Commercial Intelligence.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIII, Issue 959, 5 September 1856, Page 2

Commercial Intelligence.

I I Messrs. T. Weston & Co. sold the surplus stores oP the ' Lord Burleigh,' on Tuesday last, at the following prices : . — cabin biscuits, per barrel, 345. to 365. ; ship do., 215.6 d. ' per bag ; Carolina rice, 2\A. per lb. ; American flour, in barrel, 435. to 435. 6d. ; oatmeal, 2fd. per lb. ; vinegar, 2s. 6d. per gall.; lim» juice, 3s. Gd. per gallon ; Congou tea, £5 ss. ; preserved meats, sfd. to 6d. per lb. ; salt beef, per barrel, £5 6s. to £6; pork, per barrel, £5 Ids. ; split peas, 2d. per lb. > At the Auction Sale, at Newmarket, on Tuesday last, both Fat and Store Stock were scarce. Mr. Alfred Buck- I land sold several head of fat steers at from £12 5s to £9 155. ; also about 6 heifers, at prices ranging from £9 10s. to £5 ; a dairy cow, £12 10s. ; a lot of 10 sheep fetched 335. 3d. each ; twenty fat lambs averaged lls. 3d., and 10 fat ewes, 425. each. Subsequent to the Auc:ion a dairy cow was disposed of for £15, and a grey mare for £30. The cargo of the Kirkwood, consisting of wool, whalebone, kauri gum, and hides, had ai rived to a good maiket. The price of wool was unusually high, and of whaleboue it was said that, at the time, there were not two tons in London. Hides were also in good demand. Gum was from £28 to £30, with a downward tendency, at which price the shipment by the Kirkwood was no more than a remittance.

By the arrival of the mail, ex ' Red Jacket,' we have commercial advices fiom England to the 20th May. The following report of the Wool market, published in the ' Home News' of the 19th May, is of so favorable a character that we cannot but regret the comparatively small share to which Auckland is entitled in so much good foitune: — " The anticipations of those who were looking for higher prices prior to the sale ha\e been fully realized. The exhaustion of stocks both here and abroad brought together a laige attendance of buyers, both home and foreign, and an advance was obtained on the average rates of February of full 2d. per Ib. on all description". The upward tendency still continues, and higher prices are being paid than at the first sale. " Our home manufacturers and dealers (*he latter more particularly) have competed stoutly for all sorts — those most required for continental purposes have found steady opponents in our Huddersfield buyers ; and judging from their operations in scoured and first-class combing and clothing horts of bright plump character, these descriptions will maintain the high rates at present current, viz., prime combing, 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d. ; prime scoured, 2s. sd. to 2s. lOd. extreme rales, evidencing the bareness of stocks of these qualities so much appreciated by our competitors abroad. " That the present range of prices will be maintained is not for a moment doubted. Every buyer in the room is in want for pressing orders, and it may be noted that at no former period was the pressure so great for immediate delivery. " The very satisfactory prices now established will be very oppoi tune for our Australian friends, and the disposition lately evinced to devote many of their sheep stations to the rearing of cattle will now no doubt be checked, and the staple commodity of the colonies, so much needed at home, will continue to maintain its position in preference to other arrangements."

From our Melbourne and Sydney files, to hand per ' Pacific, 1 we find that the Flour market keeps well up, although it is evidently in a very uncertain state. Piivate letteis from Valparaiso had been received at Melbourne which stated that prices were declining, and that, when flouv was down to 8 dollars per quintal, it would be ship ped to these colonies, as at that figure flour could be landed here for about £23 per ton. We find that at Adelaide, on the sth ult.. fine flour was quoted at £21 and £22 per ton Should, however, the reports as to the damage to the Chilian crops him out to be unexaggerated, an extreme advance is thought likely to be the result.

The ' Hobart Town Examiner' of the sth reports :—: — " The markets continue to fluctuate, mainly arising from the uncertainty with respect to arrivals from South America and elsewhere- The transactions, however, are by no means numerous, holders being inclined to wait for a further advance. The present price of wheat is 10s. per bushel — a large quantity could have been disposed of yesterday at that figure. Flour is from £23 to £25 per ton. Barley cind oats remain the same. " Potatoes have experienced a decline ; £3 was the highest that could be obtained yesterday— other than firstrate samples would not realize more than £2 10s. " Bread has partaken of the advance in the price of ■wheat ; the price of the 2 lb. loaf was raised yesterday by the bakeis to 5d." The following is the latest report from Launceston :—: — " Launceston, 6th August. — The news from Melbourne yesterday has produced a good deal of animation in the grain and flour market, but transactions are not easily effected. The mills have raised flour to £^5, and wheat i& quoted at 9s. 6d. to 10s., which latter figure bas been offered and refused. Opinions are divided as to the maintenance of the present prices."

