COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1354, 2 February 1865, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times Office, Peb. 1. We give the following figures a3 about the amount of the imports, exports, and custom duties for Lyttelton and Christchurch for the month just ended — Imports £90,350 Exports ••• .£151,550 Duty ... £7,729 5s 8d We hear that Messrs. Hargreaves and Co. hare insured their bonded store at Nerwieh Quay, Lyttelton in the New Zealand Company's office for the sum of £5000, at the low rate of premium of 7s Cd per cent.

Otago.—Our commercial advices date to Jan. 30.. The Daily Times reports The business of the past week has been kept within limitod bounds, and, with tho single exception of the cargo sole of sugars, ox Lilo, from Mauritius, no transactions of an; great magnitude have taken placo. Our information by tho English mail reported umusually small shipments of most kinds of merchandize to this port; however, no spirit of activity lias been induced thereby. The uneasiness felt for the past week or two seoms now subsiding, and, no doubt, this oircumstanco alono will cause a speedy revival. Tho flour market has been maintained at very nearly tho rates at which tho preceding woek'u businoss closed; notwithstanding, transactions have been kept within narrow limits. The stock is, however, Brain becoming small, and mainly in two or three hands. Wo quote Adelaide, £29 to £30; Chilian, £24 to £25. Tho effect of recent shipments of bottled beer has been a reduction in prico. Provisions are to hand in full supply, j with tho exception of hams, whioh are steadily in demand at full ratos. Teas, especially of middling to best qualities, continue firm; parcels of these descriptions going off readily, while inforior sorts are with difficulty moved. Sugars have beon vory quiet, so far as private transactions are concerned; the auction rates of the 27 th May may bo taken as present values. Whilst noting our local trade as being in this dull state, some considerable amount of orders for tho othor provinces are in course of exeoution, and wo may speak of tho export trado as being quito up to the average.

Auckland.—Our files from Auckland are to the 25th ult. fhe Southern Cross of the 21st reports that— Business during tho week has beon moderately brisk, and Queen Btreet nas preaontod a more than ordinarily bustling appearance. As tho English mail, however, is expected to arrive to-morrow, transactions in articles liable to fluctuation have been limited. There is no change to noto in general quotations. Stocks of sugar were getting very low, but the arrival of the Waverley, from Mauritius, with a cargo of sugars—especially selected for this market has supplied tho want. Tho cargo consisted of about 150 tons of assorted sugars, which were sold to-day, b; Messrs. Jones and Co., and fetched good prices. Bottled beer is still scarce, and there is room for considerable importations. The half-yearly meetings of the Bank of Auckland and the New Zealand Insurance Company'have taken place during tho week. Tho affairs of both of these institutions are satisfactory, and a dividend of 10 per cent per annum was declared in each case. Wo mentioned in our last weekly'report that a new fire and marine insurance company was about to be started in Auckland j a meeting on Thursday, and it was resolved to establish a company, to be called the Auckland Fire and Marine Insurance Compan;, with a capital of £150,000, in 1500 shares of £100 each. The new compan; ia looked upon with considerable favour, and very many influential business men have signified their intention of taking shares. A very disastrous fire for the insurance companies here took place on Thursday morning, when one of the fine stores belonging to Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane was completely gutted. The heaviest loser will be the Northern Insurance Company. Tho New Zealand Insurance Company, with its usual luck, makes but a comparatively small loss.

Mauritius.—By way of the Cape, we have received Mauritius news to the Bth November. The Overland Commercial Gazette says:— Although only a fortnight has elapsed since our last Overland was published, more -than one circumstance has occurred to dull the prospects that were so bright a month ago. The news of a considerable decline in the European sugar markets took many by surprise, large purchases having been made before the Noma arrived, some on speculation, with the expectation that there would be an improvement in prices. Again, the crisis in England, and the extraordinary high value of money there, lias had the effect to make capitalists more waryand timid, and to check the extension of credits the branches of the London banks in particular restraining their discounts, the English Credit Foncier Companies have caused operations for the present —a natural and inevitable step in the present state of monetary affairs in England. In the meantime, parties wishing to avail themselves of the advantages which these institutions offer, are regulating their titles, so as to be prepared to TnnlfA their demands hereafter. The Local Credit Foncier Company has borrowed 100,000 ilols. from the Commercial Bank, payable in four months, and relies on the disposal of its " Lettres de gage " to reimburse this loan, which i 3 borrowed at the same rate at which it lends, 9 per cent. Its operations have been limited.