COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 2, 10 July 1863, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

~^M ~ | "lIfVERCABOUII. TIMES " OFFCE, Thursday Evening. Business during the past week has not been animated. The only symptom of demand has been shewn in a slightly increased trade with the Lake, Messrs Spence Brothers having sent up various parce'a of goods. The usual small parcels of spirits, groceries, &c, for town supply have gone off at ordinary prices. The demand for flour is so slight, that that article continues at its former low quotation ; the best brands, however, command i fair prices. Oats have, perhaps, slightly ad- ! vanced, in consequence more of speculation than actual demand. The Hercules, from Melbourne, with cargo, and the Millidge with direct consignments from Glasgow, are the only shipping arrivals of importance. The following extract from the Daily Times gives the state of the Dunedin market: — " This market is, at present, at a low ebb, and prices of many descriptions of goods are declining. Supplies of good brandies have come to hand ; and Martell's has been sold as low, as 13s per gallon for qr-casks. Flour is very inactive ; and we hear of a parcel of Californian having been sold as low as Ll4. Beer, in bulk, is falling low ; but is going into first hands, which will Bteady the price. Dried fruits command more attention in tho home markets, and are likely, with the advance in prices, to receive an enhancement in value hero. Horse feed maintains a good market value, and from foreign prices cannot be placed in this market under our last quotations ; and there is no fear of any decline, on the contrary, we consider the market very firm j for oats. Maize, certainly, is coining forward freely of the new crop ; this has been anticipated. Cartage — Ll6to the Dunstan ; L 35 to the Lake; L 9 to 'Wetherstone's — only partial assortments going forward." The position, of the Dunedin Live Stock Market may be gathered from the following recent report of Messrs Driver, M'Lean, and Co, received by tho ast mail : —

Transactions during-, tho week 'do. not show any mnterial changes in prinps reported by us for some tine p.ist, nor do we anticipate- any permanent re.iuction from present rates for some months to come, but at times we must expe<it a slifflit. dullness, inconsequence of imported stock, arriving in condition unfit for holding over, and being lorced upon the mavket. This mavket has not ns yet been affected by the closing up t'le ports in Gipps Land or the opening of those in Twofold Bay. Queensland, and Tasmania. From the 'or Her. several ear roes were on shipboard before the prpclamation reached the district, which will be allow vl to land in the usunl wnv, and we shall not. fejl the effect of the prohibition until shipments are finnlly stopped. No one has doubted tho propriety of the precautionary course taken by the G ivernment of suspending shipments, bnt we cannot think that the district will be permanently olosrd, for we are of opinion that there is less risk of importing disease from the now clean portion of Giprs Land th»n for. merly. The Victorian Governmpnt have appointed commissioners, nnd in other ways taken every precaution to keep the cattle clean within tho boundaries lately proclaimed, whiie the fortunate owners of cattle in the clean districts render every assistance for their own protection. Snould this prohibition remain in force, we feel sure that it will materially affect the price of beef in this market ; indeed, we tear the market would at times be enti-ely bare. We may expect a fair supply of stores and working bullocks from Twofold Bay and Tasmania; but few or no fat cattle. We are also advised that fat cattle are becoming very scarce in the North Island ; so that without Gipp's Land, we shall have to depend upon our own resources for supplies. Fat Cattle, — The market is quite bare of beef of good quality ; late shipments have been landed in very bad condition, and mostly disposed of as stores- We sold Captain Thorndike's shipment, per Alice Thorndike, from Gipp's Land, at an average of L2B 10-. A portion of the cargo consiened to Messrs. Cairns and Co. «ere disposed of privately to butchers at L2<s. These cattle were vpry prime and heavy weights. We have also sold 80 head various shipments, at from Lls to L' 27, according to qualit-v. We quote best quality b.ef at 65s to 70s per 100 lbs. Calves. — Scarce, at from L 4 to L 7, according to size and condition. Store Cattle — of desirable ages, and in condition fit for travelling, are in good demand. We have sold as follows:— Shipments ex TTeron, from Waneanui, at Ll2 10*; ex Prince Alfred, from do, at LI 4 ; ex Warron Goddurd, from do, at LlO 10s ; also 100 head provincial cattle, at Lll 15s to Ll2 los. Working Bullocks and Dairy Cows.— Owm- to the present low rates of carriage to tho diggings, the former are not so much sought after, but are st ill saleable, say for first-class acclimatised workers in teams, L6O to L 65 per pair; ordinary itnpnrted from LSO to L 55. We sold 30 pairs at these prices. Fat Sheep. — The market continues well supplied with mutton of very good quality, the trade has a fortnight's supply on hand, after which time we anticipate a good demand. We have no town salss to report during the week. Last sales &1 to Bld per lb. "Store Sheep. — Wo are unable to supply the numerous c quire 3 fir both ewes and wethers, the few offering are eagerly taken at an advance upon late sales. We do not'expect a full supply of this description of stock for f ome mouths to come. We quote ewes — 3, 4, and 6 toot.h, in lamb, at from 32s 6d to 355. Wethers 4 tooth to full mouth, at 26s to 28s 61. Country sales. — We sold at Waikouait.i on 23m inst., 200 head mixed cattle at from Lll to L2O. At Tokomairiro on the 2Gth inst., 80 head dairy cows, steers and heifers at from Lli t > L 23. Station Properties.— No transactions during the week. We will sell tho Mount Wendon station with 3600 sheep, by auction, on the lGth July, and hive for private sale, a five station on the Mataura, al-o one on the New River, Southland. Horse Market. — The past week has been characterised by extreme dulness, and especially so for the heavy and medium draught hordes, attributable entirely to the lact of the storekeepers of the mining districts having takon advantage of the late prevailing line weather to stock their stores with every article necessary for the present season; therefore cartage to the above places is at present very low, but taking into consideration the great population now resident on the mine::, and consequently the consumption of eatabls3 very great, we have no hesitation in saying that intending pur-ch-.-ers will have to pay much higher prices for the nbovo st-.i:j" of horses than are at present curreni. We Lave to quote a considerable reduction in the price of the above description of stock, as will be seen from our price current at foot. Really firstelnss hackneys and light harness horses have of late commanded the market, and still continue to fetch a good figure. The number of horses in this market has beeu considerably augmented by the arrivals of the Omeo, Indiana, and Cosmopolite, the greater portion of which are placed in our hands for sale, as can be seen from our advertisements. The Cosmopolite arrived to-day, bringing a cargo of very superior stock, and are in every respect suitable to the wants of this market, as they are all young, powerful, and active. The current rates are — First-class draught, horses, L6O to L 7 5; medium do, L 35 to L 55 ; inferior do, L2O to L3O; good hackneys and light harness horses, LSO to L 65; medium do, L 25 to L 35; inferior, L 8 to Ll7. Driver, Maclean, and Co., Stock and Station Salesmen, Dunedin.