DISCHARGE OF VESSELS AT LYTTELTON.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2730, 8 May 1874, Page 2

DISCHARGE OF VESSELS AT LYTTELTON.

Chbistchtjbch, Thursday, May 7. .A petitiqp most kifluentiaily and. nnmeKKjsJjiSigned by all. the shipowners, captains of merchants, ljaakera, marine ir> surance agents, shipping agents and traders, of jGhxistchurch arid Lyttelton, was yesterday -tohie Honorthe Superintendent and'!the Executive Government,,on the subject of relieving the great pressure which is now and has so long beeji felt in Lyttelton by the.long delays to which vessels are subjebfced in obtaining berths and in discharging their cargdai . The petition, after stating the loss to all interests by these detentions, points out the feasibility of obtaining speedy relief by reopening the river Heathcote traffic for the smaller class of vessels with the assistance of a.Goverument steam tug at Sumner to assist' vessels on entering and leaving the river. • - The deputation appointed to present the petition, were Messrs W. Dymock, F. Banks, J. Inglis, and F. Jenkins. The Government went f ally into the particulars, to which their atteution was drawn byythe petition, and promised the deputation present to give the question of the steam tug th!eir. favorable consideration, andY in., the meantime .to see that the Sumner pilot' stations is applied with proper signals, and taJ&the channel through the estuary is , co£EsaUj staked oat and buoyed. „ is as follows:— <; - J3is Honor the Superintendent and the *»~. Executive Government of the Province *<;pfi Canterbury, New Zealand, 'tpbiepeUtionhumolyehQweth— , , , γ-fl"- That we, the do find our now, ancMoE.eome time past very seriously and detrimeotally affected, and the whole comm aaitj suSeting gfeaOoss the detenwhich feMMs'ire subjected in berththeir .cargoes in the port of Lyttelton, ,- ■ • • "._ "2, Tbat the rapidly-growing trade and ofßsns&se o£ the province far outstrip all e£xns3 Jtaafc have l>cen, or that may reasonto" be mnde, to provide prompt aocommodatiou and qaick despatch for the .whole of the , shipping trade at the chief port tor some time to come. "3»-Ib»fe speedy and effectual relief from the great pressure now felt in Port Lyttelton riaay be obtained by re-opening the Heathtraffic, for coasting vessels timber lageo, and vessels trading with the bays, these Jaeing tbe vessels which are continually tistnug , ,the "port, aad«o much contribute to ifi'e oiockade from vrhicb. all interests alike are sufteririg. *' ".I* That in order to give the Telicf sought for ! by opening up the river Heathcote, for the use of the .vessels above described, we, yo.ur._l»umi)le' petitioners, do respectfully request that you will be pleased to place a proper steam-tug at Smnner to assist vessels in crossing the' bar on entering and*, leaving the river, to have the' channel correctly staked oat j anp tQ'provide tbe pilot and. signalman now Btationed" there with theneceesarj signals for performance of hi 9 4utiw,.,, , .

