COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4406, 27 December 1875, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

CANTERBURY. The Lyttelton Tivies of tho 20th says:—A better feeling exists in the import market, and although sales that have come undor our notice have been of limited extent, tr.tders are ready nod doubtless require to bny more freely thin of late, to meet the eradually increasing summer demand: prices, however remain low, and taken generally, leave small margin of profit on importation. No foreign arrivals I have been reported, but the Anna Dornthfla, from ' China, has arrived at Port Chalmers, and comes on to Lyttleton with about 4000 packages ef tea for this market The knowledge of this arrival has inclined dealers to hold back purchases, pending distribution of the samples, and importers' demands as to value. Sugar has been very dull, and must for a time continue so. ENGLISH. London, October 29. Wool.—The .European Mail says:—" Perhaps the best we can say of wool is that it has not receded from the lowest point of last sales. In view, however, of the uneasy feeling which prevails on the subject of trade, and tbe current impression thjt it is not going to improve this year, colonial dealers would do well to discount a reduction at ensuing sales. Messrs Jacomb Son, and Co. report:—'Since the close of I public sales on October 1 there has been very little to remark upon in the market for co'onUl wool. Arrivals accrue but slowly, and about one-third of these consl'ts of Cape produce. There has bcon a good dral of saiall inquh/ sincn the tales to supply special requirements, but no largn business c! moment baa 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 1574 by some C to 8 percent.; no very material increase in itself, but one which, accompanied by a mat- ially diminished trada in Europe Ins brought about naturally the late reaction from the rather high range of prices for the raw material previously ruling. Public sales of colonial wool commenced here November 23. Jiones. —Shank, good to fine, £16 to £2155; middling to fair, £10 10 to £14; common and perished, £7 10s to £10; common bones, £5 to £5 17s 6d; hoofs, £6 to £10 ss. Horns.- New Zealand. average 11} to 12J ozs.S9s to 48s 6d; aver-je 6} to 1"}, 12s ed to »2* 6d per 123. Copra. In good demand, and saleable at higher prices: 049 bags New Zealand, common to good, at £20 105 to £21 12s 6d.

Cotton.—At auction, of 1953 bales Fiji 160 bales sold. Good to fine, at 13dtol5d; common to middling, 6}d toOJd. Kauri Gum.—Atauction, 1075 cases, chiefif of fresh impo ', were offered, and 550 cases sold, at fully previous rates; foid. middling scraped, at 70s to 71s; small cut, at 60s toJ63s; but thcjbulk consisted of good ordinary, half-scraped and rough, at 52< 5d to 655; soft dark and pickings, at 393 to 4Ss; dust, at 21s. Australian Tallow was brisk in demand at the co"nm*n ement of the month, and prices advanced Is per cwt for both mntton »nd beef >?f good quality, but during the pa?t fortnight the sales have gone off flatly, and a decline of 2s to 2a 6d per cwt has taken p'.ace. We now quote, mutton, fair to good, 47s to 48s 6d; beef, fair to good, 47s te 43s prr cwt. The import during tbe month has been 2671 packages. Sales, 3332 p ckages; and the st ck in first hands is 4G j) packages, against 0772 packages at this time last year, and 7974 packages i* 18:3. By last telegraphic advices from the colonies the total shipments from Adelaide and Melbourne, and Sydney, for the month eDding the 11th of October, were 1100 casks against 4100 casks in 1874, and 4654 casks in 1873. Cr-onut oil is in fair demand at 41s to 42s per cwt, for ocbin: 3Ss 6d to 393, for Ceylon; and 34i to 39s for Bydney. Australian hides.—Tho market for sole leather hides has been extremely flat throughout the rronth, and the value of all weights has fa len fully Jd per lb Horse have all benn withdrawn in the absence of biddings. The are 3161, ox and cow hides; Sydney, heavy ox 5J3, light ox sd. 2nd3 4gd, cow 54d; Brisbane, Vavy ot 5Jd, cow Ed. New Zealand, heavy ox 6d to 5Jd, light ox 4Jd to W 2nd 4}d, cow 41d to 5d per lb. >'o import slock. 16,607 hides. Australian leather.—The transactions at public auction continue on a limited scile, and the price has further receded Jd per lb; the demand i 3 dull f.ven at this reduction. The sales are G3S7 crop sides heavy fair to good, 113 d to 12jrt; common to middling, lli<l to llj'l; extra heavy, lid to 124; 2nds and inferior, 10d to lid per li. The following produce telegTam has been received by tbe New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company at Sydney, i'.ated London, December 0 : — " Wool: Competition is increasing, and the market is Brmer Up to date 08.000 bales have been sold. Tallow: Market firm. Muttou, 51s; beef, 48s per cwt. Leather: Best sides show one farthing decline on previous rates: others in proportion. Mimosa bark: Quotition for Adelaide ground, 56 crowns per toi. copper: Wallaroo, £90; Burra, £89 par ton. Tin , Fine Australian in warehouse is worth £81 per ton Wheat: Adelaide is worth 54s per £496 lbs; New Zealand, 63a per 490 lbs. According to the European Mail of the 29th of October, freights at London for this port are as follow -—Bough measurement, Ms ; fine, «0s ; liquids, 45i •" weight, 30s; cement, 53 per cask ; beer. Is per d'.z. ; salt, 355. . . „ .

