MELBOURNE COMMERCIAL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 34, 25 January 1864, Page 2

MELBOURNE COMMERCIAL.

(from the Argus, l(sth inst.) Thp import market continues to be firm,not■viths'iindini; ll'.ut transactions have bee checked diii-i->if the last lew days. The sm.-ill iiu-iiber of v.-s.<-lf on their way fiom British ports conduces tv this. Except the Wallc.-in, now loiijj overdue, ami the Kintr ' f tin* Sets, there is nob a v-ssi-l afloat bound from Liverpool to this port which saih-d prior to October '24, so that we are bound to have a Jong interval without ar.y addition to our stocks of British "-cods. Amongst tho transactions of the day.we may notice that flour and wheat liave been in good inquiry, with prices firm and stocks at a low ebb. Brim has h"pn in brifk demand, and a sale of about 7000 bushels has been made at about Isßd per bushel. Tiie sale ot Mauritius sugars by auction heavily, buyers lioldinjj back against the ndvauci g prices The lots sold, however, were not parted with underrates fully supporting the late advances. Messrs Eraser and Co. offered the carn;o of the Adieu, from .Mauritius, consisting of 6688 bags sugar, and ex ships -1410 hairs of sugar, out of which the}* placed about 8000 hags, at- the following prices: —Ritions £6'l, good browns £31, I'-edimn counters £31), good do t'-10, fine do £-l-J, ••rysinls, yeliow £-12, do white £4-1, and finest whi-e passed in at £46. 'there w»s a goor* attendar.c-? of the trade, but the bidding was spiritless, and havers conceded very un willingly to the advanced prices demanded by the importers. This is, however, no doubt attributable to the uncertainty hanging ove»**the market, by the • inn-nrrjval of the mail, anxiously looked for. M-'ssrs Greig and Murray sold at Degraves' stores, -150 hhds. English ale. and 1000 eas js ale and sf-.ut nt fair prices. Messrs Geinuiell, M-'Giul and Co. held a sale at /lander's bonded stores, of tobaccos, at which tens, all faults, realized 8i to Is 4<l per lb.; bird's eye, aromatic,pounds, 3s lid; M'Kmery's twist. 2s 6d to 3s Gd per pound. Also, at their rooms. Karnes, blasting powder, wilh all f-uilts, %2\\ to 7d per lb"; spadiug forks, all faults, 39s to 42s per dozeu ; Day's D.H.R.P- shovels, all trtults, 27s to 32s per dozen ; American brooms, llstj.t; axe handles, fis to 7s; E •.'bank's nails, l-Jin. to l^in , 3'Js per keg, &<-. (From the Argus. ISth inst.) a\s is customary, at this season of the year, tie demantl for money is active in our markets, account sales and the rear's transactions having to be made up aud closed. Only one of the hunks j has 'published its statement of averages for tne ' past quarter, and no general cs'iuiate of the i banking business of the colony can be arrived atThe mails are now six days beyond their time. The Madras »as due in Hdisou's Bay on the 10th. For the last three years the mails have been lato in coming to hand iv the month of January. Tiie Salsetto did not. arrive until the 13th in IS6*l, tho Benares until (he 12th in ISS2, and the Madras until the 12ih in 1863. In 1559 the Oneida did not make her appearance until the 19th, but the route was theu by way of Mauritius. The delay this month has Itid to the postponement of the public wool sales. The stores are overcrowded, but, in the absence of advices, buyers do not like to jperate, with the present scarcity of available ; tonmige on the bert.h. Tiie import market has been (inner since the opening of the year. Tue vessels known to be on the wav from British ports are tew, and the advices by the lust mail of ship* | on the b'*rth tor immediate despatch are an un- I usually short list. j -«. : — i