley, 4s 9d to ss; flour, £l2 10s to £l3 10s; bran, 4s 10d; sharps, 5s lOd: cheese, Gijd; butter, 9d; hams, bacon, 8d (in cloth). OAMARU, Friday. Grain market in an unsettled *tate, lumpers being unwilling to operate owing to Melbourne news that grain is receding in price. Quotations are —Wheat (prime milling), 4s 4d; ordinary, 4s 3d; oats milling), 3s 3d; fef*d, 3s Id to 3s 2d; bran, £3 10s per ion; pollard, £5 10s; potatoes, £3. All f.o.b.