The Melbourne Argus of February 26, says :—

Otago Daily Times, Issue 98, 10 March 1862, Page 4

The Melbourne Argus of February 26, says :—

There is no change to notice in the markets. Some speculative inquiries have been afloat about brandy, bottled boers, and oats, but without leaJing to any transactions of moment. The rumor of later English news at the Heads from Mauritius, has prevailed throughout the day, and has interfered with the course of trade. The Laughing Water lias arrived in the Bay, having left the island on the 22nd January, on which day a steamer (probably the mail) was entering Port Louis. We are without our files due by this opportunity.

In the flour market there has lieen a steady business doing to-day, and wheat and other grain have ■been without change. Messrs. Genimel, M'Caul, and Co. sold by auction—Portland wheat, ss. per bushel ; bran, Is. 4d. ; potatoes, £3 12s. Gd. per ton ; Bather's jams, Bs. 9d. per dozen ; mixed biscuits, in Itins, 2}d. to 4d. perlb. : I.N.E. matches, Is. 9d._ per gross; green chicory, all faults, Id. perlb. ; King's ihams, all faults, 6J-d. ; Scotch whiskey, in bond, 2s. Id. per gallon. Messrs. Greig and Murray sold at the Victorian Railway Terminus—so tons Liverpool salt, coarse, £41.05. to. £4 15s. per ton, fine. £4 10s. per ton. And at their rooms—Hales sperm candles, all faults, at 18Jd. per lb. ; lull weight foreign do., do., 12£ d. per lb. ; lightweight foreign do., do., IOJ-d. per lb. ; cinnamon, Is. 3d. per lb. ; Java ration sugar, £35 per ton ; Brisbane arrowroot, 4d. per lb. ; Stivens's half-pint sauces, 6s. 6d. per dozen : do. pint sauces, (is. 6d. per dozen; ground ginger, lOd. per lb. ; colonial cheese, 7£d. per lb. ; anchor brand geneva, 12s. per case, in bond. Messrs. Beauchanip and Byrne sold, at their rooms, a quantity of damaged kerosene oil, in casks and cases, at 2s. Gd., 3s. •5d., and 3s. Gd. per gallon, and sound at 4s. 6d. per gallon. The Ags of the same date has the following1: — The import market, with few exceptions, continues dull, and transactions are neither numerous nor important." In sugar, however, there is something doinir. The Laughing Water arrived to-day with 3WO bags of Mauritius,' for Messrs. M^Cullocu, Sellar arid Co. During the last two days two other cargoes have changed hands, and it. seems probable that at least present prices will be maintained. There has been some speculation in cigars; Swiss are now held at 80s. and No. 2 Manilla at !)ss. For brandy also there has linen some inquiry, and Martoll's dark cannot bo purchased under 123. The flour and grain market remains inactive. From our last advices from California, which are to the 10th December, we learn thnt there will be less com to spare for foreign markets this year than hist. The intelligence also alludes to the deficiencies in other countries; in France, of 515,800,000 bushels (in 1801); and in the United States of a considerable quantity in the coming harvest—probably 20 per cent, of last year's crop, or 34,400,000 bushels. The Californirm Herald considers that they could not spare more than 12,000,000 of bushels of export, and that under existing circumstances it would be imprudent to send muclTgrain out of the country. Messrs. Frascr and Cohen sold by auction this day the damaged portion of the cargo of sugar ex Triomphe from Mauritius, consisting of rations, at. £31 to £34 15s: and medium to good counters, at£36 10s. to £39. ' In the stock and share market, sales are reported of National Bank of Australasia shares at SI. Bs. ; Australasian Insurance Company, at 11. 12s. o'd. ; Collingwood and Fitzroy Gas Company, at 41 125. 6d.; Albion, Steglitz (mining), at 11s per share. Messrs. Baillie and Butters, in their weekly circular, issued this afternoon, report the railway market as almost void of transactions. Intelligence has been received by ship of the placing of 'Melbourne and Hobson's Bay shares in the London market at 501., and debentures at 111 Z. In banks, little had been done, except in National Bank shares. Insurance and gas companies had been dealt in sparingly.

