COMMERCIAL.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1880, 1 August 1874, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Advertiser Office, Friday Evening. We have little of importance to note. The ] arrivals of produce and grain have been princi- ; pally confined to imports from Canterbury— which is now looked upon as the market for sup- ] plying the wants of dealers in this district. The much wanted railway, which was to open i up communication with the interior and the | Yfaikato, and furnish a means of supplies nearer at hand, is not to be given, the Govern- 1 ment having intimated their unwillingness to undertake its construction. The opening of the lands of the Upper Thames for pastoral purposes, as well as the hills for gold prospecting, is believed to be nearer at hand, the Government having instructed their agents to hasten the work, and placed funds at their disposal for that purpose. A large number of settlers of means are anxiously awaiting the result of negotiations for the opening of these lands in order that they may cultivate the same, and so supply the requirements of this population, without the necessity for importing so much from a Southern province. Our timber mills are all fully employed, and are still unable to supply the increasing demand which prevails for the first quality of material they produce, The diffioulty of a regular coal supply for battery and domestic purposes has been increased of late owing to the Bilting up of the foreshore, which has reduced the depth of water at our goods wharf, and rendered vessels of moderate draught almost useless in the coal trade, so far as the wharf is concerned, whilst the delay in punting increases the cost very materially, Some better means of landing cargo must be provided without delay. If our English friends had gone on with the projected company for working the coal beds on the opposite shoro of the Thames, at Wharekawa, they would now have stepped in and shutout completely the imports from any other place, because the use of punts would have been all that was necessary in bringing across supplies. No doubt the land will be turned into a productive coal-field at no distant date, from the importance of regular supplies of fuel at the Thames. The gold yield for the past few weeks shows no diminution, when the circumstances alluded to elsewhere are considered, and the number of steadily yielding claims is on the increase. The labour market, so faJ as gold mines are concerned, is far from being satisfied, as the limited number of tenders sent in for the performance of mining work will readily testify. The construction of extensive water-races for the supply of machinery is employing a goodly number of labourers, and this work is expected to extend over some eighteen months yet. We append our usual prices current BUILDING MATERIALS. Timber.—Boards and scantling, kauri, 15s per 100 feet, tongued, and grooved, 17s 6d; kahikatea, 9s per 100 ft; planed, tongued, and grooved, lls6d; New Zealand palings, 5 feet, lis to 12s; tea-tree rails, £3 5s per 100; shingles, 12s Gd to 17s per 1,000; Hobart Town palings, 5 feet, 193; 6 feet, 21s; Hobart Town ' COAL AJSD FIREWOOD MARKET. Coal.—Newcastle, wholesale, none offering; Bay of Islands, 30s per ton on board the vessel; do,, delivered, 34a per ton; no slack. Firewood.—Best tea-tree wood; 13s per ton at the yard. BREADSTTOF3, PRODUCE, &e. Adelaide Flour, £17 10s to £18 per ton; Southern do., £15; Auckland do., £16; sharps, £10; bran, 10s per baft; maize, 6s per bushel; oats, 6s; barley, none; pearl barley, £4 10s; chaff, £8 10s per ton; hay, £8; fresh butter, 2s per lb; salt do., Is 4d; bacon, 9d to Is; cheese, 8d; potatoes, £610s to £710s per ton. Provisions.—Sams and bacon, English, none; Colonial, lid; cheese, English, none; provincial, 8d; Canterbury, lOd; rice, Java and Patna, 283; salt, fine, £5 10s; tea, common, la 9d to 3d; medium to fine, 2s 6d to 2s 9J; orange pekoe, 2a 9d to 3s; hvson skin, 2s lOd to 3s 2d; sugar, No. 1, s|d; dark, 4id. GROCERIES, OILMEN'S STORES, &C. Candies.—De Roubaix's,y?rice's Belmont's, ll^d; Couda, lid. Fish.