MELBOURNE.

Southland Times, Issue 1352, 27 December 1870, Page 2

MELBOURNE.

. • The Argus of .the 20th inst, reports :■ — In the import markets bnsiness has heen ex- . -tremely -quiet -throughout the day;; Monday ' usually is a dull day, but the announcement of the mail's arrival had the effect of pausing a ' total suspension of trade, so that beyond the ; business reported from the. auction: rooms, little worth special mention has transpired. In breadstuffs, we hear of trade sales- of flour being effected at £12 15s to £13 per ton, or 12s 9d to 13s per cental. For large lines we quote £12 5b •to £12 10s per ton,' or 12s 3d to 12s 6d per een? -talf butit is difficult to get buyers to operate to any extent. Wheat is still without anything to refer to in the way of sales ; supplies ' in most cases continue to find their way direct to the millers from the country districts without the intervention of the middlemen, aud transactions do not bo readily come, under our notice in consequence-. Quotations are well supported, and 6s 6d to 5s 9d per bushel, or 9s 2d to 9a 7d per cental, can fairly be calculated on being obtained for good to very prime samples. Oats show no alteration; at the same time, we do not hear of much inquiry, though trade parcels are disposed ,of at 3s 4d per bushel, or 8s 4d ppr .cental, ior .-Ordinary descriptions,* to *3s 7d per '"bushel," ! oi 8s llid per cental, for prime milling sorts. Maize is. saleable -at 4s to 4s Id per* bushel, ojAls ; Ifd/to ' 7s 3id per cental. There is a fair trade doing,' and late arrivals appear to have gohe very freely! into consumption. —The cargo of the Samuel, comprising .9,513 h^ 8 eind. pockets! Mauritius: sugar, wasoffered [publicly in the forenoon, and •tiie auctioneers Succeeded in getting rid of 7,339 bags and pockets, at prices which show great firmness in the market. Middling to fine yellows realised 37s 3d to 39s 3d, and for fine whites 40s, to 40s 6d was obtained. The Bale, however/: dragged, owing toiife~sbsence of variety in the 1 t cargo. ' ; In teas there is a steady inquiry.f or the supply of immediate wants, but the larger buyers are somewhat backward, and operate with; "TtnKhn»ulaon7'^hipTnen£s^^ coming for-: ward. -.Two cargoes are-reported since Saturday. , In* liqdi'ds,' we hear of considerable sales of "dagger; . stout, in parcels, at a-priee supporting our quota-; tion of 8s 3d. 4-t the sale of colonial wine -this forenoon Some 3,000 gallons, the produce of the Balwytt yineyard.^owth 1868, 1869,' and 1870,; were quitted at from 2s 6d to ss' 3d. ...',