COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 999, 7 August 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Times Office, Thusrday Evening. The following are the Customs Returns for —

The "Otago Daily Times," Ist August, says : — " But a meagre amount of business is going forward. Import houses are making comparatively few sales, and as usual, at the end of the month, traders are disinclined to any but absolutely necessary purchases. Flour and wheat are extremely quiet, and there is no change in price to note. We hear of Borne inconsiderable parcels of teas, sugars, and tobaccos, moving at maintained rates. Various staple goods were offered at Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn, and Co 's Rooms to-day, but the amount of business done was inconsiderable, and most of the lines failed to reach limits. The " Lyttelton Times," 27th ult., says :— "The position of the Australian and other markets has induced a feeling of great caution amongst the Christchurch grain merchants ; and although there was a large increase in the number of samples of wheat offering on Saturday, we have not heard of any transactions. This cereal is certainly not so firm as it was a week ago, and oats are also dull Barley has suffered a slight relapse, and other departments of the market are without animation. The same journal of the 25th ult., reports: — "The tunnel being still closed to traffic, but little business is doing in grain. All purchases having now to be stored, merchants are not bo free in tbeir inquiries, and the declining tendency of foreign markets will perl iaps prevent any re-action even when railway communication is again opened with Lyttelton. There are no alterations in last week's prices to record, and the only transactions of any importance we have heard of has been tbe sale of 1000 bushels of barley. The demand for bran and sharps remains good, but no advance is reported. Wheat is offering somewhat more freely than for some time past. The stock market does not yet evince any signs of improvement, and transactions have been of a very lioited nature during the week. There are no private Bales of any importance reported, and those by the hammer have been unattended by anything like animation or spirit. Some part of this may be attributed to the unsuitsbility of the cattle brought forward as compared with the demand ; but, even apart from this, a lack of competition or desire to invest is generally visible. At the Carlton yards, on Wednesday, the entries comprised several pens of good-conditioned animals, but they were not fat enough either for the Christchurch or West Coast markets, and they did not, in consequence, command good rates. The remainder of the cattle yarded were young stores and dairy cows, the former largely predominating, and selling at very low rates ; the latter sold readily, and the demand still remains good for cows that have recently calved or are just about to do so. Prime iat stock remain in about the same enquiry as at the date of our last notice. In sheep, nothing but fat Btock are saleable, and for them a good demand prevails. A mob of fat wethers, averaging between 65 and 70 lbs. have been placed at 16s, but the skins having now a g od growth of wool has some influence in procuring such rates. In horses, nothing is much inquired after, except those for draught purposes. The San Francisco "Commercial Herald" of June 6th, the latest date to hand, reports: — During the past few weeks, we have shipped and contracted for the probable aggregate of 2,500 tons of bread stuffs for the Australian Colonies. Prices have now advanced beyond reach. In short, the supply of old is measureably exhausted, and we question any further considerable shipment going forward to that quarter ,

until August next j certainly not until we are well into the receipts irora the new harvest, for the very good reasons above given. This season's fleet is yet quite insignificant, consisting of the followins: — The Alice Cameron. 347, for Auckland, N.Z. ; Penan*, 525, Belvideve, 223, North Star, 409, Mexicans, 6,27 6, and the Japan, 332— all for Sydney ) making a total of only about 2,220 tons flOitr and wheat. Besides, we are well assured that this is all that is to go forward at pesent, unless it be a single small vessel to complete the order of which the Japan, now under charter, forms a considerable part. Farther, in regard to crop prospects, the Visalia " Times " says that notwithstanding the floods, the prospeots of the farmer and stock-raiser look brighter than at the same period in any former years. The " Guardian " of San Bernardino, in its issue of May 30th, says . — The prospects for a bountiful harvest were never better in the valley than at the present time, although fears are entertained that the army will destroy the crops in some fields. The grain heads are fnll ; the crops are doing well ; the trees loaded with fruit, and the vines full of grapeß, give promise that the granary and the wine press will be filled to repletion. The 'Argus' of the 28th reports : — The week opens without any indications of improvement in the import markets, and a day of extreme dulness in the business has been passed. Breadstuff's attract no notice: No sales of flour can be effected expect for trade purposes. Quotations stand at about £19 for small parcel* ; for quantities it is quite impossible to name a price. Considerable parcels will be offered at auction tomorrow. Our Sydr.ey telegram reports the arrival of the Mexicana, from California, with , 400 tons of flour. This cargo is said to be one of the first of Lloyd's shipments, to which reference was made a short time ago by our Sydney correspondent. There was no alteration in the price of breadstuff's in San Francisco. The Chelsea wss expected to return to the colonies with flour and wheat. Under date Juue 10, Messrs Ireland, Fraser, and Co.) write from Mauritius : — " No advices have yet reached us of any shipments of breadstuffa to this port ; i and as our stock is daily diminishing holders are | extremely firm in their demands. There ia no flour in first hands, and it may be quoted as [ worth 6dol to 7dol per 1001 b. (£24 to £28 per I ton). Wheat and oats are in demand at, respec- | lively, 3dol 25c to 3dol 50c, and 3dol 25c to 3dol J 35c per 1001 b. Bran better supplied, and con- I tinues at 2dol 30c to 2dol 35c." In our own market, maize is being disposed of at from 3s 5d { to 3s 6d for sound parcels, notwithstanding , the auction sale this forenoon, when some 10,000 bushels were disposed of, at prices rising, according to condition, to 3s and 3s 2"? d. In teas a good inquiry exists. We understand that the whole of the short leaf pekoe in the market — a considerable parcel — changed hands on private terms. Sales of cornsacks are reported at lis 9d, duty paid. Tobaccoes show little animation. Wo, however, observe the sale of a large parcel of tens, half-pounds, and aromatics, advertised for Wednesday. Kerosene oil is in somewhat slow sale. For a parcel of damaged Photolite, sold under the hammer, the extreme figure of Is 8d to ls Bid was realised. A good feeling is still perceptible in malt. We hear of a bin of 2,500 bushels having changed hands at fully up to late quotations. Sales of Burkes stout continue to be reported in quantity at 9s 6d to 9s 9d. Dunphy's is quitted at 8s 9d.

Wednesday, August 5. Brandy, 29 gals £17 14 0 Whisky, 15 gals 9 6 9 Te^ 855 lbs 21 7 6 Sundries ... ... 16 5 £49 14 8 Thursday, August 6. Geneva, 28 gals £16 14 11 Bum, 30 gala 18 8 5 Brandy, 4i gals 2 17 0 Drapery 7 0 0 Ironmongery ... ... 74 0 Sugar, 12,054 lbs 50 4 6 Sundries ... ... 15 8 9 £117 17 7