COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2704, 30 December 1871, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

fXy PEKS3 Office, Friday Evening.

the'pa-st week\l}Ask.beea i ' •""dhnnst ititiltiTy euspcaded; *.:owinjr\tp,-' ttfe Chiistmaa holidays. /Sales have been"quite : nominal iv extent, so that quotations remain nbaltetfKl.. The Slum Loe, Mcrope. and •.ft'.ieenpf the S>«ith have completed loading, dml will sail for Londcnvduruig tho ttext few days. *"'--•-■ -..."'■.'. \ V- ■..'■■-•:.''""'- ,_y" .~"*No change rS""Values has- transpired in breadstnffs, although'advices from Adelaide have given this market a firmer tone, and those now holding prime parcels of wheat will not quit at anything under 4s 5d to 4s 6d. Flour has been soiling rather more but_ only_..for local cqpsumptiqn,_as the quantity exported is limited. Oats have a downward tendency, and for the best samples we doubt if even 2s 6d could be obtained. There have been several parcels, of new oats offering, to be delivered within the next ten days.* We have, however, heard of no sales being made: the prices demanded by the farmers are rather too high compared with the rates ruling in Auckland and Melbourne. No sales of any note have transpired in barley ; good pale malting is scarce at 3s 3d to 3s o>d ; interior continues a drug, and sales are only effected at ruinous rates. A steady business is doing in provisions, and recent "quotations are firmly sustained.

There are few enquiries noticeable for teas. This market is now fully supplied for some little time; we do not, therefore, anticipate any improvement on the present low rates ruling for all descriptions of congou. Sugars have found good support, finest white crystals and counters being bare, while yellow and brown sorts are held in larger iincs, consequently values have not improved upon quotations obtained at auction. We note there are two vessels loading at Mauritius for this market. Candles have improved slightly in value, and during the past few days sales are reported at 11 Jd to ll|d. Galvanized iron continues in demand, and this market is well cleared out. Fencing likewise is being disposed of more readily than could have been expected at this season. Ho. 7is fetching £19 10s ; No. 8, £20 10s ; and No. 9, £21 10s to £22. Standards continue to be manufactured at £14, and an active demand exists. Fine salt appears to be coming forward far in excess of our requirements, and during the past week holders have lowered their rates. Cement is being placed freely to hand at 19s to 19s 6d, and stocks are now entirely in second hands. There is little doing in brandies, beyond supplying the few trade demands, and the principal lines are mostly duty paid, Geneva is attracting more favor, and stocks of the large contents are reducing so that a slight advance can be noted ; small contents, however, are offering at prices which will leave a considerable loss. A good demand exists for bottled ale and stout, and a shipment of the former has beeu placed at a shade over lis ; and in stout lis 4£d is noted for a parcel. The. Annie Brow.n, with sugar from the Mauritius, arrived yesterday at Dunedin. She will come on here with the Canterbury portion of her cargo after discharging that for Dunedin.

Bird and Bennett report for the week ending the 29th inst. :—ln consequence of the Christmas holidays there has been so little business doing that we are unable to note any alteration in prices. The attendance at the Carlton was very limited ; about 30 head cattle yarded, ouly a portion of which were sold, and 100 fat wethers were offered, but did not find a purchaser. At Tattersall's, on Saturday,afcwlow-priced light horses changed hands": but when the holidays are over we anticipate a brisk demand for all descriptions of horse stock, particularly draught and farm horses.

Messrs E. Mitchell and Co. report for the week ending December 29, as follows : — With the exception of a few private sales there has ' been very little business done during the past week. The quantity of stock yarded on Wednesday was small, but as most of the butchers had laid iv a supply before Christmas, very little was required. Altogether, the amount of business done was not sufficient to give quotations.

Messrs Preece, Ick and Co. report a sale in their yards on Saturday last of forty head of cattle, fifty pigs, and 200 couple of poultry, at the undermentioned prices :— Inferior cows and calves, stores, £2 17s 6d, £3, £3 ss. £3 7s 6d, £4 2s 6d ; cows near calving, £4 7s 6d to £6 10s ; two-year-old steers, nearly fat, £3 10s, £4 7s 6d ; two-year-old heifers, £2 7s 6d to £3 ; yearlings, 28s to 3:3s ; a lot of young calves, 6s to 16s. Pigs —Only a few styes were : offered ; small wesners brought 5s to 7s 6d, and small si ores 8s 6d to 12s ; porkers about 3d per lb. Poultry.—Common fowls, 2s 6d to 3s per pair; better sorts, 3s 6d- to 5s 6d ditto ; ducks, 3s to 4s ditto ; geese, 7s to 9s a couple ; turkeys, Ss 6d to 14s a pair.

Mr H. E, Alport reports that as usual during the Christmas week the business at the Carlton yards was almost nominal. A small flock of 200 fair quality fat merino wethers were withdrawn at 5s 6d. About 40 head of cattle came to market, which were readily sold at fair, aiid in some cases, improved, prices. Superior 18 months old steers and heifers brought £2 Is; two-year-old steers, £2 7s 6d ; three-year-old do, £4 10s ; three aud four-year-old nearly fat steers, £5 7s 6d ; weighty fat cow. £6 ; dairy cows iv profit, £2 2s 6d to £3 ,15s ; superior heifers, £3 to £3 12s 6d ; six to nine months calves, 17s. Beef realised from 15s to 16s perlOOlbs.

