COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2400, 15 April 1873, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Press Monday. The Custom-' revenue' collected on Saturday was as follows-;— ' •--,.* s. d. £ s. d. Spirits '32 15 7 Tea _ 17 6 Sundries 317 1 Total ... ... £41 10 2

Auckland.—-The " Southern Cross " of the sth reports-.—The breadstuffs market continues flat: the - imports this week were large, comprising 4987. sacks of wheat from Canterbury, and 1893 bags from Adelaide ; also 196 sacks, 410 bags of flour from Canterbury, an 4 1800; bagafrom Adelaide. The latest Australian advices announce a rise*in price, bat it is not regarded as permanent, and it has not caused a corresponding movement here. Calif ornian advices, per Nebraska, announce a decline in the breadstuffs market there, also lower rates of freight. Wheat was quoted on the 4th ultimo in San Francisco, at equal "to 4a 2d per.Jaushel. Large shipments were being made to Great = Britain which would relieve the market. We continue to quote Auckland flour at th« mills at £13 td £15 pet ton; Adelaide flour, £15 10s to-£l6; Canterbury flour,"£ll to £13 10s; Adelaide wheat, which is remarkably good, this year, 6s 6d per bushel; Caoferburyj 6a to 5s 3d ; Auckland, 6s.' Oats are. firm at from 6s 3d to 6s 6d. Notwithstanding the large receipts of maize, prices are firm at about 4a per bushel. The receipts of produce this week were as follow :—Maize, 1632 sacks ; oats, 757 sacks; barley, 454 sacks; bran, 560 sacks; sharps, 43 sacks; cheeses, 49 ; bacon, 41. Canterbury hams and bacon ttsle much higheE this season than last, Is to 1b .Id being offered for best samples. At Mr Buckland's fiax and wool sale to-day, there was a good assortment of fiax, but the bidding was very dull, and a number of bales were withdrawn for higher rates.. Prices ranged from £15 to £23 per ton. The quantity of wool "catalogued was not very large. Greasy wool fetched (>s&._ to 9£d per lb j lambswool, Is per lb; longwool washed, 18d per lb. The following circular has been forwarded to the shareholders of the New Zealand Freight Company by Mr John Batger, its secretary:—" New Zealand Freight Company, Limited, Auckland, April 3, 1873. — The London Committee of the Newt Zealand Freight Company, having been furnished with renewed instructions, in accordance with the decision arrived at by the shareholders atthe meeting held on 26th October last, have made an .arrangement with Messrs Galbraith, Stringer, Pembroke and Co. (London representatives ot Messrs P.Henderson and Co), uuder which the pioneer ship of a new line io Auckland direct was to leave London on 20th February last. A telegram announcing the fact reached the directors on the 3rd February, but it was not till the arrival of tbe mail on the 2ud instant that they were fully aware of the details ; aud they now desiro, to impart 'the information they have received to the shareholders. The clauses of the agreement are as follows :—I. That Messrs Galbraith and Co. open a line of vessels to Auckland direct. 2. A ship to be despatched every second month, or more frequently. 3. Ships to be advertised *as carrying the* goods of the Freight Company.' 4. Ships to be consigned, to tbe Freight Company at Auckland. 5. Current rates of freight to be charged tq

rates charged by Messrs Shaw, Saville and Co. from time to time. 6. Rates of freight to b<£,-Inform by each ship : that is to say ■all shipjSers of the same class of goods by the same ship will be placed on the same footing. 7. Current primage to be allowed to all shippers who apply for it. 8. Ships to be either A 1 iron or composite, or highclassed ; BB wooden ships all to be Al. 9. Two months'notice to be given on either Bide in the event of the line being discontinued, or the support of the Freight tympany withdrawn.' 10. All tin* interest and influence of the Freight Company to be giveu in support of the live. The directors have been advised that, on account of the present extreme scarcity of tonnage, tbe charterers had been compelled to pay for their first ship, the Hilton Castle, a sum which involves a slightly higher rate of freight to shippers than that which Messrs Shaw, Saville, and Co. were induced to adopt when in the hope of persuading this company to abandon its intention of breaking that firm's. monopoly. At the time the Freight Company was started it is well known that freights to Auckland ranged from 50 per cent to 100 per cent higher than was at the time charged on similar class goods from London to Sydney, and there is no reason to doubt that an increased rate corresponding with that now ruling in the Australian trade —would have been levied on shipments to Auckland but for the desire of Messrs Shaw, Saville, and Co. to prevent opposition on this line. The following quotations of freights ruling in London qn 19th April, 1872, and 24th January, 1873-(extracted from " European Mail" of those dates), are evidences of the greatly increased rates now paid by the merchants in neighbouring colonies. Kates of freights to Melbourne—April, 1872 : Rough measurement, 15s to 20s ; weight, 17s to 20s ; bottled beer, per doz, 6d ; fine goods, 25s to 30s. January, 1873 : Rough measurement, 30s; weight, 30s ; bottled beer, per dozen, Is; fine goods, 455. Rates of freights to Sydney, April, 1872: Rough measurement, 15s; weight, 12s 6d to 15s ; bottled beer, per dozen, sd; fine goods, 30s to 40s. Jauuary. 1873 : Rough measurement, 30s ; weight, 30s ; bottled beer, per dozen, Is ; fine goods, 455, showing an advance in freights to Aus tralia varying from 50 per cent to 100 per cent during the period; while rates to Auckland have during the same period been kept —through the action of the Freight Company —not only without a corresponding advance, but actually lower than they were at the date of the company's formation. The rates charged on goods per Hilton Castle, represent the fair ratio that should exist between Australia and New Zealand freight owing to the greater cost of charter to our ports ; and when more- favorable rates of charter are obtainable, lower rates of freights will rule. One of the objects for which the Freight Company exists is thus accomplished in securing for Auckland importers the lowest current rates of freight, and the directors now urge upon every shareholder the necessity of continued effort in support of the line, in order that the advantage gained may be made permanent. The directors confidently depend upon all the shareholders supporting the company's action to the full extent of their power, and in accordance with . the terms of their express obligation instructing their London agents to forward their goods by the company's line of ships, irrespective of any inducements held out by any other line.—John BatG-3-, Secretary New Zealand Freight Company."