COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 923, 27 March 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

TncssOmci, Thursday Evening. The following are the Customs Returns for — Wednesday, March 24.

Mr Wk. Todd reports: — Meiirs Menzies Bros, flock of mixed sheep, sold on Wednesday last, as baring realized the following prices :— 90 Leicester lambs, 10s each; 50 do, owes, full mouthed, 80s each; 20 do do, 29s each ; SO 2 to 6-tooth, do, do, 40s each ; 70 do do, 38s each ; 35 half-brtd wethers, 13s, and 35 do do, 12;

800 half-bred OoUwold ewes, full mouth, 7a a haad, and 200 do do, 6s ; 125 half-bred owes, 15s each ; 125 do do, 12* ; 225 half-bred lambs, 6s 6d ; 225 do do, 7a. T>a sale was not so well attended as might hare been expected, but for the bad state of the roads, the distance from town, and the foot that most settlers am in midst of harvest work. s-~" We take the following items of commercial intelligence from the "Lyttelton Times," 21st inst :— There is a decided improvement in the grain market t but the desire lately evinoed by speculators to purchase largely has been somewhat checked by the. firmness of farmers in holding. By our latest advices from Australia, we notice that (here had been gradual and steady rise in the price of wheat and flour. In Adelaide, on March 6, the corn market was reported very firm, with a good inquiry for wheat. The town millers there were asking £22 a ton for flour. The following are' thft&jajest quotations to hand from Australia:— Melbourne— flour, £18 10s to £19 (provincial) ; wheat, 8s 3d, at which figure 5000 bushels were purchased for forward delivery. An advance on oats had been firmly established, 4s 3d having been obtained for good samples. Sydney — sales of Adelaide flour were reported at £24, and wheat was scarce at 8s 6d. Adelaide. — Flour was held for an advance on £22, and wheat very scarce at 8s 2d. Hobart Town. — Fl.ur was quoted at £l6 per ton, and wheat at 6s 6d to 7s. A telegram from Dunedin, dated 11.40 this morning, gives the following quotations :— »We quote Christchurch prices the same as last week except in wheat and oats ; the former iB now firm at 5s 6d to 5b 9d. Oats have a decided upward tendency, owing to advices from Australia. It is reported that one firm in Christchurch were to-day pushing through to Lyttelton about 3(X* tons of oats, to meet the Omeo, for Melbourne. Frequent complaints are made as to the want of accommodation atthe Christchurchrailwaystation, The sheds are totally inadequate to the demands made upon them now, and should our export trade increase only slightly, serious loss will result from the want of storage rooms. Examination of grain, or other goods purchased for shipment, is impossible under existing circumstances, and the lessees are obliged to send grain bought to be delivered at the railway to the merchants' stores, thus incurring double cartage and serious delay. At Lyttelton the case is worse. There is positively no accommodation for storing goods waiting shipment. We hear that a petition will be presented to the Government requesting a reduction in. the high rates of carriage between Lyttelton and Christchuroh especially as affecting grain and other agricultural produce. The following commercial intelligence iB taken from the " Argus " of the 20th inst. : The import markets to-day have been characterised by a great want of animation ; advices to hand not being of a nature likely to impart much impetus to business; Breadstuff's on the whole have been rather quiet ; prices of both wheat and flour, however, are very steadily maintained at £20 for the latter, and we hear of about. 200 tons having changed hands. On the other hand, the rate named was offered and refused for a oonßiderable parcel of a well-known brand. . Sales of prime qualities of wheat are mentioned at 8s 6d ; wheat of fair quality lias been sold at 8s 3d and farmers' lots hare been disposed of at Bs. The damaged portion of the Pelham's cargo of Fatna rice, amounting to 2,73 i bags, was disposed of by auction at prices rising, according to condition, to £20. There is little doing privately in the market. Some 3,300 bags Mauritius sugars were also offered by public sale, but owing to the uncertainty whi'-h exists as to the course likely to be pursued by the importers of the cargo p r Star of Peace, advertised for sale on Mon'ay, the buyers showed no desire whatever to operate, and in con equence only 168 bags grey crystals, at 36a, could, be got.ri.i of. In teas there is little to report iv the way of >alea ; "ut us prices oi all descriptions exhibit a hardening i»ii foTiov. it' i* >\i>f 'iy^ilg-ly4 l^ >t -« Mmr moVenvnL will take place ere long.

Bruidj, 38 golf ... £22 19 5 Rum, 30gals 18 2 5 Genera, 30 gals 18 3 9 Tea, 360 lbs ... .. 9 0 0 Coffee, 375 lbs ... ... 413 9 Sundries .., ... ... 3 19 10 £76 19 2 Thursday, March 25. Genera, 163 gals ... £48 18 11 Brandy, 13 gab 7 17 6 Whiaky, 36 gait 21 16 10 Wine, 73 gals 14 12 10 Sugar, 3360 lbs 13 19 0 Tea, 660 lbs ... ... 14 0 0 Dried Fruits 6 5 3 Jewellery 6 5 8 Sundries 8 7 0 £141 3 0