COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 284, 17 November 1862, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Saturday Evening. The mail for England is this month made up on ftionday per City of Hobart, and we must hope that she will be more fortunate this time than on her last two trips, when both our September and October mails will have been severally detained in Alelbo'urne.

The August mail from England was delivered here on the tnoridng of the 23rd ult., ex the Aldinga. Letters from the East reached us, as usual, some ten days later via Sydney. Why tho India and China mails should contrive to go the old circuitous round we are at a loss to determine.

During the past mail month a good brisk trade has been doing-, especially with the country districts. The intelligence from "the gold fields has continued of a favorable character, and the escorts received have been of considerable amount viz., 15,505 ounces on October 31st, and 17,471 ounces on November 14th. The rate charged for ca tage has very materially moderated, and for the Dunstan loading lias been engaged at LGS, whilst draymen have offered for Gabriel's as low'as L2O; these rates compared with those of last month of LICO and L"27 respectively, show a very large reduction. We have ha-.l a good share of summer weather, and as the roads are now well dried up, we can hardly exix-ct the rates of carriage to be much further reduced ; consequently storekeepers have judged themselves safe iv laying in larger stocks than they have been wont to purchase whilst higher rates of carriage ruled. Our passenger trade has been active, both in arrivals and departures. Considerable numbers have come in from Britain, Sjdney, and Melbourne, whilst the majority of those returning have been to the latter; place. We have some important arrivals of merchandize to record. From Loudon, the long-overdue Planter, and the Star of Tasmania, have come in ; and from the Clyde, the Aboukir and Sevilla. The ships Alice Thorndyke and Lady Young, which left here' early this year for the sold ruines of British Columbia with passengers, have returned, bringing an aggregate of some 900,000 feet of assorted lumber; both vessels are discharging1 at this port. From Adelaide, we have had the Louisa, with a full cargo of breadstuffs ; and the Austral, which, besides a number of horses and sheep, adds some 210 tons of flour to our stocks. A good ruauv cargoes, of more or less extent of assorted merchandize, have been received from Melbourne, a considerable feature in which has been the arrival of the plant for our Gas Company; and it is a sign of the times that the company have seen it to their advantage to import from Melbourne some 100,000 bricks, an excellent quality of which, but at a higher price, are made in the neighborhood ot Dunedin. With Sydney, we "nave hal a rather ;more extended business. From Newcastle, the arrival of coal 3 has been rather spare. A fair number of horses have come to hand. During the next four mouths we shall expect to see a large amount of shipping engaged in the conveyance of sheep troui Australia to this province and Southland; whilst the cattle trade between Gipps Land and this port is likely to be opened up ; but the latter trade will be very cautiously entered upon, we have reason to believe. - .• The Bank rates for money continue the same, and exchange on England at i per cent premium for GO days' bills ; and on Melbourne at i per cent, premium for 0 days' bills. At a late meeting of the committee of the Chamber of Commerce, reference was made to the fact that

