COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4884, 16 November 1876, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

The Customs duties received at this port yesterday were as under' " .£ s. d. £ s. d. Spirits .. ‘ "1. 114 XI 0 Sugar .. . .. 48 7 8 Wine 5 4 10 Goods by wght .18 8 10 Tobacco . .. 97 0 0 : Tea .. , 1-. 22 15 0 . Total £3Ol 7 4 The Customs .duties received at this port for the four weeks ending November 9, were as under: — J £ s. d, £ s. d. Spirits ~i .'.3037 5 0 Goodsby weight 907 14 8 Cigars 294 15 0 Ad valorem ..2090 7 5 Tobacco ' . 935 18 5 Other duties ;. 208 ,4 5 ■Wine .. .. 368 16 .8 Light, dues,. Beer .. .. 312 18 4 shipping. &c. 196 2 C Tea .. .. 947 1 9 Coffee .... 156 15 6 Sugar ' . ..1685 4 11 Total £11,200 6 1 Trade has been quiet during the month, and transactions have In nearly, every case been limited to the supply of current wants. In brandies some speculative feeling has existed, and'Martell's and Hennessy’s quarters were.bought up whore possible at current quotations! holders now asking 8s 6d per gallon. Sperm candles have remained ilrm at last month's advance, and are now worth lOd to 10}d per lb. Recent advices from Adelaide of short crops there have caused Adelaide flour to go up to £2O per ton, carrying with it our Southern flour, which during the month has steadily advanced in price, and Oamaru and Canterbury brands are now quoted as Arm at £l7 per ton, with an upward tendency. Sugars have shown no-change In values: the rise In the other colonies having had no effect on this market. "Woolpacks are low in stock both here and throughout the whole of the colony, and are worth 3s 9d for 101 b. woolpacks." With these exceptions, our. stocks being ample, most descriptions of Imported goods realise but a small profit on cost to the importer. Two or three small retail failures have occurred during the month, but generally trade is of a healthy though unimportant character. " Messrs. Edmondson and Sellars stock has been purchased hy Messrs. J. McDowell and Co. by tender, at about 27f per cent, discount on estimated value. Our only arrivals during the month have bcen tho St. Leonards and Howrah. The following vessels are loading at the wharf for London The Zealanrtla,-Waikato, Jessie-Roadman, and the St| Leonards Is laid on as soon as her inward cargo is out.-,, ... -if ■’•.> !'<• r. <■ The following vessels were loading , at London, or had sailed for Wellington, by last advices:—The Ocean Mall, sailed August 27; Avaianche.-sailed September U; Leicester," Ilimalaja, and Pleone. at

Now York : The Benda, Josephine, Marie, and William Cobb : and at Melbourne, the Suffolk. ■ Kates of freight to London.—Grease wool, |d per IbTwashed dof |d per lb.; tallow, In cases, 60s; in risks 70s: and hides, 65s per ton. Bank rates of discount and exchange are unaltered. Discount on local bills, under 95 ■ days. J cent.;, do. 125 days. 8 per cent.; do. over 125 days. 9 per cent. Exchange on London—Buying rate: at 90 days, 1 per cent, discount, do 60 (lays, J per cent. do. Selling rate: at 90 days, i per cent, premipra : do 60 days, 1 per cent, do; do 30 days, li per cent, do; en demand, 2 per cent. do. Interest on deposits for 3 months, 41 percent.; do 6 months, 5 per cent.; do 12 months, per cent. Ala and Porter (duty paid—bulk, la per gallon , bottled, Is 8d). There is no bulk ale in importers hands, the demand for English brands having been entirely superseded by the local and colonial—present done during the month in bottled ales and stouts, but as it Is difficult to push sales beyond the ordinary wants of the retail trade, and as stocks are aUU hcavy best brands cannot be quoted higher than 10s fed to ÜBags U ßags andWoolpacks (duly, lo 9“?^10s meet with little or no inquiry, and are quoted at 10s per dozen—stocks light. Woolpacks hayo bcen m request during the month, as stocks were found to be lighter than was thought throughout the whole ofthe colony A parcel of sixty holes received from Melbourne supplied the more pressing wants, and were quitted at SSM., We quote 101 b packs, 3s 6d to 3s 9d “"candles 1 /duty! '-Several clearances last month for the Coast served to reduce our stocks of snerm candles, which are now of more limited extent, and urines are firm for Do Eoubaix’ and Brandon s at lOd per lb. Holders quote 10|d for Price s “ttement (duty, Is per barrel).