Correspondence.

Press, Volume XV, Issue 2064, 26 November 1869, Page 2

Correspondence.

Dunedin —Thiß day has not been attended with much business of a noticeable character among import houses, the auction sale of sugars furnishing the only matter of interest. There is, however, a fair up-country trade going forward, with the prospect of improved orders. The grain and flour markets are dull, and without change in values. By auction, Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn and Co succeeded in placing the whole of tho cargo of the Prospector at prices showing a decline, though not greater than might have expected from tho fully supplied state of the market the difference being most obserrabie in the finer earn plea. Fine white crystals were placed at £36 ss, and good whites at £35 to £35 17s fid ; good yellow crystals, £34 2s 6d to £34 15a ; lower descriptions, £32 12s 6d to £33; and good yellow counters £33 12s 6d— " Daily Times," Nov 24.

Hobabt Town —The market for the week has opened very slack. There is no alteration to report in the prices of but the market is less firm than it was, as the feeling is gradually growing up that notwithstanding the repeatedly expressed fears to the contrary, we shall have enough to supply our local wants till harvest, with an occasional load from Launceston. The present quotation for wheat is 6s 6d, but no sales are reported to - day. The Hally Bayley's cargo is passing into store. Flour is quoted at present at £15, but as indicative of a fall, bakers have reduced the price of the 21b loaf a halfpenny. Sharps are £8. Bran Is 2d. Good old hay is steady at £6 10s. Old potatoes are dull at £3 10a. New ones were sold in the market on Saturday at 7s the hundred weight. For potted butter there is actually no demand, and holders are unable to effect sales at 10d. New is variously quoted at from lOd to a Is, according to quality. Good cheese is at present worth Is, but this price will not be obtained as socn as the new made comes in, which may be expected in a few days. Green gooseberries were sold yesterday at 5s the bushel, wholesale. For green peas not more than 2a to 2s 6d per bushel could be obtained There were some small lots of wool came into town yesterday, but we have not heard of any more sales. Woolpacks, wholesale, by the quantity, are quoted at 3a 9d to 4s.—" Mercury," Nov 9.

Melbottbnb. — Business in the import market has not been characterised with much activity. In breadstuffs the demand for flour haa almost been at a standstill, as, pending the auction sale advertised for to-morrow, buyers have not given the slightest indication of a desire to purchase even moderate-sized parcels. Quotations, however, are steady at £15 to £15 10s, according to quantity. There is likewise little to repoat in wheat. Port Macdonnell is offering at 6s 9d to 6a lOd, and Adelaide at 7s to 7s 2d. Sales of New Zealand have been effected at 6s. Feeding grains are exceedingly dull and heavy; this is really a matter of surprise to all who have any idea of how much reduced the stocks in the hands of the trade has become, as well as the advices received regarding supplies coming forward. Maize is quite neglected, and great difficulty is experienced in making sales even in small parcels; orders have been executed for the country at 4s 9d, but were sales forced in any degree, under this figure would have to be taken. Private telegrams state that several vessels had to leave the Clarence without any loading, in consequence of the reduotion of stock there. Oats do not command the slightest attention, and yet we are in* formed that rumors whioh were in circulation for some time past regarding the growing crop are likely to prove correct, it being now positively asserted that in the principal oat growing districts of the colony the crops will prove a failure. Sugars are attracting more notice. Sales of middling white crystals have been made privately at £3610s to £37. The Selina Jane's cargo of Mauritius has been placed under offer in one line, and altogether the market has a firmer tone. This, however, will be tested by the offer on Wednesday of the Elizabeth's cargo. The damaged portion of the Dioscuren's teas will be Bold to-morrow afternoon. The quality of the teas in this cargo is really unexceptionable ; the sound portion will be offered later in the week. Cornsacks have met with a fair inquiry for trade purposes; several parcels have been quitted at lis 9d. We observe a complete change in the tone of the market for salt; all available shipments on the spot and to arrive have been taken up at such prices as will compel £4 10s to be demanded for trade parcels, more especially as a great portion of the stock on hand has for a long time been held for the rate named. A falling off in shipments is expected to be advised by the mail, due in a week. Sales of castor oil are mentioned at 4s. In liquids, we hear of Devenish's bottled ah?B finding buyers at 10s for quarts, and 6s 9d for pints.—" Argus," Nov. 16. CaufobNia—-The Cl San Francisco Market Review" of September 3rd reports:— Flour —In the absence of any considerable export demand, prices are inclined to ease off a little. The majority of our leading mills are either still or running on half time. We have no stock accumulation, and millers generally not disposed to buy wheat beyond present necessities, preferring to go safe, rather than running the risk of a declining market. Heretofore, for two or three years past, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia* have drawn supplies from the Pacifio via Panama, but that trade appears to have ceased entirely, with little disposition evinced to send flour to the United Kingdom. The steamship Japan, for China and Japan, leaving to-morrow, will carry more or less superfine and other low grades, purchased at reduced rates. Since our last issue the Prince Victor, for Montevideo, has sailed with a cargo of 9600 hf sks extra superfine, from the Golden Age Mills. During the current week we have received from the North 3655 qr and 432 hf sks Oregon- extra, which, being of the old crop, is readily sold at full figures for local use —say sdol 750 to 6dol per bbl. Transactions during the week under review comprise the following saleB:—4000 hf and qr sks extra Golden Age Mills', .4000 do do National Mills', private ; 5600 qr sks El Dorado superfine, for China, private ; 350 bblß City Mills' (San Jose) extra, sdol 75c, in hf sks j 400 bbls Stockton City Mills' extra, in lots, at current rates; 4000 qr sks superfine, for China, private; 500 hf sks extra Buckeye Mills, for local use, sdol 50c. Wheat—With heavy receipts from the interior, the market has relapsed into exceeding quietness, particularly for low and inferior grades, which latter have been sold as low as Idol to Idol 15c for pinched. At the same time the price for shipping grades has declined 10 to 15c per ctl from the highest rate of the season. Our local millers are '

enabled to buy good samples " superfine " at Idol 40c to Idol 500 up to Idol 65c to Idol 75c for choice, suited to the manufacture of baker's and family extra. Most of the wheat offered for sale in this market is inferior and pinched, thus compelling leading export buyers to go into the interior for the purchase of round lots suited to shipment. This they have done ever since harvest, consequently the sales made on 'Change aro of little moment, aud, a* before stated, composed largely of ordinary quality, entirely unsuited for export. Transactions during the week, here and in tho interior, comprise and approximate in lots the following, predicted chiefly upon the Liverpool quotation of 10s lOd to lis; 30,000 sks extra choice, Idol 75c; 50 000 sks prime shipping, Idol 70c to Idol 72.5 c ; 40,000 sks do do, Idol 65e to Idol 67J ; 35,000 sks good do, Idol 60c to Idol 62 _c ; 5000 sks old milling, Idol 65c ; 5500 sks good milling, Idoi 50c to Idol 574 c; 7600 sks fair do, Idol 40c to Idol 45c ; 6750 ska ordinary do, Idol 25c to Idol 35c ; 4400 sks common. Idol 12.c to Idol 15c; 2500 sks inferior, Idol to Idol 50c per ctl. The closing quotation for fair to good parcels, Idol 50c to Idol 65c.