COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 901, 17 February 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Times Office, Saturday Evening. The following are the Customs returns for— Friday, 13th Feb.

♦ The . Wellington Independent, 6th February, reports : — Business has slightly improved during the past month. At last we have to report that many articles in daily use are g tting scarce, and prices have been considerably advanced. We think we have not had to announce an understocked market for nearly three years previous to this occasion. The Leichardt is now due from London, and her cargo will no doubt be disposed of at paying prices to importers. Wo lis arriving freely. We regret to say buyers are very chary in making purchases, and the very low prices offered have, in most instances, had the effect of causing fa-mera to ship the clip to England under advances from the merchants. Stock continues plentiful, more pai ticularly, wethers, which can be had at almost any price; and until we have regular boiling-down establishments, we cannot see any prospect of better prices. With fat wethers, averaging say 551 b, at from 10s to 12s, would it not pay a comoany, <*ither English or local, to commence a meat-preserving association? Butter and bacon still continue without demand. Altogether, we are afraid this has not been a good season for the conntry settlers. It may please them, however, toi am that th& price of potatoes in all probabiliry wiil be vtry high this season. The. Otago Daily Tines, 13th inst, says : — Business still wears" a very quiet aspect. The transactions going forward have been small and unimportant, and in the import market, scarcely anything has taken place. Breadstuff's have experienced no alteration in value, and flour is otjly g lling in trifling parcels for current wants. : A. few small parcels of sugars are reported as paced at maintained prices. Teas have had no attention. Of the new congous, «x Pfeil, offered at Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn, and Co.'s rooms yesterday, scarcely any were placed, and privately nothing has been reported. Spirits are very firm, particularly brandies : Hennessy's pale is held for 8s 3d. In other staples, there is nothing to record.

Brandy, 111 galls ... £66 12 0 Old Tom, 8 galla ... 5 13 Whisty, 84 galls ... 50 17 5 Geneva, 24 galU ... 14 10 8 Win--, 28 galla ... 5 12 0 Ale, 80 galla ... ... 50 0 - £147 13 4 . Saturday, 14th Feb. Earn, 27 galls ... ... £16 4 0