COMMEECLAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 925, 7 December 1864, Page 4

COMMEECLAL.

Daily Times Office, Tuesday Evening. There were no export entries pissed on gold at the Customs to-day.

The total amount reosived on goods passed for home consumption was L784 15s Id, the items being :—Brandy, 490 gals, L221 5s lOd ; geneva, 221 gallons, LIOO 193 33; whisky, 119 gallons, L767s 6d; rum, 68 gallons, L3O i2>; wine, 131 gallons, Ll9 13s ; beer in bulk, 250 gallons, L6 ss; bottled baer, 2150 gallons, LlO7 10s ; tobacco 11041bs, LB2 18; sugar, 18,4061b5, L7S 13s lOd; drapery, Li! 14s81; sundries, L59 17a.

Business still continues rather dull, buyers limiting themselves to actual requirements. Ad-' vices from Mauritius via Melbourne are favorable to holders of sugars. The intelligence from Melbourne is not of a nature to alter the value of Hour—our quotations remaining as last stated. Messrs A. (J. Fisher and Co, held a sale of timber, submitting to rather lower prices for some lots of Baltic flooring-, which they placed; the descriptions sold were the thicknesses tor which the least demand exists. 1-inch and I£>neh Baltic flooring still maintains its value. Our markets are better supplied with teas. Superior sorts still maintain good prices. Quotations for leading goods remain without alteration. SALE BY AUCTION, «

By the Gothenburg we have our Mellioimi" files to the 29th ult. We copy the following from the Argun of that date : -

The week has commenced without .much animation in the impure markets. The tit Louis, from Boston, has arrived opportunely, :uid considerable parcels of kerosene, to be landed frote her have been solil—Orie>it»l at 5s 3!, and Downe's and Cozzens'.x at 5) 01 She h.is also brought a quantify of lobster.--, which were scni-nti A thonsan . cases hav« eh diced hands at from 9i friOjtiil. Manilla cig:irs to land, ex Great Victirii., changed band* for shipment at 755; n parcel of coarse sail (-it Uue's) at L2, f. o, b, for shipment; and a sruuil parcel of ljiv*rpi>ol coarse silt at L2 10?, in store. 150 chests new seuson's tea were sold at 1(-9J for blackish leaf and broken. 'I'll < flour market is somewhat easier as regards prices, though the demand for the country millhas been somewhat active. Ihe best qualities may be quote lat from L2O 10i to h'li 10s South Auxt<-»lian wheat is saleable at from 8< to 8s 31 |cr bushel. Chilian flour is quote! ft 1,18 per ton, but fqf superior samples higher rates a*e asked. T!:o greater portion of this description of flour which has arrived lately i< passing- into store. Chilian wheat is quoted at; from Os lid to 7s rJJ. For Californiui fljtir L2O is asked. Californian wheat is out of first ban.ls. There was agiod demand, partly specuiative,for colonial Oitts. Maize has improved, and prices h ive been run up to 4s 9.1 and 4s H!d per bushe1. The Hu hoang-, from fort Louis, with sugars, has arrived at Portland, with dates to the 22ad October. She reports the Alexandra, R'orman. and' Waverley, loading for the colonies. The arrivals in Hobson's Bay to-day comprise the steamship Great Victoria (released from quarantine) the Yorkshire and Glendower from London, the Queen of Australia from Liverpool, and the Batavia from Hamburg. Thu mail steamer Madras puaeed Cape Otwav shortly before eight o'clock this morning. The Great Victoria has amongst her cargo 2232 bags of flour.

From Sydnej, dated the 28th November, we learn that the markets were quiet. Sugars dull at a further decline of 20s;.rice dull of sale, prices again declining ; best Patna Ll9 to L2i). The stock of Adelaide flour was light. Holders of Chilian and Californiau, expected the market to rally.

