COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5377, 21 June 1878, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Tho following are the duties collected t the Customs yesterday. , ' . ,

The following Is the Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington during the four weeks ending June 13:—

There has been little doing during the past lornweeks calling for any special notice, business generally having been dull, and-unmarked by any violent fluctuations of stocks or prices. Trade continues healthy, and the demand for goods for the various outports and inland towns which receive their supplies from this port, shows a continual increase, but owing to the great competition that exists, prices of every description are kept down to a minimum of profit, and importers find it difficult to make their profits commensurate with charges. The news that the now loan had been satisfactorily floated in London, and the probable peaceful termination of the Eastern Question, has given business a better tone. This, with the improved character of the wool market, should give us assurance that our trade, which has for some years so steadily increased, will not be chocked in Us ouward progress by events which are beyond our own control. Owing to the non-arrival of several : London ships during the month, our stocks are becoming more manageable, but with one or two exceptions we have ample supplies for current wants. For quotations we refer below. On May 27 Messrs. Beauchamp, Campbell, and Co. sold the undermentioned goods by public auction 6 cases assorted paperhangings at 9d to 2s 2d per piece; 85 cases Belgian glass, at the undermentioned prices:- 28 x 15, 28s per case ; 32 x 18, 23s ; 21 x 20, 20s ; 28 x 20, 20s ; 30 x IS. 21s ; 14 xlO 4ths, 15s ; 18 x 12. 10s ; 13 xl4 3rds, 18s ; 22 x 10.17 s; 31 x 28. 23s per box; 1 ton white lead, Hodson, at £2B ; 20 drums raw linseed oil at 4s 3d per gallon &c., &c. On the 31st Mr. G. Thomas sold under the hammer 20,000 Ormond Swiss cigars, at 35s 6d; 10 cases Genova, 4 gallons, at 10s ; 30 do Hennessey's brandy, 33s 3d, in bond ; duty paid goods, 50 half-chests tea, at Is 2d to Is 8d per lb ; 110 boxes, 14s 6d to 21s; Morton’s pickles, 8s 4d; Van Houten's cocoa, Ss Bsd; American salmon, 9s Cd; sago, 3d per lb; Sydney IC sugar, £45 per ton; currants, in case, 4Jd; sultanas, C|d; and figs, 7d per lb. On Juno 12—300 casks cement, 17s; 20 cases Washington chairs, 365; 25 cases Baltimore, 345; 30 cases office and ladies’ do, 90s; 100 cases sperm candles, ojd to OJd; 20 cases Morton’s lobsters, 7s Cd ; 5 cases colza oil, 5s per gallon. On Juno 18—20 cases pickles, 8s Cd; 20 cases Albert’s sardines, halves, 8s 3d; American salmon, 9s Id ; Apollo candles, OJd; King’s flour, £l2 per ton. We have to report no arrivals from London during the past month. The .Rialto, a full ship, sailed for London on the 30th March, with the undermentioned cargo2G9s bales wool. 27 bales sheepskins, 1491 casks and cases tallow, lie bales phorraimn, 0 cases shells, 5 bales rabbit skins, and suudey packages. Total value, £90,343 lls. Cd. The May sailed on June 3 for Hongkong; the Leucadia, for Newcastle, N.S.W., June G; the Canmoro. for Valparaiso, on the same day. The Chasca and Chaudicre are loading at the wharf ; The following ships are duo or on their way to this port From London; the Craigmullon, sailed February 21; Frith of Forth, sailed March 28; Aboona, April 29;JOrari, May 31; Caitloch, May 31; Pleione, April 29; and the Medea, 1005 tons ; Zealandia, 1115 tons; Rakaia and Wairoa, are loading. The Whittington sailed from Cardiff on March 7, with cargo for Wellington : the Star sailed from New York February 1C; G. M. Tucker February 19; Mercury March 20; Alma March 20; and the Southminster, 1200 tons, and Olenstee, 600 tons, were loading for this port, by last advices. The St. Louis, with brandies and French produce,-had sailed from Bordeaux to this port, consigned to Cheymol and Co. • Rates of freight to London.—Grease wool, gd per lb; washed do, Jd per lb ; undumped, fd extra; tallow, in cases, 60s; in casks, Css; and bides, 65s per ton. Bank Rates.—Exchange for bills on London—On demand, 2 per cent premium ;at 30 days, per cent do ; at 60 days, 1 per cent do : at 90 days, } per cent do. The banks'buying rates are—For bills at 90 days, 1 discount; CO days, £ discount; 80 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, 41 par cent; for C months, 5 per cent; for 12 months, per cost. The Suez mail was delivered in Wellington on the 30th May. The San Francisco mail was delivered on the Bth June.

