Revenue Returns for the THE Month of August.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2376, 6 September 1871, Page 4

Revenue Returns for the THE Month of August.

Customs Duties collcctad at the port of Thomes from the Ist to the 3lst August, IS71 —£13-1-3 7s. lid. Ditto, for the Province of Auckland—l?. /d. on actual revenue account, without gold duty or any other incomings. Reflecting over the meteorological notes

with respect to Auckland for August, we can state that we have experienced a wet month. Rain fell on 21 days, and considering such an excess of inclemency, the Customs returns for the province and "the returns from the goldfields, have not been so bad. As an instance of the prosperity of one of the gold mines, we »ive the following balance-sheet of the celebrated Caledonian mine : — Receipts for the year to the 31st July, IS7I, from all sources, .Ct59,071, Si 7d ; these included, 157,220 ozs. 7 dwts. gold, of the value of £415,959 lis lid. The expenditure included jjeneral, on account of the mine, £22,G1S ISs Sd ; on battery account, £7,074 19s 7d ; sundries, £6,941 12s Id. The greater portion of this latter amount would appear redeemable, as including loans and balances of accounts to be received. Tho dividends paid amounted to £413,270, and with some other items, including balance to the cjmpanv's credit, ,t'S,S3S Is. The total expenditure amounted to £450,071 Ss 9d.

The most important fact for the month that has been recorded is t he clearance of the Albion barque, upon a wilding adventure, and to the enterprise, and to tiie supporters of the enterprise we say God-speed. The Albion is probably the "pioneer of greater things than Auckland has yet seen in this direction. That success will crown the employment of capital in this way thero cannot be a reasonable doubt. A few months, however, will attest the merits of tlie expedition, and probably the Albion will be the nucleus o: a fleet of whalers representing this port. "We may best illustrate the state of tnis market, and the values of goods, by the following roportof the sale of the entire stock in trade of exLensive merchants here retiring from business, and we may state that the property was of considerable value, and_consisted of wholesale quantities, viz.: —

Dnr Paid.—Cros«cand Black well's picalilli, 13s per dozen, pints ; Crosse and BUckwcll's (Captain White's Oriental) pickles, 18s per dozen, pints; Crosse and BlackweH's half-pint salad oil, 9s per dozen ; Crosse and BlackweH's quarts salad oil, passed ; Crosse and Blackwell's large decanter salad oil, 28s per dozen; Crosse and BlackweH's medium decanter salad oil, 17s per dozen ; Crosse and BlackweH's bloater paste, lis od per dozen ; Crosse and BlackweH's potted meats, lis 3d per dozen ; Crosse and Biackwelt's assorted essences, lis per dozen ; Crosse and BlackweH's assorted sauee3, 9s 6d per dozen ; Lea aud Perrin's half-pint sauce, 13s per dozen ; Batty's calf's foot .jelly, quarts, 31s per dozen ;

Morton's chow chow picklcs, 10s 9d per dozen ; Morton's Imperial hot pickles, lis 6d per dozen ; Morton's pints salad oil, 12s per dozen; Morton's half-pints salad oil, 7s per dozen ; Morton's pints castor oil, 10s 9d per dozen ; Morton's half-pints castor oil, 6s 41 per dozen ; Morton's quarter-pints castor oil, 4s per dozen ; Morton's half-pint capers, 6s 61 per dozen; Morion's bottled fruits, 13s per dozen ; Morton's -J oz. and loz. essences, 7s 7d aud lls 3d per dozen : Morton's jar salt, 4s 9d

per dozen ; -Morton's calf's foot jelly, quarts, 29s per dozen; Morton's quarts vinegar, 1 C's per dozen ; Morton's pints curry powder, lis per dozen ; Morton's half-pint curry powder, 7s id per dozen ; Morton's 1 lb. salmon, each 100 tins, 12s 7il per dozen ; Morton's 1 Ib. snlmon, each dozen, 13s Id per dozen . tartaric acid, 10 lb jars, 2s 2d per lb.; cream' of tartar, in jars, each 10 lb.,<ls Gi per lb. ;

