COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5313, 5 April 1878, Page 2

COMMERCIAL .

The following are the duties collected at the. Customs yesterday. ' ,

WOOL REPORT. From advices received we learn that great quietude has continued to characterise the wool market. There can be no doubt that political suspense has contributed largely to this result, but at the same time accounts from almost all quarters represent trade as dull, and supplies in the hands of consumers adequate. The supplies lu stock on the Ist January were 114,000 bales more than on the corresponding date last year. From cablegrams received lately wo Unit that the February sales opened about the same as those immediately preceding. As the sales progressed a decline of about 8 percent, was experienced; towards the end. however, the fa-1 was pretty yearly recovered; the sales are expected to close immediately. A sphere is reported to bo a deficiency of 9.000.000 sheep in New South Wales and South Australia, it la most probable that the bettor feeling is attributable to this information becoming known in London. From prices current before us we regret to see the very low level whicli has been roacned by English wools: the prico has not been so low since 1355, when the fleeces of washed Lincoln hoggets brought I3d: this year they stand at loci. , T . i As the bulk of the wool grown in the North Island is either Lincoln or an approximation to the Lincoln, we fear the price prospests for the next season are far from bright. , , . , Merino clips, on the other hand, may be expected to fetch high prices, as the deficiency will be on this class. Wo append a few statistics, winch will doubtless prove interesting. Number of Sheep in the World in 1877, Computed from Latest Statistics. United Kingdom Continent, excluding Turkey and Greece 10b,8~4,377 United States British North America .. .. •• 5,300,000

Turkey. Greece. Roumania. Persia, North Africa, Russia in Asia 87.000,000 Australasia, which includes New Zealand 60,200,000 Cape of Good Hope • • River Plate Brazil 1.000.000 Central America and Mexico .. -. West Coast South America 4,000,000 Falkland Islands Sandwich Islands .. •• •• 200,000

Grand total .. .. .. 503,500,000 India, Central Asia, and China are excludedThese countries may contain, at a moderate estimate, 60.000. sheep. The total quantity of wool produced, adding one hundred and fifty million pounds for India. Central Asia, and China, would amount to eighteen hundred and sixty-two millions of pounds weight, or allowing 400 lbs to a bale, would make four millions six hundred and filly-five thousand bales of wool. The production of wool in Australasia has advanced from IGTlbs. in 1810 to *2Bl million pounds in 1877. The production of Californian wool has risen from 175,0001bs in 1854, or 437 bales, to 57,000,0001b3., or 142,500 bales. , x . In old countries (European) the production of wool is decreasing since 186 S, and may now be considered stationary. The European production receded from 100.000. in 18 S to 110,000,0001b5. in 1871, fully 25 per cent., aud the figures of 1877 again show a falling off. , .The River Plate production has increased from 50,802 bales in 1800 to 291,701 in 1877, bales weighing B}cwt* • The average increase of the population m the world is about I per cent, per annum. The production of wool during the eight years 1800 to ISCS does not show i similar growth, but reckoned upon clean wool un additional increase of 3 per cent. Since 1572, which was a year of over speculation and over consumption of manufactures, the requirements of the consumers of goods have decreased, through strikes, reduction of wages, and bad trade generally; and the same quantity of wool available, it follows that we have an over production of raw wool, and hence the fail of prices during the last four years. To bring prices back to a higher level we want either a decrease in production or a decided improvement in trade generally. As there is every prospect of war being declared between Russia and Great Britain, many speculations have been hazarded as to the effect it would have on the future of the wool market. The chances are that a fall would take place at first, but so long as two great manufacturing countc-es are not pitted against each other, we may, we think, venture to hope that prices will revert back to about present rates. Of course, higher insurance premiums would doubtless have to be paid.

(FltOX THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE PRESS AGENCY.) Capetown, January 22. The wool market has been practically unchanged during the past week or so. Snow white is at <ast rates, while ordinary scourcds have been withdrawn at Is 7d. A fair lot of scoureds realised Is fleece washed has realised lOd to 10A-. There is a good demand for fine grease; some flue average grease, tolerably light, fetched Old. aud heavier lots, C|j to C|; inferior, going slowly at ssd to 6d. Mohair is weaker, but little has been offered. A bale of middling realised Is 6Jd; sheepskins, averaging33U>s toljlbs, have been sold at 4d to 4jd per lb : a parcel of 3slb skins have been sold at 3gd. Goatskins sold at Hi per lb ; angoras, averaging 2glb to 2glb, sold freely at to 74d per lb. Dry scoured hides are fetching 4d to s jd, and wet are dull at 3d to 3//d per lb. Large heavy horns ate bringing B£d to 9d; lighter sorts, Ojd to 7sd per lb. „ . . The eastern districts of the colony are suffering from a severe and protracted drought. Transport is very high, and some districts are running short of supplies. Cattle and sheep are reported to be dying in largo numbers, and the Kaffirs at present in rebellion against the Colonial Government have entirely neglected agricultural operations, consequently grain is likely to be scarce and dear. The Imperial and Colonial forces have been r'gorously operating against the rebellious Kaffirs during the past week. Large captures of cattle have been made, and many of the enemy killed. Volunteers are flocking in from every portion of the colony to the frontier. A telegram received here to-day announces the suspension of Me-srs. Horwood Brothers, of Port Elizabeth. Liabilities, £95,000: assets, about *,45,000. Trade in the colony is generally very dull, excepting for provisions and munitions of war for the frontier.

BY TELEGRAPH. (moil oca own correspondent.! AUCKLAND. Thursday. Mr. Alexander Saunders reports:- Buyers; National Bank, 73s : Colonial Bank, 51s : South British, 75s ; Bank of New Zealand, £24; Union, 14s Od : Auckland Gas Co, £10; Loan and Mercantile, COs. Sellers : Moanataiari, 05s; Alburnia, COs; Knrunui, 15s 6d; Tookey Tribute, ss. (per press AOENCV.) DUNEDIN, Thursday. Mr. Bradshaw reports :—Bank of New Zealand, £2l ; Colonial Bank, £2 Us ; National Bank, £3 15s ; National Insurance, £1 2s : Standard, £1 3s : South British, £4 : New Zealand. £4 10s; Union, 15s ; Mosgiei Factory, £3 7s: Shipping Company. £3 15s ; Union Steam Ship Company, £7 ss; Guthrie and Larnach’s factories. £2 10s. OAMARU, Thursday. The Customs returns for the quarter ending 31st March is set down at £3990, against £3783 for the same quarter of 1877.

d. £ s. ..'163’10 0 Ale, bottled .. 130 2 6 Wine .. .. 12 9 7 Goods by wght 139 i) 0 .. 82 11 9 Ad valorem .. 712 2 7 Te» .. .. 41 1« 3 Other duties .. 68 2 Coffee .. Sugar .. ..7 0 .. 482 10 ? Total .. £1809 16 7