Ale and porter (duty bulk Is per gallon, bottled, Is 3c* per gallon).—Bottled beer has become lower in stock than has been the case for some time past, and best brands of both ale and stout command fair average rates. The Bull Dog brand, which has been in especial favor in this market, has been all taken up, over 1500 cases having been sold by the agents within three months. Best brands of a’es are quoted at lls Cd to 13s per dozen. Stout is in moderate supply at 10s Cd to lls Cd per dozen. Bulk English ale meets with only moderate demand, McEweu’s being worth £9 to £9KB. per hhd. Bags and woolpacks (duty, 10 per cent).—Cornsacks meet with little notice, and are worth nominally 10s. per dozen, but we hear of no transactions worth reporting. In woolpacks, stocks in importer’s hands are light, and 101 b packs are selling at 3s Cd, with little business doing, as the season is now over.

Candles (duty, Id per lb) —The stocks of sperm candles have become lower, there being about 2500 to 3000 boxes only in first hands, mostly of foreign make. Quotations are firm at 9Jd per lb. Messrs. Kitchen and Sons state that they are now fairly at work, and report a good demand for their petrolines ; but having many back orders to supply it will be some time before they can keep pace with the local demand. Their prices, both for candles and soap, remain unaltered.

Cement (duty, Is per barrel).-There is a good local demand for cement, owing to tho increasing number of brick structures now in course of erection ; but stocks being heavy, and contractors’ hands for outside contracts being full, quotations rule low, and we cannot quote higher than 17s per barrel for best brands, at which price a lot was quitted at auction. Coffee (duty, 3d per lb).—Ordinary trade demand at Is 2.jd to Is 3d for best plantation. Chicory (duty, 3d).—Foreign chicory is quoted at Cd to Cjd per lb; with little or no demand, dealers preferring tho colonial-grown at the same figure. Confectionery (duty, 2d per lb).—English confectionery meets with moderate inquiry, and finds it difficult to hold its ground against the local raanufact are. Mr S. S. Griffiths reports a daily increasing demand for his ‘Wellington-made confectionery and biscuits, and owing to this he can hardly keep pace with the orders both from town and country. Keiller’s make is quoted at XOd to lOjd per lb. Flour (duty, 20s per ton).—Adelaide flour, owing to diminishing stocks, has kept up its value during the month, in spite of the large quantities of Southern flour that have been received. We quote £l7 10s to £l7 15s per ton for best brands. Fruits (duty. Id per lb).—A moderate business has been done in dried fruits, with little change in values Currants are in fair supply at 4£ to 4ijd per lb ; eleme raisins, 6id to 6d per lb ; sultanas, G|d to 7d per lb • muscatels, according to quality and condition Is to la 2d per lb; figs scarce, and worth 7$ to 8d; dried apples, Cd, with little inquiry, owing to tho large quantities of green fruit now received from Hobarton and Nelson; Persian dates, 5d to Cd per lb. Hops (duty, 3d per lb).—There are no English hops In importers’ hands. Colonial hops are dull at Od for Tasmanian and Is per lb for Nelson growth. Malt (duty, la Gd per bushel).—Market bare of English malt, with no demand, colonial growth being now used by the brewers, and quoted at 0s ’to Cs Gd per bushel.