1 h? W-1' the larger pvopomonof our gdldfields produce reached Eng!aud as it from Australia, arid that this p.-ovince diiJ.not in the eyes of the people or Great Britain. g.;t the full advantage derivable from thknowledge of its production liere as were such broujrht laatßriully before them in the shape of shipments by direrrtve^sels. in thcab:-ence of direct opportunities for shipment--, ir, was .suggested that such should be ra-idfc via .\ie<bourne. " ■ ; " Thric is « jjrenfc tienl of force in these views, hue at the same tune that we earnssty desire our distant readers to gather from authentic sources the real nature and extent of our' productions ; we cannot shut our eves to the fact that our produce must continue to find "its exit either by those channels whence we draw our supplies, or by the direction of those who receive the same in payment; and as long as so many of our imports are m:w!e from Australia', so longisour gold like'y to go by that route, whilst our banks are so associated with Australian capitalists that a larger benefit from our monetary transactions is likely to bedrawn towards vat country than did those institutions derive their origin from New Zealand ov Great Britain. The apparent evil will cure itself as our direct trade with the home country becomes more extensive, and espe-c-xilly as soo.i as we have a througli mail service, 'in the meantime, we may console ourselves that the reship i.cuts from Melbourne ar.pear in Victorian reports of clearances a-; the produce of New Zealand, although shipments to Sydney are lost sight of by their mintage. "". * The JJ.uk of New Zealand have ma-lea fifth call ot LI per share, payable in February next. The business of this ban!-: has very largely increased, and the siock is valued at a considerabfe premium. The operations for the recovery of the stranded steamer '_' Victory," in Wickliff.: Bay, have been c ntinued with an amazing amount of perseverance ; and although not yet actually sucee.--.sful, we quite anticipate that by the time next months' mail leaves, uulcss any severe ac.-idsnt occurs, this fin-i yes el will be anchored amongst the shipping1 at Port Chalmers, a result which the .spirited' proprietors certainly merit. Our wool season is about commencing. On the squatting stations .'.(hearing ha.^ become pretty general, but little <vool has as yet reached the Port, 'i'he " Siar >f Tasmania" are advertised for wool to London; also the " Chili," but the latter vessel has not yet arrived. There has hormone important failure during the month, Henry P. Morse, late Morse and Orbell, b-.itehers. &{•.; a consiiJerable poriion of ihe obligations still bearing the name of the hitter firm. The liabilities are set out at some. L 17,000, against which assets are shewn of some L 21.000, so that with careful realisation it is hoped 20.-S in the pound will be attained. The difficulties have not arisen from losses in business, hut by the locking up of fluids in the purcha:-e of properties, &.e. We refor to articles of imported merchandise under their sevt-ral heads. Ale and Porter.—Good bulk ales feWi L 9 to LlO. No sale for stout in hhrls A fair denvmd for bottled beer lias sprung up within the last few days. Apparel and Drapery.— Supplies are equal" to requirements. Cotton goous atv* high. Bacon and Ilams—A.re supplied : and any but goo.-i .sound approve! brands are very difriculfc of salo. Butter.—No Wellington in the market. SuyjpHes of Curk havo arrived, whioh. in the absence of NewZealand d:iii-u:s, aroselUmjr;'.b u t W e are looking by every steruacr for tho commencement of the summer supplies from trie Nor.h, wli«n the latter quality will li.ivo the pn-f-:ren.ce. Candles—Dull, and prices lower; we have hoard of a sale of 100 boxes, full wtights, at Is 2d to Is 4d Coal-.—Arrivals Sight, but pqua! to present wants, previous stock having bean rather considerable. Fish. --Liibsters in lib tins have sold at 93. Salmon is soarc;. Fruils.—Currants are worth about 7d; and new Cape ra'sins. U.UI. Bofcfcie.l fruits are still dull of sale ; and as our [jr.icn fviub season will soon be round, prices are not. likely to a-tvanr.e. Fi nr-—Arrivals liivciii"' tiie-month have had the effect of reducing- aricos ; and we luive haard of the sale of 20 tons of :m excellent Adelaide brand at LI7 ; Sums. Most, holders are, however, firm in their demands of a higher rate, and we do not think the market, will give way for good qualities. Bran is in large stx:k. and valued at. 2; and 2s 31. Horse Fend.—The high price for oats and maize in Australia, keeps values up here; otherwise, our marhet is fairly supplied. Oilman's Stores - Continue to rue about tho same value. Jams in lib tins, continue scarce. Several minor articles are also inquired for. Oils.—Turpentine and boiled oil are rather scarce. Kerosene continues very plentifully supplied, and the demand limite'l. Sugar.—Large shipments from Australia have come to hand, and our quotations arc decidedly lower, and, with the many outside parcels offering, trade seems duli.'

Tea.—There has beeu a better demand for low qualities, which are scarcf, and importers cannot replace their stocks from Melbourni to sell at rates recently current. Tobacco.—Considerable arrivals recently, and market easier. Spirits.—No alteration to record. Timber.—The largo arrivals from Puget Sound are goingl into stock. Tha imports of quartering from Vnnmeman's Land have been small of late, but quite equal to the diminished demand for building purposes.

Export ent"i"s were passed at the Custom House to-day for 12.136 onnces of gold, the duty on which amounted to L 1,517.

The Customs Revenue, on Imports, amounted to LSO7 lls 5d : the following; being the principal items :—Geneva, 29G gals, Ll2l 6s lid : brandy, 207 sals, L 93 6-; Id ; dears, 4 cases, LlOl 14s ; whisky, 157 gals, L 73 10; 51 ; ginger wine, 538 gals, LBO 14s ; drapery, LCS 10s'; rum, 113 gals, L 59 17s ; ale and porter, 1,600 gals, L 43 5s ; suernr, 9,184 lbs., L 33 5s id ; wine, 166 gals, L 24 18s : tea, 1,380 lbs., L 22 13s 4d.