MELBOURNE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3457, 14 August 1868, Page 2

MELBOURNE.

We have Melbourne papers to the 29th ultimo. The Argus of that date reports :—: — Business in the import markets continues without improvement. The arrival of the Panama mail at Sydney, reported at an early hour this forenoon, unsettled the market for breadstuff's, bo that the au-tion sale of flour passed off without any but a trifling parcel of Western Australian, somewhat rough, having been sold at £16 15s ; for 100 tons of firstclatS Victorian flour £17 15s was offered and refused, and the parcel was withdrawn for £18. Victorian and Tasmanian wheat, faulty, was at the same time sold at 6s 9d to 7s. The subsequent publication of the Californian advices imparted a firmer feeling, relieving the market of a weight which seemed to hang over it, as it was generally anticipated that the shipments advised by the present mail would be much more extensive than they are, and the three vessels yet to come in, the •Belvidere,' 'North Star,' and 'Japan,' give no cause of anxiety to the larger holders, some of whom have already withdrawn their stock entirely from the market in the meantime, though it may be that, should weak holders still continue to press sales, we j may in consequence yet see a lower scale of price before any permanent improvement sets in. There is little doing in feeding corn. Maize is disposed of at 3s 5<J, in sound condition. Under the hammer some 1,500 boxes candles were quitted ; sound realised lOJd; slightly faulty were placed at lOd to 10£d. A considerable parcel of Cape raisins, damaged, found buyers at the extreme figures of 3£d to 4d. We observe a fair inquiry springing up for cheese of good quality, and rather largish lines have been taken up at 12d to 12£d For salt there is a more active demand. We learn of some 200 tons having changed hands for export to another colony, and numerous trade sales of coarse and fine have also been effected at £7. Good common congou teas are in request at Is 6d ; close on 200 half-chests of this description have met with purchasers ; a line of eight half -chests of low , tea, ex 'Venezuela,' is also amongst the sales reported. We note an improving market for coke. A short time ago £3 10a was refused for a shipment, and to-day over this figure was realised. In liquids we hear of the sale of twenty hogsheads and twenty quarters of Mattell's dark and flennessy's pale brandy, ft*. ' I