Metals (duty, 10 per cent; corrugated iron and fencing wire, 20s per ton).—Stocks of corrugated iron are heavy, and move off slowly at £26 to £2G 10s per ton for best brands of 26 gauge. Owing to the new building regulations the 24 gauge meets with more inquiry but there is but very little of that thickness in the market. Fencing wire is dull at £l4 to £l6 per ton for Nos. 0,7, and 8; sheet lead is worth £2G to £27 per ton ; sheet zinc, £34 per ton, with improved inquiry, owing to the increasing number of buildings of a more permanent character now in course of erection.

Oils (duty, Cd per gallon).—The recent inquiry into the quality of tho kerosene Imported into this market has led to a comparative stagnation in tho trade, and will probably entail considerable loss on importers of this article. In the meantime the bulk of the oil in store may be said to be virtually condemned as unfit for sale without further rectification. Paint oils are in full supply, and worth 4s to 4s 2d per gallon for raw and 4s 5d to 4s Cd for boiled linseed in drums Turpentine dull at 3s Od to 4s. Colza oil scarce, and worth 5s Gd. Castor in moderate inquiry at 5s to 5s Cd per gallon for drums.

Oilmen s Stores (duty, 10 per cent).—A fair demand has been experienced during the month for most articles coming under this head, at reasonably fair prices. Stocks In most cases are not in excess, a r ,i several hues are becoming low. * JU Elce (duty, Jd per lb).—Usual trade dolin' stocks are becoming lower prices show a I' anu f harden. Wo quote £2l to £2B per ton jn ,ncy quality. > according to Salt (free).—Full stocks of bot> - n a . quoted at 80s to 90s per ton for *’ “ no an( * coarse, 80s per ton for coarse. “ J ? e former, and 75s to

nefsy’s bra’ndfos 1 - 28 t,Ct ='i‘Uon).—Martoll’s and Henfa?t month" ■ I nav . B . not ™ricd in value from our case must ’ ra 5. S ’ although the .took of Hennessy’s cornin'' 8 . ,J 0 P r , utt y well exhausted, with very little rat** «* f° r ' var< f» The effect of low stocks and high r to bring outside brands more into consumption, and tho demand is not now, as formerly, confined to the two favorite names. Ilenncssy's caso is quoted at 34a per dozen ; bulk, in quarters, 10s per gallon *, Martell s, 33s for case, and 9s 9d for quarters; Otard's, 26s to,2Bsper case, and 7s 9d to 8s per gallon; Barnet Fils’ aud Denis Mounie's are quoted at nearly similar rates ; rum is over supplied, and dull at 3s 8d to 3s lOd per gallon, for White's and Lemon Hart's; Geneva meets with dull sale at 13s to ICs per caso, according to contents: whisky, unaltered, and in fair demand for good brands of Irish and Scotch : Booth’s ©ld tom in little demand, and worth 14s Gd to 15s Cd per dozen. Sugar (duty, Id per lb.)—There has been the customary trade demand during tho month, at our last month’s rates, our stocks being kept up by regular supplies from the Australian refineries. Sydney Company I.C. is quoted at £44 to £44 10s per ton: No. 2 W., £4510s to £46 per ton, duty paid; crushed loaf sugar Is rather scarce, and worth £62 to £54 per ton for English. Tea (duty, Cd per lb.)—Wo have received telegraphic advices of the shipments of new season's teas on tho way, and report a fair trade doing, with moderate "stocks In bond.

