COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2427, 2 October 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

. * . Lyttelton Times Office, Thursday Evening, The Customs revenue collected at Christthnrch to-day amounted to £35710s sd. The Mowing were the items:—Sugar, 36,974 ]bs.,£ls4ia 2d.; Bpirits, 270| gals, £162 Is M,i.ywe { 14i gals, £1417s 7d; tea, 617 lbs, glkM 6d; pickles, 10 cases, £3 10s lOd ; .Satalbil, 25 cases, £7 lis Id; arms fees, 18s; ■light dues,;'2s6d.

':;vlhe Customs revenue collected at Lyttel-' ton to-day amounted to £62 15s 2d. The following w,ere the items:—Cigars 87| lbs, £2llß 9d; tobacco, 200 lbs, £25 ; oilmens'i stores, 23pkgs, £7.175. 9d; light dues, £2 13s 8d j exemption fees, £5 ss.

Otago.—The Daily Times of Sept. 30, reports:—There was more appearance of liveliness in business to-day, and a tolerable number of small' parcels moving, though no very noticeable importers' sales. Intelligence from the Northern Goldflelds is satisfactory, and there seems a probability that the requirements.for Auckland'and the Thames will considerably relieve our markets of stock, Notwithstanding that the stocks of wheat and flour in this place are comparatively scanty, values of flour and breadstuffs continue depressed. We note, however, as a set-off against expected arrivals of foreign supplies, that the Paramount, supposed to be bound to this port with Californian flour, has gone iuto Auckland with wheat only, the whole of which will be absorbed by millers there. At Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn and Co's clearing sale at Messrs Dalgety, Rattray, and Co's stores, a good attendance was attracted,_and for most of the lines placed fair prices were realised, viz: bloaters at 28s 6d; lobsters, 6s; Morton's (pints)! castor oil, 10s 9d; and half-pints, 7s; Batty's castor oil, qts, 19s; Morton's salad oil, pts 12s 9d; fresh herrings, 6s; Taylor's choctv late, Is Id ; Honan's hams, out of condition s{i ; cornflour, 6fd to 7d; and remnants of shipments of various goods, at prices equal to market quotations. Amongst private sales we hear of old torn at 15s; MartelPs brandy' pale, at 8s 6d; cornsacks,' at maintained rates; good medium congous at 2s 2|d, duty paid; Morton's salmon, at 15s 6d j Whybrow's half-pint salad oils, 8s 3d ; and a fair sized parcel of bulk and case whiskies at prices not mentioned. Sugars are still looked for, and in the absence of advices as to shipments of the new crop being near at hand, continue to command very full rates. A sale of fat cattle was held yesterday, at Messrs Driver, Maclean and Co.'s yards, Kaikovai. About 25 head were brought forward and were disposed of at very fair prices, best pairs averaging from £ls to £l6 per head; inferior and light weights bringing from £l2 to £l4, Sydney,—The Morning Herald of Sept. 16 reports:—A slight improvement in trade has been noticeable during to-day, and there

