COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2482, 16 December 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

I Lyttetton Times Office, Tueiday Evening, The Customs revenue collected at Christckurch to-day amounted to £203 11 s Bd, The following were the items:—Wine, 110.J gals, £22 Is lOd; spirits, 37 gals, £22 8s lOd; tea, 1284 lbs, £32 2s; sugar, 9438 lbs, £39 6s 6d; gas fittings, 1 case, 8s; drugs, 2 cases, £6 4s 9d; opium, 3 pkges, £1; blankets, 1 ca6e, lis 6d; hardware, 2 cwt 3 qr 71b, lis 3d; stationery, 2 pkges, £1 6s; toys, 1 case,£l 12s; malt, 55 bushels, £l 7s 6d; brushware, 1 case, Is 6d ; twine, I case, 3s; paperhangings, 9 bales,£Bl6s2d; varnish,2s gals, 12s 6d ; paint, 4 ewt,Bs; combs, 2 cases, 6s lOd; hats, 2 cases, £sl4s; vestas, 10 cases, £1 13s 6d; tobacco pipes, I case, £1 Is 6d; fancy goods, 2cases, £37s Id; iron safe, 14 cwt 3 qrs, £2 19s; nails (iron) 54 cwt, £2 14s; apparel, 4 cases, £7 lfis 8d; axle arms, 12 cwt 2 qrs 14 lbs, £lss 3d; sash weights, 56 cwt 3 qrs 14 lbs, £ll7s 6d ; sad iron, 10 cwt, 10s; chain, 11 cwt 1 qr, £1 2s 6d; galvanized iron, 9 cwt, £3 10s; horse shoes, 25 cwt, £1 ss; rice, 40 cwt, £4 ; tapioca, 3 cwt 2 qrs, 7s; pepper, 1128 lbs, £4 14s; blue, 2 cwt, 2s; currants, 1404 lbs, £5 17s; raisins, 859 lbs, £3 lis 7d ; arms fees, 2s; light dues, Is Bd.

