COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4388, 6 December 1875, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

*> New Zealand Heraip Offlce, Saturday evening. The Customs revenue collected to-day amounted to £305 lis 2d. The following is the Customs return for the week ending today : — Duties £5,753 3 8 Lighthouse dues 32 3 9 Merchant shipping fees.. .. 9 10 9 Arms fees .. 5 5 0 Goldduty 130 12 0 Other recoipts 33 7 3 Total £5,081 8 8 Mr. G. W. Binney sold by auction to-d»y tho schooner Kenllworth. Mr. C. A. Harris was the purchaser, tho price being £1600. The Ofapo Dailu Times of the 29th ultimo, in its review of the previous weok, says : —" What with continued wet weatherr, and tho end of the month upon us, wo have no chance now of redeeming any portion of November from the dulness that has been so universally complained of. December Is at hand, summer weather, it is to be hoped, not far distant—in tho height of it, the holidays; and these, if there come nothing else, will surely, of themselves, prove sufficient to infuso greater liveliness into things. Spirits of all kinds are inactive, only very unimportant transactions having taken place theie two past weeks. In Ilennessy's case it is with difficulty that the barest profit can be obtained. Bulk is less plentiful in the market, but tho supply is quite equal to the very quiet demand which exists. In whisky there has been a toning down of the brisk enquiry which ruled for the market favourites for some time; but, of the same character still, it will return vigorously, probaHly, alter » very large lapse. In geneva, we have no improvement to report. Rum ia entirely neglected. In beer, imported, there is nothing uf consequence to notice. Porter has been moving of In occasional small lots, and stocks are therefore »oduced, but ale has declined from the little business that was doing, and remains entirely inert. In tea 1 the market, after tho earliest exhibition of activity on the part of tho moro needy bnycrs, has lapsed into quiet, awaiting the arrival of tho Nardoo. This vessel is expected soon now, and between the assortments already to hand and the superior descriptions that are said to compose her cargo, there can be little doubt that tiie trade will have a variety of choice among the higher class teas such as they never had of any new season's crop before In sugar there is little movement of any consequence. Genera! groceries and oilmen's stores participate in tho general depression. In provisions there is a dulness, the old unsatisfactoriness prevailing—difficulty in obtaining supplies, and, when got, in getting payable prices. For hams and bacon, imported, thore is comparatively a trifling demand. The local cured, which, if prime, would sell readily, since it can be sold under home invoice cost, is, unfortunately, rarely turnod out as such, and still to a large extont, therefore, local primo cheap is an unsupnlied want. In cheese small parcels of last season's have been finding their way into the market and selling readily at from lid to Hid. Currants are still selling pretty freely at 43d, Blemo raisins at 7d, Sultanas at Old—tho demand being likely rather to Improve than to fall off during the next four weeks. Building materials aro hindered coming Into use by the continuous wot weather, but Uno weather will all the longer prevail whon it has once sot in, and the many buildings that are projected and on band will uoubtless impart considerable vivacity to the various articles ranging under that designation. Galvanised iron is at present very depressed, and to previous concessions from good rates holders are Inclined to yield further, but there are no buyers. < ement is fairly firm at 20s. Korosane ia dull. In candles, De Ronbalx's have been sold at lOld Flour maintains the late rise, and continues to be quoted at £10 10s, and £11 in sacks or small bags Millers cherish tho idea of Us advancing still further Wheat docs shew a slightly firmer tone—quotations good to prime milling, being from Is 3d to 4s 9d; common sorts, frum 3s (Id to 3s 9d. In oats, although there may be no positive advance, tho pulse of the market is freer, and no repetition of extremely low saloi. Barley remains quiet; no demand for cither malting or milling; prices nominal, say from 3s Cd (to OS.

THE LONDON WOOL MARKET.

. Messrs. Jacomb, Sod and Co', report oince the close of public sales, on October 1, there, has. "been very little to remark upon for colonial wool!- Arrivals accme but slowly, and ebont one-third of these consist of Cape produce. There has been a good deal of small inquiry since the sales to.supply special requirements, but no large business of moment has been done;' Accounts from all the manufacturing districts continue fairly active. It appears at present as if the 1875 Import of colonial wool altogether would exceed 1874 by some 6to S-per cent—no very material increase is. itself, but one which, accompanied by a materially diminished trade in Europe, has brought about naturally the late reaction from the rather high range of prices for the raw material previously ruling.

CALLS AND DIVIDENDS. The following are the current calls and dividends parable in the companies named below :— Calls— £ ». d. Date. Golden Arrow .. .. 0 0 0 — Dec 8 Pride of Tokatea ..006 — Dec. 8 Una 006 — Dec. S Old Whan 0 a 0 — Dec. 8 Golden Calf 0 1 0 — Dec. 8 : Ajax 0 0 6 — Dec. 8 Tairua 0 10 — Dec. 13 Dividkmd— Fiji Bankingand Commercial Co 5 p.c. — Deo. 6 ;