Tho New Zealand Funds are quoted in London, on the 28tU of October last, as follows :-■ 0 per cent., 1891, 11*, 116: 5 per cent., 104,100; 5 percent, consolidated, 103J, 10ti ; 0 per cent., 1891, dividend due March aLd September, 112, 114; ditto, ditto, June and December. 115.117 ; Provinces of Auckland, Ist and 2nd series 6 per cent., not quoted : ditto, 4J per cent, 03}, 94J : Bauk of New Zealand, 20J, 21J ; Natiocal Bank of New Zealand 4 to 1 per cent, premium ; Bank of Anstralasla, 07, 69; Union Bank of Australia, 64, 69. AUSTRALIAN. Sydney, December 20. Candles—flid to 10d have been paid for bert brands and 9d for inferior; at these rates holders are firm. Hops and Malt.—New Tasmaaian hops, la 6d to Is 7d. A good buiiness done in malt at about 9s 6(1; holders now ask 103. Liquors.—Brandies are easier; Hennessy a case sold at 203 6d. Martell'g at 2Gi e<l, other good brands at 183 Od to 2*3. Hennessy's bulk can be bought at 7s to 7s Ijd for a parcel; 7a Sd is asked for kartell's dark. Gin, 128 od. Geneva remains low, say 11s 6d for large contents, and other sizes in proportion. Lowndes's rum has had buyers at 4s, Hart's at 3s Sd. There is a fair silo for whisky: it seems to be superseding bracdy in the centres of population. A very superior sample of Scotch, of Walkei's brand, has been introduced lately, and quoted at 203. Dunville's Irish sells at 17s: ordinary Scotch. 4s; Irish, 5j 9d. Sugar.—Only one cargo of new Mauritius has boon received this season, and what portion of this changed hands was on private terms. Colonial rations and counters had a free sale at from £24 to £28 for ration to low yellows, and £29 to £34 5s for good ttf fine counters. A line of Mauritius brewing crystals realised £33. Teas.—Portions of the cargoes before mentioned as arrived from Koocliow were submitted at auction with poor results except as regards the Korsot's. Of this about 3000 packaegs changed hands at,for fine congou, Is B}d per lb.; good medium half-chasts, 65s to 6Ss; medium, 493 to 64s 4d; ration, 37s to 445; boxes,. 14a 9d to 17s. Holders of finest congous have advanced their prices about Id to 2d higher thsu last month's quotationsTobacco. —Tbe Government proposal to Increase the duties has unsettled tho market, and qnotations are nominal, pending the imposition or rejection of the new duties by Parliament. Thn Export Markets.—An unexpectedly large quantitr of wool has changed hands during the inontb, at prices which must be considered very satisfactory in comparison to those given in account sales of the London August series and those advised by cablegram as ruling at the sales now in progress. The break of the cable has continued throughout the month, nnd only occasional messages have reached us from Euiopo. For the first week or so after preparation- of our last report, considerable dullness ruled In onr market for wool, as, tbe purchasing for February sales being over, buyers wanted to know the result of the London series now progressing before renewing operations. A short telegram announcing the commencement of the sales on the 23rd November, with a large attendance of home and foreign buyer*, and spirited competition at fully maintained rafcss of previous sales, was sufficient to impart considsmble animation to the next and following weekly sales here, and all g»od parcels have been eagerly competed for. In many inaances, indeed,,prices have been paid which leave little or no margin on the rates of the London September series, and the eonsequence Is that orders accompanied by limits can, In many instances, not be executed,. We quote prices for greasy, inferior, 7d; average to good, B|d to 10d; good to fine, 10d to lid. Fleece, average to good, 16* to 18d; good to fine, 19d to 22Ja. Scoured, average to good, lSd to 17d; Rood to fine, 18d to 20d; extra superior, 23d to 24d. The reports that reachad us from the Interior of a good, and h«avy clip do not seem to be confirmed. On the contrary, we fear the clip of. 1875 will not be favourably known, either for condition, sonadnurof staple, or weight of fleece. Rome few favoured spots will of c urse yield as good fleeces as usual, but these will be comparatively scarce.

