COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 907, 28 February 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Times Office, Thursday Evening. The following are the Customs returns for — Wednesday, Feb 26. Tobacco, 211bB £2 12 6 Sundries 0 12 11 • . £3 5 5 Thursday, Feb.^ 27. Whisky, 35 gals ... ... £21 0 0 <» — ■ — The " Nelson Esaminev" of F«-b. 4, reports : — The trade Tfith the West Coast ■■'urin" the past month has been unusually dull, but whether this is attributable to a falling off in the demand there, or tlwt more than the usual supplies have been poured in from Australian ports, we are not in a position to state. It is to be hoped, on the conclusion of harvest, that our local trade may experience the benefit which a good season for our farmers is calculated to confer upon it. The Cissy, with the fir>t of the season's shipment of wool from Nelson and Marlborough, sailed from Port Underwood on the evening of the 26th ult., having on board upwards of 1100 bales, of the value of about £34,000. The Dona Anita has upwards of 1000 bales on board, and will sail before the end of the present month, while the concluding shipments of the season will be made by the Cesarea. The weather during the past month has been all that could be desired for getting in the crops, and Very little corn now remains to be carried. Ohis is fortunate, as an unfavorable change took place in the weather ou Sunday, a south-easterly gale bringing us heavy rain, which has continued at intervals up to the hour of our going to press. There is very little this month to be said of the goldfields, which continue their returns pretty steadily, with no signs of increase or diminution worth speaking of. The efforts made to open the head of the Earamea has drawn a good many miners to that locality, and as the road over Groom's saddle will be completed in a few days, when horses may be taken within a short distance of the Leslie, the number of men who will then resort to the Karamea will certainly increase. We hear of several parties doing well in the neighborhood of the Leslie, and it is probable that before the summer is over a large body of mintrs will be found at work on that and other tributaries of the Karamea. The high price to which, flour suddenly rose last month has been since maintained, but there is a feeling that it must slightly recede, and that the present quotation is somewhat too high. There is not the slightest expectation, however, that flour in New Zealand will fall below £20 a ton, which may be looked upon as the ruling quotation for the ensuing year. While flour is ruling at upwards of £16 10s a ton in Chili, at £16 9s in California, and £18 to £22 a ton in New York, there is no chance of the Australian growers encountering competition from either North or South America, and any surplus there may be after supplying home demands, will find a ready sale at remunerative rates in Europe. The " Marlborough Press" of Feb. 4, reports aa follows on the harvest in that province : — The harvest, so far as it has gone yet, bas turned out much better than wa» at one time expected it would. The weather, except for the last few days, has been favorable for gathering in the produce of the fields, and a short time longer will prove whether any very great damage has been done by the late heavy rains. Had the present harvest proved unsuccessful, it would have gone hard with our farmers, as in the two previous years they have been very unfortunate. Last year, just as the crops were ready for garnering, a heavy flood came and destroyed larj[e quantities of corn of all descriptions ; but this year we hope the flood is too late to cause much mischief. A large extent of ground is under cultivation. Mr H. Kedwood has about 1000 acres of mixed crops, most of which has been successfully stored ; and many other farm ere have from 100 to 300 acres each, the greater part of which has yielded a fair crop, and may be pronounced safe from the accidents that have exercised such prejudicial effects^ on Jihe prosperity of farmers in former years. The "Wellington Independent" of Feb. 8, reports . —

Business has slightly improved during the past month. At last we have to report that many articles in daily use are getting scarce, and prices have been considerably advanced. We think we have not had to announce an undersiorked market for nearly three yea-s 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. Wool is arriving freely. We regret to say buyers are verychary in making purchases, and the very low prices offered have, in most instances, had the efiect of causing farmers to ship the clip to England under advances from the merchants. Stock continues plentiful, more particularly wethers, which can be haJ at almost any price ; and until we have regular boiling-down establishments, we cannot see a*iy pn>pect of better prices. With fat wethers, a^eru^. ~ say 551 b, at from 10» to 12a, would it not p: a company, either English or local, to comment a meat preserving association ? Butter and bacon still continue without demand. Altogether, we are afraid this has not been a good season for the country setilers. It may please them, however, j to learn that the price of potatoes in all piobabi- I lity will be very high this season.