Commercial.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1306, 14 January 1867, Page 2

Commercial.

Pbess Office, Monday, Jan. 14. During the week a very fair amount of business has been transacted, and considerable parcels have been quitted for both town and country trade. Tbere has been no change in values, quotations of all staple articles remaining the same. We do not look for any upward tendency of prices for some time to come, seeing the heavy stocks in the merchants' hands. The Matoaka, from London, arrived on Thursday last, after a rapid passage, and brings a heavy cargo. An enquiry for light wines has existed during the week, principally on account of the races. Sugars are rather duller, two small shipments being expected. In brencUtu-s no change in prices can be reported, the best silk dressed Hour being still quoted by millers at £13 per ton, in 200 lb. bags. Large quantities of old wheat are oflVr- , ing, but iirstclass samples are scarce; an enquiry for a limited quantity for shipment to , Nelson has not affected prices, which remain ! at 3s 6d to 4s per bushel. New oats are offer- • ing iv fair quantities, and 3s Lave been offered for delivery within a month ; several lots haTe - changed hands at that figure. Several samples of barley have also been offered, but no business has been transacted, holders asking 5s 6d , to 6s, buyers offering ss. Peas are also offering, , but _o trade has been done owing to the - prices asked. Hay may be quoted at £_ to £_ ' 10s per ton delivered, with a quiet demand. New potatoes are coming into the market more freely, at £6 to £7 per ton. The cattle yarded on Saturday were all quitted at fair prices ; two-year-old heifer., £6 to £8, and milch cows, £15 to £17. Large sales of farm produce were held at the various auction marts, and prices, as usual during the" race season, were higher than on ordinary occasions.

Mr C. J. Hubbard furnishes the following report:—The attendance of farmers on Saturday was slightly more numerous ; many must be necessarily much engaged at home at this season. I regret to hear the caterpillar has made great havoc amongst the crops in many districts. The millers are holding largely ; there is more old wheat offering at from 3s to 4s per bushel than meets with purchasers. During the week a small export demand occurred. New wheat has not made its appearance at market. Flour is moved off slowly; seconds, £11 to £12 per ton ; superfine flour, £13 to £14 per ton. There is a ready sale for good samples of new barley at 5s to 5s 6d. Ripe and weighty new oats are saleable at from 2s 9d to 3s 3d. Inquiries are being made for good new hay at about £5 per ton; also, for wheat and oat straw. New potatoes, £5 to £6 per ton.

Messrs Wilson and Alport yarded about twenty head of cattle at their Cashel street yards on Saturday, among the several wellbred aud superior class cows and heifers. Sales were effected at the following rates : —Cows, £14 5s to £17 ; heifers, £11 15s to £14 15s ; two-year-old steers, £5 15s to £8 10s. At their Market-place yards, one pen of 10 fat pigs brought 48s each ; 1 sow, 70s ; 30 stores brought from 13s to 44s each j turkeys, 7s 6d to 8s each ; geese, 6s 6d each ; ducks, young and small, 5s 6d to 6s 6d per couple ; fowls, 5s 6d to 6s 6d per couple; bacon, second class, 6_d per lb ; cheese, inferior, 3£d to s_d per lb.; flour, seconds, £11 per ton ; sharps, £7 per ton ; wheat, for fowls, 2s 9d to 3s per bushel. Both sales were well attended, and biddings brisk.

MELBOURNE.

By the Otago we have received our Melbourne files to the 4th instant. The " Age " of that date reports :— There has been very little animation in the import market to-day, and merchants complain much of the difficulty in effecting sales, as well as of the unsatisfactory prices prevailing for most articles. There has been a little more doing in teas ; sales of medium congou have been made at 2s, and of fine at 2s 6d, duty paid, for about 100 chests only : but we under stand that some considerable parcels of the Tell's cargo changed hands on private terms. In liquids, we hear of trade sales of Hennessy's pale brandy, in quarter-casks, at 6s 9d, and another small parcel is reported at 7a 3d; the difference in age may account for the difference in price. A parcel of Byass's stout, about 150 cases, changed hands at 7s 3d in bond ; and 8s have been accepted for the balance of a shipment of Richardson's ale. A small parcel of Morice Cox'b ale has also been quitted at Bs. Trade sales of Elmo raisins at 7d. Column's blue at 9£d, and his blue starch at 4£d are reported, and trade sales only. The tobacco trade is in a very unsatisfactory state. We hear complaints on all sides of the prices ruling for tobacco being below cost, and this has more particularly reference to twist. The trade refusing to mako the difference there ought to be between the old, half-rotten tobacco and the new, the consequence is, where sales are made of new, sound tobacco, they are at a loss to the importer. We hear of several lots of Orion twist having been sold at Is sd, which we have reason to believe is below the cost of importation. A lot of Calcutta leaf has been sold for wash, at 2d per lb. The market for breadstuffs remains in the same dull state, at least as regards flour, of which quotations are unaltered; but of wheat wo understand there have been sales to-day, though we have been unable to get particulars. We also hear of some negotiation going on for a rather large parcel of Californian; but there was nothing fixed at the close of business. Barley and oats are extremely quiet; we hear of nothing doing in either article. Maize is not bo readily saleable as yesterday, but we cannot alter quotations. By private telegram to-day from Sydney, it is said to be firmer there at 3s sd, and very scarce. We see by a paper, published at Wellington, containing the English news, brought by the Kaikoura, that, under date of Bth November, the London commercial intelligence speaks of the drafts of Messrs. Dent and Co., of China, being refused acceptance, and _ their eggaffithey are spoken of as having failed for a very large amount. We should have had no reason to doubt the truth of this had it not been that we have news. by way of Galle of later date, but without any reference to this disaster.