COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1021, 14 September 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

• The 'Daily Times,' 9th September, reports : — Markets are still characterised by want of activity, and there is little, in the current transactions going forward, of which to take note. Contrary to expectation, houseß doing business with the coast and up-country, are receiving but moderate orders from their customers, and till this alters importers cannot look for much larger transactions than those carrying through at present. We note breatstuffs as still possessing extreme quietness, salea of flour are said to have been made to rather a larger extent than has been the case for some days previously, but prices are reported as without variation, and firm at last quotation?. Very little wheat is coming forward, and no doubt, on the occurrence of any better demand will be found to be very scarce. Very little can be said respecting either oats or barley; both are well supplied and a very moderate request. Nothing in sugars can be noticed. Teas have been in better demand, and a good sized miscellaneous parcels was quittod at Is lOd to Is lid for good medium congous in halves ; Is B£d to Is lOd for mediums in chests ; also a small line of ordinary at Is 6£d. Boxe3 are wanted. Very few of these small packages aie now left in stock. Sales are noted of Islay whisky at 5s 4£d ; Duryea's maizena, 7£d; Campbellton whisky, 5s 6d ; Baltic deals, s£d ; fencing wires at £10 ; and pick handles, 12s ; a considerable line of Brandon's candles at a price withheld. Brandies have been moving only in trifling parcels ; Hennessy*s pale, in bulk, \a held for 8s 9d. At Messrs M'Landress. Hepburn and Co.'s Rooms, a considerable amount of general merchandise was offered, some of which realised fair rates, the limits not being obtained for others. The same firm obtained for the cargo of kanri, per Onward, prices in advance of late quotations for the same descriptions of timber. Hie ' Westland Observer,' of the 31st ult., reports the Hokitika markets as follows :— - The week's business has been characterised by about the same amount of dullness which has prevailed for some time past. Imports have been confined to shipments by the Otago, the Rangitoto, and the Charles Edward steamers, and to a cargo of produce by the Heron, from Hobart Town. These have added but little to otir stocks, which, in many articles, are now exceedingly low, a condition of matters which must, per force, continue until the entrance to the port will permit these vessels now in the roadstead, and others which are daily expected to arrive, to come up to the wharf. In despite, howevej-, of the scarcity of some articles and the entire absence of others, there is but little change in prices. The trade has become so limited, and the competition amongst the wholesale houses is so keen, that while there, remain but a few packages of any article diffused amongst them no higher rates are obtainable. Amongst the few articles which have benefited by the present state of affairs, we may mention flour, which in our last week's report we . quoted at £26 with a decided upward tendency. We now quote best biands of Adelaide at £27, while Provincial may be quoted at from £22 10s to £24, according to quality. In horsefeed, oats hare established a rise, and are now worth 4s 3d. Bran and chaff are getting exceedingly scarce and are newly out of first hands.. Potatoes have made a stride, and are now worth £8 10s for good sound samples. Butter of prime quality is all but out of the market, and & quotation is almost unsafe to hazard. We have heard of as much as Is 5d having been given for immediate consumption, while on the other hand from enquiries we have made, we are satisfied that not more than Is -2d could be obtained for anything of a parcel, •hould such arrive.

Times Office, Saturday Evening. The following are the Customs Returns for — Friday, Sept. 11. G-eneva3o gals ... ... £17 16 3 Sundries ... ... 9 111 £27 7 4 Saturday, Augußtl2. Brandy, 24 gals £14 2 0 Whisky, 34 gals 20 17 7 Sngar 899 ibs 3 14 6 Furniture ... ... 5 7 6 Shingles and timber ... 19 15 3 Sundries 8 17 10 £72 14 8