OTAc;o.-The Daily Times of Dec. 14 reports:—The past week commenced with a fair degree of activity, and there has been on the whole agood business done. Most goods have been in demand in moderate pareels, but traders still seem to prefer buying frequently to taking up large parcels; hence few heavy transactions can be reported as going forward (it is possible that this may continue to be the case while stocks are abundant.) No material change has occurred in the markets, notwithstanding that several staple items have been favourably affected by the last Australian intelligence. Breadstuffs remain the same-flour, botli imported and provincial, standing at a quotation of about £ls, with no heavier demand than for trade parcels. Oats are firm at 2s 6d, and good samples of barley are looked for. The arrival of the Angerette, from San Francisco, has checked the slight improvement anticipated in provincial wheats, for which our quotation is 6s 3d. Although foreign flour or grain cannot be brought here for present market rates, the state of stocks and advanced season are against amendment. In liquids there have been sales making of all the items, with more disposition to take up brandies, whiskies, and genevas at current rates, but scarcely any better feeling in malt liquors or wines, some parcels of the former being moved both privately and by auction, but at very low rates. Heimessy's pale brandy, in bulk, has been cleared from one or two small holders at 7s 6d; whiskies have realised 5s to 5s 3d for the principal Scotch brands; and JDKZ moved at 13s6d. A rather better demand has been experienced for provisions. Sales making of Sinclair's bacon and hams at 12£ d; and of English cheese at an improvement on late rates, in consequence of the colonial cheese being scarce. Butter is fully supplied, and prices rather easier. Cornsacks have been in inquiry ; but no transactions have transpired at an advance on lust quotations. Woolpacks are held firm; sales have not been heard of under 4s 3d, and there is an inclinato look for better rates. A good business has been done by second holders in sugars lately purchased. Advices from Mauritius point to the probability of very high rates ruling for some time to come: wliile in the Melbourne and Sydney markets may be noted low stocks, and a material advance in the value. Teas have been moved at sustained prices. Candles have hardened in value. Salt continues heavy in stock, and importers are willing to accept low prices for good-sized parcels. The demand for kerosine is dull; no sales reported. Transactions m metals have taken place, but at unsatisfactory rates; the holders of galvanised iron still moving their accumulating stock at, in some cases, under cost. A considerable sale of bar iron and tiles for shipment is reported. The shipments of colonial (Northern provinces) timber have been small of late, and both kauri and red pine are in demand at high figures. We have alluded to the auction sales as they occurred,, -with the exception of this day's. Messrs De Carle and Co. report placing by auction, at their rooms, a considerable shipment of earthenware and crockery, ex Mystery, and various other goods at fair rates. The duty paid this week upon goods for home consumption appears to have been unusually large. The following caie, heard in the Eesidenl Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, on Nov. 3, is of great importance to the trading community. 'I he report is quoted from the Otago Bail, Times of Nov. 4:—William Mirams, clerk to Messrs Guthrie, Asher and To., timber merchants, Dunedin, was accused of " unlawfully writing on paper, not first duly stamped, a receipt, liable to a duty charged by the Stamp Duties Act, 1866-aud contrary to the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act Amendment Act, 1867." The proceedings were instituted at the instance of Mr A. W. Smith, acting on behalf of the Commissioner of Stamps. Mr Haggitt appeared to prosecute, aed Mr Harris to defend. The latter entered a plea of not guilty. Mr Haggitt stated the particulars of the case. It seemed that Messrs Guthrie, Asher, and Co sold a large quantity of potatoes to Messrs Eennie and Macgregor. The latter firm presented an acceptance in liquidation of the amount involved, and the defendant gave them, on behalf of his employers, a receipt, which was not stamped in the manner prescribed bv the Act, which also provides, for the infliction of a penalty of £lO for every such offence. Mr Haggitt quoted several authorities in support of the arguments he advanced; aud Mr Walter Guthrie deposed that the defeudant was in the employ of the firm of which he was a member; that he was authorised to receive moneys on behalf of the firm, and that he believed the writing, " by acceptance," at the foot of the invoice produced was in the handwriting of the defendant Mr Harris contended, on behalf of the defendant, that the charge had not been sustained—that there was nothing on the face of the document handed in to connect it with the act in question; that there had not been sufficient evidence advanced to show that it was a receipt for the goods mentioned ; that in the cases cited by the plaintiff's counsel the word " settled " was used, but that in this particular instance the word had been omitted. He also remarked that many citizens, as well as a high legal functionary, had adopted a practice in respect to bill transactions similar to that which had resulted in these proceedings being instituted against his client. If a breach of the Act had been committed, it had not been done wilfully, but under the impression that the circumstances of the case did not require that the receipt should be stamped. If it was decided that an infringement of the Act had been committed there was uodoubttlmt as this was the first case brought forward, a remission of any fine that might be imposed would be effected. The Magistrate considered that the document alluded to was a receipt, and came within the meaning of the section of the Act quoted. With regard to the statement that the defendant had not erred wilfully, he would say that he believed the defendant had acted under a mistaken impression, but the authorities must make an example of somebody. He did not believe there was a desire to prosecute one person more than, another. He had no option but to direct the defendant to pay a fine of £lO Mr Harris asked that the penalty should not be enforced, pending the application for its remission. The Magistrate replied that there was no objection to a reasonable time being allowed. Mr Harris wished to know whether, as this was i thefirst ease of the kind "brought under the i notice of the Court, and as the practice had i been universal throughout the town, the < Magistrate would feel justified in supporting i arecommendatiou to the Commissioner of , Customs for a remission of the fine. The I Magistrate explained that he could not pledge I himself to pursue any particular course, but < it the papers connected with the case were 1 forwarded to him he would consider the ( matter. He had never evinced a disposition |

to harass persons who did not commit a wilful breach of the law. In addition to the fine, an order was made for the payment of 5s 6d Coßts.