has been more inquiry in the import market than has been experienced for some time. The demand i», however, entirely confined to. email parcels. In breadstuffs, a moderate' amount of sales was made at yesterday's rates-say £ls 10s to £lB 10s for flour, and 6b 6d to 8s for wheat. A good parcel of Tasmanian was placed on terms withheld. Candles are steady at lOd to IOJd for full weights; sales were made at these rates. Bulk ale is very dull, with a large stock of all descriptions ; a parcel of a leading brand changed hands at .67, other descriptions are offered at £5 15s upwards. Quotations for brandies have not altered. Small sales of Martell's and Hennessy's are reported at late rates. The market continues almost bare of porter, for which full rates are obtainable j in bottled the only transaction reported has been a line of pig brand at 10s. Cornsacks arc very firmly held for 12s 6d, biit only small sales are effected at this rate. Woolpacks are neglected, but holders still name 4s 3d for full weights, A fair business is doing in sugars, at rates showing a firm market. There was not much done in teas, as the trade are suppliedior the present. MKLnouiiNß.—The Argus of Sept. 19, reports:—A, fair amount of business continues to be done in the import markets. In breadstuffs, the feeling prevalent to-day is less firm, and for trade purposes sales could not be effected at over £l7 for flour, While larger lots have been quitted at £l6 ids. Small parcels of Victorian wheat have found buyers at 7s 9d, The arrival at Sydney of the Don Teodore, from Chili, with a cargo of 500 tons wheat and flour, as telegraphed this afternoon, has not done the market any good. Oats are quiet, but very firm and steady, at 3s lld to 4s.' Maize meets with a very free sale at 3s lid to 4s, and from the higher rates required in Syduey, it is not likely that to-morrow there will be any sellers under 4s. A shipment of 1700 bushels chevalier barley has been got rid of, to arrive, at 6s 6d. At the sale of Edith Banfield's cargo of Mauritius sugars, the whole lot, within a few hundred bags, met with purchasers at improved prices for the finer sorts. Some 8100 bags were offered-24s 6d was obtained for very low, to 27s 6d for good rations; 30s 6d to 31s for browns; 32s 3d to 35s 6d for middling to fine yellow ; and 35s 6d to 37s 9d for middling to good white crystals, A decline on browns and low yellows of 15s to 20s had to be submitted to. Sales of cornsacks are mentioned at lis 6d. We hear of the disposal of some 5000 bags Saigon rice, ex King Oscar; on terms, not disclosed. We understand that on Tuesday next 150 tons Baedgha Rajah fine Java table rice will be offered by public auction. We hear of the sale of the choicest descriptions of fancy teas' by the Coryphaeus to the extent of 450 boxes, and consisting of short leaf, orange pekoe, gunpowder, and young hyson, The quality is said to be very superior. A shipment of 300 bottles quicksilver is reported to have found a purchaser at close on 2s, For timber advanced rates continue to be realised. The Da'gmar's shipment of flooring, &c., was offered this forenoon, and as no cargo has ever been brought into tills port in such fine condition, a correspondingly high price was obtained for every parcel disposed of. 6 xl| T, and G. red brought 14s 6d; 6 x "1J white realised 13s 3d to 13s 9d; 6xsred, 12s; 6 x J white 1 lis Cd to lis 9d; 6xf:white,!)s 9d; 6r£,. 8s 3d to 8s 6d; 6 xf, 7s 9d to 7s lbd; and 202 pieces red deals, U x: 3, were disposed of at, fifd. Liquids meet with but a slow sale j at present. Whitbread's bulk stout has been' placed at £6los. Borthwick's bottled stout is quitted at 8s 6d for trade' purposes; a considerable parcel has been taken upon terms withheld. Sales' of Hennessy's case brandy have come under our notice at 275.

The following agricultural report appears in the Australasian of Sept. 19:—There is uo improvement in the flour market., The tendency is still slightly downward, and transactions are small, In South Australia the market appears to have given way completely, and when such is the case at this season there is little hope of recovery, in three months more the harvest will have commenced there, and as yet prospects are good, After declining for a few days, oats have recovered again, and are now in demand at the highest prices quoted last week. Maize is also advancing., Barley-maintains its value. The hay market is moderately supplied, and prices remain as they were last week, but the amount of business transacted lias become rather limited. : The change of weather last week was beneficial to the young crops, although the showers were not by any means heavy enough. About Melbourne pros-: pects are still bad, ; and must remain so_ until we have some ; really heavy rain, but up the country, the crops are said to be assuming a most promisingappearance; still, water is becoming more scarce, and on many Btations there will be none for sheepwashing, unless the equinoctial gales bring with them a downpour of rain. It will be a sad disappointment to many settlers who have gone to the expense of erecting new dams and washing places, not to be able to use them, but such is the threatened fate of many at present. In Gipps Land we hear | that there is even a scarcity of grass, in consequence of the want of rain, and that j sheep are actually dying of starvation on 1 some runs. In the Western Port district, there is also a great scarcity of feed, and I many store cattle have died there. This is a bad beginning of the spring, but it is only an indication of what we may expect if the rain does not come down heavily this month or next.

HomitT Town.—The Tasmanian Times of Sept. 16, reports:—The week has been opened withavery dull .market. Scarcely any business has been, transacted on the wharf to-day. In wheat we have heard of. tfo sales. Millers are only offering 7s. There is no appearance at present of any change in our latest reported rates. Flour is selling at •£l6 to £l7 per ton. We notice the arrival of a considerable parcel of oats by coasters to-day; they are not worth more tlian 2s 6d. Bran is selling at Is. Potatoes are plentiful, at £3los to £4per ton. worth! £lO, if thoroughly sound. Air ; des ! criptibns : of dairy produce are depressed in',price.' Butter especially is very low, and really good quality can be purchased at 7d or Bd.' Bdtioh ! and hams are also very much depressed, and sales are difficult to effect at anything'over 7dto 8d for the very best samples, Eggs are not worth more than 7d per dozen.