The following &n the luveroti?gUl Pyiosa Current \~** £ 8i d, $ s. d. Ats — Bseb (duty paid) Ale, Baas' No.,4perhhd, (new brew) ...... 10 tO 11 10 „ AUsopp'u No. 8, do. . (new brew) none 10 0 10 10 „ Marshall & Copeland's 7 10 810 „ Tennents' Bottled 18 6 13 9 „ Byass' bottled, qts., per dozen 012 6 013 0 Allsopp's tutto. do. 012 6 013 0 » •— • 013 0 013 3 "Pobtsr— Uyass' . ' (green label) Stout... 012 0 012 6 --,i „ Bottled, qts.., per doz., Blood'a 012 0 012 6 „ Byass' ...0 12 0 012 6 Fxotra— Adelaide 26 0 0 27 0 0 Provincial ....,?... 22 0 0 0 0 0 Oats, per bushel. , 0 2 9 0 8 0 Bran, ditto 0 19 0 2 0 Maize, ditto 0 5 0 0 5 3 Potatoes, per ton, 610 0 7 0 0 Bricks, per 1000 2 0 0 3 0 0 Max, native, prepared... 25 0 0 35 0 0 MANVFACTUBES — j Boots and Shoes .„..,,.. 25 per cent. advance on genuine invoice. Candles, mould, per lb. 0 0 6 0 0 7 Metals— Iron,barand'rod,perton 18 0 0 0 0 0 " hoop, ditto 22 0 0 " galvanised corrugated, ditto 35 0 0 40 0 0 according to gaage and maker. Hardware, ironmongery 40 to 60 per ct. adv. Nails, Ewbank's 18 0 2 0 0 American Cut Nails. 1 15 O 2 0 0 Naval Stokes (delivered on board) — market overstocked Pitch,English,perbarrel 310 0 4 0 0 Rosin, ditto, per cwt.... 2 5 0 210 0 Tar, Stockholm, per brl 3 5 0 3 15 0 „ coal, ditto, 210 0 3 0 0 Coals, English, per ton None. „ A. A. Company's ditto 2 10 0 0 0 0 Grey River 3 0 0 3 5 0 Gunpowder blasting, . perlb 0 16 0 19] Cordage, Europe, as- j sorted, per cwt 3 5 0 310 0 Manilla, sizes, ditto 3 10 0 3 15 0 Twine, seaming and roping, perlb 0 16 0 2 0, Canvas, per yard... 0 16 0 2 0 Oilmen's Stokes and Gbocebdss. — Little demand, stocks rather heavy — i Candles, Price's patent sperm, 0 110 0 0 Other brands, full weights Oil 000 „ light weights 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fruits, apples, dried, do. 0 0 7 0 0 8 Currants, do 0 0 4f 0 0 5 Raishis, do 0 0 7 0 0 8 Bottled Fruits, assorted, 0 16 0 018 6 Oatmeal, per lb 0 0 2 0 0 2 Rice.Java 1 12 0 1 14 0 " Patna, 1 14 0 1 16 0 Hams 0 14 0 14 Bacon 0 10 0 10 Beef, per tierce (Melbourne cured) 4 0 0 4 10 0 Cheese, English per lb. 0 1 2 0 1 2£ „ Colonial, „ 0 0 9 0 0 10 Herrings, in tins, per doz 114 0 116 0 Sardines, i-tins, per doz. 011 6 012 6 " i-tins, ditto 0 7 0 0 8 0 Lobsters, lb. tins per do. 9 6 0 10 0 Salmon, ditto 017 0 018 6 Matches, per gross (250) Bell and Black's 1 14 0 1 16 0 Blacking, paste, per gross 0 8 6 0 9 0 Pickles, quarts, per doz. 10 0 0 0 0 " pints, ditto 012 0 013 0 Salad Oil, pints, ditto 0 14 6 0 15 0 ' i-pints, ditto... 0 9 0 0 9 6 Sauces, assorted, i-pints per doz .-... 011 0 011 6 Lea and Perrins Sauces, i pints per doz. 0 14 6 0 15 0 Salt, Liverpool, coarse or dairy, per ton 5 10 0 6 10 0 " fine, ditto 6 10 0 7 0 0 Soap, Melbourne cwt... 114 0 2 0 0 " Hobson's Bay 116 0 2 5 0 " Liverpool 1 14 0 1 16 0 Paints, Oils, &c. — White Lead, per ton... 40 0 0 45 0 0 Linseed Oil, per gallon 5 9 0 6 3 Turps, ditto... 012 0 0 o 0 Whiting, per cwt 0 10 0 0 11 0 Spirits (in bond) — large stock on hand — Brandy, Martell's pale, pergalion 0 8 0 0 8 0 „ fiennessy's 0 8 6 0 9 0 „ Champagne Vine yard, gal 0 7 9 0 8 0 „ Martell's pale ... 1 9 0 110 0 „ Hennessy'sp.do. 111 0 112 0 „ Incase,M.H.W.V. and Otards 1 10 0 Rum, 10 — 120.p., pergalion 0 4 4 0 5 0 Supplied. Geneva, JDKZ, or Key, per case 10 0 110 Whisky, Scotch, bulk, pergalion 0 5 3 0 5 0 Whisky, Case 012 6 013 6 SUGAR (duty paid)— Loaf, perib 0 0 8 0 080 Crushed Lump, ditto... 0 0 7 0 0 0 Company's Crystalsper ton 57 0 0 58 0 £ Pieces, Ho. 1, ditto 55 0 0 56 0 9 No. 2, ditt0....... 53 0 0 54 0 0 Mauritius Crystals, ditto 46 0 0 53 0 0