Commercial.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 284, 10 July 1873, Page 7

Commercial.

The Southland railway returns for the month] of June are :—: — |

_ . , . Saturday, noon. Business has continued quiet, though there has, perhaps, been as much doing as is customary at this period of the year. In the import market the sizeable transactions have been few, but values are generally well supported, and a tolerably cheerful tone is apparent. In breadstuffswe not* the sale of some fine parcels of wheat at 5s 6d, which is somewhat above the quotation, for average samples the value being more nearly 5s 3d. Oats have been placed at 4s 3d, and we quote this figure as about the market rate. The inquiry for barley continues light, but it is noted that good malting samples continues worth 7s. Californian is now plentiful ; but owing to the character of the grain is not in much favor. Fine flour is in demand, and the town millers have been recently well occupied. Quotations are made at Ll2 10s te Ll3 for parcels, moderate shipments going forward. Colonial provisions remain in very good demand, and prices slightly improved. Good parcels of butter are worth la, and cheese 9d. Bacon and hams, really good, 9^d to 10d. The late telegraphic advices have imparted a little firmness to the spirit market, but since their receipt no business of any importance has transpired. We report quotations as yet unaltered, viz., Hennessy's brandies at 7s 6d to to 7s 9d ; case, 28s 6d to 295. Rum, 10 0.p., has been placed at 3s 9d, and genevas keep at 13s 6d. Sugars continue firm at very full rates, with a brisk demand for all descriptions. Sales of teas are noted at unchanged rates. A trifling business has been done in cornsacks at 17s. Woolpacks are not yet inquired for. In galvanised iron, the sale of a moderate shipment to arrive is reportediat L4l, but buyers do not seem at the moment disposed to large transactions, either in this item or in fencing wires. The last-named goods are also reported as having been placed to arrive, but without particulars transpiring. Malt liquors in glass have been in active request, but no parcels in first hands. Small sales of English bulk ales have been making, at L7to L 7 10s. English malt has scarcely been dealt in ; Colonial is in good request, prices having become a little easier. In hops no sales are noted, except a few old, at low figures. Kerosene is quiet ; part of the shipment ex Horatio Sprague is offering at 2s in bond, but dealers rather indifferent. The market, it is understood, will be relieved by the shipment Northwards of nearly 2,000 cases. There has been a good demand for small grocery goods and oilmen's stores ; most of these are commanding full prices. Such is not, however, the case with dried fruits, the inquiry for which has been very trifling. A. Mercer reports for the week ending July 5, retail prices only :- Fresh butter in £lb and and lib prints, best quality, Is 6d per lb; second do, Is 5d per lb ; fresh butter, in lumps, Is 3d, to Is 4d ; powdered and salt do, Is 3d per lb. Fresh butter is still rather scarce, aad dairykeepers are looking for another advance in price. Salt butter, in kegs, Is Id to Is 2d per lb for good samples, but not much in demand. Cheese is scarce, and prices have an upward tendency; good quality, Is per lb. Side and rolled bacon, smoked or otherwise, 9d to 10d per lb ; Colonial hams, Is to Is 2d per lb ; English hams, Is 9d per lb. Eggs are now more plentiful, and retailing at 2s per dozen. Wanganui, July 5. — Beef is selling here at 15s to 17s per 1001 b. Christchurch, July 4.— Messrs Royse, Stead, and Co. quote the grain market as quiet. Holders are indisposed to sell large parcels at present quotations. Flour firm at Ll2 to Ll2 10s ; wheat scarce at 4s lOd to ss ; oats scarce at 4s lOd to ss— all free on board. Butter and cheese are in excellent demand at Is and 8M respectively. Wellington, July 4.— Wellington preserved meats are succeeding at Home. The stock in bond little altered. Tea and sugar are reduced. Brandies increased. Exchanges unaltered. Discount has been reduced half per cent. Kerosene is low ; 1,600 cases are to arrive by the Horatio Sprague, and 2,500 by Skimmer of the Wave. Hennessy's scarce at 30s. — Mr O'Shea quotes : Flour, full stocks, first Oamaru brands, Ll3 10s to Ll4 ; Dunedin do, Ll3 to Ll3 10s ; Canterbury do, Ll2 10s to Ll3. Oats in supply at ss. At auction, King's Dunedin flour realised Ll2 10s. Mauritius.— The Argus of June 21 reports : — By the China and Condor, just arrived from Mauritius, advices are to hand to May 6. The Alma was the only vessel loading. Messrs Ireland, Frazer, and Co. write in regard to . further supplies: — "The departure of these vessels will almost close this season's shipments to your Colonies, the only grocery sugar remaining being a few hundred tons in the hands of one firm, waiting the arrival of their own vessel." The general opinion appears to be that the next season's crop will yield 125,000 tons. No sugars were to be shipped from Nossi-Bd to the Colonies, but the Tranquebar was expected to bring a cargo of about 500 tons rations from Bourbon.

respectively.

A correspondent of an Auckland pape thus writes of the Martin's Bay settlement : — There are eight houses, five only of which are occupied. There is very little land, and the half of what there is is swampy. The selection of the site is bad ; and, although it is three years since the settlers landed there, scarcely anything has been done amongst the whole lot. Only twelve acres have been cleared ; no stumps have been removed, the ground between being only scratched up with a hoe or rake, and sown with wheat or potatoes. This extensive area, I was told, was next year to be increased by four acres. There are no fences. Three persons have made gardens, and an area of half an acre will comprise the whole. The settlement possesses, in live stock, abont two dozen fowls and three pigs. The latter have been placed on an island up the lake to breed, so that their owners might be saved the trouble of looking after them. The produce of the cultivated plots is scarcely enough to last the settlers until next season. There is no bread, and the people live on a stew made of pigeons and vegetables. The people occupy all their time in abusing the Provincial Government. There is no whisky, or the state of things would be horrible. Can the periodical starves which the dwellers are subjected to be wondered at ? A remarkable story of the foundering of a ship and the death of her captain, has been communicated to us by Messrs Bury, Leech, and Co., the agents of the barque Lindsay, which has arrived at Melbourne from Christiana, Norway. It is contained in the following statement by the master of the barque, Captain A. M. Bull :— "On the 3rd February, 1873, in. lat. 48° 45' north, long. 7° 53* west, we fell in with the Satellite, of Liverpool, bound from Cardiff to Rio de Janeiro with a cargo of coals. Found the vessel in a sinking state, and sent a boat with four men and the mate to her. The mate found the captain of the Satellite in his cabin, and he refused to leave the ship. The mate stayed on board some time, endeavoring to persuade the captain to leave her, but was unable to do so. The cook, who was the only other person on board, left the sinking ship and came on board of our vessel. We stayed with the Satellite until she sank, at about half-past one o'clock p.m., and also waited about for some time afterwards, ia the hope of picking up the captain. We, however, saw nothing of him, and then proceeded on our voyage. The cook said that the crew had left the Satellite on the night before (2nd February) in a boat, at about ten to eleven o'clock. I saw nothing of them. On the 15th February, 1873, fell in with the Rovina of Aberdeen, bound from Liverpool to> New Orleans, and we placed the cook on board of that vessel, at his request. A. M. Bull, master of JMi»&y."~Ai'yv&

'assengers roods, &c. (tons) ... 1,377- £248 1,688— £333 XO/2. 961— £16: 1,314-£33;