COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3522, 30 April 1872, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times Office, Monday Evening. The Customs revenue collected to-day amounted to £123 16s 7d. The following were the items :—Wine, 95£ gallons, £l9 2s; spirits, 132 f gallons, £79 13s 9d; spirits of wine, 32 gallons, £l9 4s; piano, 1 case, £2 18s lid; maize, 1481bs Is Id; drapery, 1 case, £2 12s Id; cotton counterpanes, 1 case, 4s 9d. Mauritius. —The Argus of April 16 reports : —The Thomas Brown has brought circulars from Port Louis to the Bth March, and private letters to the 13th March, The hurricane does not appear to have done much injury to the growing crop. A fall in the value of sugar was reported, as there were no buyers for Bombay, and the demand for Australia had latterly been inactive. Holders of crystals and yellow grocery kinds showed a desire to realise. Sales had been effected at 6.40d0l to 6.50 for Nos. 18 to 20 white crystals, and at 6.60d0l to 6.75d0l for good to fine yellow crystals; but the quantity of fine white crystals and grocery in first hands being very limited, holders were not anxious to realise. Besides the vessel noted in to-day’s issue as loading for the colonies, we understand that the Cassa had been chartered to carry 380 tons to Port Phillip Heads for orders for Hobson’s Bay or Sydney. There were enquiries for small vessels, but there were none in the harbour. The Stag had sailed on the 13th March, with 200 tons of sugar for Hobart. Town, and the balance for Sydney. The market was quiet for want of tonnage, and prices irregular, many planters having accepted a reduction in price to close the crop account. The stock of good sugar on the island was very small. Melbourne. —The Argus of April 18 reports :—ln the import markets business has maintained a quiet aspect throughout the day. No sales of importance have come before us, transactions as a rule having been limited and circumscribed. In breadstuffs, the value of flour is well supported, with a fair demand for trade purposes. Sales are effected at £ls in 10-ton lots, while for quantities £l4 10s could readily be got. We hear of one line having been quitted at the price. Under the hammer £l4 10s was obtained forWangaratta flour, and inferior was quitted at prices rising to £l3 10s. For prime samples of wheat 6s 6dis still asked but not at all readily paid, and outside the auction mart no business has been made known. Publicly, however, some 390 bags fine wheat sold at 6s 3d to 6s 4d, and about 200 bags fair at 6s to 6s 2d. Inferior to good was cleaved off at all prices, rising from 4s to 5s 9d. Oats are without much activity. A parcel of New Zealand, stout quality, was submitted to competition, but only 3s 2ld being bid, the shipment was withdrawn. Some 2000 bushels Yictorian, inferior to good feeding sorts, were cleared off at from 2s 6d to 3s. Cape barley, about 300 bags, brought 3s 6d to 3s Bd, and inferior malting sold at 5s Id. Sugars are quiet, pending the sale of the Thos, Brown’s cargo of Mauritius, advertised to come off to-morrow. Holders have as yet been disappointed of the advance legitimately expected in this staple, but with a stock on hand fully 3600 tons less than at the corresponding period last year, and so little, comparatively, to come from the producing districts, it will indeed be a matter for surprise should no improvement take place ere long. Kerosene oil has been a good deal run after, but as few are inclined to accept the price now offered—ls 10 id for Devoe’s—little progress has been made in sales. For boiler plates a good deal of inquiry has been experienced. We hear of one large holder having been cleared out at £2O, and we also leam of 70 tons to arrive having changed hands at £2l. Salt still continues in favour : inquiries are brisk and numerous; trade parcels are disposed of at £4 5s for coarse, and £4 10s to £4 15s for Liverpool fine salt. In dried fruits a demand for currants has led to sales at sd. A parcel of Gipps Land grown hops, about 28 bales, Las been disposed of at Is 7d in one line ; the quality of this parcel is really superior, in appearance quite equal to Tasmanian, but in strength, &c., more like Kent. A sale like this ought, to be sufficient encouragement to those who have engaged in this industry, the return being so much better than could have been expected. Tasmanian hops stand at Is 9d to 2s. We understand that growers on the other side are sanguine of obtaining still higher prices, foolishly demanding nearly as high rates in Tasmania as can be got here. The season is now getting near a close, and it may be that before a new one commences, the prospects of the crop in England may cause very different prices to rule. In any case, it would be wrong to lose the chance of such prices as are now going. In tobacco, we note the quittance of a parcel of 80 boxes medium tens at a full price. A very much improved inquiry for Hennessy’s case brandy is reported, but the stiffness of holders checks business ; we quote 255.