Melbourne.—By the Omeo, we have files to December 5. The Argus of that date reports :—ln the import markets to-day business has been fairly active. There has been little done in breadstuffs. Flour continues ti> be moved off, for trade purposes, at from £lB 10s to £l4; best brands are somewhat Bcarce, and a good inquiry exists for them. A line of one hundred tons of outside brands was quitted at £l3 net. Wheat is wanted, but we have no sales to report. Oats are not brisk, and though not without inquiry, we do not learn of any transactions. Maize is selling at 4s 4d, but only in moderate lots, the demand of late having slackened. We note a lively trade in sugars; some 2000 bags of the Ernestine's cargo have been re-sold today at prices ranging from £35 10s for yellow counters to £4O for second whites. The entire cargo has been almost cleared off. Such smartness as has been shown in regard to this cargo has not come under our notice for many a long day; to buy a cargo of 500 tons of sugar, and in two days afterwards resell the whole to the trade, is too much like what used to be done in olden times, to bi passed over without acknowledgment. The following telegram received from Newcastle, gives seventeen days' later news from Mauritius:—"November 6.—Sugar is so scarce and high that orders on hand could not be executed. The Empress goes on to the colony in ballast." By auction, theFoo-chow-foo portion of the Cleopatra's teas, 1550 packages, was disposed of at from is 2d to is 6jd—a range of prices which shows a decline of Id to \\i. Inquiries for cornsacks are very numerous, though a desire to be able to purchase under 14s prevents buyers from operating. As much iis 13s IOJd was offered and refused for a large parcel. We learn of the sale of a considerable line of 1867 and 1868 hops, about 150 pockets. The samples are very superior—those of 1867 more especially, are said to be the finest parcel in the market. Muutz metal has been placed at 9d. Candles are very steady at 11 Jd, duty paid, for ordinary brands; more money is asked for best brands, such as De ltoubaix's and Brandon's; butno actual business has yet been reported, even for these, at over Hid, duty paid. Sales of kerosene oil are mentioned at Is lOd for Downer's, and Is 9d for Oriental. An invoice of American pails has been quitted, to arrive, at 14s. In liquids, sales of Pinet Castillon pale brandy in bulk have been made at 6s 3d.

We quote the following live stock report from the Argus ol Dec. s:—Messrs Dalmahoy Campbell aud Co. report:—" Fat Cattle—--1160 head were entered for the week, fully one-half of which hare been disposed of today, the quality of those penned consisting of good and seasonable beef, with nothing very prime amongst them, and although there was a fair average attendance of town and country buyers, prices were slightly in their favour, and the result of the sales showed a decline of 5s per head on last week's quotations. We quote best bullocks from £7 to £8 ; second, £sto £6; inferior, £3 10s to £i 10s; best cows, from £5 to £fi ; second, £4 to £4 10s; inferior, £3 to i 3 10s. Our sales have been 190 head for Messrs G. A. and P. Mem, of Moolpa Station, the bullocks at from £5 2s fid to £B, averaging £0 0s 7d ; cows from £4 10s to £5 12s (id, averaging £i 18s 9d. The remainder of the supply will be sold to-morrow. Tat Calves-A large supply to hand, 91 head, a portion of which were really prime as well as heavy weights; best brought from 65s to 665; second, from 25s to 30s; inferior, from 10s to 20s. Pat Sheep-We have to report another glutted market, 21,000 being yarded, while the remainder of the supply-about 3000—had to he kept in paddocks close at hand, owing to the want of accommodation. The quality generally was better than last week, and consisted of a large proportion of good useful mutton, with some really prime lots of shorn and wosllcd sheep. There was a fair attendance of the trade, as well as several shippers for the New Zealand and Tasinauian markets. The latter took up nearly all the prime quality offered, which caused this description to maiutaiu late rates, whilst prices on all others receded considerably. We quote good wethers in the wool at from 8s Gd to 10s; second do, from 6s 6d to 8s j prime shorn wethers, heavy weights, at from 7s to 8s; medium to good, at from 4s 6d to 6s. We have sold 2931 wethers, in the wool, for Mr Hugh Glass, Tralee Station; 699 do, for the hon. W. J. T. Clarke, Bald-hills; 574 shorn do, for the same owner, from Solinda Vale; 3394 do, for Messrs Laudale Brothers, Deniliquin Station; and 169 for Mr S. E. Staughton, Brisbane Kanges, at prices ranging from 4s up to 8s for shorn, and from 6s to 9s for woolled. lut Lambs.—4o7l came forward, nearly all of them being second-rate and very inferior quality, which met with a dull sale, over 1000 being turned out unsold, while the few good quality were readily bought up at a slight advance. Wc quote good to prime from 7s to 9s; second, 5s to 6s; inferior, 2s Gd upwards; and have sold Messrs James Robertson's, William Heame's, E. Robertsou's, and J. Little's, at quotations. Store Cattle.—The demand continues brisk, and any suitable lots coming forward are readily taken up at very full prices. We quote mixed sexes, over two years old, from 40s to 655; heifers, from 40s to 50s; spcyed cows, 60s; bullocks, from 70s to 80s; picked lots up to 90s; and hava sold 900 bullocks from the neighbourhood of Wagga Wagga, all over three years old, delivered at Cressy, at £4 ss, and 50 speyed cows at jE3; usual terms. Store sheep are without change. Quotations nominal,"