Epsom suits, 3|d to kl per lb. ; Wyatt's pints salad oil, lis Gd to lis 7<l per dozen ; Wyutt's half-pint castor oil, Gs id per dozen ; Barnes' sauces, 6s Gd per dozen ; Colman's 1 lb. mustard, lis 711 per dozen; Colman's i lb. mustard, Gs lOd per dozen ; Colman's 7 lb. mustard, Sid per lb. ; Colman's dark blue, Sid to 9d per lb. ; Colman's white starch, 5d per lb.; Sinclair's hams, guaranteed, Is '2(1 per lb. ; Waters and Williams' quarts vinegar, Ds -Id per dozen ; Waters and Williams' vinegar, Is lid per gallon; Hill and Underwood's vinegar, 2s 2d to 2s 3d per gallon ; Pott's quarts vinegar, 9s 9d per dozen ; Kensett's lib. oysters, 7s 5d per dozen ; Lewis' 1 lb. lobsters, 10s 9d per dozen ; Price's Belmont candles, 11-jd per lb.; Palmer's plaid Testas, 6s 3d to 6s 7d per gross; American brooms, low quality, 15s Id per dozen; Barden's eagle brand condensed milk, lGs 7d per dozen; Robinson's patent groats, 8s 9d per dozen ; Knight's 1 lb. jams, 6s Gd per dozen ; fancy clay pipes, assorted in a bos, 3s 2d per gross; XI) clay pipes, 3s per gross; clothes pegs, 7s per gross; Ferry Dav is's painkiller, lis 3d per dozen ; Borwick's baking powder, 33 lOd; W. Poison and Co.'s corn ilour, each 1141b., 7i'l per lb.; macearoni, Is OJd per lb.; vermicelli, Is Oid per lb. ; Keillor's mixed peel, Is 2fd per lb. ; mixed spice, Is 6d per lb.; muscatel raisins, each Gib., 6Jd per lb. ; Jordan almonds, shelled, Is 8d per lb. ; soft shell almonds, B£d per lb. ; Barcelona nuts, per lb.; figs, rather old, 4id to old per lb.; dried apples, 6Jd per lb. ; ling fish, withdrawn at 4Jd per lb.: Holloway's small ointment, lis ; Auckland household soap, each lewt., £19 10s per ton ; Melbourne household soap, each lewt., £'23 5s per ton; Windsor soap, 9£d per lb.; black lead, 4Jd per lb. ; alum, 4Ad per lb.; bluestone, 6d per lb. ; saltpetre, 4id per lb.; washing soda, £8 os per ton ; carbonate soda, ISs 3d per cwt.; bath bricks, Is lOd per dozen ; whole ginger, bleached, Is 2d per lb.; Day and Martin's quarts blacking, lis 9d per dozen; Day and Martin's pint blacking, 8s 3d per dozen ; Day and Martin's half-pint blacking, 4s 4d per dozen ; rice, wcavely, all faults, 1?d per lb. ; Chilian beans, lid per lb.; currants, Gd per lb.; 7 jars chow chow preserve, all faults, 17s the lot; fancy twine, each 3 lb., Is 2d per lb.; cottage ink, 10s Gd per gross; hops (English), Is per lb.; white tea paper, 13 lbs. per ream, s*d per lb.; 11-13 and 5-17 lb. reams white tea paper, s£d per lb.; tea bags, Ito 10 lbs., 6id per lb.; confectioner's paper, 5Jd per lb.; flour bags, J, 1, 2, and 4 lb. sizes, 7Jd per lb.; brown paper bags, 8, 10, and 14 lb. sizes, 3Jd per lb.; brown paper, 3 lb., small sizes ; large brown paper, each 120 lb., 4|d per lb.; grey paper bags, various sizes, 3£d per lb.; grten paper, about 3£ cwt., sd. per lb.

Woodwabb. -Three-hoop paiis, 14s 9d ; tubs, 245; splint baskets, 3s 9d; clothes baskets, 20s; flour pails, 8s 3d per dozen; churns, assorted, 6s 6d to 8s 6d each; BB pails, 10s per dozen ; clothes pins, 7s 3d per gross ; Law'n hurl brooms, 15s ; fancy brooms, 15s Cd to 16s; whisk brushes, 10s; axe handles, No. 1, 14s to 15s 3d; 1 case pick handles, Gs.

