COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE

Southland Times, Issue 740, 23 October 1867, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE

- Times Officb, ;'^*tA ;. ; ; Tuesday Evening. The following are the Customs Eeturns for —

By the s.s; Omeo, which arrived at the Bluff yesterday, we have three days later Austra^au news. The Argus oi the 17th inst says : —

Iv the import markets to-day business has been characterised by. more activity; the demand besides has ranged over a move varied description of goods than has been the caso for some time past, thus giving a better and healthier tone to the markets generally. In breadstu'fs Victorian country flour is offering more freely at Ll2 l(Js. A line of about 8000 bushels of wheat has been placed at a, considerable advance oa Lite traasactions, close on 6s having been realised. Frnher sales of Californian oats have come under our notice to the extent of 7000 buihels, at up to 2s 7£d. A couple of thousand bushels of Tasmanian oats have also changed hands at close on 2s 9.!. Sales of maize are mentioned at 3s 2d and 3s 3d. Cornsacks continue to meet with favor at 13s. There is a good inquiry for currants, and prices are somewhat hardening ; sales are reported at 3jd. to 3|d. Of candles we, hear oi" about a thousand boxes, in parcels, having been placed at lid for Brandon and De Roubaix, while 10£ d has been accepted ior Gouda. A parcel of thirty ton 3 of Vatna rice has been placed at the advance desired to be 'essfeibliahed.''"* A shipment of 200 drums of linseed met with a' purchaser at 4s 9d. A small parcel of superior pale amber resin has been quitted at 17s. in tobacco, we hear of some forty half-tierces of twist, Queen of the South brand, and 100 cases of half pounds and fancy aroinatics, having found buyers on private terms. In malt, though the article attracts notice, there is muck doing,- in consequence of the rates asked by holder 3, who quote 9s 6d. We hear of one bin of 2000 bushels having been disposed of. A very heavy demand for hops for trade purposes, as well as on speculation, has suddenly set in. About 160 pockets of 1866 (Kent) changed hands, in parcels, at prices rising, according to quality, from 2s 9d to 3s. A lino of 2;>o pockets '65 was quitted at about 2s, while smaller parcels up to fifty pockets, same growth, have been sold at 2s 3d ; '64 have been purchased at 2s, and some thirty pockets of Tasmanian have realised 3s.

The Daily Times of the 19th inst. contains the following summary of commercial intelligence for the month : —

Since the departure of the September Suez mails, trade lias worn a very quiet appearance, and it ig not possible to refer with any degree uf satisfaction to the amount of business done dutin" the month. The demand for local wants ia usually at this time' slacker than at any other part of the year, anl it has happened 'during the last few weeks, that outside . requirements have been very limited ; and though at intervals first holders have evinced. a disposition to do business at conceded. rates, sales to any extent have not been induced, and the total of importers transactions has been light. In consequence of the prevailing quietude markets close with less of firmness than they previously possessed, and quotations for staples, though almost stationary, are, in some cases, only so ia the absence of operations to guide. Stocks have been added to by an . average amount of British imports, but from other sources there have been no accessions. Wo shipments of new season's Eastern produce are vet to hand, t-iough cargoes are aavised as afloat, and should be to hand early. The arrivals since the 20th ultimo have been the ships Countess of Kintore, Echunga, and Star of Tasmania, from London, and Vk-ksburg, from G-JasgoW. Tlie slight alterations made in the tariff are the admission of coffee, ground and roasted, at live pence per lb., and the item 3 of blasting powder, resin, olive oil (in bulk), and palm o)\ admitted free.

The agriculturists of the Province are .still without an outside market, except that of the WesfCoast, for their produce. Attention is now awakened to the fact that all tho Colonies are producing in excess of consumption, and that only upon such regular export as can be established to the Home markets, can dependence be placed for disposal of future surplus. Credit is well sustained, and all branches of commerce are healthy. The money market has not varied ; rates of discount are at 8 per ceiit. for 9a days currency ; and at 9 per cent, for over that term. Exchanges: The Banks issue drafts upon- London, 3 days' sight, at 2 per cent, premium; 30 days, sight, at li per cent.; 60 days' sight, at 1 per cent, j on Melbourne, \ per cenf. j on Sydney and the other Australian Colonie?, 1 per cent.