The Melbourne Flour market, as reported in the papers to the Bth ult.. had not been so much affected by the late news from Valparaiso as the Sydney market. Flour is quoted at £27 to £30, the latter price nominal. The ' Herald' of the Bth states, that Mr. Degrares continued to quote £25 per ton for best flour, and was open to fulfil orders on these terms. The bad condition of the roads had prevented the farmers from sending down the wheat, but supplies were expected shortly to be more plentiful. Mr. J. D. Nelson reports an the 7th instant : — " There were about 3000 bushels of wheat offered for sale this morning, 1500 to 1800 bushels of which changed hands at 10s. to 10s. 2d. per bushel— balance being held for 10s. 6d. ; to which figure, however, millers did not seem disposed to advance. Twenty days has been the longest period allotted for the delivery ol the purchases of this moraing. The unfavorable state of the roads for transportation, has undoubtedly been the cause of many farmers withholding thqir wheat from offer for the present, notwithstanding the high figure ruling. Each succeeding wee]^ will, it is hoped, remedy this difficulty.

" Beyond these transactions in wheat no other business was done. Flour continues to be rery unsettled Prices ranging from £27 to £30 per ton. In the present state of the market, quotations for this article cannot be relied upon. Colonial oats are still in demand at last week's quotations. Notwithstanding the large' arrivals we have had daring the week, no reduction is looked for on either colonial or imported. " Bran continues scarce and readily commands 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6 1. per bushel ; maize, 4s. 6d. to 4s. 9d. for whole; crushed, 59. to ss. 3d.; gram, £11 per ton ; barley, 6s, to 7s. for Cape ; English sted ditto, 11s. to 12". ; and other articles unaltered." From the • Argus,' of the loth August, we take the latest Melbourne commercial intelligence:— " The flour market continues to be entirely unsettled, a fluctuation of from £1 to £2 being quoted daily. This arises in a great measure from the state of the weather preventing all transmission of stocks to the interior, and confining the dealings of specula'ors to the supply of the town trade. The cargo of the Ingeborg is still kept out of the market. A sale of 4000 bushels of New Zealand wheat was effected by auction, at 10s 7d. per bushel for shipment to Sydney. Sales of Adelaide hrst flour have taken place at £26 10s. per ton hiVtV 1 ? 1 ? w ?r a l 8 r ! rOra Sch napper Point were exhibited at ihe Hall of Commerce this mornina There was a quantity of semi-ligneous substance* admixed with a heavy close depoirt of coal. The sample was taken from the surface of the seam, just whore it is found cropping up near the beach. It is well worthy 01 a careful examination."

Of the Sydney market, the " Empire' of the 20th says : — "The Flour market continues steady and prices remain firm at last quotations at the mills, which were £30 for fine flour, and £28 fox seconds. The Chili Flour Company still quote £33 for fine flour and £31 for seconds. We believe that some of the small holders have made sales under these rates, apprehending a decline. Should the above prices continue we are likely to have supplies from Tasmania and Adelaide, but these sources are limited and will scarcely affect present quotations. These must depend on farther accounts from the West Coast as to the extent of the supplies about to be shipped. If the supplies should prove as limited as our last advices indicated, breadstuffs must take a further rise." We also quote from the • Shipping Gazette' of the snme date : — 11 Whew and Frotm.—The excitement -which has prevailed in this market during the past fortnight, and resulted in a considerable advance in prices, has in some measure subsided ; bakers and the principal dealers preferring to work off at present rates, to increasing quantity, or paying, more money. The arrivals, however, being most trifling, with a pretty general exhaustion of stock, we incline to the opinion that the present pause will be succeeded by a still further improvement, unless counteracted by some speedy augmentation of supply. Good samples of wheat are readily taken at 12s. per bushel, and best flour at £30 per ton.