Tobacco. —A. B. Cooper's tens, lljd ; Oloroso tens, not sold ; 3 cases Try-it-alone, 4 lb., 12Jd ; tens, withdrawn. Pocket pieces tobacco, fine, Is 4Jd per lb.; long tens ditto, very fine, Is 8d ditto ; black eaglo tens ditto, Hid per lb.; sunflower ditto (unsaleable), Is per lb.; Howard Heald ditto, passed; Devoe'a briliiant kerosene, 2s 6d per gallon; No. 6 sugar, Mauritius yellow counter, 3|d per lb.; ditto yellow crystals, 3?d j tea, Hagna, No. 20, Is 8d per lb.; Boy Beudixen tea, No. 27, Is 6id per lb. ; scented orange pekoe, Is 9sd to Is lid per lb.; Grand Turk's tobacco, 10's, Is 2,Jd per lb. Solids, duty paid — Barrett's twist tobacco, 4s 3d per lb. ; No. 1 sugar, yellow, 4JI per lb.; tea, Gu«tav, No. 22, ) Is 9d per lb.; ditto, Albyn's Isle, No. 5,2s 3a per lb. j ditto, Albert, No. 19, Is BJd per lb. ;

scentcd pekoe tea, No. 31, 2s 4d per lb. ; tea, Corypheus, No. 15, 2s per lb. ; tea, Ragna, No. 20, 2s 3Vd per lb.; gunpowder tea, No. 13, 2s 5d per "lb. Sundries.—2s mats dates, 5Jd; 100 boxes raisin*, 5Jd; 25 barreU apples, 61d ; 100 cases lobsters, 10s 7d ; 3 cases oysters, 63 9d j 4 cases turpentine, 5s ; 42 boxes bathbricks, 3s ; 1 case pills, 75s per gross ; 20 kegs nails, Id and Sd, 20s and 23s ; S cases axlo grease, boxes and tins, 96s per großs ; 2 cases varnish, 10s 6d to 12s Cd. It is impossible to give better evidence of our present satisfactory position than the foregoing statistical information will prove, but we will give some further views of our progress before conch:din„' this report. The exports of kauri gum for this year, to date, have been about 4000 tons, at an average Taluc of £30 per ton, equal to £120,000, and it is expected we shall ship away during the remainder of tho year at least 2000 tons more. The present price ranges from £25 to £26. The supplies have been coming in very freely, and much in excess of the demand, so that some merchants have been buying to stock. /lax. —The downfall of rain has greatly interfered with the proper drying of the flax, and has rendered tne carriage, by bad roads, almost impossible ; on the other hand, what has come in has been better bleached than ever. The limited supplies of best qualities have readily sold privately at from £20 to £22 per ton. There is a great demand for best qualities, and any quantity would sell in this market for export. Timber. —The continuous rains have, by creek and river freshets, fully supplied the mills wiili logs to carry us over a long period, so far we have to be thankful in this respect. The demaud continues fully equal to the supply, and it is likely to remain so. Ordinary first-class to order, 7 s to lis ; retail, Ss to 12s per 100 super. ; P. T. and G-., 3s extra. In hides wool ani tallow, little or nothing has been done, and our last quotations therefore remain unaltered. Exchanges.—On London, payable on demand, 2> per cent. ; thirty days sight, li per cent.; sixty days' sight, 1 per cent. ;on Australia, 1 per cent. ; 011 the provinces of New Zealand, 1- per cent. Alh and Poster (in' bulk or bottle). — Tennant's brand (ale), still very scarce, 12s 9d per dozen, duty paid (duty 2s 6d per dozen). Blood's and Guinuess's stouts, guaranteed, lis 9d per dozen, duty paid. Pig brand (Liverpool), 12s. All other brands, 10s to lis, duty paid. We can almost endorse our last observations with reference to bottled beers : tbev are scarce. The consumption, according to the Auckland revenue returns, appears to have been 500 packages for the month of August, whereas tlie imports ex Alice did not exceed 250 packages ; it is therefore to be assumed that a large reduction in the stocks of outside brands must have been tho result; but, unaided by any publication of the stocks in bond, a statement of which tbe merchants hero appear indifferent about, we are quite unprepared to afford any sound basis of information as to tho market stocks. The clearances for home consumption of bulk beer for the mcnth referred to oaly amounted to 350 gallons. Brkadstcffs and Grits'.—A very larga amount of business has been done iu breadstuffs and grain. With a consuming power of nearly 200 tons per week, tho provincial production has been and will be simply as a drop in the ocean. Hitherto Californian flour has beau disapproved of here in consequence of a noxious element, but a really superfine article might occasionally find a market. Tho same remarks apply to wheat. Prices hare remained unusually steady. Recently the very large importations and some sales by auction of wheat have had a very depressing influence, and prices have given way £1 per ton. As a matter of course nothing has as yet transpired as regards the future prospects of the harvest; probably next mail we may give some information on this head. Best flour £17 per ton ; household ditto, £15 per ton ; Adelaide, best town brands, £17 per ton ; Southern flour, Otago, Oamaru and Canterbury, £15 to £16 per ton ; Southern wheat, 6s 6d per bushel; Adelaide wheat, 7s Gd per bushel; barley, feed, 3a per bushel; barley, malting, 4s per bushel; bran, Is Id per bushel.

