COMMERCIAL

Evening Star, Issue 7469, 13 March 1888, Page 3

COMMERCIAL

The amount of revonue collected at tho Custonhouse on foods nloured to-day for consumption was £1,241 lijßJ. Messrs Coltrull and Young havo offered about L 22.000 for the Wellington tramwayß.

CHEESE IMPORTATION. The local agent of the Waianlwa D;iiry Factory has been advised (hat the lost shipment of cheese l>y the ii.». Riouitaka baa realised L 4() per ton in the liritish market. ' Accompanying the advices the agent receded a letter from hlu London correspondents, in which tho following suggest ions, which will bo of value to all engairod in the industry, occur : Clioese.— 601b to 801b most saleable. Boxes to be thoroughly dry timber, othorwiso it imparts a slightly bitter taste to tho cheese, as though It hod been heated, which takes pounds off its value. We do not think the cheese sufficiently pressed, or not uniformly so, as when cutting many of them aro mottlccf, which defect la always largely allowed for by purchasers when offering for a parcel. From this, and other cau;cs, New Zealand cheese has eo d from L 25 to L 42 per ton instead, of from tho latter fleure upwards. The average price realised for New Z.'aland cheese, landed In good condition, has been from L4O to L4O, but as high as LSO has beon obtained for a small parcel of Northern make. The great fault of New Z»a'and cheese seemß to bo the variety in quality and irregularity In the ohceso of the same brand—some seems to break In pieces when cut, and others look as if not sufficiently pressed, being spotted whon opened or cut—these aro serious faults in the eyes of retail men, but aro easily remedied. If a little more care, is exerc:scd In its manufacture, aud the various factories only try to mako a uniform cheese, there Is no reason to prevent its successfully competing with Ameilcan make and realising equally well; but until this is the owe (ind ono or two factories are evidently careless In this matter), it affects all oheeee Imported from New Z aland, as there la always a suspicion of its quality until the various brands become better known. Wo should advlso your company giving their most careful attention ti tho abovo rtmirks, and to aooept them In tho kindly Bplrit Intended. The market shows some little sign of improvement, and If you ship a thoroughly good oheeao tho o is no limit to its sale in this market.—' Southland Times.'

MINING NOTES. The Premier Company at Macotown last week sent down a cake of 180oz of smelted gold. The yield of gold from the Victorian mines for tho quarter ended December 31 shows an inoreaso of 6 3090z over the preceding quarter, while the number of Chinese miners has been recuced by 163. Tho output of tho Itockbampton (Queensland) goldfield during 1887 amounted to 85,5050z, being an inorease of 36,2190z over the eufcput of the previous year.