ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL VIA SUEZ.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 920, 30 January 1872, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL VIA SUEZ.

(per GREVILIiE'S TELE OR Alt COiIPANX reuteb's agents.) llokitika, Sunday, 12.10 p.m. The s.s. Rangitoto has arrived, but her despatches are not yet landed. The s.s. Kennedy coming in brought an " Age " extra. The latest London date is December 24. On the 20th, the Prince was progressing satisfactorily j on the 21st he spent a less quiet night; on the 24th he was progressing favourably. At Glenelg the steamer signalled that the Prince was dead, but this has not been confirmed by the latest telegrams received by the " Age." Wool is firm; wheat showing symptoms of depression. Hokitika, 12.15 p.m. The s.s. Rangitoto arrived ia the roadstead at 6 a.m. She left Melbourne at 6 p.m. on the 22nd. Passengers : Captain John Stewart, Mrs Todd, Mrs Harris, Miss Eraser, Mrs D. M'Eachern, Mrs Ghvatkin and family, Messrs Davies, J. Patterson, Mitchell, Preshaw, John Macintosh, J. W. Shankin, Master Fraser.

The branch steamer.'Alexandra arrived at G-lenelg at eleven o'clock on the night of the 17th. The Bangalore steamer anchored in the bay on the morniin? of the 19th.

The latest date by the mail is Loudon Dec. 1, London telegraphic Dec. 23, and Galle Dec. 27.

The delay in arrival was caused by strong head winds.

There was a long passenger list by the Suez boat, none of whom is of much note. The Prince of Wales is still alive. The latest bulletin states that he is progressing slowly but steadily. The Queen has returned to Windsor. The friendly relations of the various continental powers continue uninterrupted. Wool is firm. Consols, 92 Jto 92|. Copper firm. Tallow easier. London, Dec. 1.

The wool sales commenced on Nov. 23rd, and will close Dec. 7. Thirtyeight thousand six hundred bales have been catalogued to date. A large attendance of Lome and foreign buyers, and at commencement competition was very brisk. September prices were fully supported, and later, scoured clothing and combing wools from Port Phillip, New South Wales, and New Zealand brought £d and Id advance.

The next sale commences on the Bth of 'February, and the present state of the market is healthy, active, and encouraging, The cotton market is quiet.

Since the 18th November the flax market has been very firm. The Alexandrina arrived from Auckland with 190 bales New Zealand flax. Fifteen hundred bales have been offered at auction, and all sold, showing an advance of 30s per ton for the month.

A considerable business has also been done for America in second hand parcels at £27 to £3O per ton. There is a good demand for inferior sorts at <£2o to £23, but this class is very scarce. The market in kauri gum remains quiet. A portion of 3000 cases offered at auction was sold at 10s to 12s for dust, and 35s Gd to 51s for bright well scraped samples. Australian shipments of tallow for trie month are below the average, and the market has hardened. Australian tallow is now quoted at 47s to 48s for mutton, and 45s to 4Gs for beef. New Zealand Sixes 110 to 112; Fives, 102 to 103 ; Consolidated Sixes, 111 to 114.

New Zealand Loan and Mercantile A-gency, |- to |- premium; Trust and Loan, li to If premium ; Otago and Southland Investment, £ to {- premium ; Bank of New Zealand, 18-J- to 19|. The rate of discount was reduced by the Bank of England on the 13th to per cent. There is very little demand for discount at the bank ; and in the outside market but little demand at 3|- to 3x per cent. Generally the discounting business is very limited.

The share market for Government securities is unaltered.

The shipping arrivals are—Alexandria, from Auckland ; Wild Deer Otago ; Helenslee, Lyttelton ; Edinburgh Castle, Wellington. The departures were—A.gnes Muir, Nov. Ist, and Jessie Eeadman, Nov. 13th, for Otago ; Charlotte Gladstone, Nov. 3rd, for Canterbury; Maori, Nov. 18th, for Auckland; Tyrol, Nov. 30th, for Nelson.