Candles.—lt is a somewhat remarkable fact that Brandon's 2\eva stearines have supplanted Price's belmonts in this market. Various hare been tho surmises upou this change, but we can only accept the btst interpretation, namely, that JPrico's candles have not of late been up to the mark. The imports of candles hare been heavy, so likewise has been the consumption. Some of the Thames and Coromandel g«ld mines are worked day and night underground, therefore the requirements in respect of this article are necessarily large and increasing. Price's belmonts continue at Hid, Brandon's Nevas, llid per lb., duty paid ; other brands known in this market, and guaranteed, lid per lb., duty paid. Coffee.—Ceylon plantation, lOkl per lb ; ditto, native, Bii per lb ; Manilla, none ; Java,

none ; chicory, per lb, in bond, duty, 3d per lb ; colonial chicory, (JJd per pound, d.p. Cocoa and Chocolate.—Duty, 3d per lb ; Taylor Brothers' homcoopathic cocoa, Is 4Jd per lb, d.p.; Fry and Son's, unsaleable; chocolate, iinglish, Is -Id to Is 4Jd per lb, d.p., very little sale.

Confectionery.— Keillor's well assorted.

scarce, lid per lb dp ; Keillor's fancy, in ; ; lb packets, Is 5d per lb.; Auckland, "John Grey's" assorted, 8d per lb. Keillor's candied peel, assorted, duty paid, Is 3d. Dkug3 and Drysalteries.—Carbonate of soda, duty 2s per cwt., 18s ; cream of tartar, duty Id perlb, Is 6d perlb, d.p.; soda crystals, duty Is per cwt, Ss 6d; tartaric acid, in jars, duty Id per lb, 2s 2d, d.p. ; quicksilver, free, 3s Cd per lb; caustic soda, free, 60 strength, £23 per ton. Fruits (Dried). —As the season for consumption approaches, the trade are prudently laying in stocks. Tho advices from Australia are certainly in favor of firmer prices. We question very much whether any direct shipments are at all likely to supply a minimum of I lie demand ; hence, as last year, prices are likely to rule very high. Duty paid, Id per lb., currants, 5Jd ; Eleme raisins, 6d j Cape raisins, s£d to 6d ; Sgs, S|d to 9d per lb.; Jordan almonds, Is 9d per lb.; almonds in shell, 9d per lb ; Barcelona nuts, s£d per lb ; French prunes, Is 6d, in jars ; Muscatel raisins' lid per lb j sultanas, 82d per lb, very scarjc ■ dried apples, Gd lb dp. Fruits scarce.

