ADELAIDE FREIGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6636, 23 February 1883, Page 5

ADELAIDE FREIGHTS.

[by TELEOR.vriI. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Christi.'liprch, Thursday. Mi:. S. D. GIYdE, Vice-President of the South Australian Chamber of Commerce, has writ ! en a letter to the Times on the subject of Adelaide freights, the low rates of which have been exercising the commercial world here for some time past. Mr. Glyde, who is just now in Christchurch, aud is an authorityoil the corn trade, says vessel* loading there, on tile berth for London, often take dead fieight (such as wheat) for stiffening at very low rates, and for thi3 reason, one cr two tmall lots have been accepted as low as 12s Gd a ton, and several larger lots at ITs Gd per ton. "I have known," he says, " copper (iu cakes and ingot-) taken under similar circumstances as low as Is. Thi?, however, only applies to vessels loading for London direct, to which port it is difficult to get grain merchants to make consignments without considerable concessions, as their experience of the London market is tho worst they know of, prices almost invariably ruling lower there than iu other parts, and the cost of selling and handling beina invariably higher as a rule. They would pay 10s a ton more for a vessel calling for orders to the United Kingdom or the Continent than t> Loudon direct. Ships oiving this option are now procurable in Adelaide at ab.mt 2Ts Gd to 30-i for iron, and 25s for wood, according to size and character. As regards the South Australian harvest, we estinnte that we have 1.1C0.000 tons of bread-stuffs for export, of which quantity about 10,000 tons have been already arranged for shipment to Europ 'an markets. The whole of the balance, judging from the experience of former years, will be required for our ordiuary trade with South Africa, Sydu'-y. Queensland, and elsewhere. It is therefore highly improbable that any further fieight engagements for Europe will bo entered into with Australia this year, but it does not follow that you are likely to see freights much lower here in consequence, as many vessels here have already cleared for Diamond Island, and other places, rathor than accept ,'!ss to load in New Zealand, which rates have been freely offering for some time past."