By the " Kangatira " news has been received from Sydney to the 22nd February. The following statement exhibits the annual increase in the production of gold in New South Wales since the year 1857 :—-Produce of 1857, weight 175,951 08., value" 674,477?.; 185S, weight 280,709 oz., value 1,104,175*.; 1859, weight 329,363 oz., value 1,259,123?.; 1860, weight 334,055 oz,, value 1,462,772?. ; 1861, weight 405,753 oz., value 1,805,55 G. It will be gathered from this statement that the produce of 1801 is twenty-one per cent, in excess of that of 1800. The amount of gold coin issued by the Sydney branch of the Royal Mint during the week ending on Saturday last, was 50,000 soys. ; and the quantity of golddust received for coinage, 12,126 oz. The following is from the Sydney Morning Herald of 21st and 22nd February :— " Messrs. Mort and Co. held on Thursday their weekly produce sale. The quantity of wool offered was 317 bales, of which 216 were withdrawn. The wool market is dull, and, in the absence of the English mail, buyers are not disposed to operate to any amount; but, on the other hand, holders -will. not submit to any further reduction—consequently, only about one-third olfered was sold, and the prices obtained ranged about the same as last week. Greasy is very dull of sale, and only a few small lots were quitted to-day. The prices realised for- the several lots sold ranged thus :—Fleece, 164 dto 19' d ; scoured, 17d to 21^1; handwashed, Is 4Ad; mixed, 5d to lOd; grease, 8d to lOd. " Sheepskins are a little firmer. Those offered being of a superior quality, brought higher rates. About 1900 sheepskins were sold to-day, at from 6;Jd to 7Ad per lb. "Tallow.—The market is steady, and prices are maintained. A lot of 20 casks of b?ef (not a very good sample) were sold for shipment at £34 17s Cd per ton. and seven casks of mixed and station tallow brought from 31s to 36s 3d per cwt. "Hides. —Those offered were light, and rof inferior quality; the prices realised,therefore, cannot betaken as the market value. Only 53 hides were sold, at from 5s 9d to 9s each. " The John Banks arrived to-day from London, with a cargo of general merchandise. "■&X Mr.O. B. Ebsworth's produce sals, 50 bales of

j wool wore- sold Ms jfctos Prtuftl it) tl»oso of last weak. I "MessK. Dili-ham find IrVin iieid their " usual . weekly produce sale on Friday. Wool.—Tlie catalogue comprised 182 bales, the bulk of which was withdrawn, pending tlie arrival of the mail. Prices obtained ranced thus :—Fleece, 14Jd. to 19d. ; liiixed, 9ifd. to lid. '; locks, 7d. to 7id. ; ditto greasy, 3.H----to 5.V1. per lb. Sheep^cins.—About 3,500 were disposed of thus :—Full-wooled, Gd. to. Bd. ; pc'ts, lid. to 3|d. per IK Tallow.—The prices obtained show a decline of about 10s. per ton on those of last week: 97 casks were sold thus —Beef, 851. ss. to 351. Ins. ; mutton at 41?. ss. : mixed, 31?, to 32?. ss. per ton. Hides.—About 1,000 were brought forward, principally parcels from boiling down establishments ; two prime lots realised 16s. 3d. per hide. Prices ranged thus —First heavy, 14s. 3d. to lGs. 3d. ; medium, 12s. to 13s. 9d. ; inferior, 3s. 6d. ; calfskins, Is. to Is. 9d. each. " Dusiness during the week has been Quiet, and there is no alteration to report in our markets since the departure of the mail steamer Benares. The nonarrival of the English mail causes great anxiety, and it is to be hoped that we soon shall have some intelligence respect-ing her. Front Adelaide also, the dates are to the 22ud. The South Australian Register of the 21st February, says : — " Produce has experienced a considerable decline in value since last week. At the time of our last report prices were very firm, but since then the absence of any export orders, except at much reduced rates, and the large supplies of wheat being delivered by the furcners, have tended to depreciate the value both of wheat and flour. It is now difficult to find buyers for either, even at our quotations. "Wheat.—Considerable sales took place as high as 4s. .10d, per bushel at the Port early in the week, but purchases have since been made at 4s. 9d., and buyers are not anxi?us to purchase even at the latter figure. The millers have reduced the price to 4s. 6d. for drayloads in town. " Flour has been remarkably dull, and we believe there have been no sales of importance. We cannot quote the price higher than £4110s. to £12 per ton. "Bran is dull of sale, at about Is. to Is. Id. per bushel at the Port. " Oats and Barley.—There is so very little doing in either of these articles that our remarks of last week continue to be applicable. " Farm and l)airy Produce.—The supply of potatoes is not very large, and the price is improving. Eggs have been offered in large quantities at 8d per dozen, without finding purchasers. The supply of bacon is good. Clieese is coming in more freely. " Wooi.—There is absolutely nothing doing. Every one is awaiting advices from England. " Copper remains at £98 10s. per ton at the Port. " General Merchandise.—The late failures and tlie rumours afloat as to the possibility of more to occur, have had a most depressing influence upon all kinds of business. Holders of goods are keeping aloof and not offering them for sale, preferring to wait until times improve. The unaccountable delay of the English mail no doubt tends to increase the dulness which prevails. There have been no auction or private sales of any importance during the week. " The cargo of the Jupiter was offered by auction by Messrs Townshend, Botting, and Kay, and the attendance was very numerous. The preen teas found buyers at first-rate prices, but very little of the black was sold. Tlie following were the prices obtained : —35 chests of congou, at 61 8?., and 75 chests at 11. 75.; 40 half-chests, at 31. 75.; 50 boxes (10----catty), at 245. Gd.; and 30 (9-catty), at 235.; SO halfchests scented orange pekoe, at 2s. 4d. to 2s. sd. per Ib.; 300 (0-eatty) boxes, at 265. Id. 'and 2Gs. Bd. ; 20 haif-chests gunpowder, at 2s. 7d. per It).; 25 halfchests gunpowder, at 2s. 7d. per lb.; 25 half-chests hyson, at 2s. 3Jd. per lb.; 100 (9-catty) boxes younghyson, at 2s. Id. per II).; and 25 half-chests at Is. 11(1. per lb,; also 400 boxes of teilsecd oil, of four tins, each tin containing 2} gallons, at os. 3Jd. per gallon; and 200 pieces of matting, from lid. to Is. 6d. per yard. LrvE Stock.—Messrs. Da'mahoy Campbell and Co. report:—" Fat Cattle—We notice a bettor demand, and a slight improvement on first quality lots. Some superior pens were sold as high as from -£5 5s to £6 for b\dloeks, and £4 4s for cows, The following are current quotations :—Prime quality bullocks from £4 10s to £5 ; do. cows, from £3 10s to £4; second quality bullocks, from £2 15s to £3 10s ; do. cows, from £2 to £2 10s. Total supply 1417 head. Fat sheep—A large supply, amounting to 11,000, came forward. Monday's market was brisk, and better prices were obtained. The remainder of the sales were at late quotations. We have sold best quality wethers, at from 13s to 14s; second quality, small do., at from 10s to 11s ; some Lsicesters, from the run of W. J. T. Clarke, Esq., at 255."