1 he following agricultural, report is from the Aryus of Dec. 5;-The changes this week have been trifling. Millers are asking more for flour, in consequence of the late demand from Sydney, having given an impetus to business, but it is a question if the advanced prices can be maintained,as vessels are now beginning to arrive from California which were not expected a few days since. Wheat is still in request, but as most holders are firm in their demand for extreme rates, transactions are few. There is little doing in oats tliis week, but maize fully maintains its value. The supply of hay continues to be rather in excess of demand, and business is dull, but prices remain as they were last week. The wheat harvest lias commenced in the Ovens and Upper Murray district, and the crop generally will be rather light, but no failures are reported. From other parts of the country the accounts are the same as before, the wheat crop mostly promising well, but the oats to be only middling or light. The Bullarat Slur has published late reports from nearly every part of the important agricultural districts around that town, and these confirm the above-mentioned general opinion as to our harvest prospects. Thus, from the Learmouth, Mount Bolton, and Springs districts, the report is that the late rains have done a vast amount of good, and that the wheat will prove a full average crop, and the oats deficient by about one-half. In the Creswick district the hay harvest has become general, and several fields of wheat have been cut for fodder. i he upper portion of the ear in many early fields has been blighted either by hot winds or frost, it is doubtful which, and rust lias appeared in places, but not in sufficient quantity to do much injury. However, tho rains benefited the later crops greatly, and those on well-managed farms promise to be good; and, judging from the instances given of the prospects regarding the crops of many individual farmers, the same remarks will apply to the ncighbourhoo.l of Ascot, Glcndarucl, Tourello, Climes, Scrub-lull, Bungaree, and Smeaton, excepting that the takeall.is mentioned in connexion with several fields of oats, in which this has done more or less mischief. Some of the wheat crop near Newstead will be ready for cutting next week. The wheat crop is said to he looking splendid around Stockyard-hill, and the oat crop to he deficient in some places, especially on rising and dry laud, but the deficiency was over-estimated in previous reports, In the new district of Mount Emu the crops arc all most promising. In thcSmytbesdale district there is little land fit for cultivation, still there arc many good patches of wheat and oats to be found here and there. Barley has been more extensively sown this year in most of the districts named, and this furnishes a good yield everywhere. The sharp frost of

the 19th ult. cut the tops off most of the potatoes near Kyneton, and slightly injured the forward wheat, blighting the tops of the ears. _ Some sixty replies were received to the circular sent out from the South Australian Register office, asking for information about the wheat crop, and the result is thus summed up in that paper:-"To a large extent they are very reassuring in respect to the all important subject of blights. Bed rust has appeared in some places in a mild, and in others in a rather virulent form; hut there is a gratifying coincidence in the testimony of all observers in favour of the view that the crops are not likely to suffer severely from its ravages. Take-all is confined to comparatively few localities, and the mischief done by it will not materially influence the aggregate yield. The anticipated averages are certainly low in many instances, but they will work out to a much more presentable general average than that shown in the statistics published during the present year." Unless these answers are very wide of the truth, this average will be twelve or thirteen bushels to the acre over all the colony, aud there is a considerably increased breadth of land under wheat this year.