Groceries.—lhe prices of groceries, i&c.. will be better illustrated by a reference to our introductory remarks. The stocks thrown upon the market by the sale of a merchant s stock of some importance, havo supplied many vacuums for tamo httlo time; still, the consumption going forward will keep pace with the imports, either djrectly or indirectly. Mustard, duty 2s Gd per c.f.; for castor and salad oil, ditto; pickles, do; sauces, do. All articles quoted duty paid. Arrowroot, West ludi, ,: ,, none genuine ; South Sea Island, in tins, 6dperlb, a.p. ; Day and Martin's blacking, large, lis ; middle, 8s 6d; small, 4s Gd per dozen; paste, 8s 6d per gross, scarce. Blacklead, 4£d per lb. Thumb blue, 7Jd per lb. Capers, 7s dozen. Curry powder, lls6d to 13s doz.; fibs, 8s 6d to 10s doz., d.p., scarce. Colonial jams, K. 8., 6s 6d dozen ; in china jars, 6Jd lb • mustard, Colman'e, lis 6d to 12s 6d doz.' 1 lb tins; 7s doz., i lb tins; Bid to Is lb for 7 lb tins, yellow to greeu brand. Castor oil, pints, unsaleable, i-pints, 6s 3d dozen; Crosse and Blaekwell's Balad oil, 13s 6d to 14s dozen, pints ; 9s doz., i-pints' required; others respectively lis 6d to 12s • $ pints, 7s 3d; pickles, Crosse and Blackwell S, pints, none required; Morton's and others, lis 6d ; sauces, Lea and Perrin's, 13s per dozen, i-pints; Crosse and Blaekwell's assorted, 9s 6d, required; other brands as to 8s 6d dozen, i pints; Colman's starch, whito, 4jd perlb, moderate ; blue, 4±d • iu 3 P atel } t ' none ; tapioca, 4d per lb; Champion's vinegar, No. 24, 2s | 6d per gallon (duty Gd per gallon) ; other good brands, 2s to 2s 3d ,- case vinegar, 10s od to lis per 1 dozen case; treacle, 30s per cwfc. ; maccaroni and vermicelli, Italian, la Id per lb., little sale; matches, 250's, all brands 21s to 22s Gd per gross; plaid vestas,' 6s 3d to 6s 6d per gross. Brown and Poison's corn flour, d.p., in demand. —jiaizj, -is iii per bushel • oats, 3s to 3s _6d for feed, and 3s 6d to 3s

