MAURITIUS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 247, 4 October 1862, Page 4

MAURITIUS.

By the Hannah Nicholson we have Mauritius papers to the 2bt of August, The new crop of sugar was being gathered, and was found to be very much above the average. We take the following items from the Sentinelle dc Maurice :— '•'Commerce and Agriculture.—The June advices which came to hand by the Nepaul will tend to depreciate the value of our staple ; and when sugars are inactive, a corresponding dullness is observable in other markets. As yet, there are but small arrivals of the new crop into town, for a portion or" which certain holders have accepted red uced rate 3. Most of the estates are now in full operation, and in another month •we may expect good quantities to market. What will be the state of matters in Europe and America in another month it is rather difficult to prognosticate To this latter part of the world all eyes are now turned j and although there is nothing in (he late intelligence from the seat of war which induces us to believe in a close cessation of hostilities, we feel as if the nations of Europe cannot remain much longer indifferent to the work of destruction carried o^l between brothers on the oiher side of the Atlantic and which shakes commerce and industry in every direction. On the other hand, we find other countries increasing their cotton plantations, in order to meet the requirements of i< uropean manufacturers, The production of sugar must suffer in consequence and pending the recultivation of their lands, the Americans themselves will have to import the sugar they require. As for the sur-tax in France, it cannot materially affect planters, especially if, as we have every reason to expect, an equalization of duty takes place in England. In this colony there can be no doubt that a larger crop than last year will be got in. Planters must not be speculators. They are very often so bound that they cannot hold their produce in store; but if prices open low, as certain late transactions seem to indicate, we may venture to say that there is no reason for a further depreciation whilst we see every reason for the dispelling of the clouds which hang over commercial affairs in Europe/and cast their shadow on colonies like this. Our planters have not been extravagant in their expenses, after such a bad year as they have had to endure. Very few installations called for repairs or improvements Provisions, labour, guano, and all other requisites have been obtained a,t prices rather below than above those of the preceding season. Upon the whole, we hope we may yet see a fair out-turn of the crop now beg-un, to make up for the deficiency of 25,000 tons m the crop of 1861-62. The weather is also more iavourable. Our fields are less infested with borers. "We have to notice heavy arrivals during the month, the. consequence of which has been a decline in prices, principally of eastern productions. " In the present state of the money market, the trade has only taken sparingly,,and a much larger proportion of the late importo have to be stored than is ordinarily the case.

"Several articles of comparatively little importance are, however, in good request, 'such as linseed oil, essence of turpentine, Provence wine, ka. A