COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1071, 11 December 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

"We take the following from the c Oamaru Times,' of the 27th instant :— Business still moves but slowly, and a revival of activity is not to be looked for until the -wool season has further advanced. Shearing has commenced at Malvern Hills, and will be pretty general on the North Waitangi in about a week. There are no transactions in grain, there being no demand for any description. Flour is dull of sale. In the spirit trade stocks generally are full. We quote brandy, in case, at 30s in bond; geneva, JDKZ, 17s 6d ; whisky, in bulk, 6s to 6s 6d per gallon ; Hennesey's brandy, 8s 3 ; and rum, W. 1,10, 10 0.p., 5s 3d ; sherries range from £9 to £12 for lower descriptions, better class ranging from £16 to £26, in bond ; low class ports, £9 to £15 in bond, and for best brands, from £16 to £24 ; ales, duty paid, 13s ; stouts, 12», to 13s, according to brand. The '"West Coast Times' of the 23rd ult., says: — There has been no increased activity in the import market during the week ; in fact, a general feeling of dulness has been the rule. Sales of flour have been limited to the disposal of trade parcels, at the same prices which ruled last week. A feeling, however, prevails that the present prices will not be maintained. Horsefeed is a little easier, and in no instance have the extreme rates quoted last week been obtained. Oats, 4s 3d, be taken as a full figure for a good quality ; chaff we quote at £15 to £16 ; but, for a large parcel, the iormer figure would be taken. For bran, 2s 6d is demanded, but buyers are shy at that price. Grood samples of Circular Head potatoes have been sold at £10 ; but, in some instances, £9 to £9 10s has only been obtained ; sales at auction of Canterbury have realised £7 12s 6d, and of Nelson £8 10s (in each instance Is for bajs.) A considerable quantity of butter has come to hand, but the prices which we quoted in our. last report have been maintained. Colonial cheese of good quality, although rather scarce, has receded a little in value, and we quote it at 9£d to lOd. Groceries and oilmen's stores remain unchanged. In spirits and other drinkables, there has not been any marked change. Stock. — The ' Daily Times' of the sth inst., says : — Beyond inquiries for store wethers for fattening, but little is doing in the sheep market. A very large porportion of the runs in tJie province are well stocked, and the few inquiries made emanate from those who possess freehold properties laid down in Ehglish grasses. The general belief that fat mutton will rule low during the summer, causes even these to be very chary of buying, except at rates which holders are unwilling to accept. For ewes and hoggets scarcely any inquiries are made, the few having spare country preferring the slower method of stocking by natural increase to purchasing in a falling market. In store cattle a better feeling prevails, for although the stock in the province is large, that in the Australian colonies has very largely diminished, and prices there for store cattle have already risen to some extent. The natural increase in this province, together with the small importations, are not in excess of the consumption. Bunholders will need to pay especial attention to the improvement of their wool ; to ensure this, they should breed only irom carefully selected ewes, using the best rams that can be had. Too much care cannot be shown in this, more especially as the object to be gained is not so much the stocking of country or the production of stock for sale, as the production of good fleeces. The superior prices obtained during the last series of the home wool sales by those whose stock consists of sheep with long- stapled wool, must convince those who have favoreii the sheep with ihort stapled wool, that a change is necessary if satisfactory prices are to be obtained for wool growing. In a market where there is so little demand, quotations for that class of stock, which are almost unsaleable, such as ewes and iambs, can only be nominal. The following are market quotations, viz. : — Ewes, 2, 4, 6, and 8-tooth, with lambs at foot, 12s, in the wool ; eweß of same ages, after shearing and weaning, 6s j lambs, after weaning, ss ; store wethers, 4, 6, and ,8-tooth, in wool, 9s ; after shearing, 6s ; half-bred wethera, 2 ana 4tooth, in wool, 12s j after shearing, 7s 6d to 8s" j good store cattle (mixed herds) are worth £7 to £8 per head ; steers, from three to five years old, £9. Fat sheep have been very scarce, and prices have ruled as high as 4sd per pound for sheep in the wool- The market is now better supplied, and prices have a downward tendency. The few shorn wethers sent to market have been very superior, and brought 3id to 3id per pound. Present market rates can scarcely be quoted, as a good supply will at once bring down prices. Fat cattle are not brought forward in excess of the demand, and prices continue very satisfactory to sellers. Good cattle readily bring 40s per lOOlbs in irk •am

