COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 118, 9 April 1853, Page 11

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Sydney Markets, March 12th. —We have but little to report this week. Business transactions have been limited, and most exclusively by sales at public auction. We are without any arrivals, and goods of all descriptions have reached extravagant prices. Buyers are numerous, but totally unable to purchase, although prepared to operate at present extreme ruling rates. Orders from the neighbouring colonies continue to pour in upon us, and cannot be executed by reason of the great scarcity. Immediate arrivals will command high rates for some time to come. Tea remains firm in price at 87s. 6d. to 90s. for hysonskin, and 80s. to 84s. congou; sugars are held at £20 to £21 for Pampanga; fine Java and Mauritius are .in demand for counter trade. Cigars : sales at 80s. to 82s. 6d. for No. 2's. Oilman's stores extremely scarce, and readily bought at extreme rates. Starch: Colman'sNo. 1, sales at 4fd. Hams and cheese:' English is again becoming scarce, and are readily purchased at 13& d. to 14d. per Ib. Fruits: Sales of raisins at s^d.; currants at 10d.; figs at lid.; Barcelona nuts, at 13id. Salt: Liverpool, coarse, fine, and rock, extremely scarce, and held for advanced rates. Spirits : From some unexplained cause (probably the low rate at Melbourne), holders have evinced an anxiety to sell. MarteU's brandy at 14s. to 14s 6d. per gall.; sales have been made at 14s. 6d.; and there is no disposition to operate further. Rum, b.p., held at 3s. 3d. to 3s. 6d. for 10 0.p,; 3s. 6d. to 35.9d.,f0r 30 o.p. Casegin at 225. 6d. to 255. per case. Beer: Bottled, sales, at auction at 16s. 9d. per dbz., and by private sales at 16s. to 17s. per doz.; ditto in wood, Bass's and Alsopp's ale at £10 to £10 10s," per hogshead.— Empire.' The Gold Market has been, very dull during the past week, there being a general indisposition on the part of the buyers to.purchase at present rates. We must ascribe this to the fact of the banks having declined further purchases for the present, and to the price being too high to call the mercantile interest into the field. It has positively been quite amusing to parties who know what theresult is, to see individuals eagerly purchasingTuron gold at 755.6 d. for remittances to London in preference to bank bills at par. They are, however, beginning to fear they may have been wrong. The rates on all descriptions of gold have been lowered, and may now be quoted at 775. for Victoria, and 745. to 745. 3d. for New South Wales gold. The exports since our last have been— March 5, Waterloo, for London oz. 2,902 " 6, Melbourne, a.r.m.s 579 " 9, Templar ... 1,509 Add previous export 1,187,844 1,192,834 Value at 70s. per 0unce...£4,174,919 Exchange on London—Drafts against gold half per cent discount. Freight half per cent. ■ G. A. Lloyd & Co. Stock—Weekly Sales, March 12th.—Cattle SO head at 485., 700 lbs.";■ 70 head at 425., 650 lbs.; 100 head at 455., 700 lbs.; 60 head at 555., 750 lbs. Sheep, 1,000 head at 95., 56 lbs.; 800 head at 55., 40 lbs.; 640 head at 7s. 9d., 50 lbs. Horses,—the continued high price of hay (now from £15 to £17 per ton) is operating very seriously against any very extensive operations in the horse trade. But the news of an advance in the price of well-broken horses at Melbourne, and the anticipated arrival of large quantities of pressed hay from the Hunter districts, will in all probability tend to raise prices next week. Heavy, powerful dray horses are as much in demand as usual amongst the drajmen, who will readily give large prices «r warranted animals. Steady gig horses are Much wanted ; light hacks are unsaleable, since last report, Mr. Martyn has sold 112 head of horse stock, at prices ranging from £4 to ~30; heavy draught horses, £20 to £30 ; light «Hto, £15 to £25 ; saddle and other horses, £4 t0 £15. Good gig and carriage horses, and well broken hacks up to 14 stone, are in de-

rriiand; rioiie being in the market. Good heavy draught horses fit for brewers and draymen, sell well, and will average from £30 to £50. The stock sold this week has been of an inferior quality, the high price of fodder causing the market to rate low.— Bell's Life, 12th March. Grain Market.—The Mills.—Messrs. Barker and Co.: A mpderate supply of wheat is now arriving to market: prices remain as before—Bs. to Bs. 6d. for good samples. Flour is without alteration—fine, j623, seconds, £21 per 2000 lbs. Bran, Is. 9d. to 2s. per bushel. Vegetable Market.—Potatoes, 10s. to 125., onions, 425. per cvvt.— Herald, March 12. Melbourne Markets.—The improvement in business which we reported in our last ciri cular has been maintained, and there has been an active demand this month for all kinds of produce. The immigration has only reached 3,392 souls, and the cargoes have been smaller and of less importance than for many months past. Breads tuffs have been offering free!}', and there has been some movement in flour during the last few clays. Best Adelaide samples are now worth £25 per ton. Wheat and barley are hardly in the market as yet, but oats are in great demand, at advancing prices. Potatoes are^till in short supply, and worth £23 to £24 perton. Bacon, hams, cheese, and butter, are all in great demand, and have every appearance of rising, the imported stocks being considerably diminished. Building materials continue in great demand, and supplies come forward but slowly. Wooden houses meet ready sale. In the early part of last month the Banks reduced the exchange to London to par, and gold immediately began to advance, and has risen from 735. 3d. to 765. 6d., even 775. per ounce. There has been a decided re-action as regards the diggings, and the news of the large nuggets have recalled many diggers from the others colonies, and caused a kind of rush to the different fields: the escort brought down 222,329 ounces last month. Wool has risen Id. to IM. per lb., and large quantities have been shipped. Freights Id. to fd. per lb. to London.r—Coffee, Hill,, and Co.— Melbourne, 2nd March. Adelaide Market, February 21.—Wheat, 6s. 9d. to 75.; flour, £21 ; English barley, 6s. j 9d; to 75.; Cape ditto, ss. to ss. 3d.; oats, 6s. to 7s. per bushel.