COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2645, 28 January 1874, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Wheat js very scarce ; 6s 2Jd has been given. Oats are also very scarce at 5s 2d to 5s 4d ; Kerosene is lower, Is 7Jd has been given for 5000 cases. Cornsacks are selling freely at 1 Is 9d. Case brandy 28s 9d. Sugars are in fair demand at market rates. Wellington, Jan. 27. Details of mail contract between this colony and New South Wales have been received by the mail. The arrangement is of a twofold character in consequence of the inability of the contractors to procure specially built twelve-knot vessels in twelve months. Two contracts therefore have been jnjto, one "temporary," the other " permanent." The first dates fjrorfli December 20th post to November 27th j the pther six years from that day. The contractors are to provide four steam vessels equal to \OO A 1 at Lloyd's register, to carry jthirteen njails eaph way every year. They are to be responsible for tbe transhipment of mails at Kandavau. Tjje PostmastersGeneral may delay the steamers not more J,han fprty-ejght hours at San Francisco, nor more than at any other port. The through going vessel is to wait at J£andavau not exceeding seventy-two hours sifter the arrival of tbe branch mail vessel, and the contractors are without notice to wait at San Francisco, if necessary, seven days for the arrival of the English mails from New York. The New Zealand postmaster nay vary the time of the departure j£ the mails at any ports there, but _ot so as to vary the departure )f the mails at Auckland for Kandavan ] nore than 24 hours, without the con- ; sent of New South Wales. The contractors ire to pay £300 for every mail delayed, and £ 100 for every additional day's delay. The ' Postmaster may remit the penalty if the ' lelay is attributable to causes over which '

the contractors have no control. The contractors are liable for damage to mails from any cause except the act of God or the Queen's enemies. Every mail not dewithin the ten knot service, the for that rate is to be reduced £2 for every hour in excess. The contractors are to receive £25 for every mail delivered twenty-four hours inside the contract time. The colonies are to return any subsidy derived from Great Britain or any of the Australian colonies. The contractors to have no claim to any postages. If default is made in commencing the service the contractors are to pay £25,000 as liquidated damages. Any disputes to be settled by arbitration. These stipulations are common to both contracts as regards the temporary contract, the gross tonnage of the vessels is not to be less than two thousand. The mails from San Francisco to Sydney and vice versa, are to- be, conveyed within 708 hours; from San Francisco to Auckland in 645 hours; from San Francisco to Port Chalmers in 785 hours. For the conveyance of each mail between Sydney, and San Francisco and vice versa, the PostmasterGeneral of New South Wales pays as follows: —For 10-knot service, £115_; for 10., £1298; for 11, £1462; for 12-knot service, £1730. New Zealand is to pay at the aame rate, but the services must be performed in a specified time. As regards the permanent contract, the tonnage of vessels must not be less than 2500, and the minimum speed twelve nautical miles per hour. The mails are to be conveyed between San Francisco and Sydney within 600 hours ; between San Francisco and Auckland in 546 ; and to Port Chalmers in 671. New South Wales is to pay for the conveyance of each mail £1538 for a twelveknot service, and £1442 for eleven and ahalf ; £1346 for eleven ; £1250 for ten and a-half ; and £1153 for a ten-knot service. New Zealand is to pay at the same rate. It is expressly stipulated, however, that the twelve-knot service is deemed the very essence of the contract. Payments for the services are made absolutely dependent upon the performance of the service within the specific definite periods. New Zealand provides a steam launch for the delivery of the mail 8 oft Hawkes Bay. The Corporation have authorised the preparation of a reliable map of the city giving the permanent levels as a preliminary step towards devising a system of drainage. Blenheim, Jan. 27. A very large meeting re the Superintendency was held last night. Mr Baillie was not present. The meeting lasted till halfpast 11. Three-fourths of those present voted for Mr Seymour, and six against tbe motion. Nelson, Jan. 27. A special session of the Provincial Council was opened to-day. The Superintendent proposed to obtain permission to borrow £250,000 for certain specified public works. Also to apply for immigrants at the rate of 150 per month. He asks the Council to authorise a temporary advance, in anticipation of the loan, for completing the coach road from Nelson to Greymouth and Westport. Hokitika, Jan. 27. Isaac Levi, undergoing six years' imprisonment, attempted to cut down the overseer with an axe, when cutting firewood. The overseer dodged the blow, the handle of the axe strikiug him on the shoulder. Dunedin, Jan. 27. Allen's English Opera company visit Dunedin in March, having entered into an engagement with Messrs Begg and Anderson for twenty-four nights. The " Guardian " says the shipmasters are wrong in sympathising with the late master of the Surat. ,