COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5892, 14 January 1880, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

hytielton Times Office, Tuesday Evening. CUSTOMS’ REVENUE'.

The following was the Customs' revenue collected on Jan. 12:—Wine, £l6 16a; spirits, £145 19s; tea, £3 13s 4d ; sugar, £9 6s 8d; beer, £46 sa; tobacco. £153 9a 6d ; cigars, £59 ss; eoods by weight, £37 6a lid; ad valorem , £lB2 7s j other duties, £1815s; total, £672 18s 6d.

Mr T. Peeece reports sales at his yards, Inch, field street, during last week as follows :—Farming operations being now general, the yardawera not bo largely attended as usual. There was also a smaller supply of live stock, but upon the whole former prices were maintained. Cattle—3s head yarded, pnncipally young stock. Small calves, 5s to 10s each: do, three to sis months’ old, 17s to 30a each. Pigs—Suckers, 10s to 16s each ; small porkers, 30s to 35s each ; small sows, in pig, 52s to 57s 6d each. Poultry—A fair supply, and pood prices realised. There is a better inquiry for new and second hand spring carts, and sales were made last week }at £8 15s, £9, £l4, and £l9los. AUSTRALIAN. Melboubnb.— The Argus of Jan 6, reports In breadstuffs only a limited business has been reported. Plonr is still quoted at £ll to £llss, at which, however, only trade sales are making. Second qualities are offering at a redaction on these rates. Wheat is quiet, and there is not much doing, though at our quotation of 4s 7d to 4s 8d sales are making. Arrivals from the country districts during the week amount to 14,216 bags of wheat, 2035 bags of flour, and 1423 bags of barley. Oats are scarcely noticed, and onr quotations of 2s 5d to 2s 8d ore, in the absence' of sales, almost nominal. Maize is still offered at 3s to. 3s Id for prime, and lower qualities are moving at 2s 10d. The sugar sale was the only feature in the day s trade, notwithstanding that comparatively little was done, as sellers stood for an aivance, and succeeded in obtaining higher rates for the portion that was sold. The cargo of the Kaffir Chief, comprising 7934 packages, was submitted to public competition in the forenoon, when 2717 bags and pockets were disposed of. Buttons brought £25, browns £2B, grainy yellows £36 15s to £37 sa, brewing crystals £43, grainy greys £3B 15s to £4l 10s, medium whites £4l 16s to £42 10s. About 15,000 pockets of Queensland sugar, of a quality quite as 'superior as any we have had occasion to notice for some time past, will be submitted to public competition to-morrow forenoon. Teas nave not been specially noticed, but the cargo of the Wandering Minstrel will likely stir up buyers, and result in a satisfactory business being earned through. In liquids we hear of an inquiry for Hennessy’s brandy in bulk and case. We also note a trade demand for Otard’s bulk and case, A considerable business in Albert and Co.’s > ale brandy is also reported. Over 100 quarters have changed hands at improved rates, and the agents’ price is now 7s. Inquiries having been made whether tho fire which partially destroyed Mr 1/onis Meeus’ great Geneva distillery in Antwerp'might affect the continuance of shipments to the Australian ports, weoie informed that tho stocks in agents’hands and to arrive are sufficient to supply the trade till regular shipments are resumed.