„ Byass' 012 0 012 6 Floub— Adelaide 17 0 0 17 0 0 Provincial 16 0 0 16 0 0 Oats, per bushel 0 2 9 0 3 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 Flax, native, prepared... 25 0 0 35 0 0 Manufactures — Boots and Shoes 25 per cent, advance --&-**<- on genuine invoice. ■ l-igidles, mould, per lb. 0 0 6 0 0 7 Iron,barandrod,perton 18 0 0 0 0 0 ". hoop, ditto 22 0 0 " galvanised corrugated, ditto 35 0 0 40 0 0 according to guage and maker. Hardware, ironmongery 40 to 60 per ct. adv. Nails, Ewbank's 18 0 2 0 0 American Cut Nails 1 15 0 2 0 0 Pitch,English,perbarrel 310 0 4 0 0 Rosin, ditto, per cwt. ... 2 5 0 210 0 Tar, Stockholm, per brl 3 5 0 315 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. 016 0 19 Cordage, Europe, assorted, per cwt 3 5 0 310 0 Manilla, sizes, ditto 310 0 315 0 Twine, seaming and roping, perlb. 0 16 0 2 0 Canvas, per yard 016 0 2 0 Or__aaf's Stobes and Gbocebees. — Little demand, stocks rather heavy — Candles, Price's patent sperm, 011 0 0 0 Otherbrandsjfullweights 0 11 0 0 0 „ 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 Raisins, do 00 7 00 8 Bottled Fruits, assorted, 0 16 0 0 18 6 Oatmeal, per lb 0 0 2 0 0 2 Rice, Java 112 0 114 0 « Patna, 114 0 116 0 Hams 0 14 0 14 Bacon 0 10 0 10 Beef, per tierce (Melbourne cured) 4 0 0 410 0 Cheese, English per lb. 0 1 2 0 12* „ Colonial, „ 0 0 9 0 010 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 6 010 0 Salmon, ditto 017 0 018 6 Matches, per gross (250) Bell and Black's 1 14 0 116 0 Blacking, paste, per gross 0 8 6 0 9 0 Pickles, quarts, per doz. 10 0 00 0 " pints, ditto 012 0 013 0 Salad Oil, pints, ditto 014 6 015 0 • i-pints, ditto... 0 9 0 0 9 6 Sauces, assorted, Jr-pints per doz 011 0 011 6 Lea and Perrins Sauces, £ pints per doz. 014 6 015 0 Salt, Liverpool, coarse or dairy, per ton 510 0 610 0 « fine, ditto 610 0 7 0 0 Soap, Melbourne cwt... 114 0 2 0 0 " Hobson's Bay 1-16 0 2 5 0 " Liverp001......... 114 0 116 0 Paints, Ona, &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 010 0 011 0 Spirits (in bond) — large stock on hand — Brandy, Martell's pale, pergalion 0 8 0 0 8 0 „ Hennessy'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's p. do. 111 0 112 0 „ Incase, M.H.W.V. andOtards 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,perlb 0 0 8 0 080 Crushed Lump, ditto... 0 0 7 0 0 0 Company's Crystalsper ton 57 0 0 58 0 I Pieces, No. 1, ditto 55 0 0 56 0 9 No. 2, ditto 53 0 0 54 0 0 Mauritius Crystals, ditto 46 0 0 53 0 0 j

Times Office, Thursday Evening. The following are the Customs returns for — Wednesday, Dec. 9. Brandy, 28 gals £17 3 2 Old Tom, 18 gals 10 15 8 Tea, 410 lbs 10 5 0 Tobacco, 81 lbs 10 2 6 Sheepwash, 900 lbs ... 11 5 0 Sugar, 6729 lbs 28 0 0 Sundries 19 5 2 £106 16 6 Thursday, Dec. 10. Whisky, 98 gals £61 1 7 Brandy, 62 gals 38 7 5 Geneva, 27 gab 16 13 9 Wine. 51 gals ... ... 10 4 5 Tobacco, 132 lbs 16 10 0 Sugar, 2240 lbs ... ... 9 6 8 Tea, 400 lbs 10 0 0 Malt 5 2 6 Sundries ... 21 6 7 £188 12 11

♦ The following are the Invercargill Prices Current : — £ s. d. £ s. d. Ai_ — Beeb (duty paid) Ale, Bass' No.,4perhhd. (new brew) 10 10 11 10 „ Allsopp's No. 3, do. (new brew) none 10 0 10 10 „ Marshall _Copeland's 6 0 0 to 7 0 0 „ Tennents' Bottled 13 6 13 9 „ Byass' bottled, qts., per dozen 012 6 013 0 Allsopp's dii*o c do. 012 6 013 0 „ Jeffrey's 013 0 013 3 "*eb — Byass' (green j label) Stout... 012 0 012 6 I Poß_ "bottled, qts., per ->z., Blood's 012 0 012 6'