Commercial.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 252, 28 November 1872, Page 5

Commercial.

At Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co.'s wool sale, on the 21st mat:, there was a very fcfjl attendance, and abopt ICO bales were quitted, besides sheepskins and hides, Greasy Merino fleece fetched llsd to 12Jd per lb ; half bred, 14d to Hgd ; Leicester, 15d to logd. Sheepskins —Merino, station, 4s *2d to 5s od each ; ditto, green, 6s 3d to 6s 7d ; half-bred, 7s 7d to 9s. Hides, l(Jg to 21s The first batch of Corporation leases was submitted to public auction on Friday by M'Landress, .Hepburn, and" Co., and the prices realised show the greatly increased value of City properties, ihe first let was the north half of section 40, block 9, Priuoes btreet, now in the joint occupation of Messrs Beaver and Hislop, and -iaving a frontage of 33 feet to Princes street. Mr Hislop was the purchaser at 'LS 5s a foot, or L 272 5s for the lot. The second lot was subdivision of section 33, block 17, in the occupation of Mr Carroll, and having a frontage of 60 feet. Mr Carroll was the purchaser, at 50s a fo >t, or Ll5O 18b 9d for the section. Lot three, being the second subdivision of the same section, was knocked down to Air Gilchrist, its occupant, for Lb'B 18s 9d, being at the rate of 48s per foot ; while the third subdivision of the same section, having 35 feet frontage to George street was also knocked down to Mr Gilchrist for L7B lßs 9d, being at the rate of 45s per foot. Lot 5. being subdivision 4of section 33, with 28 feet irontage to George street, was knocked down to Mr Munro, at 36s a foot. In grain and breadstuffa there is no change to report. Wheat of any quality is to be had only in small lots ; prime milling samples readily find buyers at Ss 6d to 5s 8d ; good ordin&ry sorts may be quqt. Dat §s : inferior at 4s to 4s 6d ; and fowl wheat at & 3d. Oats are firm, but quiet j there is not a large sale just now — milling sorts are worth 2s 3d ; feeding, 2s Id. There is no barley offering. Potatoes dull at L 5 10s for Provincial. In flour, a large trade has been dune this week— the bakers in town are 8-curing at U4 j bags are in sale at 1,14 10 a, Oatmeal, quiet, Lll 10s; bran, firm, L 4; pollard, |Ls 10s ; pearl barley, L 24 : hay, L 4; chaff, L 4; Straw, L 2 ss. A. Mercer reports for the week ending November 23:— Ketail prices only, fresh butter in and lib prints, beat quality, 9d per lb; second quality, 7d to 8d; fresh butter in lumps, 7d to 7£d : powdered and salt butter, Sd. The market is completely glutted with freah butter. .*nd th is- superior 1 to 1 what has been for -yearV There is no demand at presentfor salt butter in kegs •' stocks are vefy heavy in • ths storekeepers hands, who are salting dowft large quantities wepkly, and cqnsighmeijti <& otherwise from the neighboring rrovjnceg tq «ome of our marchanos destroy what ljttlg sale we might ba,ve -for good samples §d pep lb. is asked. Cheese is now getting mor-e plentiful owing to the new coming into the market, and a fall in prioe may be expected for good quality, 9d to lOd per lb • Engliah ham. Is4d tc Is 6d per lb ; Colonial hams, lOd ; side and rolle<? bacon, 8d to 9d per lb. Eggs are more plentiful this week and selling at la 2d per dozen. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. sold by auction the booths, &c, for the Dunedin .Races, to be held on St. Andrew's Day. The gates were purchased by W. Watson for LO3 ; the grand stand by J. Beany for L 24;2 4; the saddling paddock by T. Murray for L 7 • the stabling by R. Paton for Lll ; the race cards by Langley and Driscoll for Lll 10s ; grand stand booth, T. Murray, L2l ; No. 2 booth, C. Armstrong, L 7 10s : No. 3 booth. J. Cotton, L 6. TotaL Llsl. FASSENOER LISTS. Per Wellington, for North. — Miss Trevenna, Mrs Williamson, Messrs Matheson, Derritt, Forrest, Atkins, Bixon, Ueywood Turner, Moore, Johnstone, Wilson, and 5 iv the steerage. Per Alhambra, from Lytt«lton.— Mri and Miss Webb, Messrs Mavisty (2), Mathewa, md Richardson. Per Nebraska. — For San Francisco :'Mra Cameron and family (6), and Mr Welsh. ' ' For Auckland : Mr and Mrs Buckland and Jhild. *For Lyttelton: Mr Palmer. For Wellington .- Eight Rev. Bishop Morari, Mr iJaskins. 1 ■ Per Alhambra, for Melbourne. —Mr, Mr» * md Mi*ses Flanagan (2), Mr and Mw J M hn 7argill, Mrs ' Brown, Messrs Ingtfs, JSHison, ("orsytbi and 34 in the '&t§era§e, . /

