COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5440, 3 September 1878, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The following are the duties collf ctcd ab the Customs yesterday

By 'IELEQjtAEH. AUCKLAND SUAEIS MARKET, (mojt oon own oor-nrapoNUKNT.) . , AUCKLAND, Monday. Mr. Alexander Saunders reports:—Buyers: National Xniurance, 27»; South British, 70s; New Zealand, W/s; Hank ol New Zealand, £2-1; Colonial Bank, OH ; National. 78i: Shlppinff, 8fls; Anckland Gas, £lO A*. Sellers; Colonial Insurance, (is lid; South British, 7iL; Albumin, DCs ; Kurimul, Ids; Corby, 17a (id. ■ ■ ■■■• ■ ■ ■ . .

LONDON WOOL" MARKET. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company in their circular, dated London, 18th July, report as follows: —Business transactions have been limited to immediate trade requirements, and there seemed no present desire to enter into operations of a speculative character. The signing of the treaty of peace, although conveying the assurance of a more settled state of affairs in the Immediatefuture. is of too recent accomplishment yet to determine Its effect upon the home industries. There is evidently more .enquiry in almost all branches of trade, but the ideas of> buyers and sellers are not sufficiently ip accord at present to admit of any decided expansion in business. This is specially noticeable in the manufactured iron and stool trades, where large orders aro known to bo in reserve so soon as they can bo placed within tlie limits beyond which buyers in the present condition of the foreign market! do not consider themselves justified in advancing. . . . The Customs’ returns for dune were issued on tlio Bth instant, nnd subjoined will be found our usual extracts therefrom. The total im-orts f ojtho month amount to £28,031,103 against £20,5»10.3T0 for tlio corresponding period of 1877. or a dimlnution of nearly 4 per cent The total exports reach £10,001,038 aa compared with £15.305,039 in Juno last year, the falling off being not much more than 1J per cent. For the first half of the year the Imports aggregate £189,047,851 against £105,418,403 In 1877, JJ‘ l exhibit a reduction for that period of £0,800.549 being equal to about 3 per cent. The exports for the six months amount to £04,000,100 as cornered with £05.234,130 in last year, and practically snow no it is noticeable that the food products which tor a Ion? time past havo largely contributed to swell the account have diminished slightly in quality, and on account of the recent fall in prices to a greater extent in value. Wheat has been received 0J- per cent, loss in quantity, but 21} por cent..less in value: wheat flour and oats exhibit a lolling and 194 per cent, in quantity, and and 23 per cent, in value respectively. On the other hand, barley and Indian com show a considerable augmentation in quantity, butjnot to a correspond log extent in value. Of articles of produce for manufaoturing purposes, cotton shows an increase of 42} per cent m quantity, but only of 5 per cent, in value . flax a decrease of 30J percent, in quantity, .and of SOI per cent in value; hemp has fallen off in almost llko proportion: and raw silk, wool, and hides also'show' a diminution both In quantities and values. Jute is an exception, the import being 119 per cent, and the value 100} per cent, greater than In Juno, 1877. Turning to the exports, a favorable feature is the Increased value of machinery and mill work, without any corresponding increase in quantity. Wearing apparel, haberdashery, and hardware and cutlery are also dearer. Yarns, both cotton and woollen, have been exported to a larger extent, buti values seem still to be declining. The diminution in the export of wool reaches 30} per cent in quantity and 23 per cent, in value, and woollen carpets 24 per cent, in quantity and 22 per cent, in valne. The downward movement in iron and steel has not yet apparently been arrested, the quantity being 5} per cent loss and the value 7} per cent, lower on comparison with the figures of Jt The malis from Australia and New Zealand via San Francisco were delivered in London on the Bth lust., and brought advices to the following dates, viz.: Melbourne 20th, Sydney 23td, and Auckland 28th M From New Zealand there is little of any moment to report in connection with commercial affairs Notwithstanding the feeling of anxiety exhibited throughoufc the colony in consequence of the warlike tenor of telegrams from Europe bearing upon the Eastern question, business does nob appear to have been sensibly affected. The demand for almost all descriptions of imported goods is stated to have been fairly active since the departure of the previous mail, and should the difficulties between Russia ana England result in an amicable adjustment, it was expected that trade would experience a decided impetus. As the Treaty of Berlin just concluded has now effected such desired peaceful settlement, it is to be hoped that the anticipation will be realised. That Bow Zealand is attracting capitalists and the better class of emigrants from this and other centres is evidenced by the fact that according to the census returns of the province of Canterbury lately published, about six thousand persons have, during the last four years, found their way thither at their own expense, the number of unassisted as compared with assisted passages being in the ratio of one to three. And there is no reason to doubt but that similar statistics furnished from other parts of the colony would show equally favorable signs of pro**Advices from Victoria are not of a very satisfactory character. The improved tone which followed immediately upon the settlement of the political crisis to which we have alluded in previous issues was not sustained, and has indeed been followed by a commercial failures, which points to the conclusion that business has been carried on upon an unsound basis for some time past, and until the unstable firms shall have been weeded out, no lasting improvement can be looked for. A redeeming feature is the continued favorable reports from the pastoral districts ; copious rains having fallen and a plentiful supply of water assured, but the effect in this direction cannot bo properly estimate 1 until later on in the season.

£ (1, Spirits . * .. 191 1 9 Wlno .* 42 10 10 Tobacco .. 03 4 7 I'M t . n 0 CWeo .. .. 7 0 0 Sugar .. .. 23 G B

Ale (battled) £ 8. .. 0 12 a. a Weight e. 378 0 4 Art valorem .. JJ47 C 2 Othr,r duties .. 331 1C C 7'oUl ..£2920 0 10