COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 73, 17 July 1863, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

, " lIVEBCABGILL TIMEB " OPFCE, Thursday Evening. The mid-winter season is to trade/8 in all parts of the world a period of inaction, and Southland is not an exception. Our purely local requirements are easily supplied, and buyers on the diggings, on whom we chiefly rely, are for the time out of tho market. Notwithstanding this our merchants look hopefully for spring, and evince no disposition to sacrifice the stocks on hand, which on the whole are moderate. A few individuals both here and on the diggings laid in, at the close of the autumn season, more goods than tho wnount.of their trade warranted them in holding, and the result has been to thorn unfortunate ; but these cases have been much fewer than could have been anticipated, and the general tone of business v sound and healthy. Of course the ever-iecurring subject of the roads suggests ijtelf whenever we have to speak of our up-country trade- We can only say that the Qowcraioent ate at last moving in the matter, and doing probably as much as the inclemency of tho vmzda'will ptrmit. The permanency of tho works now going ok va*j rery Curly be quwtioaad, and

where hundreds would have sufficed; -had opera tions been gone about i'q a hearty and^iwotfcmaTilike manner six or eight months ago,Hhousftnds must now be spent without; a more satisfactory result. The Mataura road is being laid with manuka fascines, and the Wallacctown road is also in the hands' of the doctor. Such temporary work may tide us over the first brush of our spring trade ; but it is time we heard of some plan being in contemplation for more permanent improvements. Contractors must have time to prepare, after money is voted and tendors accepted, and, that opportunity may be given them, we hope soon to hear that the Superintendent has called the Council together, iv order that preliminaries may be gone into. A prices current at the present time, when no sales are being effected, is something like a sign-board without a shop. We may mention that in making our inquiries we find the merchants are not disposed to accept lower prices than named in our last quotations, viz.; — Adelaide flour, Ll3; Tasmanian do, LIG to Ll7 ; oats, colonial, 8s; Martell's and Hennessey's brandy, 14s Cd; other brands, 12s Gd to 13s 6-1 ; bulk ale, best brands, Lll ; do other do, LlO. It is unnecessary to continue the list, as the above shows the confidence of holders in articles of regular demand.