X

Political. — The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs and the lion, the Minister of Justice left on the 21st by the '■ ebraska for Wellington. It is understo d that the Hon. the Treasurer and the Hon. Mr Reynolds will attend the Intercolonial Conference, to be held at Sydney on the 9th proximo, on behalf of this Colony. Acclimatisation. — A letter by last mail states that Mr Bills, who went to England for a second supply of insectivorous birds on behalf of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, was to sail in the Charlotte Gladstone, which was advertised to leave London during the present mouth. At the time on which the letter was written, Mr Bills was at Brighton collecting the birds, and has progressed very satisfactorily in the work. His anticipations with respect to the shipment were very good.— The ten grouse shipped by the Queen Bee for the Auckland Society died on the passage out. — A fine trout, weighing lilbs, was caught on Sunday last in Cooey Creek, running through Mr Roger*' home station at Athol, Wakatip. Th\B is supposed to be one of about twenty turned out by Mr Rogers some 18 months ago, and it is said others have been seen once or twice, but they were mistaken for small native fish. Immigration. - His Honor the Superintendent has received a telegram from the Colonial Secretary stating that the Agent-General had telegraphed by cable to the Colonial Government, that the ship Charlotte Gladstone sailed for Otago on the 4th inst., with 350 immigrants. Proposed Steel and Iron Com-*any.-4A^ proposal to start a company to be called tne New Zealand Titanic Steel and Iron Company has been canvasaed at Wellington during the past few days, and already a most encouraging list of subscribers to the proposal has been obtained. The prospectus states the amount of required to be not less than L 50.000, which it is proposed to raise by means of 5000 shares of LlO each. Careful calculations accompanying the prospectus, and a description of the process to be adopted in the Bmelting operations, which is that advocated by Mr E. M. Smith, is also appended. — Independent, October 30. Immigration to Otago. — A. private letter received by the mail says that Mr Auld, the agent for Otago, is striving to work in union with t^r Keatherston in eend- ■ ing out immigrants to Otago. We trust tbat the tw» will work together, although the same letter intimates that the Agent -General has hitherto been bent on doing things his own way. The National Bank. — The ground, we believe, on which the Government decided that Dr Featherston's retention of the office of Agent-General was in ompatible with his acceptance of a seat on the board of direction of the National Bank of New Zealand, was simply that, the institution being a new o,ne, it was thought inevitable that he, together ,^yith the other directors, would liave to devote more time and attention" to' the work" of getting it under weigh ttan would be consistent witji the efficient performance of his fifficia} duties. t^E Port Railway.— We believe ft is the intention of the promoters to take advantage of t^e Governor's visit next month to get his Excellency to open the liije. The GrOVERNOR. — His Honor the Superintendent lately received a telegram from the Governor, in which his Excellency states that he does not leave for Victoria before March next ; and that Lady Bowen aud he intend to pay their visit to Dunedin next month, as previously arranged. His Excellency expects to arrive in Dunedin by the Luna about the 20th of December. Earthquake. — A± smart shock of earthquake was felt in Dunedin and its. neighborhood at ataut 12. 32 p. m. on the 20th. It lasted from two to three seconds, and had »S. W. direction. It was also felt at Port Chalmers. A correspondent writes :—" A smart earthquake was felt at Forbury about 12.30 to-day, lasting about four seconds, not the usual wavy rolling feeling I have formerly experienced, but a very rapid tremble, either accompanied, or imagined to be accompanied, by subterranean sound." Sporting. — Private telegrams from Auckland state that on the fourth day of the Victorian Spring Meeting, the All Aged Stakes of 200 soys, with a sweepstakes of 5 soys each, was won by Mr Winch's Loup Garou ; the Three-year-old Handicap of 100 soys, with 5 sov9 each added, by Mr De Mestre's Horatio; theV.R.C. Handicap of 150 soys, with a sweepstakes of 10 soys each, by Mr E. Lee's Patriarch ; and the Queens Plate of 200 soys by Mr J. Thompbou's King of ttie RingJ Mr Sevior's Warrior being sec nd, and Mr Bloomfield'o Dagworth third 'Commission op the Peace. — The Governor has accepted the resignation by* MrW. P. Gordon, Strath Taieri, of his appointinent as a J.P. ; » •■.••' Eor the year, ending October 31, 1872, the yield of the Cromwell district" was 21,047' ozs, and it returned as jpldfa'elds revenue, 14&9.7. , Colonial Prjze Firing. — Nelson - fcaß been definitely fixed as the locale of the next Colonial competition- The site of the yange is Mr Marsdea's property, Z\ miles from Nelson, Good "Wages. — During the hearing of a case at the Warden's Court at Ahaura, at the last sitting, • it transpired that a " hatter' 1 at Nelson Creek had earned on an average L3O per week whenever he had water to wash with. His claim is situated pp the tpp of the ranges., near the proposed terminus of the race intended to be brought from Lake Hochitetter by the Government to Nelson Creek. Sporting. — The following is the address which was presented to the members of the Canterbury Jockey Club. It was largely and influentially signet? :— " To the members of the Canterbury Jockey Club. Gentlemen—We, the undersigned, desire to thank you for the fearless manner in which you have discharged a very responsible duty, in your decision in the 'Peeress case,' and we fully concur in the opinion th»t the adoption of any other course would have effectually ruined racing in Canterbury." The Tuapeka race meeting has been fixed for the 20th and 21st February. Gaol.— John Christie, a notorious and well-known character to the Police and Gaol officials of Christchurcb, Lyttelton, Invercargill, and Otago, at present'undergoing cumulative aenten^ q| n^e years Benal servitude fqr Various offences in SouthTS was teceivgd^tb \\* Gaol "ftis fqren'ppn. escorted i>y Cpfißtable S^Uivan,^ the Bluff, per Rangitot© iteamej?, under a warrant signed by mi Honor the Superintendent, under delegated powers from Ins Excellency ihe Gbvernor.~Stor,-22nd. . ... Wbsleyan.^ — At the meeting of the District,. at Christch,urch, on. the 17*h inst,* it was reported that thp receipts of the Maori and Foreign Mission Fund from the various circuits amounted to Lloi 8s 6d. Of * tbiß L 34 lps 2d was. voted to the missions in Fiji, &c. and the balance to the Maori Mission in Canterbury and Otago. A high tribute was paid to the . ttev. , Te Kote, the native minister, and it was reaolred that in future he should itinerate, through the of" tbt Canterbury Province, and

