COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1065, 30 November 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Times Office, Saturday Evening. The following are the Customs returns for —

The ' Lyttelton Times ' of the 21st instant, reports : — " There ia ' still a want of spirit in business generally, and a want of confidence in the future ; but we think as the present very favorable season progresses this will disappear, and we shall have a healthy summer trade. The sale of teas ex Sampan passed off unsatisfactorily, the dealers not bidding so spiritedly as might have been expected. The cost of tea in China this season is much higher than usual, a fact which none but the importers appear to take into consideration at present. Sugars will also cost very high this year, owing to the failure of the crop in Mauritius. We want a supply of good second quality sugars, j particularly of a useful ration kind. The first of the new crop should Bhortly arrive. j Wool freights have been named at f d for | greasy, and |d for washed, and we understand that the same rates will be charged in Danedin — dumping to be resorted to only when the wool is loosely packed. The Light Brigade is taking in cargo as it comes to hand, and has now 600 bales stowed. Shearing is now general, and next week will bring a considerable quantity of wool to port. Ihere is a much better feeling in the grain market with regard to oats. A rise is confidently looked for in Melbourne now that our supplies to that market are pretty well at an end ; 2a 6d has been paid during the last day or two. Wheat appears to be entirely in the hands of our millers, who are only buying in anticipation of lower rates." The ' Wellington Independent ' of the 14th inst., reports : — " The news of the frightful atrocities that have been committed by the natives at Poverty Bay, and the continued reverses attending our operations on the West Coast, have ca9t a gloom over everything in the place, and serve only to incr.ase the depression in trade that we have had to report for some weeks past. The few auction sales that have been held have been so scantily attended and the biddings so utter'y out of reason that in one instance the whole of the goods had to be withdrawn ; at Turnbull, Keeves and Co.'s, Messrs Vennell Mills and Co., sold 20 tons salt £2 17s 6d for coarse, and £3 3s for fiDe ; damaged rice at 93 per bag of 561bsj and 200 bags oats at 2s lid to 3s Id ; sardines, quarters, at fis 3d ; halves, at 8s 6d ; eleme raisins, s£d ; figs, 7£d; Jordon almonds, Is lid perlb; preserves, 9s 6d and 9s per doz lib tins ; oatmeal, 19s per lOOlbs; Cozzens' kerosene, 2s Bel per gallon ; sperm candles, llf d ; and soda crystals, lls 6d per cwt. On the lltb, Messrs Bethune and Hunter sold ten bales three bushel corn sacks at 12s per doz ; three tanks of malt at 10s 6d per bushel ; currants, in quarter barrels, at 4d per 1b; wine corks, 2s 6d and 2s 9d per gross; Champion's vinegar, in casks, 2s 6d per gallon ; champagne, in bond, at 21s, and 16s per doz for quarts, and 16s per doz for pints ; West India rum at 3s 9d per gallon, but the crater portion of goods were withdrawn. At Tonks auction, on the 12th, nothing was done." We have Melbourne advices to the 16th insfc. The ' Argus' of that date says: — " There has been no excitement in the import markets to-day. In breadstuff's we note an improving trade demand for flour at well sustained rates, £13 10s to £14 being conceded by buyers of five, ten, and twenty ton parcels of Victorian flour. No sales of wheat are reported , holders are firm at 6s 3d for South Australian, and good samples of Victorian, the millers, however, operate with extreme caution, at prices which thus show so very little margin of profit. Maize ia firming in consequence of the price ruling in Sydney, and to-day we do uot hear of sellers of prime samples even at 4s, though inferior may be got at less money. A small parcel of Ta9manian oats, good but not prime, was quitted at 3s 7d. The market is somewhat heavy, but its strength will be tested on Tuesday by the offer of some 35,000 bushels Van Diemen's Land oats. Cornsacks are very firm at 12s in bond, and offers a shade under, have failed to meet with any response. Candles arc firm at lid for best brands, and notwithstanding the numerous arrivals of late, holders have succeeded in establishing the price named. Sales of currants are recorded at 3|d, being a slight advance on late rates. Chinese oil is steadily held ior 4s 6d ; we, however, hear of no sales ct this figure as yet. On Monday, the Tycoon's cargo of teas will be offered by public sale." By the Jane, schooner, from Hobart Town, which arrived at Bluff Harbor on the 28th inst., we are placed in possession of late Tasmanian papers. The ' Hobart Town Mercury ' of the 20th mat., says : — During to-day busineßß has been very slack,

and transactions confined solely to the supply of immediate trade wants. Prices are without change, but firm ; and it is believed they will continue so. We quote as under : — Flour, £15 per ton ; wheat, 6s 3d to 6s 4d per bushel ; oats, 2s 6d to 3s per bushel ; fresh butter, lOd to Is per lb ; potted, 6d to 10a per lb ; bacon, 5d to 8d per lb ; hams, 7d to 9d per lb ; prqssod hay, £3 10s to £4 per ton. We quote the following from the c Lauuceston Examiner ' of the 14th inst. : — In the absence of transactions of any note, prices have remained without alteration during the week, if we except potatoes, which have been in better demand, and have advanced from £2 15s to £3, without bagß. Other quotations are as follows :— Flour, £14. Wheat, 5s 6d. Oats, 2s lOd to 3s. Bran, Is 6d. English barley, ss. Tasnianian oatmeal, £22 to £24-. Hay is very plentiful, and there i 3 but little sale for it at the present rate, £4, in consequence of the abundance of greenstuff now coming forward. Dairy Produce : — Potted butter, wholesale, 6d ; fresh butter, retail, lOd per lb. Prime bacon, lOd to Is ditto. Fowls, per pair, 3s to 43 6d. Ducks, ditto, 5s to 5s 6d. Colonial cheese, la to Is 2d per lb ; English ditto, Is 6d to Is Bd. Eggs, lOd per dozen.

IFriday, Nov. 27. Brandy, 47 gals £28 11 1 Wine, 26 gals 5 410 Ale, 250 gala 12 10 0 tobacco, 172 lbs 21 10 0 Sundries 18 7 £19 4 6 Saturday, Nov. 28. Brandy, 28 gals £16 16 0 Sugar, 2240 lbs 9 6 8 Sundries 4 13 £30 3 11 »