COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 46, 17 April 1863, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

" Ihtbbcabgii.li Times " Office, Thursday Evening, 16th April

Tnvercargill in its business aspect bas greatly altered during tbe last few months. So recently as the commencement of tbis year we could enumerate all the Invercargill firms in town on the fingers of on** hand. About that time Messrs Dalgesy, Rattray, and Co., opened a large store here, as a branch of their Otago house. Messrs Maning and Whitton, Calder, Blacklock, and Co., and other merchants of long standing followed, in a general enlargement of their premises; and about the end of February a perfect rush of traders took place from Otago and Victoria. These bave settled in a group near the Government offices in Dee-atrcet, and within a short space four considerable stores, with upwards of a dozen of more limited pretensions, have sprung up. The mercantile interest will now make itself felt as a new and active element in our society ; in the feeling of growing strength, it is about to assert its position by inaugurating a Chamber of Commerce, for tlie first meeting of which circulars have been issued. We can promise for this body an active campaign in tbe first year of its existence : our provincial rulers bave fallen far short of their duty in providing for the increased trade of the place, and it will be for the Chamber of Commerce to ur?e them to more energetic action in providing jetty accommodation, channel buoys, moorings, the construction of roads, postal arrangements, the erection of the telegraph. &c, &c. On the two first-named subjects a public meeting was convened by some of tbe shipmasters in port, and in another part of this paper will be found a report of an interview between His Honor the Superintendent and the deputation that was appointed to present the resolution carried at the meeting. His Honor was careful to tell the deputation that they had given him no fresh information, and that the Government had all the proposed plans in consideration, or in course of being tendered for with a view to execution. Probably the deputation knew all that previously, and while giving His Hennr and the Executive credit for good intentions, could not feel that they should thereby be expected to reconcile themselves to present loss owing to the want of energy shown by our rulers in the carrying out of these intentions, which, in placo of being still in embryo, should have been accomplished facts had the hints and remonstrances given six montbs ago by the then small bandof merchants received from His Honor the attention which they undoubtedly deserved.

TTp to wi'tbin the last fortnight, a large amount of goods were being sent to the diggings, but exceedingly wet weather has, during that time, seriously affected business. As theroads are still in an unfinished state, we can only look for an intermittent demand during the winter montbs. Drayage was up from L3O to XSO, and at that rate the Bupplv of teams is very limited. Under these circumstances quotations of price, even for staples, can be littlo else than nominal j but we will close these remarks by appending as near ah' approximation to actual sales as we can arrive at. Flo-he. — Adelaide is selling at LlB, and Tasmanian at LIV ; but with the news of enhanced values in Australia, holders are disposed to restrict sales at these prices. Oats are still at 8s to 8s 6d for colonial. Hay,— Tasmanian, Ll6 per ton. £

Hams and Bacon still much inquired for, and worth ls 9d to arrive. Butter, colonial, ls lOd; double rose Cork, ls 7d. Cheese, good English, is worth Is 3d; PortCooper, ls 4d. Candles, Belmonta, ls 4d. Sardines, halves 15s, quarters 9s 6d. Carbonate of soda, 40s. Tartaric add, 3s 6d. Tea. fair congous, L 6 per "half chest. Coffee, Mackenzie's, ls 7d. Sugars, Mauritius crystals, 7d, second 6d ; first counters, 6^d to ofd; brown, 4£d; crushed . loaf, 7d. Ale. bulk. Ll2; bottled, 14s 6d to los. Stout, in bulk, unsaleable ; in bottle, 15s, best brands. Brandy, Martell and Hennessey, 15s dark, 15s 6d pale, case 375. Whiskey, in bulk, 8s 9d to Gs 3d ; case, Kirkliston, 16s. Geneva, small cases of four gallons, 16s. Tobacco, twist, 6s 6d; cake, no demand; sheepwash, 1 s 4d. i Hardware in fair demand at paying rates for j genuine invoices. ! Crockery, scarce and wanted. Furniture, good rough articles, especially chairs, in brisk demand.