COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1620, 23 February 1866, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce took place yesterday, at two p.m., at its offices in Cashel street. Members present: Mr. Turner, chairman ; and Messrs. Aynsley, Buckley, Gould, Hassall, Hawkins, D. Davis, Lane, Matson, Montgomery, Walton, and Wilkin. As there was no quorum, the meeting adjourned. Abstract of land sold, yesterday, at the Land office, Government Buildings :—Ashley, 72 acres ; Ellesmere, 93 ; total, 165 acres, realizing £330. The following are the imports, stocks in bond, and duties collected, at the port of Lyttelton, for the week ending Feb. 17 :— IMPORTS. For b, read bushels; c, owt.; g, gallons; p, packages; f, feet; t, tons; bs, bottles. £ £ Apothecary's wares, Oilmen's stores, 3p ... 30 81 p ... 271 Anns— ProvisionsShot, 20 cwt ... 26 Biscuit, 5 cwt ... 10 Cartridges, 1000 1 Flour, 1110 c ... 35 Books, lp ... 5 Cheese, 4 e ... 16 Boots, 4 p ... 100 Sago, 15 p ... 30 Builders' Mtrls— Hams, 7 p ... 64 Sashes, 10 p ... 100 Ship chandlery— Carriages, 1 ... 75 Cordage, 10£ c... 39 Chandlery— Seeds, 40 cwt ... 260 Soap, 2 cwt ... 5 SpiritsMatches, 2 p ... 40 Brandy, 23g ... 24 Coals, 5821 ...1000 Whiskey, 15 g 20 Coffee, 126 lbs ... 7 Cordials, 4 g ... 2 Drapery, 41 p ...2368 Stationery Cottons, 6 p ... 185 Paper, 13 p ... 137 Haberdashery 4 p 225 Sugar, 54,508 lbs ...1092 Woollens, 1 p ... 115 Tea, 1897 lb 179 Earthenware and Tinware, 2 p ... 45 Glassware, 1 p... 10 Tobacco,73o3lbs... 353 Furniture, lp ... 45 WineHarness and sad- Bottled, 62 g ... 35 dlery, 3p ... 240 Woodware, 2p ~. 15 Hops & Malt, 261 b 100 Iron- £9,400 Fencing, 17110 c 370 Ironmongery, 141 pll9o imposts coastwise. Jewelry, 1 p ... 175 Watches, 1 p ... 100 Tobacco, 179 lbs ... £20 Oil— Kerosine, 800 g 250 VVTIMB. £ S I) Spirits 663 18 10 Wine 142 10 6 Ale and beer MB 186 T.'ODacco'aHaiSigars ... .".. ivl */■ *» Other duties ... 767 18 9 £1841 19 1 STOCKS IK BOND. Delivered 4 —r— ; lis Goods. | I | J. 3 J I 8 I 8.0 I n n W Htf n ' Brandy, g ... 13420 308 13112 Geneva, g ... 4166 141 4025 Sw. Gin, g ... 7644 124 7520 Eum,g ... 3267 214 3053 Whiskey, g ... 6631 214 6417 Other spirits, g 1475 20 1465 Wine, bulk, g 21683 625 21058 Do. bottled, g 2410 110 2300 Ale & Beer, bk 22600 430 22170 Do. bottled, g 24361 1194 23167 T£s4»w- mo i<s 219M1 Cigars, lbs ... 4018 4018 Sugar, lbs ... 41355 40320 36033 45642 Tea, lbs ... 24794 480 920 24354 Coffee, lbs ... 1923 224 1699 Oilmen's strs,p 1001 44 957 Drapery, p ... 6 6 Fcing mtls, p 101 101 Soap, candles 909 300 609 HOKITIKA. Custom;! Duties collected at the Port of Hokitika a \ring the week ended 17th February, 1866 :— IMPOST DUTIES. £ s d Feb. 12 207 7 S „ 13 362 5 7 „ 14 , 462 5 3 „ 15 ... 188 8 6 „ 16 ... 522 18 4 „ 17 162 15 3 £1906 0 2 EXPOBT DUTIES. Ozs. £ 8. d. Feb. 12—Bank of N.S. Wales, per Barwon, to Sydney 3500 ... 437 10 0 Bank of New Zealand 5000 ... 625 0 0 Union Bank of Australia, per Kennedy, to Nelson 4250 ... 531 5 0 Other Persons 72... 9 00 12822 ... 1602 15 0 HOKITIKA PBICBB CUBHENT. Flour (Adelaide) £30. (Chilian) £24. Bacon (English) 2s per lb (Colonial) Is 4d to Is 6d do. Hams (Knglish) 2s per lb. Cheese (English) Is 9d per lb. (Colonial) Is 6d do Oats, 6s 9d to 7s per bushel. Butter, Is 9d to 2s per lb. Chaff, £23 per ton. Bran, 2s 1 Id to 3s 2d per bushel. The West Coast Times of Feb. 17, reports :— We have no material alteration to note since our last report, the tendency being in favour of importers. Provisions continue scarce; first-class bacon and hams realise Is lOd to 2s. Cheese is in better supply; prices are' maintained—for, colonial, Is 7d to Is 8d; English, scarce, Is lOd. Butter is without alteration, supply good. _ Flour remains unaltered; best Adelaide, £30 ; Chilian, £24 to £26. There Has been more inquiry for oats, 7s 6d to 8s havingtßengOti for good parcels.

