COMMERCIAL.

Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 248, 29 November 1867, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Canterbury. — The Lyttelton Times of the 25th reports the business operations of the past week have been, upon a very limited scale, and confined entirely-to goods for immediate consumption. Although, retailers' stocks are very moderate, no disposition is shewn to increase them, but the greatest caution is used iv making purchases. This state of aflairs, while it greatljr limits the amount of business done for the present time, places the transactions actually completed upon a niueh safer footing than before. There is a muck better jvud sounder feeling ag re* yards credit, and failures have now greatly decreased. The rates of discount and exchange remain as before. The money market is tolerably easy. Otago.— The Daily Times of the 25th instant reports: — Business has been moderately good, during the greater part of the week, .though suffering from the extremely unfavorable weather. BreadstnfEs are steady- at last 1 quotations; but though no doubt now exists 1 that stocks are less in extent than hitherto i supposed, no speculative inquiry either, for flour or grain has been manifested. A few sales made of sugars, chiefly yellow and ¦white crystals, shew prices to hk fii'nt at a shade over last auction rates. The trade supplied themselves with new season congous, at the sale of the Rubicon's cargo on the 22nd; prices current previous to the sale, werefully maintained, the low class teas bringing proportionately the best prices. No operarations of any moment have taken place in provisions. Good parcels of new-cure chains" and bacon are held firmly, but second-rate , parcels are pushed at low rates. A moderate business has been doing in spirits — Hennessy's and MartelTs brandies continue to realize Gs. 9cl. and 2Ss. ' Melbourne. — The Oineo, which arrived at the Bluif on the 21st, brought two days later Victorian news. We extract the following commercial report from the Leader of the lGth instant : — Breadstuils have been inquired for, and no doubt purchasers would have operated more freely but for the extreme scarcity of tonnage, which remains a difficulty in the way of shippers. We uh-.' derstand. that nearly 300 tons Victorian flour, have changed Lands on private terms, leaving holders now iirrn at £12 IDs. A parcel of 35 tons Tasnianian Hour was placed at £10 15s. in bond for transhipment on board a vessel in the Bay. Wheat scarcely meets with so much attention as flour, though a line of 5000 bushels Victorian found a buyer at close on us. 3d. A few thousand bushels of bran were sold at 13d. 1000 bushels Tasmanian oats were placed at 2s. lOd.- Candles are evidently regarded with favor, , a brisk demand having set in, resulting^in the disposal of nearly 1000 boxes Brandon's at li|d.

At the seventh annual meeting of the Tradesman's and Mechanic's Loan Societyj » held at Christchurch on Friday last, the balance sheet for the year was received and read. It showed that the subscriptions '¦ amounted to. £1546 12s j loan payments to " 4>1675 2s 3d } entrances, £15 4s 9d j fees, £45 8s 8d } fines, &c, £16 13s lOd ; paid secretary, £50 $ reut and printing, £9 10s t dividends, £178 4s 8d \ shares withdrawn £601 2s 7dj loans nett 4 .£2632 5s Bdj leaving balance in bank, £335 2s 7d, -and in hand, £16 19s Id. The chairman- reported that notwithstanding" some losses the Committee were able to announce a dividend on shares of £15 per cent., which would leave a small surplus to meet doubtful cases. r