MELBOURNE.

Southland Times, Issue 1814, 4 November 1873, Page 2

MELBOURNE.

The Argus of the 28th ult. reports :— Breadstuff's maintain a heavy aspect, and nothing indicative of an improTement is yet presented. Flour in parcels is nominally quoted at £14, but there is no business to report. Baiters' lots are moving off at £14 10s. There is not much wheat offering ; small parcels of good could, however, be bought at 6s 3d, but there is no great desire evinced on the part of buyers to operate. We are without any business to report in oats ; quotations stand at 4s 6ri to 4s 9d for feeding sorts. Small parcels for country use are telling, but nothing more. Maize is offering freely at 3s lid for parcels, but there is no activity. The feature of the day was the auction Bale of sugar. The cargo of the Oriental, comprising 4 324 bags Mauritius, was offered in the forenoon, when the auctioneers succeeded in disposing of 3,567 bags, but a decline of at least 10s per ton had to be submitted to. Low yellows sold at 31s to 31s 9d, medium at 32s 6d to 33s 3d, good at 34s 3d to 35s 6d, grainy yellows at 34s to 35s 3d, medium whites at 37s 6d to 38s, and yellow crystals at 35s 9d. Sales of China counters are reported privately at 36a, and of brewing crystals at £37 10s, and up to £41 for very fine whites. We understand that the Peony, telegraphed amongst the arrivals this morning, has been ordered on to Sydney with her entire c irgo. The Dover Court, which has arrived from Java, consigned to Messrs F. W. Prell & Co., brings a cargo consisting chiefly of sugar for the " Company." Tobacooes are coming prominently into noti< c again. We learn that the entire stock in the hands of the agent of Cameron's tens of last season's make has been taken up by one buyer on private terms, the sellers guaranteeing not to sell any of the present make until April next under Is 4frd to Is Sd for Two Seas and Venus. Great confidence is now exhibited in the future of the market, the advices to hand being so very favorable. In teas, the •action sale of new season's congous and fancy teas ex Onward, proved a success, every package of the 2,266 offered having been taken up at from 9}d to lOd for low congous. Is Id to 1b 2d for scented caper, and Is l|d to If i for gunpowder. Sales of new congoua ex Minna are mentioned at Is 3d to Is 9d. There is more doing in slates ; we learn of the quittance of an invoice of about 80,000 at prices showing an improving tendency. Further transactions in malt are recorded ; a line of equal to 60 tanks has been placed at a full price. We learn of the quittance of a shipment of new Kent hops, to arrive, at the extreme figure of 2s 4|d ; the eale, however, is an exceptional one, the shippers having gone to the additional expense of repacking in eases ; the sample, however, is very fine.

Sales of tartaric aci 1 are made at 2a 2d. Tennent's bottled is moving at 13s. The opening wool sale of the season in Melbourne was held at Messrs R. Goldsbrough and CVs warehouses on the 22nd, and the large saleroom was crowded to excess by buyers and others interested in the trade. Before the sale commenced the question of allowance for draft was agitated by the buyerß, and the brokers, in response to the wishes of the buyers, promised to communicate with the owners on the subject. The catalogue comprised 7,435 bales, and of this quantity 3,145 bales were sold at auction and by private contract, greasy realising 7i 1 to Is 3d (the latter price for 32 bales from the westward >, and washed fleece Is 6*d to 2* 5Jd, which latter figure was obtained for a clip of 60 bales. The offer- made for most of the lots bought in were close up to owners' prices, and no doubt further business will result.