MONTHLY COMMERCIAL SUMMARY. Daily Southern Cross Office, Wednesday evening.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3342, 2 April 1868, Page 7

MONTHLY COMMERCIAL SUMMARY. Daily Southern Cross Office, Wednesday evening.

Business during the month has been of a healthy oharaoter. In wines the same remark applies as we made last month, namely, that stocks were heavy, and no great demand. Stocks of spirits have been considerably increased by the arrival of the 'Empress,' and prioes therefore hare been slightly easier. Bum is still scarce, and easily saleable at last month's quotations— 3s 6d for 10 0. p., and as high as 4s 2d for 30 o.p. For brandy a fair demand still exists. Old torn is particularly scarce. No transactions have taken place in ale and porter, beyond small supplies for private use. Colonial beer is now gaining "round so muoh as considerably to affect the sale of English in the market. The scarcity that existed in oilmen's stores has been supplied by shipments from Sydney per •Au Kevoir,' as well as by arrivals from England by the ' Empress.' There is no difference to note in prioes. Candles are still scarce. In the sugar market, owing to reoent advices from the Mauritius, prices have advanced £2 for inferior sorts, and £3 for better desciptions. The owners of the cargo by the ' Dart' have, we believe, decided to store in the meantime, in full expectation of a further advance. In teas, the market has been fully supplied by the ' Waverley,' the whole of the cargo of which has been sold at prioes satisfactory to the importers. No shipments of flax have taken place since our report of last month, but by the 'Au Kevoir,' now laid on for Melbourne, a shipment of from 30 to 40 tons will go forward. The Thames goldfields have attracted considerable attention of late, and large sums of money have changed hands in the way of investments in mining shares. The erection of crushing machinery on the ground is also progressing most satisfactorily. The barque 'Empress,' Captain Cooper, arrived off the heads on March 11 after a good run of 93 days from England. The ' Empress' brings a large general cargo, and comes consigned to Messrs. L. P. Nathan and Co. Activeoperationshavebeen carried on forsometime past in the erection of extensive flax-dressingmachinery on the most improved principle at Hendersons Mill, in the vicinity of which a very large quantity of flax is procurable. The erection of the machinery is so far advanced that work is expected to be commenced in a few days. The small parties of flax-dressers who made Biverhead and neighbourhood the scene of their operations do not seem to have made much headway in forwarding large supplies to Auckland, and it appears their numbers are being gradually diminished— owing to the attraction of the Thames goldfields, and the near approach of winter. In consequence of the numerous and heavy losses sustained by the English and colonial insurance companies doing business in New Zealand, they have received instructions to increase the rates of premium on wooden buildings, and on briok buildings attached to or adjoining wooden erections. The new rates came into foroe in Auckland to-day, the Ist April.