-Stocks of cement have become rather light, and several lines have been cleared during the month at 17s 3d to 17s fid per barrel. We understand that 1000 barrels—White s, and Knight Bevan and Sturge’s manufacture-imported by the New Zealand Shipping Company, have changed hands to a Canterbury firm, at 15s per barrel, Present quotations, 17s 6d to ITs 9d per barrel. Coffee (duty, 3d per lb).—Moderate business done at Is 3d per lb in bond. , Confectionery (duty, 2d per lb).-Usual trade sales at Is 3d per lb for Keilier’s make—moderate stocks. Flour (duty, 20s per ton).—The price of flour has kept its upward rise during the month, as stocks of Adelaide flour were cleared out of importers hands, and ourSonthem millers have steadily advanced their rates. A small shipment of fifty tons by the Ceara was at once cleared .at, £l7 10s and.£lß per ton, and prices are now firm - at £l9 to £2O per ton for best brands of Adelaide. ■ ■ ■ Fruits (duty, Id. perlb.)-Currants continue scarce, and meet with fair inquiry at 6M per lb., and as advices of shipments to arrive are light we do not look for lower rates. The St. Leonards has a shipment to land, which will supply the want! of this market for a time Kalsins are iu moderate stock, and worth 6d to 6id per lb; figs, 8d to BJd; muscatels Is Id to Is 2d if in good condition; sultanas, 8d; dried apples. 7Jd; and Persian dates, in cases, 7(1 per lb. _ A fair amount of business is reported in all descriptions of dried fruits. ' , ‘ , , Hops (duty, 3d per lb.)-There are no English hops in the importers’ hands. Colonial hops are quoted at Is 6d to Is 9d per lb. : Malt (duty. Is 6d per bushel). —There has been no English malt in this market for some months past; a small shipment per Ocean Mail of 10 tanks is.advised to arrive. The brewers are amply supplied with Nelson malt, which is quoted at 7s 6d per bushelstocks on hand large: ... Metals (duty, 10 pet cent).— Corrugated iron continues in active demand, but as stocks are fairly ample there is no change in quotations. Gospel Oak brand being worth £32 to £33 per ton, for 26 guage ; Morewood’s, £3llos to £32. Fencing wire is coming more into notice, and is rather low in stock; it is quoted at £lB per ton for Nos. 6, 7. and 8; there is no demand for the higher numbers. Oils (duty, 6d per gallon).—The stock of kerosene is light, and holders are asking 2s 8d to 2s 9d per gallon. according to parcel. The cargo of the Panola, now at Dunedin, has been sold to arrive at .prices equal to 2s 6d per gallon, duty paid, she brings 2500 cases; and advices have been received of the Josephine, with 2250 cases; the Mane, with 1250 cases and the William Cobb, from New York to Wellington direct, with 3000 cases. Paint oils are fairly supplied at 4s to 4s 3d for tins, and 3sYd to 3s lOd per gallon for bulk raw and boiled linseed; turps, in tins, 3s 9d to 4s; colza, 6s 3d to ss. Cd; and castor, 3s 9d to 4s per gallon. ~ Oilmen’s Stores (duty, 10 per cent.) -Stocks of oilmen's stores are again becoming heavy ; a fair trade has been done, but we note no improvement in values. , ■ , . . . , . Rice (dutv, id per lb.)—Dressed rice is in fair supply, and' meets the usual demand at £22 to £2B Both coarse and fine salt are in short supply, and worth 90s to 100 s per ton. Spirits (duty 12s per gal.)-Martell s and Hennessey's brandies in quarters have advanced in value during the month, and holders are now firm at 8s 6d per gallon; case do 32s to 33s per dozen, with the usual consumption, , B.P. rum is duU of sale at 3s 8d to 3s lOd for 10 per cent 0.p., and 4s to 4s 3d for 30 per cent. o.p. Whisky: Dunville’s in moderate demand at Cs per gallon for quarters and 17s 3d per dozen for case; Scotch, 4s 6d to 5s 6d per gallon, according to brand. Burnet’s old tom, 15s; Booths do, 15s per dozen. Geneva: Usual trade done at 12s 6d to 16s Od per case according to contents. Sugar (duty-paid, Id per lb.)