MELBOURNE COMMERCIAL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 254, 8 May 1866, Page 1

MELBOURNE COMMERCIAL.

By the arrival of the steamer Alhambra at the BluiF, on Sunday morning, we are placed in possession of later Melbourne commercial. The following is taken from the Argus, 27th and 28th April : — In the import markets business has hardly yet settled down to its usual routine, and transactions in consequence have not been. so numerous, though in some instances extensive enough to bear a speculative character. The market for breadstuffs continues inactive, and sales are trifling. Wheat however, is offered on rather eaiser terms ; for, Adelaide, 6s. 9d. would be accepted, if a buyer could be found. We hear of an entire cargo of Chilian wheat, amounting to 10,000 bushels having changed hands, to arrive, at 6s 6d., to one, of the millers. Flour is moved off in moderate trade parcels at £17 to £17 10s. ; the latter figure has been realised for Butterworth's. In oats we do not hear of any sales. Maize has been placed at 55., and may be quoted at from ss. to ss. 3d. Of California^, barley, we hear of some 6,000 and 4,000 bushels, having been sold, ex Douglas, to landj at 5s and 5s 3d. For rice there are more inquiries again, though without, as yet, leading to business. Quotations are firm at £23 10s. A small parcel of Hennessey's case brandy has been placed at 28s 6d. The pickled salmon, per the Douglas, 50 barrels and 200 halfbarrel 5 has been quitted on private terms. Teas meet with, a fair demand, saleß, in parcels, having come under our notice to the extent of equal to 600 chests, in whole and half chests, at prices ranging from Is 4d, to Is 10d., in bond. Candles have been again sold largely to arrive, Borne 4,000 boxes having been disposed of at 13id to 14i in bond, for various brands, such as Belmont's, Cramer's &c. We aieo understand that the price of the Neva Company's brand has been further advanced another halfpenny per pound, the selling rate now being Is 3£d. Provisions obtain speculative attention, some 450 cases cheese, comprised in several shipments to arrive, having found a purchaser at fully up to la 6jd per pound. As an instance of the extent of reduction in stocks of malt, and the inconvenience experienced in consequence, we may tnention that 256 per bushel had to be paid for a hundred bushels before the requisite quantity could be obtained* The same journal of the 30th says : — The import markets to-day, though closing of the;week without showing any increased animation, still sustained the activity by which the day cr-two immediately preceding was characterised. In breadstuSs trade ealeß of flour have been made at £17 10s, for Adelaide best brands. Sales a ph&de higher are also referred to, b'uj; va, top Bmal), gj^^ to be noticed. itM,Qvr t per ~£eugi^

from San Francisco, a very fine sample, is offering at £16, without as yet leading to business. Cali fornian wheat is wanted at 6s. 6d. Maize is very scarce ; our quotation of ss. 3d. to ss. 6d. is a shade higher. We hear of Hennessy's case brandy haying been sold to arrive, at 28s. Speculation in candles still continues, and prices have been forced up from a penny to three half-pence. On sales made two days ago, 2,000 boxes changed hands at 14£ d. to 15d. in bond to arrive. A shipment of lobsters in bond has been placed at Bs. 9d. Further transactions in rice are mentioned'; and sales since yesterday, including 450 tons reported in this morning's issue, amount to 650 tons. Teas still meet with attention ; transactions to-day, however, have not been marked with any new feature.