New South Wales.—The 5. M. Herald, of the 21st, gives the following monthly commercial review : —

Since our last summary, dated 2(sth October, the money market has continued tight, and as the banks are still giving 6 per cent, interest for deposits at twelve months, there is not much desire on the pa't of eautiou9 persons to invest in securities which are of a fluctuating character. The news by the Knaliah mail of the high rate of discount charged by the Bank of England has net. had any effect here and although it is often proposed to raise the rates of discount, the banks not being unanimous, the same rates of 7, 8, and 9 p?r cent, are adhered to. The rates of exchange on London for bills nt sixby dnys' .sight continue unaltered —the buying rale being one per cent, discount, and the sel'iag rate par. Th-re have been no failures of any importance this month, but we still have a number of small insolvencies

A fair amount of business has been transacted during the pasi mot:th in our markets. The wool <ea=ou Ik.s now commenced, consequently orders from the country have come more freely to hand. There uJ, however, very little improvement in the prices of the principal articles of daily consumption : but, as shipments from the United Kingdom show a falling off, hlders arc anticipating an advance. Some speculative purchases of beers, teas, sugars, and rice have lately taken pi ace; but, generally speaking, the transac ions have been confined to actual requirements. The continued falling off in tue jield of our goM fields is unsatisfactory, and has caused a considerable diminution in the busine«3 which used to be carried on with the g Id producing districts. On the other hand, however, there is a good demand for goods for the neighboring colonies of New Zealand and Queensland, which relieves us of our surplus stocks.

The following is the report of the flour market:—

The flour market is very much depressed in consequence of the numerous arrivals here and at Melbourne from Ciili. Adelaide Flour: Stocks are small, and prices have not declined more thnn 20s per ton : but Chili flour has fallen fully L3 to 4 per ton on the prices realised last month. The present quotations are :-Adelaide, fir.t brands, L23 to L23 lUs per ton ; Chili, LlB to Ll9 per ton. 'I he millers' quotations are unaltered Fine flour, L23' per ton ; seconds, L2l per ton. Wheat, is also lower, ann has given way about Is per bushel. Adelaide is quoted at Qs 6d to 9i 9il; Chilian, 8s to 8s 6d. The following aie the names of the ships which have arrived from Valparaiso during the month, with breadstuffs :^Collmar, 272 tons ; fiiub.it.>, 4000 bags of flour and 1720 bushels wheat; Charlotte Andrews, 10,000 baga of flour From California we have hid the Adelaide, with 140 tons of flour and 600 bags of wheat.

The same journal of the 22nd says : — The cargo of fl mr, ex Charlotte Andrews, was offered at auction to dhy, by Messrs L. K. Threl keld and Co., but. the bids beinir bslow the reserve price, the whole of the cm go was withdrawn for the present. The arrivals today hn-ve been the Marion, from San Francisco, with 3232 bags of wheat and 10" flasks of quicksilver ; and the Gravina, from Valparaiso, with 14,800 bags of fl ur and 421 baas of walnuts.

South Australia.—We have our files from South Australia to the 23r;i instant. We take the following from the Register of tliat date : —

Flour: No business has been transacted. Prices are nominal at Ll9 to L2O per ton. Whcai: There are several export orders for wheat at about 7s per bushel at the Port, but hardly any is offering for sale to-day.

Tasmania. —We have our files from Hobart Town and Launcestin to the 23rd installs. The H. T Mercury, of the 22nd, says : —

