COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 552, 3 September 1866, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Truss Office, Saturday Evening. Tho foUowing are the Custom Returns for— Friday, 30th August. Brandy, 27 galls £16 4 0 ■ ■ 6 LONXW WOOL REPORT.—: Tove 29, 1866 (From the " Home News," Sni July.) Prior to tlw commencem mt of the large sales just terminated, a very goneral feeing existed that 'hrt hi^h prices of March would not be supported; the continue 1 a lvan«e in the valuo of money hal checked operations in the North ; but. fortunately, the great bulk of the Mar* h sales had gone i to consumption, so that stocks were luht. The sales commenced on the 10th of May, and perharw could ->ear<vly have opened unler m -re unfaorable circumstances. The rap'd ris> in the Bank rate from 8 to 10 ncr cent., the failure of Mess s Overend, Gurney and Co., and several larg banking an I finaucfal companies, produced . an amount of distrust tliat in i -early all other 9tiples rendered them almost unsaleable; but wool was well competed for, and a reduction of only 2d to 2|i! was estabhshed at the first night's •?ale. and it is remarkable that prices rather hardened for the first 10 days, after this prices drooped. The continued high rates for money, war, and heavy fuilur s, caused buve'rsto act with great caution, a>-d had itnot been for the extensive operations of French buyers, the decline would h-ive been scri -us. The home trade bei"-g indis- i posed to luiy. except at cheapi r ratei. the low J price of German wool at the f:irs would ha«e a--si-ied their orders, but exporters kept up their extensive purchases, t-o thnt the home trade were compelled to 'bllow. During the last few days thee was a better feeling ami biddings made with mor- spirit. New Z aland has commanded most attention dur*tig the sales. The heabhy well grown condition ol* the clip was satisfacto y, an.l evidences the csre with which „iany of the flocks are grown — the healthy staple, sound and firm, adapts it tor many purpos-s for winch hitherto Port Philip haa" been almost entirely usu-d, and we Wuul i urge great care in the sorting ths long and short fleeces and packing them separately, and every cure fhat the fleeces ■■■■re. weil skirted : ali cottw 1. disease i, and coarse rou^b fleeces should be packed sef-arately. Too much care cannot, b't luken in tins, for qualities 3re used for qu't« di-iVrent purposes and fill bring their fuU relative values when *old distinct. The greasy lias attracted much att-ntion, particularly those fleeces full of combing chara. ter and which have **,- ./well skirted. - - Jhe a* < rage detline on ail descriptions may be in us quoted, aa compared with inarch : —Washed, fair to good flocks. 2& Itooi I per lb. ; ordinary an 1 inferior, 3J to id ; greas.i. 2d to 2i I per lb. The total quaiititv eataio^u-d consisted of: — Sydney. 24 67. bales'; Pert Puillip. 72, Ht; Van Heine'u's Lm"i. 5722; Adelaide, 2 K 71 ; Swan River, 2305; New Zealand, 17,161; am Cape, 15,578— T0ta1. 157,6 >2 bale*. The sales commenced on the 10th May, and close.! on .]u : -e 23.