—Sardines, halves, 13s; salmon, Morton's, 15s; sardines, qrs, 7s; lobsters, 13s to 14s. Fruits.—Currants, sd; raisins, Eleme, 6d; sultanas, 7£d. Oilmen'a Stores, &o.—Fruits, Batty's and Morton's, 15s 6d to 163 6d; pickles, Morton's, lis 6i to 12s; do., Whybrow's, lis to lis 6d; salad oil, pints, 13s to 14s, half-pints, 7s 6d, castor pints, 12s, half-pints, 7s; mustard, lib, 15s to 17s; Pis, 8s 6d to 93 6d; starch, white, sd, do., blue, 51; vinegar, bulk, 2s 6d to 3s, bottles, quarts, 10s; fruit, Colonial, 10s to 10s 6d, Hobart Town Jam, 8s; sauce, Lea and Perrins', 14s to 14s 6d, WINES AND SPIRITS. Spirits in Bond.—Brandy, Martell's, pa'e, 9s 6d; Hennessy's, dirk, 9s; pale, 6d. In case: Hennessy's, 345; Geneva, lis : 6d to 18s; Schnapps, 21s; old torn, 15s; whisky, Danville's bulk, 7s to 7s Gd; case, 15s; rum, 30 0.p., 5s to 6s. Wines, Duty Paid.—Port, from 12s upwards; sherry, from 12s upwards; champagne, from 50supwards; clarst, from 25s upwards. MONTHLY SHARE REPORT, i The market during the month has not been i distinguished by auy remarkable activity, but on the contrary, our quotations compare unfavourably with our last monthly report. The absence of dividends we suppose has been in a measure the cause. The present month, it is anticipated, will amply compensate shareholders for any deficiency in this respect during the last. Ve append quotations of the principal stocks:—Caledonian, sales fros £9 5s to £10, closing sellers £10, buyers £9 lss. Tookey (double issue), a few transactions at : 1 753 to 80s, firm. Cure, there have been 1 numerous fluctuations in this stock, sales 12a 1 to 20s, closing weak, sellers 13s, buyers 12s. Sales have been effected in Manukau shares at £10 (cum div. of 20s, since paid); the prominent and favourable position of this mine has also brought buyers of Imperial City into " the market, and transactions have taken place at 22s 6d, Crown Princes have steadily ad- • vanced from 23s 61 to 30s;' they are firm at the latter figure. Exchange—the recent discoveries in this mine have caused a considerable . advance, shares having been sold from 16s 6d { to 265, closing a shade, weaker, with sellers at i 245. Bright Smile—a few transactions from 3 95i to 87s 6d, with a declining tendency. City of London steady, tales 28s to 30s, aud now ' saleable at 293. Queen of the May lis 6d to 15s, closing buyers 12s- City of York, sales 10s to lis, buyers 10s 9d; firm. Queen of the lhaines, a steady demand, with sales from 7s to 9s, closing buyer 3 at 9s. Vanguard, sales 2s to 3s 6d, now sellers 33 Gd, buyers 33 3d. AlI burnia—this stockshowsa/lecliaing market over last monthly quotations, haviug been sold at _ 425, now sellers at 31s. Old Whau, sales from e 50s to 70s; have sinco receded to sellers at 455, 3 buyers 40s. Black Angel, 9s nominal.—B. K. McGregor, Hon. Secretary Association. ,t THAMISS STOCK AND SHARE MARKET. Friday, 6,45 p.m. = Sams.—Old Whau, 42s 6d; City of London, d 30s; Crown Prince, 30s. | SBLbKiu).—Caledonian, £9 17s Gd; Old Whau, 455; Watchman, 3s 9J; Ooliban, 4s; Cure, " 13s; Nonpareil (double issue), 7s; Italian. Is [ OiljHazolbank, ss Gd; Bright Smilo, 87a 6d;

City of London, 30s; Queen of the May, 12s 6d; Crown Prince, 30s; Exchange, 245; Vanguard, 3a 6d. Bums —Old Whau, 40s; Watchman, 3s; Ooliban, 3s; Cure, 12s; Golden Calf (paid-up), 6s; Italian, Is 4d 5 Bright Smile, 80s; City of London, 295; City of York, 10s 9d; Queen of the May, 12s; Vanguard, 3s 3d. W. Fkater, CUSTOMS DUTIES. MONTHLY EETURN, Statement showing the amount of Customs Duties collected at the Port of Thames according to the several heads of Revenue undermentioned, from the Ist to the 31st day of July, 1874, both days inclusive (fractional quantities omitted) :— Heads op Reoeii'is. £ s. d. Spirits, 757 gallons, at 12s • 454 10 3 Ditto (distilled in New Zealand) 39 gallons, at 5s ■ - ■ 11 17 4 Cigars, I44tbs, at 5s ■ ■ 36 4 8 Tooacco, 1,394 lbs, at 2s 6d • 47 5 0 Wine, 171 gallons, at 4s ■ 34 6 8 Tea, 1,3941b5, at 6d - ■ • 34 17 0 Sugar and Molasses, 12,125 lbs, at Id 50 10 5 Goods by weight ■ • • 1413 3 Ad valorem, £2,803 0s Od, at 10 per cent ■ ■ ■ • 280 6 0 Other Duties notjspecified above« 0 17 6 £965 7 4