Tobacco (duty, 2s 6d per lb.)—The price of tobacco has been a little easier, with moderate trade demand. Wo quote Black Swan twist Is 4d to Is 6d per lb.; St. Andrew's, Is 6d to Is Od; Venus tens. Is 5d to la did; Ovcr-tho-Water, la 2d per lb. Cigars (duty, 5s per lb.) —Full stocks of cigars of every description; sales of Ormond’s bwiss at 3Gs. wiijoa (duty, 4s per gallon.)—Very little doing. I orts and sherries realise fair prices, but tho market Is glutted with inferior sorts.

COLONIAL PRODUCE. Batter.—Keg butter is in little demand, and prices are unaltered. Prime quality is worth from 9d to 9*d per lb, and several lines have been shipped at this figure, but holders are hanging back for higher

Cheese.—Full supplies of Canterbury cheese have come into market, and move off slowly at 7kl per lb. Bacon and haras,—The new cure is now coming forward, and holders are asking fid for bacon and Od for hams, at which rates a fair amount of business has been doing. — c “ n terUury and, Oamaru flout lias gone down in value during the month, as wo anticipated t, ? e “ m,lde at £IS to £l2 los per t"d It luandu, guaranteed quality, for sacks. In

v,9i t “i n T°!^V en ' ain * lr,n at ■ ls 2tl to 4s 3d per * hlc)l nte * » steady trade lias been doing, stocks are only moderate, holders are looking mil 1 * Who ' lt for fowls I>»8 been i. r, i pp .i y at ia per bu » h «l- Maize: Ample stocks -tollard?W p o “" d W( "' th 1,1 2id per bu “ Uol -

Potatoes.—Full supplies have been received during the month, which have moved off at 75s per ton. Timber.—Active business doing in sawn timber at 10s to lls per 100 feet for pine boards and scantling in builders’ lots. Totara is quoted at 14s to 15s ; kauri, 15s to IGs per 100 feet. Mr. George Thomas reports produce prices as follows :—Adelaide flour, £18; colonial £l2 5s to £l2 10s; oats, 4s to 4s Cd (market bare); bran, la 3d (scarce); wheat, 4s 3d; hams, Bjd; bacon, 8d; cheese, 7Jd; maize, Cs 3d; pollard, 7s Cd; butter, Bd, BY TELEGRAPH. AUCKLAND SHARE MARKET. (per press agency.) AUCKLAND, Thursday. Mr. Binney reports Flour, £l3; oats, 4s 3d; maize, Gs; bran, £6; potatoes, £4; onions, Id. Sharemarket.—Sales ; South British, 70s; Loan and Mercantile Agency, £O. Buyers: National Bank 78s; New Zealand Insurance, 90s; Union, IGs 3d. Sellers: Guthrie and Larnach, 57s 6d; Bank of Now Zealand, £23 7s Gd. Mining.—Buyers: Moanataiari, 60s ; Alburnia, 50s; Kurunui, 13s Cd; Cure, 5s 9d. DUNEDIN, Thursday, Mr. Bradshaw reportsßank ef New Zealand, £23 10s; National Bank, £3 18a Cd; Colonial Bank, £2l4s; National Insurance, £1 ss; New Zealand Insurance, £4 10s; Union Insurance, 16s; Mosgiel Factory, £3 7a; Guthrie and Larnach’s factories, £2 17s Gd; Shipping Company, £3l3s Cd.

A s. <1. Spirits .. 231 8 1 Wine .. .. 20 5 5 Cigars .. ,. 41 16 8 Tea .. ii 0 0

£ s. d Ale (bottled)4 16 8 Ad valorem . . 1 8 0 Total ..£322 0 0

Spirits £ 8. .. 8000 18 d. 8 Cigars.. .. 367 18 1 Tobacco .. 1152 3 3 Wine .. .. 422 17 5 Beer ., .. 209 4 6 Tea .. .. 1021 7 9 Coffee .. 81 13 6 Sugar.. .. 2050 11 0

£ s. d. Goods by weight .. 549 2 1 Ad valorem .. 1053 1 0 Other duties 368 0 3 Light dues, ship9 ping, &c, .. 454 0 Total £11,641 10 3