The petition is snpported by 120 signatures, comprising those of all the leading mercantile housee, shipmasters, bankers, traders, and marine insurance agents, in Lytteltojgand Christchurch. mSn^ and. Co report on March. "£he attendance at the saleroom contumes good, and, mixed paxneglefifeithere compefitionx, at opening any good wool brought forward either washed or in I grease. Gross-bred parcels have been selling J yery well and prices have advanced since the sales commenced. The prospects for May must be looked forward to with caution, as tbjre. .will, be a very Jarge quantity for offer, andlnucfi will depend upon the support "wje receive |s, generally eoppdsedpPVencb buyers operate freely prices "will "probably be maintained,- but otherwise Iwe fear we must be prepared for some de-; cliue. WHEA,T AXTD FEOUB^ The " European' Mail"bfthelothbf March' gays':?—" :i \ \ '■;■ ' : i n ;' J-< o r■;<i \ At Mark Lane there has been a great want i iof animaupiu JEngJishrivheat .JiaS";been in~y eh<ri& been dull, and prices have ruled in favor of buyers. The show of foreign been tolerably good, and, with' 1 a heavy demand, the drpopinj* ; tendency. There hii s beeaNk* moderate , supply of barley on offers produce has been in qriietervrequestj iat about late rates. tOthei sorts have been dull; Malt has been inactive, at late prices. The show of bats has been tolerably; good ; the demand has been inactive, and prices have biea less firm. Maize hap changed, hands at' about previous currencies. Beans and peas quiet and unaltered. Veiy little doing- in flour on former terms. The market for Australian wheat and flour is'very flat, the following being the latest quotations :—Wheat, 68s to 70sper,4961bs? flour, superfine, 48a to 50a; fine, 45s to 48s ; seconds, 40s to 42s per 2801bs. The Liverpeoi market closes with a dull feeling, and only a limited demand. The business in {wheat was marked by & further concession of 3d per cental. Flour was offered at a "reduction of 6d per sack and barrel, but little, however, was done thereat. Oats were quite neglected, and, to have effected sales, a decline of 2d per 451bs must have been submitted to. Oatmeal was reported slow at late rates. Egyptian beans were flat, and 3d to 6d per qr. cheaper. Peas without change. In malt and barley no alteration was reported. . Indian corn met a moderate request at the currencies of last marketday. v; ? r ■? ; Messrs Miles and Co report-^-The wheat market continues depressed, for owing to the onnsnal mildness of the weather at New York, large shipments continue to be made to England, consequently these liberal supplies, and the good prospects for our coming crops, have caused prices to decline during the last month as much as 4s to ss, and in ebme cases even 6s per qr.. for cargoes on t;he.~Goasfc; .-. J?me£pijng American, are now renljfflngpnly 59s to 60a, being quite 4a to 6s lower. There is not much Australian wheat on the market at present, and prices may be quoted at 68s, but with a slow sale. Australian flour sells at from 46s to 49s per 2801bs.

. , TALLOW AND HIDES. Messrs Miles and Co. report:— The tallow market is .still, very dull, and a further considerable decline has taken place in Australian tallow.-.-sThe price" to-day of good to fine New Zealand mutton is 36s 6d to 38s, and beef 34s "6d to 36s per cwt, with a limited demand for both sorts. Hides are firm and prices are higher, viz;, sfd to 6d per lb for New Zealand, both heavy and lightweights.

NEW ZEALAND HEMP. There has been rather more demand for this hemp lately, and prices have somewhat hardened in consequence of some considerable orders from America, and should these continue we may look for a steadier market as arrivals are- very small. . TfieH&uropean Mail" reports:— With an absence of arrivals, and" a consumption of 137 tons during the past month, At. improromobt nntod in oar last, iSBUtt IIHH continued, end we may quote an advance of 20840 40s per ton over last figures. This has been chiefly caused by the receipt of some large orders from America and transactions on speculative account. If these continue we may confidently look forward to a still further advance, and, in any case, it is probable this article has seen its worst. Closing quotations will be as follows :—Common, £15 10s; fair, £19 10s ; good, £21 to &22; fine, £27 10s per ton. The following are the particulars of some of the sales since our last: —Ex Woodlark, 96 bales sound, D in dia, £22 ; erThames, 19' bales sound, DD in double dia, £20 ; 10 bales sound, Din dia, X at' side, £19 10s ; ex J. N, Fleming, 20 bales sound, 8,£22 ; ex William"Davfe, 100 bales, HFM, £23; 93 bales, GM, £22 • 7 bales, CH, £22 10s ;,. 36 bales, OD, £16 ; 6 bales,:E&S, £22 15s; ex Halcione, 9 bales, EC im dia, £23 10s per torn

: PEESEBVBD MEAT?. The Australian Meat Agency (Tallerman's) reports under date Feb. 9th, 1874 :— - The importation of preserved meat during February reached 30,889 cases, a quantity largely, in excess of previous month's arrivalSj the. colonies contributing being New South Wales, 12,732 cases ; Victoria, 9688 ; South Australia, 2317; Queensland, 2000; New Zealand 841—27,569; and from Texas, 1052 ; San Francisco, 1052 ; Brazil, 1010—3320.

Total cases, .30,889. The prospect of-heavier stocks without a corresponding increase in demand has tended to weaken prices, and in the absence of transactions quotations, must, be considered nominal. Wholesale grocers are quoting as under: Beef, 61b, 6£d ; 41b, GJd j 2lb, 7d; mutton, 61b, s|d ; 41b 5f d ; 31b; sid ; 21b, 6|d. These prices are subject to trade discounts and allowances. Parcels in first, hand, ex ship, would- be lower in proportion. Messrs Miles and Co., report :-rThe large importations of meat have had a depressi ftg effect upon prices as stocks continne to,«increase ,wifthout a corresponding, dernandf is now worth about 5d to per lb.