Spirits are in better demand; brandy and geneva have changed hands at an improvement Upon our last quotations. Good brands of porter are inquired for at 17s to 19s; ale, Tennent's, 17s to 18s; Allsop's, 17a to v Oilmen's stores continue scarce, and T?ellasaorted invoices could be disposed of at a good advance on cost. if; Our markets are, we are thankful to say, in a inost healthy state, auotion sales being well attended, and fair prioes realised on saleable parcels. At a sale of general merchandise, hold by Mr. R. Reeves at his rooms on Wednesday last, the competition was exceedingly brisk, and about £3000 of goods was disposes of at advanced prices. This is a sure sign the " glut" is decreasing; indeed we hear from all sides the cry that stooks that stocks are getting lighter. The Hokitika Chronicle of Feb. 17 says—The inactivity which has so long characterised our market has given place to a more spirited demand, and stocks of most descriptions are becoming decidedly lighter. At auction the sales have been fairly attended, and a fair amount of business has been done at improved prices. The clearances for home consumption during the past month show a heavy preponderance over the receipts into warehouse, and there can be no doubt that the absence of imports is being felt by the trade.

The Economist of Dec. 23, states as follows : — Want of business, the overloaded state of the market, and uneasy apprehension concerning money, contributed to the dulness and decline of quotations during the greater part of the week. The rather more cheerful aspect of monetary affairs has, however, yesterday and to-day improved the tone slightly; but there is still the same absence of animation. The purchases of the Government broker appear to have ceased some days back; and save some little disposition to sell Consols for the fall, an operation that after all requires considerable caution, there are few speculative transactions. Prices, are, nevertheless far from buoyant, and an improvement is almost alwayb followed within a short period by a new relapse. The firmness of the other markets, owing in great measure to the breaking up of the bank court without the announcement of any alteration in the discount rate, has had scarcely any effect on consols, which re.main quiet at 87f to 87f for January account, and 87 to 87£ for money. New three per cents, and reduced, 87f to 87|. India five per cent, stock, 102£ to 102f. The absence of pressure for diseount this week has been favourably interpreted. The demand for remittances to India has not increased, and the firmness of the market there in Manchester goods is also looked on as a favourable sign. The large orders for American seeurities prevent the shipment of coin from America, but as they are chiefly from Germany, we are indirectly affected only, and some explanation is afforded on the subject of the rates of interest prevailing on the German exchanges, which formerly were maintained at a constant lower rate than that in force in London. The terms of the open market are still held at about the Bank minimum, and there is no greater disposition to take long-dated bills except at increased rates. Nevertheless, money is rather easier, owing, perhaps, to the precautionary measures generally adopted a week or two back. The arrivals*of gold have strengthened the market for the moment, although withdrawals for the continent continue. At Bradford there has been a fair inquiry for wool, but transactions have been small, and entirely unspeculative. Good lustre wools are still most wanted, especially wethers, The finest class of Down wools are also in request. Some improvement is noticeable in the demand for 30's yarns. Spinners of lustre yarns are very busy, and find a continued inquiry, especially for 36's and 40's. ,The market for pieces is quiet. The continental trade is unusually flat. Prices are firm.