Westpobt. — The Westpo-rt Evening Star of t'.ie 7th inst. reports : — '

v Business in town during the past week may be said to have been somewhat quieter than tho few weeks previous. Prices of goods, with one or two exceptions, range about Hokitika prices; During the early part of last week tho importers had entirely run out of; flour j but m the course

of the week a small supply of Adelaide arrived per Beautiful Star from Dunedin, and a few tons from Hokitika, which found ready sale. Again, themarketmaybe said to be bare of this staple commodity ; but wjth the knowledge that there are lurge shipments outside, prices have not varied much. The Nightingale, from Melbourne, now lying off the bar, has a general assorted cargo of some two hundred and forty tons, and may be hourly expected to cross the bar. The Maid of Erin, from Adelaide, with a considerable cargo, chiefly composed of floYir and bran, may be expected about the same tune, having been reported from Hokitika, and the Susannah Booth arrived, yesterday eft-moon with a full cargo from Dunedin ; those cargoes, with the other continual arrivals, will fully supply the market for a week or -two.- Stocks generally may-be said to be low in town at pi*esent. No auction sales of importance have taken place during the past week. The amount ©f revenue collected at the customs during the week was — £229 16s sd. •

-Early yesterday morning, says the Otago Dally Times of the 18th instant, rain began to fa 1 1 ; the strong north-easterly wind died away ; and for several houi-3 during the. mo i-ning, there was a yery unusually heavy rain-faJl. The water-chan-nels in many parts of the city soon overflowed ; but the rain was so excessive that to complain of that overflow as a proof of neglect or bad manage - ment on the part of the Corporation, would be a thoroughly unreasoniug absurdity. In all cases of very heavy rain, Maclaggari-street and Rattraystrcet are the most liable to suudden flooding. In Msclaggah-street, the stream was so strong after the junction of what flooded down from Clark street, that the water rushed over the whoie roadway. In Rattray street, the rush of water tore up the channelling stones for a few yards, a short distance above the Shamrock Hotel ; but though' the stones blocked the water opposite the hotel for a while, - flooding there was prevented. Mr Barnes, with the assistance of daymen and others, attended to the drains in this locality, and especially to the two at the lowest point of the street. Flooding could not bo prevented, but the drains we i-3 kept from cho«k : n^. The cellars of some of the warehouses On the southerly. -side of High street were flooded, but not- to any great extent. In Grcorge street-and Great King street, the roadway was flooded, as were the footpaths, -at some points, and some dwellings andshops. A serious accident which was no c'oubt very largely contributed to, if not directly caused by, the heavy r.iip, occured duriug the afternoon at the Red Lion Braweiy, Greorge street. The premises staud on peaty grouud, A portion of them is brick • and in it there was an archway, giving access io the , yard, the upper storey being continued over the sircK The arch suddenly collapsed, bringing down nearly all the brickwork of so much of the front as was over it ; and the floor of the upper storey, on which there was stowed a lai'ge quantity of bottled beor, &c, also came down, destroying a great deal of the stock. Nobody was hurt, but we believe that one of tb&men employed on the premises had a very narrow escape. We have not heard the extent of the loss to Mr M. Joel, which will follow from this accident. The rain yesterday' morning was heavier - than it was during the fall which occasioned the serious flooding on a Sunday, two years and ahalf ago; but it fortunately was not so long continued. — Last evening, the wind had got round to the southward, and it blew very strongly.

Monday, October 21. Whisky, 88 galla... ''...* £52 16 0 Wine, 54 galls- ... ... 10 16 0 Brandy, 94 galls' 56 16 3 Tea, 5861bs * ... ... 14 13 0 Sugar, 68941bs 28 14 6 Cocoa, 11211bs 18 0 Geneva, 30 gals 18 0 0 Sundries 2 17 Gold, 4940zs Bdwts ... 61 16 0 £247 1 4 Tuesday, October 22. Whisky, 15 galls ... £9 6 9 Wine, 20 galls 4 0 0 Brandy, '2B galls 16 16 0 Tea, 3721bs ... ... 96 0 Coffee, 5481bs ... ... 11 8 4 Sugar, 69381bs ... .'.. 28 18 2 Sundries ... ■ ... ••• 43 911 £123 5 2