TJecember 14. ' The Argus reporta as follows:—In the import markets to-day, a fair amount of business bu been trans- ' acted, and in some instances a very much lmprortd feeling has been evinced. Brearfitufla are firming, j There Is little business doing in wheat, owing to 10 little being offered, but tbe improved feeling perceptible on Saturday is still & prominent feature, and for Northern samples of really fine quality quotations range from 6s Id to 6s 2d, while Adelaide is quoted at up to 63 3d to 63 id. Flour presents likewise a much better tone and aspect. There is a better demand, though the sales effected are limited to trad* parcels; an advance In price is established, £13 to £13 53 being obtained; holders in no instance that we havo heard of baring offered good flour under. Oats are still quiet, Influenced as they must be by recent arrivals, and further shipments expected; we quote from 33 3d to 3s 5d for common to good feeding. Unfavourable weather for the crops had been experienced, but no permanent injury had been suffered. Millera were offering 4s Jd for good wheat. Oats were were not in much 'demand; stocks were large, and prices were not likely to improve: quotations stood at 2s 4d to 2s 6d for milling, and 2s 8d for common feeding. Barley was dull, and prices nominal. Maize is decidedly firmer, trade parcels being quitt-d at advanced rates. In sugar, a large business has been reportefl. "Within the last day or two a demand has begun to be experienced for Victorian refined sugar, which has resulted in 800 tons (550 of which were sold to-dny), having been taken up in parcels at from £30 to £3C. To-morrow 3000 bags—various descriptions — will be sold by auction. In teas, we note the quittance of 550 half-chests ex Annie Mabel, at from Is 4d to is Bd. Sales of fresh herrings in lib. tins are making freely at up to Bs. English hops are quitted in trade parcels at Is lOjd to 2s for good samples. In liquids, wo report the disposal of a considerable shipment of Hennessy's caso brandy at 30s 3d; parcels of 1874, in bu'k, have also been sold at about 7s 4Jd. Messrs. J. H. Clough and Co. held their usual weekly wool sale to-day at their warehouses. There was a full attendance and spirited biddings for all the lots offered; nearly every lot being sold. The consisted of 1241 bales, of which upwards of 1000 bales found buyers. Greasy sold at 9(5 to 13d; scoured, lod to 21d; and fleece, 14d to 22Jd per lb-

BY TELEGRAPH. LONDON. December 18.—The wool sales closed firm, but without au advance. 104,8*3 bales were catalogued. 30,000 of which wero taken for exportation. Tho imports are 50,000 bales in excess of last year. The next series of sales will commence on the 15th February. Wheat is lower: Adelaide is quoted at 03s to o*3 New Zealand, 60s to 52s per quarter. Hides and leather continue depressed. CALLS AND DIVIDENDS. Tht following are the current calls and dividends □arable in the companies named below: — Calm— & «• d. Date. Star of the South ..0 0 4 — Jan* 12 Waitekauri 0 0 6 — Jan. 1Queen of the May .. 0 10 — Jan. 12 Younff 0 0 6 — Jan. 12 Band of Hope .. .. 0 0 t — Jan. 12 CoUban 0 0 3 — Jar. 12 Ural 0 0 8 — Jar. 12 City of York .. ..010 — Jan. 12 National 0 0 8 — Jan. 12 New Exchange .. . 0 0 3 — Jan. 12 Dividend — Tokatea •• .. •• 0 2 6 — Dec. 30 ' -at