DirNEDIN. —The Daily Times of December 28 reports :—During the two or three days devoted to business since the dispatch of the home mails, very little of any note has gone forward in the import market, and the few transactions occurring have scarcely furnished any matter for reference. In the values of goods no essential variation has been perceivable, and nothing in advices received has affected any of the staples. Since last notice of the produce market, enquiry has been very slack, and in both grain .and flour only a meagre business done—quotations remaining without change.

Sydney.—A telegram in the Argus of December 19th says : —The markets arc very dull. A large parcel of Burnett's Old Tom has been placed at 12s 3d. Breadstuffs are quiet. The same paper of the 20th says :— There is not much business doing, pending the arrival of the mail. White Mauritius crystals have been placed at auction at £40 to £42 per ton.

Adelaide. —The following telegrams appear in thz Argus of the 18th, 19th, and 20th December: —December 18th. A sale of old wheat has been effected at 4s Bd. The market still remains very firm. December 19th. It is rumoured that sales of wheat have been made at rates considerably over, quotations, and the price has not transpired. December 20th. Wheat remaius. very firm, and a slight rise has been established, as sales have been made at 4s lOd.

Melbourne.—The A ?'gus of the 20th reports :—ln the import markets business to-day has been exceedingly quiet, and no show of animatioa whatever -has been exhibited. At the auction sales only a trifling amountlias been transacted, and the sales outside the mart have been of no importance. Breadstuffs do not attract "much notice. Flour is moving off slowly at £12 10s to £12 15s for small lots. Wheat has been sold privately as high as 6s for a very fine sample of Adelaide ; for good quality 5s lOd to 5s lid would not be refused; we heat of a medium'parcel having been placed at 5s 9d ; and under the hammer,. IpOO bushels were quitted at 56 6d, while 5s 4jd was realised for Tftsmariian. Id a N.Z. circular; datedCBristchuTCb; Ist December,- the prospect of the coming wheat-crops-are referred to a& the:brightest m&:niost promising for many years. The acreage is stated Jo be much larger, and the yield js. estimated at two and a half to three million bwhgJs, o&tfl,j are not 6© extensively' |jrown

this year, owing to the low prices ruling; the conditi©p of the is said to be good, though someiKuds touched with the cabbagiblight; l%e cro l>> m small < iis eirpected to yield\well. Oats here do not.attract much attention. New Zealand .■were offered publicly in the forenoon ; but only a very small parcel was quitted at 3s 3id". Mafze is moving off at 3s 10jd, at which we note a firm market. We learn of a good inquiry for sugars. Sales of fine white . crystals at' £41 are mentioned ; while fine yoilow brewing crystals'are going off at £33 10s. Six hundred and twenty mats white Java, sold all faults»-r.ealiSed £39 5s to £40 ss: and 859 bags, forming the damaged portion of the Emile Marie's shipment were quited at £33 5s to £39 15s. Teas are exceedingly slow at present, no inquiry whatevercomThg under our notice. The damaged portion of the Delta's shipment, 800 packages, will'be submitted to competition to-morrow at Sandridge town pier. In candles we hear of little being done privately, but sound lots were got rid of publicly at ll£d to ll|-d. We observe the quittance of 50 tons of dressed Java rice at £21 10s. The sales of timber comprise 33,790 ft T and G white -flooring, at'10s 3d to 10 (3d ; 43,450 ft 6 x f, at 9s 3d to 9s 6d ; 101,380 ft 6 x J, at 7s 3d ; and 70,400 ft four-out weatherboards, at 7s per 100 ft lineal. An extensive sale of boots and shoes is reported, some 33.7- trunks .having been cleared off. ..---■'

Adelaide.—Telegrams range from the 9tb to the 15th instant. December 9.—Wheat is very steady at 4s 7d, but there is none offering. December 11.—No wheat is offering in the market. December 12.—Wheat is very firm.; a small sale is reported at 4s 7£d, with none offering. Several .sales of country flour have been made at £10 10s. December 13.—The weather is still cold and squally, and very unfavorable for harvest Wheat is very firm, owing to bo little offering. Holders anticipate higher rates.' Some small sales have been made at 4s 7£d, and more would be given for a parcel if offered. Dec. 14.—The weather is becoming warmer and more favorable for harvest. - Wheat continues very scarce in the market. - Offers of 4s B*l have been made, but no transactions have taken place at that figure, Dec. 15.— Wheat continues very firm. Offers have been made by buyers at 4s Bd. but no parcels are obtainable. With reference to South Australian crops generally, the Australasian remarks :—ln South Australia speculation regarding the wheat crops will shortly be at an end. J?he : new,wheat is coming to Adelaide from the early localities ; the acreable yield in several instances has been twelve bushels, nine bushels, ten bushels, and twelve bushels respectively. On the Murray flats, beyond Mouut Pleasant, some of the crops are averaging twenty-five bushels per acre. At Strathalbyn the new crop has begun to come in ; the local journal speaks well of. the majority of the samples, rust having injured comparatively few. About Narracoorte, barring rust, which it is thought can now do little harm,, the yields will be unusually heavy ; they are reported likely to range from sixteen to forty bushels. Caterpillars have got airiongst the wheats in some instances, but they do not appear to. have done much damage. The only reports that are decidedly bad come from Gulnare area, where both rust aud grasshoppers seem to have done their worst. Generally, however, the South Australian wheats have escaped damage from rust, although the parasite has gained a footing ou the chaff; but, fortunately, it got there too late.