9d for seed. Feed barley is only worth 3a; barley, malting, 4s per bushel, and bran, re all from the mills, Is Id per bushel. The market for horse-feed has been oversupplied with exceedingly bad samples, either in maize from Sydney or oats from Canterbury. As a ruling charge we may intimate that the digestion of this market cannot take in or absorb the tr.ish sent here, and for which we have to pay our cash. Malt and Hops.—The direct shipments that hav6 come in have been chiefly to tho order of the brewer 3 ; indeed it would appear that they all now indent their malt and hops, and therefore no reliable quotations can be given. "We cannot record any actual g;tles in the market, but we notice a considerable improvement in the value of hops in Australia. Colonial-made malt, the satne as colonial-made spirits, is certainly gaining around, and we notice an advance in Otago prices of colonial produce. There arc now three or four malting houses in Auckland. English malt, 9s Gd per bushel, duty paid ; colonial malt, Ss 6d. Hops, Is to Is -Id lb, d.p. Oils and Paints.—We cannot give better information than we published iu our lastsummary. At present certainly the market i.? exceedingly bare of almost every article connected with this trade, and prices generally rule higher than they ought to do. Prices remain unchauged. All paints, especially I white lead, must be sent out of undoubted quality. Oils, duty 6d per gallon : paints, 2s per cwt; colza, in drums, 6s per gallon, duty paid; linseed, iu drums, boiled and raw, os 3d to 5s Gd ; both in bulk, 5s per gallon; kerosene (Downers), 3s per gallon ; castor oil, little demand, ss; turps, ss; superior white lead, 42s per cwt, scarce ; next quality, 36s per cwt; colors, assorted, in oil, 37s 6d per cwt; green, yellow, and patent dryers in demand. Resin, amber, £12 per ton, d.p. Paper.—Very little paper has been shipped to this market from lioine for some months past, and it is possible that the outside and illassorted parcels will become absorbed ; at all events we trust that ere long they will be made available, and that tho dead stock will be converted. Prices have not varied since our last. Brown and grey, 3d to 3|d, d.p.; printing, Gjd to 6jd; grey and blown assorted, 3)(I ; double demv, tea, s£d per lb, d. p.; stationery, 10 per cent, advance or best assorted invoices, d. p., and overstocked. Powdeb (blasting).—This article has been exceedingly scarce, possibly owing to a monopoly in the trade ; but, even if the monopoly exists, the requirements ought to bi attended to. This article ran so scarce (the same as coal), that at one time it was thought some of the mining batteries would have to cease operations ; however, tho diilieulty was got over in some way or another. Quotations are simply nominal, and we decline quoting them. Provisions. — The Southern Provinces of Hew Zealand havo given us the benefit of their superfluous stocks, and we would simply ask the exporters to pause before they injure themselves and us. Salmon (American), iu Ilb tins, supplied, 13s. Provincial hams and bacon, 5d to Gd per lb ; colonial Canterbury hams, Sd per lb; bacon, 6£d per lb, and cheese, 4d to 5Vd. Provincial cheese (Wairoa), 3id to -id lb. Salt butter, 8d per lb.; fresh butter, Is 3d per lb. Riee, £20 to £25 per ton. Salt, £5 per ton. English hams, Is 2d ; English bacon, Is lb. Fish, preserved, red herrings, in tins, 3s 6d dozen, 2 dozen tins ; white, per half-barrel, 36s ; lobsters, English, 10s 9d doz. ; salmon, English, 13s per dozen; sardines, Alberts, quarters, 8s 3s to Ss 6:1 per dozen ; halves, 13s per dozen, still scarce ; fresh herrings, none ; oatmeal, Otago, £17 10s per ton; pearl barley, 25s ; split peas, 28s ; soap, yellow Auckland, household, 20s to 2Gs per cwt ; Melbourne, Ilobson's Bay, 37s to 2Ss ; mottled, 31s to 36s per cwt, duty paid. SptCES.—Cloves, Is Id lb, duty paid; duty, 3d per lb ; ginger, bleached, Is 2.1 d per lb ; ginger, unbleached, Is Id per lb ; nutmegs, 2s 6d to iJs 9d per lb ; pepper, whole, black, duty, Id per lb, 9d, very scarce ; whole, white, Is 2d per lb, scarce ; cayenne, duty, 2s 6d, c. f., 3s to 3s Gd ; carraway seeds, 9d per lb ; mace, 4s per lb ; cinnamon, whole, 3s 6d lb d p ; mixod spices in fancy cartoon boxes, Is 9d to 2s 9d, duty paid. SriMTS.—According to the Customs returns the stocks of bulk brandy and case brandy must have been rather more worked upon as in comparison with the incomings ; but, as before remarked, without a statement ofthe stocks in bond, there are no reliable data upon which to base a reasonable calculation. That a de-ire to suppress the publication of the bonded stocks does exist, no man knowing this market will deny. Possibly those most interested in imports act upon selfish motives and iuterests. At all events, Auckland ought to be monthly put in possession of tho stocks in bond; but with fifteen bonds, and about as many auctioneers, wo might as well for the manifest of Noah's ark. We may notice that tho Auckland Distillery Company is making a decided progress, both in their sales and tho quality of the spirits they furnish to tho public. As an illustration of what some may consider a vicious institution, we are in a position to state that the Auckland Distillery has extinguished nearly nil the illicit distilleries, which, in all probability, havo more demoralised society than anything else, without very much interfering with the revenue. MarteH's, 7s Gd ; and llennessy's bulk 7s 9.1 for pale ; dark, no sale; case do., Hennessy's, 31s ; Martell's 29s 9d ; Geneva, key brand, reduced in sto -k and required, fifteen bottles to the case, proof, 12s 9d case. JDKZ proof, 13s. Gin (OT), Bernard's, 12s per case. Booth's and BurneLt's are worth 15s. Rum, Lowndes', Hooper's and RWP, 30 0.p., for quarters, 4s Gd, for hhds. 4s ; 8 to 10 0.p., 3s Gd per gallon in bond, small sale. Whiskey, in bulk, no sales; Greenlees and CoWiile's, scarce, ss9d; Dunrille's Gs for bulk, and 17s 6d for ease; Islay, ss; Campbelton, 5s 6d to 5s 9d; Jamieson's, 5s Gd ; case (best brands) has been selling at 12s to 15s, with falling stocks.

