Commercial.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 799, 22 May 1865, Page 2

Commercial.

OTAGO. Wβ take the following from the monthly summary of the Daily 25mes, published on the 18th instant: — Breadetuffs—Although firmly sustained at the beginning of the month, flour has ehown a tendency to droop latterly, more perceptible in a want of firmness on the part of holders than in any great difference in prices, which remain nominally without alteration, inasmuch as no large transactions have been reported during the past few days. Adelaide flour has, in consequence of the sufficient supply of other sorts, been dealt in to a very limited extent, the trade only taking off email lots for actual wants. Chilian is in good eupply, an addition to stocks of 600 tons having recently taken place per Wheatlaad, from Valparaiso. This "cargo was reported as having passed from the importer's hands in one line at about £18, a considerable portion of it being immediately reshipped for the North. Small lots of Chilian are now selling on short terms at from £20 to £21. The new flour, provincial ground, now in the market, is of so much better a character this season than the produce of previous seasons has been, as to enable it to compete on nearly equal terras with any kind of imported flours except the fine eilk-dressed Adelaide sorts. Our millers, noting the disadvantages they have hitherto been placed at, have now made so considerable an improvement in the manufacture that little can be said against the article except that new wheats appear to have been exclusively ground, without any mixture of old dry wheats, a defect as easily remedied as pointed out. The demand is good, and the eupply not equal. Prices have been about £19 dosing quotations are :—Adelaide, best brands, £24 10a ; Chilian, £20 to £21 ; provincial, £19.

Hone Feed—Shortly after date of our last report an active demand for colonial-grown oats sprung up, which were purchased in large parcels "at improved prices for shipment, subsiding in a short time, owing to the large supply thrown into the "narket by growers, a permanent improvement being thereby checked; 3s to 3s 3d has been the current rate during the last week for large lots ; of Danish and Scotch there is no large stock, and Tasmanian have been out of the market. Bran has been difficult to quit throughout the month, and maize has not been in demand. Current rates are—Provincial grown oats, 3s to 3s 3d; ether colonial ditto, none; Scotch and Danish ditto, Iβ 10d to 2s 3d j bran, Iβ 8d ; maize, none. PBOYISIONS. Bacon—The active demand which the early part of the month exhibited soon died away, and sales for the past three weeks have been in small parcels. The supply is ample for present wants. Bates have ruled at about the same as last noted—viz., Sinclair's, new, lljd to Is ; Coey's, to lid j other good brands, 10d to 10|d. Hams—Continue very scarce indeed, and command high rates still- The few cases which have come to hand have been readily placed at Is 4d and Is sd, for Sinclair's and Coey's ; second-class hams are even more scarce than hesl brands. Butter —The late holders of old Cork butter congratulate themselves that the spare shipments of really good, of any sort, have enabled them to obtain a tolerably good price for a commodity ordinarily unsaleable. Though good colonial butter was very scarce at the early part of the month, the supply has been better during the past fortnight. Prices rule good, Is 4d being readily obtained for good parcels of New Zealand or Australian, and 8d to 9d for the passable remnante of old shipments of Irish. Cheese, of really good and' in prime condition, there is not much on hand ; of middling and indifferent the supply is plentiful. Small-sized Wilts and Cheddar, in moderate sized packages, readily find buyers for country trade at fair prices, while heavy weights, even in first-class order, are comparatively dull. We quote—Prime English, small packages, 104 dto lid; ditikvlarge ditto, 9d to IOd ; middling, 6dto9d. The same journal of the 20th instant reports -: — Both yesterday and to-day business has been without any liveliness, and hardly any transactions of note have transpired.- Cartage has been little more plentiful, but is still not abundant enough. Adelaide flour is still held fori£24los, but sales are slow, and in small-sized parcel?. A better trade is doing in Chilian, which is fast leaving first hands at fully maintained prices. : The market for all flours looks a trifling firmer. Intelligence from various quarters is m>w; looked for ; the Home mails in particular are waited for ..with anxiety, to .ascertain if the unusually short shipments from Great Britain continue or not. Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn, and Co had an excellent soft goods sale, but the other auction marts appeared quiet. TDVSSDXS UTB STOCK MATOTJET. The following is Messrs Driver,. Maclean, and Co's report for the month ending May 10 :— ' Oar market continues without change, and transactions daring the past month do not-warrant us in quoting any, improvement in prjoes obtained j young breeding ewes v and lambs, being the only class of stock at all inquired for," which can be readily disposed of at our quotations. We anticipate an improvement in the demand for good cattle,,as the Government have lately issued a Proclamation enforcing the restrictions provided by | the Diseased Cattle Act, which must prevent further importations to this market. - Fat Cattle—During the early part of the month this market showed evident eigns- of improvement ; but tfce Inge number yuded this week caused a considerable reduction inprioe ;. these were, however, mostly of inferior quality, and we think prime quality beef • will maintain * vac value during the winter > montihs. Wβ .have, yarded and Bold 140 head, at from £5 10s to £l4s according to weight and quality. Eat Calves, of good quality, are in fair demand; those yarded by us realised from £115 ato £4 ss. Store Cattle—Transactions during the month have been, unimportant; there is; however, a slight improvement in feeling, but it wfll take some time to work any .material change for the better. Thk class of-stock should come into better demand, as it is now evident that the province will have to' look to its own resources foe supplies. Fat Sheep—The trade have 'been supplied with fair mntton, We quote prime quality at 14s to 16*. We have wld 750.

Store Sheep—As before stated, breeding ewes and lambs are in demand, the former at 21s to 235, later at 23s to 24s per couple. Strong healthy fullmouthed ewes are saleable at 12s to 13s. Wethers are little inquired for, and only saleable at greatly reduced rates. We have placed orer 9000 ewes and lambs at above rates. Station Property —We are in treaty for the disposal of two or three valuable properties, which we hope to complete in a few days. Buyers are rather inclined to wait the result of the Land Bill at present under the consideration of the Provincial Council. Wool—We have no transactions to report in this market, the only descriptions shipping being felmongers , sorts, which are not offered for sale here. The tone of our private advices from London by last mail augured well for the then approaching March sales ; bnt latest telegrams (20th March) reported wool falling. The report however was vague, and in some respects nearly contradictory—the closing paragraph stating that discounts were reduced to four per cent. The March mail, now due, will place Uβ in possession of the facts, and in the meantime but little reliance can be placed upon the report.