occasionally visit the Natives in Otago. The receipts of the Home Mission Fund for the coming year were estimated at L3lO. Aid was premised towards the parsonage at Port Chalmers. It was unanimously carried — "That the meeting fully appreciating the IToposed establishment of a separate Conference for New Zealand, cordially and unanimously request that the first s.ssion may be held in Christchurcb. "

Waitaki-Moeraki Railway. — The Oamaru Times is informed on good, authority that the fengineer-in-t hief intends visiting the district shortly, accompanied by Mr Henderson, Mr Brogden's engineer, with a view to inspecting the proposed line, in order to a tender for the line being given by Mr Brogden's firm.

Acclimatisation. — A gentleman, who is somewhat of an enthusiast in such mattets, showed the Oamaru Timc-6, the other day, at a certain spot on the coast, not a hundred rules from their office, a small basin among the rocks containing some English sea anemones and star-fish, which were apparently in fine healthy condition. This is, we think, the newest thing in acclimatisation.

The Oamaru Harbor Works. — The local paper says the works at the Point are progressing favorably, some sixty 20 to 30 ton blocks being now ready for laying. The concrete appears to set exceedingly h'rm, and to become, as hard as granite itself. A steam crane, to raise theso and lower them to their bed, is being manufactured in Dunedin, and is expected to be ready for delivery in January.' It will- cost nearly L2UOO.

Telegraphy. The Argue of a late date aays ;— Our English teiegi sun thi morning well illustrates ihe advantages we enjoy from direct communication with the mother country. The election of a President of the United States of America took place on Tuesday, and the result was on Wednesday transmitted from London to Australia, the intelligence of General Grant's re-election reaching Melbourne soon after eight o'clock last ni^ht. This achievement may be properly recorded amongst the telegraphic triumphs of the age.

