Commercial Items.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 177, 21 November 1874, Page 11

Commercial Items.

Mail Office, Friday evening. The Customs duties received at this port for the week ending November 19, were as under: — £ s. d.

£2501 17 10 During the last week there has been a fair legitimate business doing in every description of imported goods, tlie trade in town being good, and a considerable amount of orders having come in from the country and outports. It is clear, however, that stocks must be greatly reduced before any improvement can be expected in current quotations, which remain without alteration, and are certainly too low to afford much margin of profit. In bottled beers stocks are large, and at auction, sales have been made at 11s. per dozen for choice brands, duty paid, and other brands at a much lower figure, leaving in fact a loss. Spirits are in fair demand, but sales are restricted to small trade parcels to supply immediate wants, and prices have a tendency downwards. The same remark ap_ plies to groceries and oilmen’s stores, in which a large amount of trade must be doing. Sugars arc dull and unaltered in value. Teas in firm demand for the new season’s shipment, recently arrived per May. In Co. lonial produce, keg butter meets with no inquiry, and prices are nominal. Colonial cheese scarce, and in demand at 9d. to 9Jd. per lb. Oats have further advanced, and are firm at Os. 3d. to Cs. 6d. per bushel, with unusually light stocks. Flour is somewhat im proved, owing to the great scarcity of potatoes. Oamaru flour, in sacks, being quoted at £l3 155.; Canterbury do, £l3 ss. per ton. Potatoes, none; worth £lO to £ll per ton. Ilams and bacon in good demand at Sd. to lOd. per lb.

DUNEDIN MARKETS. (From the Times, November 16.) Business continues to improve, and the increased amount done, with the better tone which prevails, has been very evident throughout the past week. Spirits of every kind, however, continue dull. In brandies, though a few transactions have taken place, they showno improvement in values, nor any hardening tendency whatever. AA'liisky continues (if we except the slight enquiry which is maintained for certain favorites in the market) to be completely inert. Geneva is seldom sought after, and when small parcels are sold, it is at rates that are not remunerative. Rum exhibits a slight degree of activity, attributable to the cause formerly assigned, but sales, as in geneva, are only made at very low prices. In bottled ale and stout, tlie market is being gradually eased, although stocks are still heavy. Bulk ale is to a great extent neglectedbulk stout is altogether so. For the continuance of this languid state of things the old reasons prevail in full "force, viz., that the excellent productions of our numerous local breweries have all but quenched the demand for imported bulk; while for imported bottled, although there is still a market, it is so exceedinglv limited that the slightest over importation produces a glut. This has fora time been the condition of things, from which we are just showing some signs of emerging. Tobacco continues firm, and sales have been made at still further advances in price. Stocks in the hands of the trade being sufficient for immediate wants in many cases, there is less forward- : ness in buving than might be expected. But holders are firm, and on good grounds. In Melbourne it is anticipated “ that even all outside brands will eventuaUv participate in the general rise of prices and it is considered there that advices received by last mail regarding shipments are decidedly favorable to a further rise in prices of all descriptions of tobaccoes.

In tea, as we are still without expected arrivals, the trade continues in the waiting attitude. From the length of time that lias elapsed since transactions of any consequence in ordinary teas have taken place, we"should augur that the trade should now-be open to make fresh purchases. AA'hile in from better to medium and good, stocks of last year have been satisfactorilv moving oil, and are consequently considerably reduced. In sugar, the second cargo of the season, ex Ardour, consisting of 6939 pockets and 24i bags, was submitted to the trade, by auction, on Friday last, by Alessrs. McLandress, Hepburn, and Co. There was a full muster, and the assortment was liked, but only some one-fiftli of the cargo was disposed of under "the hammer, private sales effected since increasing rather that proportion. Prices realised were, for from finest white crystals to finest snowdrop crystals, £34 7s. Cd to £35 ; large grain brewing crystals, from £33 to £34. Stocks are still fair in yellows and browns, and it may be that the knowledge of other cargoes close at hand together operated in preventing buyers from availing themselves of the disposition which the importers evinced to meet their wishes. Dried fruits continue to firm, and are in good demand, present quotations being—currants, 4Ad. ; Eleme raisins, fid. to tiki. ; sultanas, 7d.: muscatels, lid. to Is. Butter is coming in more freelv. Cheese is pretty firm, but Canterbury quotations require a higher price than is obtainable at- present. In hams and bacon (English) sales are reported, and the best brands quoted at Is. 4d. Colonial is slightly bettered in quantity, the difficulty of obtaining pigs being the cause assigned for deficient supply. Candles are being placed at reduced rates. Kerosene continues to move at late quotations, the market being by no means plentifully supplied. In bagging, sales are reported of sacks at 12s. 6d. ; woolpacks are altogether neglected. Galvanized iron shows a scarcity in some sizes, and higher prices are being demanded. Cement continues to improve in anticipation of a still further increased consumption, required botli for railway and various descriptions of concrete work. Slates are dull—over-stocked. In breadstuffs and grain, no alteration in quotations has taken place since last week. Flour maintains the advance of 10s. per ton, and is still quoted at £l2 in sacks, £l2 10s. in small bags. AA'heat, for Southern, from 4s. fid. to 4s. 9d. : best Northern to prime Oamaru Tuscan, at from ss. to ss. 3d, Oats still scarce, ss. 6d.

