COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6095, 31 May 1881, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald OfUce. Monday evening. The Customs duties to-day amounted to £750 2s Gd. At Mr. R. Arthur's sale of fruit, bananas realised Id to 2Vlperlb.; oranges, 5.Jd to Gd derdozeu; cocoauuts in husk, 4s 9i to 6s per 100. LONDON. Mr. F. W. Cosens, ill his monthly circular for April 8, reports : — During the past month our trado in wines has been of quite a hand-to-mouth character, in come degree attributable, no doubt, to the idea that an alteration of duty might be proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget speech on Monday last. It is to be feared that the activity which was anticipated would arise with the advent of liner weather will not be realised when the Board of Trade returns for t-lie quarter give us the exact figures of our three months' trading. The latest advices to hand from the various European wine-growing countries are without novelty or particular importance. Holders in France are disinclined to abate their pretensions while their supplies are rendered so precarious by the spread of the phylloxera. Sherries still maintain their values, the export from Cadiz to other countries than Great Britain remaining fairly active. The shipments from Oporto are well maintained, and prices are reported firm. The reduction of one penny per gallon upon the duty on brandy (tho rate on foreign spirits being equalised at 10s 4d) is not likely to atfect either tho demand or quotations for this spirit—prices are maintained The duty upon rum is now raised 2d per gallon, and it remains* to be seen what effect such increase will have upon the bonded value of this spirit. Demand has been good, and higher rates established. Between March 6 and April 2 tho same circular states thet there were exported to Auckland the following quantities : —Red wino, 530 cases; white wine, 277; brandy, 260 ; geneva, 1349 : rum, 53G ; and British spirits, 123.