Immigration. — The immigrants by ihe ship Lady Jocelyn who were for engagement (aays the Press) have all been placed, with the exception of eight families. We are informed that a much larger number of single men thoroughly accustomed to farm work and at least one hundred single women could have been eugsged. The following were the rates of wages : — Families, LSO to L7O ; single men, from L 35 to L 45;4 5; carpenters. 9s per day ; tailors, L 52 per annum ; general servants, L 25 to L3O ; housemaids, L2O to L 25;2 5; nurses, L2O to i 25.— ibe following is a summary of trades and o«upations of the immigrants per ship Christian M'Ausland, which left London on September sth for Otago :— There are equal to 202 navvies for' Messrs Brogden and Son, 58 families, 14 farm servants, three carpenters, i two farmers, five laborers, one baker, one J hosier, two, ga.rdenpr.B, one Bhepherd, 2i> domestic servants, one cook, two dairymaids, two dressmakers, 13 men and three women undescribed. Gold in the North Islautj. — In the debate on Mr O'Rorke's motion for the offering of rewards for the discovery of goldfields, Mr *-illies said :■ — "Gold has been discovered, and in considerable quantities, in various part of the .North Island, of which he was aware, where it could not at present be worked. He could assure the Native Minister (Mr M'Lean) that he had had in his possession for some four or live years, specimens of gold-bearing quartz from the north of Auckland, where it could not at present be worked, but where he hoped it would be worked. He could also show him that from around Lake Tanpo — the very place to which the expedition organised jointly "by himself and the hon. member had gone at the request of the Natives— he had gold in his possession, not iron pyrites, but gold, found in two different places ; and that there were other places in the .North Island from whence he had seen gold brought— between the Waikato and Lake Taupo — and he had maps in his possession where be could put his finger on the spot." — Hantard. Gaol. — Mr Strode, R.M., Senior Visiting Justice, Mr J. T. Thomson and the Han. Captain Fraser, Visiting justices,, as ; tended at the Gaol at half>pas't H o'clock this forenoon,, at the request of the prisoner John Gallagher, under sentence of fifty lashes for gross and continued disobedience of orders. Gallagher expressed great contrition for his continued misconduct and his determination to go to work and obey orders. After a long consultation, the magistratesordered that the senteuce referred to should r main in force for three months from this date, to be carried into effect at once by the Governor of the Gaol upon any repetition of misconduct within that period. We have a very great objection p^rspnally to the lash, and th^e infliction of any kiii'd oi physical- pain, but- it has ti^d'&uc'h a deterrent effect in 'especial' instances, that we are inclined io withdraw any opposition to, it. Violence to women and children by men, might be so punished. W^ b/jjieve, the class of men guilty of oflences would be more affected hy that tfcan by any other species of punishment. « ne thing is certain, the discipline of the Gaol must fee maintained at all hazards.— Sfar, 23rd, The Superintendent and Mb Keid. — The Oamarit Times considers that the dispute between his Honor and Mr Reid is a very petty little quarrel between men who ehoujd be above allowing personal feeling to interfere with their public duties. The subject, no doubt, will be fully and fairly ventilated when tj}e Provincial 'Cp.uncil meetß. Much as $hjs affair may be regretted, if rightly viewed it cannot fail of proving pro* ductive of good, It is patent that nothing has so much contributed to the disorganisation of the Otago Provincial Government — delayed the carrying out of public works sanctioned by Provincial Councils, &c, &c. as the absence of the head of the Government and members of his Executive Council for months together. Experience has proved that is is impossible for one man to hold^two offices, either of which to be efficiently filled, would require his constant attention and continuous presence. We therefore fully concur with the views propounded by the Superintendent as to the incompatibility of the position of a Minister of Public Works with that of the head of a Provincial Executive. We even go farther than this. We maintain that if Provincial Governments are to be continued, it is essential' t$ their successful workitwjjhat Superintendents as well ac E^eciitivy '<HJ&?ers should be disqualified fftr holding seat in the Assembly, much more for becoming members of the General Govejrnment, TbU fraotioe has been too long permitted.. - . . .

Colonial Jndustkies. — The following, <rgm * Melbourne .exchange, is highly satisfactory :— The manufacture of jporcelaii} and chinaware will «o,oii be i'eijkqned'aiapngat the industries,. of thf C&ofcy, A company has rec«it\y. hpen formed called the Victorian Porceiaia Earthenware Manufacturing Company for working th» patent of Messrs Flude and. Wilson. That the mannfap*; ure can be sucoessf ally carried OB.b»» " oeen p ro " ve^ by .the, experiments of l' ir mvL g } who^ wifch v *?^ on 8* appliances, has made somei very goott kpecimens of. chinaware from cjay which is said to abound Jn the vioinity pt Melbonme. We wer^.sh^wnv vest^aya ?eu^9 otjwtll jucsfft^at iskmi "4^

china," which, notwithstanding that the work was only experimental, were very well turned out, and would have passed muster amongat a good deal of the imported chiuawaru. According to tEc calculations wh cli have been entered into, the cost of manufacture here will be no greater than it is at home, and as the cost of importing articles of thia description amounts to more than 100 per cent on the original value, the Colonial made articles will have every advantage. Matters have so far progressed that the company, we are told, is about to send to England for a number of skilled workmen, and will, without delay, commence the erection of the necessary buildings.

Clutha Railway. — The Hon. E. Richardson, Minister of Public Works, accompanied by Mr W. N. Blair, District Engineer, and Mr A. J. Smyth, went over the portion of the line comprising sections 1, 2, and 3, and walked through the Cavorsham tunnel, yesterday. Mr Richardson carefully examined everything, and expressed himself well satisfied with the manner in which the contracts had been executed The whole of the earthwork will be finished, as far as Brogden's contract, five and three-quarter miles from town, by the end of December ; aud as the rails and sleepers are already on the ground, it is expected that two months longer should see the line as far as Green Island ready for the running of trains.— Star, 23rd.