COMMERCIAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 45, 16 September 1865, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

"West Coast Timks Office, Friday Kvening. ■Business dining the last week has been unusually brisk. The heavy importations which have come to hsnd during the last ten days, combined with a slight reduction in prices, have afforded the up-country buyers an opportunity of replenishing their exhnuslcd stocks, which they have fully taken advantage of. Such, however, was the extreme bareness of our market that we do not suppose there is moro than a month's supplies nl present on hnnd, which fact, considering tho excessive* shipping ehnvges on all classes of goods, nnd Iho crouds of mineisnow pouring into tho place, fully justifies holders of staple articles in demanding prices which, at tho wholesalo houses at loast, nre thought high. The greater portion of the business done during the week has been through tho retailers, many of whom having imported direct from Dunedin and Melbourne, nre working thoso importations off before again returning into tho market to buy. If the wholesale dealers complain of this tho answer is to bofonnd in tho entire nbsenee of credit which exists here, which places the smallest storekeeper nearly on au equal footing with the largest capitalist in the trado. We shall not discuss howfar a cish businesses iiultspensiblo on r digging township, but merely notice the fact and 'suggest the abovo explanation to be considered by those interested. Tho following quotations nre those at which parcels have been cleared during the week at tho wholesale houses, both privately and by and ion.

Si'irits, D.P.— P.iandy, of first class brands, in bulk and case, is in considerable demnnd . In hulk, Ilonnessy's, 26s Gd to 29a ;MnrtolPs, 25s Cd io 28s ; Champagne Vineyardss, amo as MnvteU's. In case, nennesfiy'R, 03s to 05s ; Mavtell's, 625, none in the market. Renault's, 60s. Oulsido In-aiuls, 4/fs to 50s. Geneva, of low contents, saleable nt fair prices. Whiskey— Kirkliston or Saucel, 37a Cd to 40s in ease, 20s to 2'2s in bulk. Old Tom scarce and in demand at 42s Gd to 4hs for Burnett's and Booth's. Rum is seldom enquired for— quoted at Ifs to 20s.

Winks, 'D.P. — A superior Pwt in bulk very saleable at L 22 Ids to L 25 per qi-'cask. Sherry seldom sought for — a limited demand for bulk at l(ss per gal. Caso wines genera'ly quite unsaleable. Champagne coming info request at COs to 05s. Moselle, No 2, 72s to 7fis per case.

ConniALs ani> Bitters have considerable consumption, especially of local manufacture, which fairly competes with tho imported article.

Bker, D.P. — Acknowledged brandrof porter in .case, as l?lood's*or Dynss's, is saleable in small parcels at 20s to 20s Cd per doz. Ale in limited request nt 16s to 18s per doz. Tho trade is boing supplied freely with beer of local make, which being much lower in price and of excellent, quality, is reducing the consumption of English very considerably.

Tobacco is at present extremely dull of sale ; first-class brands of lightand dark aromatic only being saleable at Isdd to Ts Bd, in bond. Cigars of first-rate quality scarce ; cheroots, No 2, 80s 0 85s ; havnnns, Ll2 10s to LI 5 ; Swi&s, 50s to fiOs per 1000.

SuflAn, D.P. — Tho stocks, although not extremely •heavy, nre difficult to move. Company's Ist white, in small parcels, is passing into consumption nt 80s to 84s. Mauritius — crystals — 65s to 70s j ft limited parcel was cleared at auction as low as Cls, Prices likely to advance shortly, ns holders nre firm.

Tea, D.F., of low and medium qualities io not in demand ; n very fine congou in chests for mixing is sought for nt such prices as 2s lOd Io 3s per Ib. We learn that considerable stocks of tpaTiave come to ban.l of a very medium quality, which we fear have come to a bnd market.

Coffek — Trade fully supplied. Good qualities at Is fid to Is 6i<l.

])REAT)STUPK.S AND OllAlN— ' Floill 1 Still COlltinuea dull of fialo at importer's prices. Adohiide is very slow of salo at L 33 to L 35. Chilian nnd Provincial, £31 to L"3, at which very Mnall parcels are cleared. OaLs continue scarce, (he high rales operating against iinpoitations. Good sampfkp are worth 7s to Ss and likely to advance on these prices. Uarley dull of wile at 38s to 41s. Oatmeal goes quietly into consumption at 425. Bran, hay and crushed maize much sought for and very scarce.

Genkkaii Pkovisions. — B-icon does not liring its full value considering the advance which has taken plnco in Dunedin nnd Melbourne Sinclair's may be quoted sit la Gil to Is 7d ; G'ooy's, 7s Cid ; Uroom'H, Is dd ; outside brands— of which considerable quantities nre held— arc mleablent Is 3d to Is <ld when of good quality. i^thfl hold for Is 7<l to Is fld, nt which, only limited parcels nre placed. Duller— utterly ..aie of first-cltiss quality. Wellington sweet .nnoin tho market; good Cork now held for Is iOd to 2s, nt which price there exists no demand. ' iteese — advancing, with vevy light slocks. Kn- /! s-h sells nt Is 3d to Is 4d ; colonial Is fid.

Oilmen's Stokes. — Neglected nt importer's . tJqcs, the high shipping drirges being felt, part ■. .thirty on pickles, jams, iind tlio like. [■'vnnnjr.fi. — Candles, of which the market is f< !jy slocked, arc rapidly pnssing into conHijinp- ;, „ at moil'Tnte rale.i. Nova Rtcirine— full ■ jjjhts- Is -lil ami Is (Jd ; Uehnont's— full

weights —tsldto Is fid. Of light candles this market is utloily bare, Wing very utmlnahlo. Vestas -Lolch ford's -3C<» to 133.-5 ; 1>.1»., 38s to 40s*. Kerosene is heavy in slock and very limited in sale at Gs Cd to 7s Cd per gallon. Galvnnisetl iwtji of light gimgo saleable at ft slight advance on cost. Tho demand is not so brisk as formerly. Salt is still scarce, and worth 1 53 to 18s porewt. Axes and picks, lately so urgently sought for, havo quiio declined, and 105s to 108s is offered. ' Handles nre stow of oalo at 21s to 235, free of knots. Grey llivor coal is now being impoi led and fetches L 5 to LG freely.

The groat numbers which urc now nrriving here, togcthor with advices of tho rush having fairly set in from the Australian colonies, induces us to believe that a term of unexampled business prosperity is close at Imntl.