y HOAS3. —The clearanccs for homo consumption during last month have again been beyond tho average. Aa regards stocks, we can only give one opinion, and that ia they must be getting low. The imports, comparatively speaking, have been exceedingly small, aud unless we receive supplies, and that very shortly, we shall be placed in tho same position as wo havo been in reference to coal and blasting powder. The llonolslu sugars shipped away to Syduey were unsuited to the requirements of the refinements of Auckland ; on the other hand, we can do with any amount of their fine yellow counters and crystals. Companies' first whito (Australian Sugar Refineries), 4jd per lb.; Mauritius first white crystals, 4Jd per lb.; Mauritius first white counters, 4d per lb.; Mauritius fino yellow crystals, 3.jd per lb.; Mauritius fine yellow counters, to 3id per lb.; yellow to brown Mauritius crystals and counters, 2Jd to 3d per lb. ; crushed loaf, per lb., all in bond.

Tea.—To say the the stocks consist of very inferior qualities.' We do not deny that there are a few good samples, but they certainly are scarce. The consumption going forward, according to the clearances for home consumption, are certainly on a par with sugar; therefore there is sufficient evidence, as with sugar of a greater or rather easier power of consumption. Tho improvement in the demand for these two articles is indicative of greater prosperity. Here again wo lack the statement of tho bonded stocks. Under any circumstances, we trust that the trade will issue no orders excepting for the new crop, samples of tho best qualities. It were far better for them to bring in a few packages on trial than to commit their faith to any representative ef an Australian firm. It is useless quoting prices ; possibly the best idea may be gleaned from tho extensive salo noticed in our leading remarks.

Tobacco.—There is one thing to remurk, and that is our consumption is iroin 14,000 to 15,000 lbs. per month, and it appears to us that a diroct trade might be done with the United States of America, via California. Advisedly ofl'-'riug this opinion, we will state that nothing will go down hare but tho finest

qualities. The digger at the mines is equally as important as the gentleman in his drawingroom, and the former iu his tent, or hut, or house, is equally a lord of the creation as the latter, and will have the best. No twist is required,—tho run is chiefly on 10's and aromatic small plugs, but of the finest quality. Why we are to be dependent upon Australia, when we have direct communication with America, is * mystery to us. If we are sleepy to our own interests, surely our American cousins, who are always so wideawake, ought not to overlook our recommendation. No doubt the sales at auction during the month will be reported, giving the brands, and to them we refer our readers for prices. "WINBS.—How often have we reported this market as glutted, and so it is now, with low sherries ; but even in this description there is every prospect of reducing the stocks. Good strong pure low ports are getting very scarce, and are likely to run out; 5s 6d to 7s is about the value. Medium to fine wines are getting scarce,' and the stocks will require replenishing very shortly. Sparkling and light wines are very scarce. There are few direct importers, therefore the trade have to defend themselves by getting their supplies from Melbourne or Sydney.

£ s. a. Spirits, 75 tS o-'illon- ... 4529 2 11 bitto, Xevv Ze.il-.ind, 1552 galIon- 46c 1o 0 GG2 i'n- I 6 ? 6 Tobacco, 15,<-0» !b< 13/o ,2 2 Wine, 225!) gal"."* *! ~ Ale, in gUai, 30IS eullon* ... 2U 1/ 6 Ditto, in woo 1, 'J5'J gallons ... 17 10 0 Ten, 38,005 !b# 9 »? £ C'ollee an.l ehieorv, &l\, 0523 lbs SI 10 9 Susar, -W3,3»S lbs i' 0 * 2 8 Goods, measurement 201» 7 1 Ditto weight 16 5 Ad valorem 32 6 0 Others 43 ° 8 2 Total £13,737 13 S