THE BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALES. The forty-eighth general meeting of shareholders was held at tiie head banking-house, George-street, at noon yesterday, Air. T. AA'alker presiding. The following rejiort was read by Air. S. Smith, general manager:— The directors have tlie pleasure to submit to tlie proprietors a statement of tlie assets and liabilities of the bank on tiie 30th ultimo, with the auditors’ report and declaration — The net profits for tlie half-year, after deducting rebate on current bills, interest on deposits, providing for bad and doubtful debts, reducing valuation of bank premises, and paying taxes on note circulation, amount to .. £117,59S 0 2

Tlie report having been unanimously adopted on motion by the chairman, the Hon. G. Allen, ALL.C., was elected a director, and Afessrs. T. Cadell and F. Alitchell appointed auditors.—Sydney Morning Herald,, 29th October.

Spirits Cigars.. 21 11 o Tobacco 91 b 0 AVine .. 75 s 10 Beer .. 221 1 3 Tea 159 3 IS Coffee and Chicory.. 22 13 o Sugar .. 105 13 0 Goods by weight .. 13S 12 0 Goods ad valorem .. .. 1008 10 11 Other duties.. 219 15 0 Light and shipping dues, &c. 21 14 1

To which is to be added undivided balance from last half year .. 3,436 13 9 Givinsr for distribution .. £121,034 13 11 Which the directors recommend to be appropriated as follows: — To payment of dividend at the rate of £75,000 15 per cent, per annum Bonus at the rate of 21 per cent. 0 0 per annum .. 12,500 0 0 Augmentation of reserve fund Balance carried to profit and loss, 30,000 0 0 new account.. 3,534 13 11 £121,034 13 11 Aggregate Balance Sheet ok the Bank of New South Wales, September 30, 1S74 (including London Branch to 30tli June, 1874, and New Zealand Branches to 7th September, IS71.) Dr. To Bank stock .. .. .. ..£1,000,000 0 0 Beserve fund .. 333,333 6 8 Notes in circulation 6S0.507 0 0 Bills payable 1,729,3S6 11 10 Deposits and other liabilities Profit and loss 7,297,198 15 4 147,446 4 £11,803,871 18 0 Cr. By Coin and cash balances .. .. £ 2,819,379 7 6 Bullion in hand and in transit to London 597,431 9 6 Government securities 9,502 19 4 Notes of other banks 14,301 0 0 Bank premises Bills receivable, bills discounted, 1S5,533 3 6 and other debts due to the Bank 7,562,440 3 2 Insurance account .. 5,283 15 0 £11,193,871 18 0 Profit and Loss. September 30, 1874. Dr. September 30. To rebate (at current rates) on bills discounted not due at this date Dividend at the rate of 15 per cent. £26,411 10 per annum Bonus at the rate of 2£ per cent. 75,000 0 0 per annum 12,500 0 0 Augmentation of the reserve fund Balance carried to “ profit and 30,000 0 0 11 loss,” new account 3,534 13 £147,446 4 2 Cr. March 31. Bv amount from last account £3,430 13 9 September 30. By balance of half-yearly profits after providing for bad and doubtful debts, and including recoveries from debts previously written off as bad .. 144,009 10 5 £147,446 4 2