COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1034, 7 October 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

___C_S Ofli_e, Tuesday Evening. Hie foUowing are the Customs Returns for —

By the arrival of the Omeo, we are in receipt of our Australian files to the Ist inst. We take the following from the ' Argus ' of that date :— Business in the import markets continues to maintain an aspect of great quietness, there being little in the news now to hand of a stimulating character, or of a tendency to create any speculative movement. In breadstuff's, the market is still is a state of panic j and until holders are more under the guidance of reason and common sense, it is hopeless to look for greater steadiness. We are still three months and a half from harvest, and, taking the very best view of onr supplies on hand and to come in, we have barely sufficient to carry us over till then ; and yet, under fche fear of foreign supplies, the market has fallen during the last three months £8 per ton, and that before a pound of Californian produce was _ received"- The value of flour has been-driven down to £l_perton, or within £2 of the present shipping price at San IVancisco, at a time when the merchants there have to provide a market for an estimated surplus of 350,000 tons. Eeasoning thus in regard to the absurdity ofthe present panic, the importers of the two cargoes just arrived have resolved to store the same, in the full "anticipation of the market assuming a healthier and more satisfactory aspect ere long. The quality of the wheat in both cases is very superior, and- quite equals the Murray wheat of this year. By auction, Victorian flour was disposed of: this forenoon at £14 ss; privately we hear of a line of forty tons having been taken up at £15 ; while about forty tons Adelaide, to amve by the Coorong, found a purchaser at £-4 10s on the wharf (in bond), for transhipment. Some 12,000 bushels New Zealand will be offered for auction sale to-morrow. Oats are offering yery freely, but there is not disposition to operate evinced on the.part of buyere. Maize ia •till quitted at 3a lOd to 3s lid. Candles are in more request, the reduced stocks in the hands of the trade compelling them to purchase, though orJy sparingly, owing to the stiffness of importers. We hear ot 10_d having on several occasions been offered and refused for Brandon's. For ;i shipment of soda crystals £11 was accepted. There is a better demand for frost tobacco, at improving rates j a parcel of twenty half-tierces Eagle was

quitted at 13£ H. Sardines have attracted more attention , a few hund « I oas^s have changed hands at very full figures. Sales of zinc are r iDorted at ±533. New season's teas command a good deal of notice. We Lsarn that the twelve best iines of heavy weight chests a half chests, ex Coryphaeus, have been taken up by one firm, and though a luU price ha 9 been paid we understand the importers lose heavily on the transaction, and *here seems bufc little inducement to import such fine qualities of tea 3 when the results are so unsatifactory.

Monday, Oct. 5. Brandy, 65 gals ... £39 1 9 Bum, 33 gals ,20 2 0 Whisly, 35 gals ... 21 9 7 Tobacco, 1261bs 15 15 0 Tea, 951bs 2 7 6 Sugar, 16,2671b5... ... 67 16 7 Sundries 6 11 2 £173 3 7 . Tuesday, Oct. 6. Wine, 26 gals £5 610 Brandy, 29 gals 17 15 ll Whiaky, 34 gals 22 0 5 Tobacco,ll2lbs 14 0 0 Sundries 6 5 6 £65 8 8