COMMERCIAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 233, 18 June 1866, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Wbst Coast Times Office, Friday Evening. The amount of import duty collected at the Custom House to-day was £652 18s Id. The following list of merchandise cloared shews its distribution : —

There was no clearance of gold.

Reviewing the commercial transactions of the past month, we find that on the whole business has been in favor of importers. Prices obtained for staple commodities' show an improvement on our laßt quotations. Our market has not been over, stocked with any class of 'goods, imports keeping so near the demand as to avoid anything approaching a, glut, at tho same

time meeting our requirements without causing any inconvenience as to shoit supplies. This is very satisfactory to note, considering the losses sustained by importer* Bomejtime ago. There are, however, <xceptions to this, including iron-ware — saT| picks, shovels, axes, sluicing forks, axe and|pick handles, &c, and other linesin this tradc,Jwhioh come to a bad market, owing in a great measure to the peculiarity of our diggings compared with neighboring colonies., lighter and less expensive tools being required. Though it is satisfactory to have to report higher rates ruling, we are not keeping pace with markets from whence our principal supplies are drawn. Quotations in the Victorian, New South Wales, and other markets, having of late shown so marked an advance, that our improved rates, .freight, charges, and profit, added to cost, are lower than they should be to remunerate importers. i Shipments advised as coming forward are on such a scale as will meet our requirements and result favorably. As we have on a previous occasion remarked this market cannot receive heavy conseoui tive shipments without loss to importers ; and as we are now going into the winter months, shippers should act with caution, and so insure a good report for the coming month . > Tbe commencement of commi nication with Europe by the P.anama Company's steamers enables us| to give quotations a week later in the month than heretofore, which will, we think, be advantageous. Ale and Porter has met with but limited sale, and will scarcely realise prices to pay importers ; Blood's stout bringing from 17s to 18s per dozen, duty paid; Byass 1 . 16s to 178 ; good brands of ale, 16s to 17s. Bulk Beer is receiving more attention. Good brands of English ale, new, are saleable atf rom £9 to £11 ; old brew quite unsaleable. Wines and Spirits have met with good ■ demand at improved rates. I Brandy — Pale, in bulk. — First-class ' having run very low in stock, has realised, | for Hennessy's, 10s 3d at auction, pri- | vately 10s 6d ; a proportionate advance i for other brands has been obtained. Amvals not yet landed may slightly alter these figures. | Geneva. — JDKZ has 1 been sold at 14a to 15s 6d per case, according to contents. i Old Tom. — Not much enquired for at 14s to Ids; other lines under .this head are without alteration. Provisions.— Have scarcely maintained last quotations. Hams and bacon are easier. Sinclair's hams, 2s to 2s 2d; bacon, Is lOd to 2s. Parcels of good butter and cheese find a market, the former worth 2s 3d to 2s 6d j cheese, colonial, Is 3d to Is sd. Candles have further advanced. For F.W. Is 8d to Is lOd has been obtained, and now scarce. Oilmen's stores are in better supply. Good brands of pickles have, been sold at 17s and 18s per dozen; Jams, 12s to 14s ; lobsters, 13s 6d to 14s ; salmon, 1-lb., 20s n to 21s per dozen. Flour has been in better demand, and the absence of shipments has resulted in an advance. Adelaide is saleable at £23 i toj£24 per ton from the ship ; the demand for Chilian has been checked by the inferior quality of some parcels recently in the market; good and genuine brands would bring £16 to £18 per ton. Oats. —Early in the month the supply was very limited ; some small shipments recently arrived have', eased "the market. i A parcel ex Cosmopolite realised Pa 9d per ■ bushel for the lot at ship's side. ' Bran. — Scarce ; has been sold at Sa 3|d . per bushel. Chaff is in better supply, £24 and £25 having been accepted. Potatoes, ;£7 108 to £9 per ton. Onions, 3d to 4d per lb. Hay— Ex Cosmopolite, bringing £19 per ton. I Hokitika, 16th June, 1866.

Messrs. Hioiid. Reeves & Co. report but few transactions during the past month, although the aspect of trade generally is healthy, Stocks are light, and very little kte been submitted to public auction in consequence. Recent advices from the adjacent colonies of advances on goods, have also had a corresponding effect upon this market. We make the following quotations, viz., Coey's,, Waring's, and Sinclair's hams and bacon, Is lOd to 2s. Prime butter, 2s 6d to 2s Bd— stocks low. Candles in good demand; Neva's and Price's, Is 6d to Is 7d. Cheese, colonial, viz., Canterbury, Is 4d. Teas, common unsaleable ; good congous, from L 5 5s to L 6 per half chest. Sugars, in good demand at paying rates. 'Mauritius crystals we quote at L6O. Flour Adelaide L 24 to L 25 10s; Chilian Lls to Ll7. Bran, in active demand ; but scarce. Oats, 6s 3d to 6s 6d : stocks coming forward sufficient for present requirements. nay and chaff scarce ; in good request at paying rates. Wines, steady consumption of good quality. Hennessy's brandy 10s 6d to 11s per gallon; Martell's do, 10s to iOs 3d per gallon; Otard's do, 10s to 10s 3d per gallon ; C. V. P. do, 8s 6d to 8s 9d per gallon ; JDKZ geneva, 16s per gallon ; Lemon Hart's rum, Id 0.0., 4s 6d to 4s 9d per gallon. Bass' No. 4, and Carlisle ales, LlO to Lll ; Artillery Company's porter, L 9 15s to LlO ; Byass' stout, 16s ; Guineas', Machen's, and Blood's stout, 16s ; bottled ale, good brands alone saleable ; but enquiries limited. Oilmen's stores — A steady business is doing, at good profits to importers. Hokitika, June 14;, 1866.

Brandy Geneva ..'. 33 7 6 Wino in wood 6 12 0 Boor in wood 9 7 6 Boor in bottle 28 10 0 Toa , Coffee' 10 5 0 2 10 0 Sugar ' Tobacco 74 10 9 168 1 4 Cigars Oanclloa 51 9 4 115 Oilmon'B Stores 18 10 1 Hardware Drapery 53 8 2 45 10 5 £652 18 1