LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 606, 15 September 1883, Page 12

LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail Office Thursday afternoon. The past week’s business has been dull and unsatisfactory. Trade is, however, sound; although in the southern part of New Zealand the depression is very severely felt. In Chrischurch and the district there were 20 failures gazetted last week. Stocks of almost all descriptions of good are much in excess of requirements, and values consequently are in most cases in favor of buyers. One or two small lines of fencing wire have changed hands during the week, ex' ship, at a slight concession off the ordinary price of 1.13, Ll 3 10s, and 1/14. for Nob. 6, 7, and 8 respectively. Galvanised barb wire is offering at L4B, to a-rive : we do not, however, hear of much business. Galvanised iron is still very low; sales from stock are reported at 1/22 10s, and we hear of a small parcel changing hands at 1/22. Wire nails are in light supply, and values have improved slightly. Sheet lead and zinc are overstocked. Kerosene sells slowly at Is 7d for test eil; sales of 150 test are reported to arrive at Is lOd per gallon, duty paid. Castor oil in bulk is quoted at 4s ; colza oil, 4s 9d ; raw, 3s 6d ; boiled, 33 Bd. Currants are firmly held for 5J per lb, casks or cases Eleme raisins are quoted at C.Jd to 6Jd ; sultanas, 7sd to 7 id. Candles, 1) It. J., are quoted at 9Jd : a better business is done in New Zealand manufactured candles ; Southern Cross are quoted at BJd to Bid. Salmon is worth 8s 6d, lobsters 8s 3d to 8s od, Albert's sardines, halves, 11s to 11s 31, quarters 5b 9d to 6.3. Hennessy’s case brandy is scarce, and; business to arrive i 3 reported at 30s 9d to 37s for one star. Butter, a 3 we predicted some time ago, this market is now glutted, and those who held most suffered rather severe loss ; prime butter can now be bcught at 6d to 7d per lb ; fresh butter sells at 9d. Oats are very dull ; good feed we quote at 2s 2d to 2s Od, according to sample; discolored inferior samples are not worth more than Is 8d to Is 9d. Potatoes appear to have a downward tendency ; the following is extracted from the Grain Agency’s Circular of Ist September:—Potatoes are offering at still lower figures than ever, notwithstanding calculation based on the shortness of our crop. This is no doubt been owing to Victoria and Tasmania having each had a very large surplus with which the Sydney market has been glutted; the season_ being now so far advanced, holders are doing their utmost to move off their remaining stocks to tli e best advantage possible, bnt in effecting this have had to submit to reduced quotations ; we quote 1/2 10s, .sacks extra.2l|Cheese is quoted at 6Jd to eld.