— Sugar remains steady at former quotations, our market not having been affected by the rise in prices in Mauritius. Quotations for No 2W. are £44 to £44103 per ton: 1.C., £43 to £43 10s; C, £4O; and yellow £37 per ton d.p. for the Sydney Eeflnery Company’s sugars. There are no Mauritius sorts in stock, brewers’ crystals being wanted. ..... , Tea (duty 6d per lb.)—The arrival of the May from Foochow at the early part of the month, with a cargo of the new season’s teas, has served fully to supply this market; a great portion has already been placed, the different qualities being judiciously selected for the demands of our trade. v „ , Tobacco (duty 2s 6<l per lb.)-Tobaccos are firm at last month’s rates, with a good demand. We quote Cameron’s twist. Is 9d; Black Swan, Is 8d; Shellards, Is 6d per lb; Venus (tens). Is 9d to Is 10d; Over the Water (twelves), Is 9d per lb. , Cigars (duty 5d per lb.)- Manilla cigars (Havannab shaped) are in fair demand at 125 s to 130 s per 1000, duty paid. Swiss cigars, in bond, 36s to 38s per 1000. Wine (duty 4s per gal.)—Stocks of low price ports and sherries are large and difficult to move. Good sound wines are in moderate demand, and superior qualities are to a limited extent saleable at £6O to £BO per butt. Light wines are coming more into notice with the warm weather, and clarets meet with a moderate sale, at from 36s to 60s per dozen. Best brands of champagne are worth 60s to 80s per dozen,d.p.

COLONIAL PRODUCE. Butter.—The demand for keg butter continues dull, and sales of prime cure are only effected in small lots for local wants, our export trade in this article, having from various causes dwindled down to a mere shadow’ Fresh butter fetches a low figure at this season, and necessarily keeps down the price of salted. We cannot, therefore, quote a higher figure .than 8d to 0d per lb. for exceptionally prime cure. Bacon and Hams.—Full stocks of Canterbury cure, which is quoted at fid to lOd per lb. Cheese.—Market fully supplied with Canterbury make, which moves off in small lots, at 9Jd to lOd per lb. ■ . , Flour.—The mills down South have again advanced their price for Oamaru and Canterbury flour, and quotations have consequently gone up here, holders now asking £IG 15s to £l7 for sacks in bakers' parcels, several sales at the first figure having been made. Prices are likely to remain firm at this advance, with probably higher quotations before the new crop of wheat is ready for market, as there is apparently no prospect of further importations from Adelaide, where stocks appear to be only sufficient to supply their own wants. ... Grain.—Oats are firm at 2s 9d to 3s 3d per bushel, according to sample, stocks on hand being light, an 1 the Southern farmers evidently holding back from selling at present low rates. As their stocks from last harvest must still be heavy, and new oats will be in shortly, wo do not expect to see these prices sustained. There is no milling wheat in Importers hands. Chicken wheat is in fair demand at 4s 6d to 4s 9d per bushel. New Zealand maize—moderate stocks, quoted at 4s Cd per bushel. Potatoes.—Full supplies have been received during the month, which have been quitted readily at 80s to 90s per ton. The new crop is {now coming in at 1J pet lb. Present quotations for old potatoes 75s to 80s per ton. , , , Timber.—Sawn timber continues in good demand, but stocks being more than sufficient to meet any extra wants, and prices remain firm at last month s rates. Pine boards scantling, Xls-to 11s 6d: totara, 16s 6d to 10s; kauri. 13s to 14s per:looft. in building lots. "Wool.—The clip is coming in freely, but there is a general disinclination to sell at the present low prices, and the sheep farmers prefer, under existing ciroum : stances, to ship on growers’ account, and take their chance of a probable rise in the London market, to the low figure offered, and which is based upon the lowest rates of the last London sales ; grease wool is quoted at Cd to 8d per lb.; washed fleece, 9d to lid.