Often too True. —A minister, travelling where the road was difficult to find, requested a man by the wayside to direct, him, naming the place where he wanted to go. '"' Well," said the hedger and ditcher, "keep on just as you are going about a mile and a half. There at the cross roads you will see a minister who will direct you to the left a couple of miles, and there, at the fork of the road, is another minister, who will direct you to the right about tlu-ce miles; and so on at.every fork and cross of the road is a minister to telljyou -which road to take." " All," said the parson, "what do you call ministers?" "Why," said the other, "those things which stand up at the cross and forks of the road with something like a hand on them." " Tinger boards, you mean," said thepreaGher 5 "why do you call them ministers 1" " Because they a raj always pointing the way to other people, but never go themselves." ■ „ A House C 9 Teaks Old.— Willies' Spirit of the Times gives an account of a small Hack Galloway, eleven hands high, which attained to the greatest age of any horse of which we have any record. He was a resident of a small village near Haddington, in Scotland. He was foaled in 1720, and at the time of his death he was sixty-nine years old. A few weeks before his death he trotted at the rate of seven or 'eight miles an hour, and fed well on his oats and hay to the last

LATEST DATES. ■• England Nov. 29 By telegraph Dec. 3 America— New York Dec. 5 San Francisco Nov. 28 Valparaiso Nov. 1 Capeof Good Hope Dec. 10 Mauritius Jan. 22 Ceylon (Colombo) Dec. 17 China (Hong Konj?) Dec. 16 Madras Dec. 14 Bombay Dec. 12 Calcutta Dec. 9 Singapore Dec. 7 Austkauak Colonies— Melbourne Feb. 20 Sydney Feb. 22 (Queensland Feb. 20 Adelaide Feb. 22 Launceston Feb. 22 Hobnvt Town Feb. 21 Perth Dec. 25 New Zealand— Wamyanui Feb. 13 Wellihfrtou Feb. 15 Hawke's Bay Feb. 1 Canterbury Feb. 27 Marlborough Feb. 14 Nelson Feb. 22 Auckland .... F.eb. 8 Tarannld Feb. 8 Invercai'fril' Feb. 15