COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 7, 9 July 1866, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

SottthiiAkd Trauss Office, Saturday Evening. The following are the Customs Keturns for — Pbiday, 6th July. Tea, 3360 lbs £84 0 0 Wine, 28 gals 5 12 0 Coffee, 2101 lbs 25 15 3 Chicory, 1120 lbs. ... 14 0 0 Brandy, 28 gals 16 16 0 Tobacco, 162 lbs 20 5 0 £166 8 3 SatttbdaTj 7th July. Brindy, 26 gals £15 12 0 Geneva, 30 gals 18 0 0 £33 12 0 . — «> The Oatnaru Times, 28th June, has the follow- ;: Dg commercial article : — We have still to report a fair amount of busiuess doing at previous r&tee. The grain crop is being- rapidly brought into warehouse, and a con- I siderable quantity is now on sale. For seed wheat

the prices quoted are — ordinary, 7s per bushel ; Sheriff's bearded, prime samples, 9s to 10s. The Royal Bride, loading at London for Oaniaru (direct) and Invercargill, is due here about the end of August, with a cargo of general merchandise. She was to be ready to sail about 25th ultimo. Messrs Royse, Mudie and Miller ; s horae sale at Totora on the 21st inst. was very numerously attended by purchasers from every part of the Northern District, Canterbury being also fairly represented. The prevailing opinion was that from such a considerable number being offeret, from the mob of the vendors, many valuable!, animals might be secured at fair prices. This cxc pectation was realised ; and although non-pur-chasers think the prices paid extreme, the satisfaction of the buyers, in every instance, shewsthat competition has in this, as in nearly every other instance of public sale, fixed the actual value of the animals. A valuable advantage derived from this sale to our farmers and breeders will be the fair data from which to reckon the value of their own stock. The prices realised were — for broken heavy draught stock, £47 to £60 each ; medium do, £36 to £47 ; light do, £26 to £30 ; ordinary hacks, £17 to £33. The greatest competition was for the unbroken yearlings and two-year-old draughts, some of the former realising extraordinary figures— from £18 to £33 each — and the two-year-olds from £27 to £34 each. The number yarded was 82, and the number sold at above rates 68, of which 40 were unbroken. The few withdrawn were rather superior hacks and light draughts. The same auctioneers held another sale of horses on the Esplanade, Oamaru, last Saturday. Though not quite so successful as at the Totora sale, from the state of the weather, the prices realised were satisfactory to the sellers. Draughts were sold at from £35 to £64, and ordinary hacks at £16 to £20. The number yarded was 28 ; sold at auction, 17 ; privately, 6 ; the remainder being withdraws. Our files of Otago papers are up to the sth July ; we take the following commercial article from the Daily Times, 2nd inst. : — Throughout the week just closed there has been but little liveliness in business, and in particular amongs; first houses the transactions which have transpired have been unimportant, and calling for very little notice. Market values for all staples are essentially unaltered, and very little difference is apparent in the prospects for any particular class of goods. Two ships from Great Britain, with general cargoes, are to hand, adding, however, but little to the stock for sale by importers, the shipments having mostly been placed some time previously. Further arrivals must take place, and the present exceedingly reduced stocks considerably added to, before such improvement in the amount of business done can be experienced. A fair demand has existed for upcountry requirements, and the coastwise trade has not been altogether dull, though limited by the inability of our raai'kets to meet the full amount of orders forwarded. Very little has been done in flour, small raarcels for direct use only selling ; meanwhile stocks, in consequence of no foreign flours coming forward, have again reached moderate proportions. Rates remain nominally without alteration. The business done in sugars has been fair, though, owing to the state of stocks, but few good-sized parcels have been placed ; prices are very firm. Teas are in fair enquiry, and rates assuming a little higher range ; some parcels of low congous have been placed for shipment, and the market is likely to be further relieved by the despatch of some of the same tl iss of teas for the Melbourne market, where values are at present better. No further transactions in provisions to arrive have been reported. Prices are still Is 9d to Is lOd for hams and bacon, for prompt delivery. Butter maintains its high value of 2s 4d, and colonial cheese of Is 3d. Malt liquors, both bulk and bott&d, have been quiet, there being scarcely any new brew bulk beers or first brands of bottled stout for sale for immediate delivery ; rates are without alteration. The bulk ales per Ariadne will supply consumption for a brief time. Oats are in request at higher rates, and some fair sized parcels have changed hands. Corn sacks have been also in a little better demand. A seasonable supply of candles has been received, a great part of which has been placed at Is 6d. Kerosene is somewhat easier. The Oamaru Times, 28th June, has the following commercial article : — i We have still to report a fair amonnt of business doing at previous rates. The grain crop is being rapidly brought into warehouse, and a considerable quantity Is now on Sale. For seed wheat the prices quoted are — ordinary, 7s per bushel ; Sheriff's bearded, prime samples, 9s to 10s. The Royal Bride, f oading at London for Oamaru (direct) and Invercargill, is due here about the end of August, with a cargo of general merchandise. She was to be ready to sail about 25tn uliimo. Messrs Royse, Mudie, and Miller's horse sale at Totora on 21st instant was very numerously attended by purchasers frem every part of the Northern District, Canterbury being also fairly represented. The prevailing opinion was that, from such a considerable number being offered from the mob of the vendors, many valuable animals might be secured at fair prices. This expectation was realized ; and although non-pur-chasers think the prices paid extreme, the satisfaction of the buyers, in every instance, shows that competition has in this, as in nearly every other instance of pablic sale, fixed the actual value of the animals. A valuable advantage derived from this sale to our farmers and breeders will be the fair data from which to ruckon the value of their own stock. The prices realized were — for broken heavy draught stock, £47 to £60 each ; medium do, £36 to £47 ; light do, £28 to £30 : ordinary hacks. £17 to £33. The greatest competition was for the unbroken yearlings and two-year-old draughts, some of the former realising extraordinary figures — from £18 to £33 each — and the two-year-olde from £27 to £3-4 each. The number yarded was 82, and the number sold at above rates 68, of which 4<j were unbroken. The few withdrawn were rather superior hacks and light draughts. The Bame auctioneers held another sale of horses on the Esplanade, Oamaru, on last Saturday. Though not quite so successful as at the Totora eale, from the state of the weather, the prices realized were satisfactory to the sellers. Draughts were. sold at from £35 to £64, and ordinary hacks at £16 to £20. The number yarded was 28 : sold at auction, 17 ; privately, 6; the remainder being witudrawn.