COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6696, 4 May 1883, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Nsw Zb.vland Herald Office. Thursday evening:. The duties collected to-day amounted to £1523 lis 7d. With the opcuing of the month, there has been a trifling improvement in business, but it is still wanting inanimation. The quantity of goods changing hands is far too small as compared with the somewhat heavy imports, and in nearly every line the stocks on hand are more than necessary, whilst in some cisesthey are exceedingly heavy. The arrival of the English mail via San Francisco, on Monday night last, has not brought to hand any newß of much commercial importance. Excepting in the kauri gum market, there ia little or no alterations in the prices quoted last week. The arrival of the first of the direct line of steamers to Auckland, of Messrs. Shaw, Saville's line is looked for early next week, and ifc is to be hoped consignees will do their utmost to secure the speedy discharge of the vessel, by passing their entries without dolay, and taking delivery of their goods promptly. If these large steamers are to be successful, one of the most important points is freedom from unnecesdelay. Despatch with steamships is, at all times, the order of the day. The supply of fruit during the week haa been quite equal to the demand, and tke nrrivaln of j Island traders with large cargoes of oranges, ! &c., have proved most acceptable. In the kauri gum market, wo noto an almost I complete collapse, and the prices sow quoted are simply nominal. In the present tone of the market, buyers do not seem inclined to operate, the result being that little or no business has been transacted during the week. This atato of affairs may, in a very large measure, be attributed to the news xoceived by the mail steamer on Moaday last, and also to cable information of more recent date, in which it is announced that business is exceedingly dull, and prices very week, the supples being , more than sufficient for the demand. During ' the last few days, no less than 800 tons has I reached the London market from this port, whilst the Caberfeidh and Handa Isle, hence, both arrived at New York within a fow days of each other. The for the present month, to date, is 29 tons, and wo quote prices at £50 to £52 for East Coast, and £40 to £41 for good: ordinary* # in farm and dairy produce we note no altera*' tions, except for egg*, which have again advanced, being now worth 2d per dozen wholesale, In many instances as much as 2* 3d is being given. With the increasing demand for firewood at this seasou of the year, prices have advanced, and we now are called upon to quote an advance. For uncut at wharf (cargoes), 9s to 10s 6rt ; delivered, 14s ; cut 17s to 18a per ton. The arrivals daring the .week have been as follows on the 27th ultimo the 8;S. Taiaroa with a cargo of sundries; on tho 30th the K.M.S.S. City of Sydney, with mails, passengers and cargo, amongst the latter we notice 1000 cases salmon, 224 cases paints, 273 casep canned goods. On the Ist instant the George Bewlev with a cargo valued at £43,200 came into port after & tedious passage of 115 dayn» The same day the Tarawera from Southern Ports and Mel-' bourne, arrived with 1030 packages sugar, 395 packages tea, 300 mats rice, 15?l3 sacks potatoes, 940 sacks wheat, 100 sacks malt, and sundries. The from Sydney added to the imports 294 mats sugar, 259 sacks bonedust, 100 cases paint, &c. The schooner Belle Brandon, from the Marshall Group, arrived with 65 tons copra for transhipment to London. The departures during the week have been on the 27th tho brig Fleetwing for Shanghai, with 500,000 feet timber, and H.M.S. Diamond, for the South. Pacific Islands ; on the 26th the German man-o'-war Hysene for Apia ; on the 30th the brigftntitte Ryno sailed for Sunday Island, and the Young Dick for Sydney with 120,000 feet timber. On the Ist inst. the City of Sydney, mail steamer, left fer Sydney. The s.s. Explorer also sailed for Sydney Island with a large cargo of stores. On the 2nd the s.s. Suva left for Levuka with a general c»rgo, and the s.a. Tarawera sailed the same evening for Sydney. The new cutter Fetu-Do left for Tongatabul To-day the s.s. Rotomahana took her departure for Melbourne via Southern ports with passengers and cargo.