Commercial.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 719, 7 April 1864, Page 4

Commercial.

Daily Times Office, "Wednesday Evening. There was no gold passed at the Custom House to-day.

The total revenue received on articles for home consumption was L 706 18s 9d, made up as fol low?:—Brandy, 615 gals, L 284 4s 8d ; wine, 808 gals, L 46 4s; geneva, 272 gals, L 122 12s 7d ; rum, 31 gals, L 13125; whiskey, 128 gals, L 53 2s Id ; tea, 1204 lbs L 35 Is 4d; sugar, 13,395 lbs, L 55 ltis 3d; tobacco, 761 ibs, L 57 Is 6d; sundries, L3Blos 4d.

By the Gothenburg we have late advices from the Australian colonies. Ot the Melbourne market the " Argus" of the 30th ult. says :— In the import market there haye been inquiries for flour. The New Zealand demand for flour lias been met at current rates, without causing any further advance in this market. Some small parcels of Adelaide fi^st brands have changed hands at L 23 10s. Inquiries for case brandies have been numerons for shipment. The " Age" of th^ same date reports :— General business in the import market has not yet recovered the effect of holiday-making, and for the most part of the day trade has bpen confined to flour dealing, this market maintainingl the improvement caused by recent advices from New Zealand. Several hundred tons of Adelaide have again changed hands at from L 23 103 to L 24, according to terms. Moyne Mills flour has been placed at L 22 net. Adelaide wheat is offering more freely, but as holders insist on 9s, the business done has not been so large We hear of one parcel having realised the figure named. Gooi samples of '63 hops have b^en sold at Is 6d. Yellow crystal sugars have been disposed of at L 42 10s. We have Adelaide papers to the 21st instant. From the "Advertiser" of that date we make the subjoined extract: — " The reaction all along predicted has set in, and sooner than was expected, but fortunately there has been yet. another advance. Last week's prices closed at 7s 6d to 7s 9d for delivery at Port, several transactions having taken place on Saturday at 7s 9d. On Monday there was a slight giving way, still several sales were effected at 7s 61 to 7s Bd, although many buyers refused to give that price. Tuesday found the market in a still more unsettled state, with a further downward tendency; still one sale of 1000 bushels at 7s 81 was effected, hut on the other hand heavy holders could not sell at 7a 6d. On Wednesday, notwithstanding holders continued to ask 7s 6d, it was evident that the price could not be got; dray-

loads in town woiiid not fetch more than 7s. to 7s Id, and purchases were made for still less. On Thursday the market was altogether unsettled, and prices down. Considerable quantities changed hands for delivery at the Port at 6s 6d ; town prices, 6s 4d ; and towards the close of the afternoon many buyers refused ti give more than 6s. On Friday prices rallied a little, and 7s wa* obtained ; but later on large sales were effected at 6s lid, and others at higher rate 9 On Saturday 7s 2d could bs easily obtained for Port delivery, aud 6s 7d to 6s 9J for drayloads in town Flour has shared in the fluctuations of wheat, and may be quoted to day at L2l to L 22. It has, during the past day or two, changed hands at, L2O. It must be understood in the present unsettled state of the market that exact prices cannot be quoted. On the same day, and even within the period of au hour or two, a difference of as much as 3d, 4d, and even 6d a bushel would occur."

From Sydney we have papers to date of 22nd inst., from which we extract the annexed market

reports: —

"A fair amount of business has been transacted during the month, orders for the interior having come pretty freely to hand. The principal articles which have directed the attention of speculators have been flour and sugars, the prices of which have fluctuated considerably. In other articles there is no material movement to report. " Flour.—The market has been very firm, and an advance since last month of L 7 to L 7 10s per ton has taken place. Stocks are literally exhausted, therefore, holders for the present are asking any rates they please. Several vessels are daily expected from Adelaide, and also one or two from California, which may check the present upward tendency of prices. Sales of Adelaide flour have been made at L 25 per ton, and the present quotation is nominally L 24 to L 26 per ton. The millers' quotations are, L 25 for fine flour, and L23tor seconds The cause of this sudden advance is owing to the crop in Melbourne being much less than was anticipated, and also to the destruction of our crop by rust. Wheat has also been in great request, and prices have advanced 2s per bushel, 9s cash having been offered and refused for Adelaide wheat.

'•The quantify of gold-dust imported into the Sydney Branch of the Royal Mint from the Ist of January to the 18th of March, for the purpose of coinage, has been 115,427 ounces, and the amount of coiu issued has been 324,000 sovereigns. For the same period of the year 1863 the receipts of gold dust amounted to 119,050 ounces, and the coin issued to 350,060 sovereigns. The difference in the quantity of gold dust received for coinage, as compared with last year is only 3622 ounces, and in the coin issued 34,000 sovereigns. But this is owing to the tact that large parcels of gold dust have been received from Victoria during the past month, and not to any improvement in the yield of the gold fields, which still show a considerable falling off in the receipt 3of last year. ''The amount of specie shipped to-day by the R.M.S S. Northam was 80,000 sovereigns and 20,423 ounces gold.—" Sydney Morning Herald."

From Queensland we have intelligence to the 18th instant. The "Courier of that date gives the following commercial new 3:—

" The import trade has not been so active as it was last month, and the arrivals from colonial ports have not been numerous. " In wines and spirits there is nothing of importance to note, except that there is a slight improvement in the price of rum, which is now quoted at about 2s per gallon higher than at the despatch of the last mail. Other spirits have not changed in price, and only a moderate amount of trade has been done, the demand being for actual requirements. <: There is a good demand for ale, both in bulk and glass, but the supply has been quite equal to it, and no alteration has taken place in prices. Porter is not inquired for, there being very small consumption, but prices are not changed. " Tiiere has been a large amount of speculation in flour recently, and prices have advaaced to L 27 and L2B for Adelaide best brands. Stocks of all kinds are very low, and the supplies expected will not materially affect prices."

We have Tasmanian papers to the 24th ult. The following extracts are made from the latest dates: —

"Hobart Town.—The business transactions of the month have been of a very unimportant nature. We have had several arrivals from London, and in all of them fresh importations of the same goods. Thus stacks are kept high, and quotations remain at a rate not very remunerative to the importer. In other cases, again, we find that at time 3 when there is a brisk demand for certain imported articles, such as cornsacks, woolpacks, &c, the market is perfectly bare, and by the time the demand has ceased there will be large supplies in various hands. This snows an evident lack of judgment on the part, of shippers, or else our importers do not keep them sufficiently acquainted with the requirements of the market. Flour.—Until a few days since our quotations of last month were still ruling, but a tviees from the other colonies have caused an advance of L 4 per ton, quotations rieing now L 22. The demand is now merely for sufficient for local consumption, consumers not caring to operate at the present high rates. Grain. —In wheat there is a rise proportionate to that in fbur, quotations being now fro nßs 6d to 9s. Of oats there is a good supply, liut they are dull of sale; quota tions are merely nominal at from 3* ta 3s 6J. In barley there i 3 very little doing at present. '; Lav «eh t in. — Flour is (inn at L2O to L2l, and wlieat at 8s to 8 i Ql. A considerable quantity of flour has been shippsi oi board the s.s. City of Liunceston to da/. <>atn are st. jaly at from 3> 6d to 3s 9J ; some holders requiring a higher figure."