On account of the weather there was very little business (loins today, and scarcely any feature in trade worth noticing, excepting the reduction by the bakers of tiie price of the 4lb loaf, from Is to lid. This reduction is mainly due to the recent small importations of flaur from the neighboring colonies, as also to the arrival, on Saturday last, of the barque Adelaide, from Sydnsy, with 151) ions of Calif'ornian flour and 7000 bushels of wheat, and which are now on sale at the stores of tlie agents The millers ore quoting best flour at 1.25, but the market is very unsettled, and will continr e so until after the receipt of the next news from the other colonies, expected here ta-inorrow (this day). There was very little colonial wheat offering, anil the price continues at 10s. Bran, Is 4d. 'l'heie was a small sale of oats reported at 3s, but for barley there was no inquiry. The wool trade has scarcely yet commenced, but several sira'l clips have come forward, the price varying irom Is 2d to Is 4d. For butter there is but a limited inquiry, and sales of the best brands of potted are with difficulty saleable above Bd. Several forced stiles of last season's make have taken place at 3.1 and 4d. The same journal of the 23rd remarks :— The market for breadstuff continues mest unsteady, owing to the arrival of several paicels of Chilian fl iut from the neighboring colonies, some of which having be-n forced into the market, have caused prices to slightly recede. The cargo of wheat and flour by the Adelaide, now in the havbor, is at present under offer, the former (7030 bushels), at ,10.*, and the flour at 1.23; tbis latter price being L2 under the price quoted at the several milis, At the commencement of the week the bakers reduced the price of the 41b loaf £om Is to lid, and a further decline is expected, and will ensue should another carco of wheat and flour come forward, of which thore is every probability. We take the following from the Launccston Examiner, of the 23rd: — We are glad to be able tr> report that during the past month business has decidedly improved transactions, though on a more limited scale than that -which has hitherto prevailed, having been DAMAGED *

conducted on a safer and more solid basis, Two estate-!, with liabilities of from J 8000 to LlO 000 each, have been put in trust, one or two small dealers in soft goods and groceries have succumbed, and Messrs Thomns White and Son have declared themselves insolvent. But we are of opinion thai tilings have now really come t:> the worst, and tbe tiiie of affair* will now luiu. The rerent failures have had the effect of opening th« eyes of the community, and business transactions are being established on a Bounder footing. We may mention that the estate of Cohen Brothers has ben woundup by tut creui'ors accepting the offer of 2a 4;i cash in the pound. The only foreign <irrivil during the month las bten the Danorlan, with a full caivo of KTifjlish manufactured goods, which will fully supply all praent requirements; and the Fugitive, trom London, may very shortly be expected with a s-imi'ar cargo. We regret that the crops do not promise so well as was anticipated last month. In some places they languish for want of moisture aud in others the aphis lias attacked the wheat, and the barley i< infested with a small black insect, which d.jes great damage. However, we trust that matters will not be S;> bad as some persons represent.

•- .California.— Via Sydney we have papers from San Francisco to the '29th September. The .followingis from the'Daily Alta California :

Since our last a decided advance has taken pTsce i'i floii' anil wheat—mbre especially the latter. Beat brands of city extra flour have advanced 25 cent* per barrel, and quotations are : — Ntw, lOdols to 10 dols 75 cents per barrel; superfine, 9 dols to 9 dols 95 cents. Wheat closes at 3 dols 50 cents to 3 rfols CO cents per 101) lbs. The deroand for feed grain is, for^the moment, slack, and under the influence of liberal receipts, price* show a tendenev to weakness. We quote new barley at 3 dols 20 cent's to 3 dols 25 cents, and choice old brewing at 3 dols 60 cpnts to 3 dols (JO cents per 109 lbs ; oats, at 2 dols 75 oents to 2 dols 85 cents per 100 lbs. Of financial matters we have no new feature to remark. The money market for last steamer occasion was decidedly easy, arid all requirements for legitimate business purposes were promptly met at bank at I.J per cent, per month interest. Bars were in slight request; gold ruling at 838 to 840, and silver at h per cent, premium to 8 per cent, discount, a light business was done in sterling exchange at 48:1 to 48£d for bankets' 60 days' bills. Commercial ruling nominally at 491 to 49jd. For coin drafts on Bastern cities the usual rates at 3h to 4 per cent premium were prevalent. Currency bills were done at 110 per cent premium on gold. Kates for telegraphic transfers were s.J\to 6 per cent, premium. In sympathy with the rapid decline in cold, legal tenders during tbe week have risen to 53 cents t'> 55 cents, leaving olf to-day at 51 A cents to 52$ cents.

The lollowing is the latest commercial telegram receivfd at California, from New York, and" dated 27th September : — ''

At the auctions of dry goods to-day, there was a marked lall in prices, amounting to 33 to 40 per cent, less than regular market prices three weeks ago. Gold opened steadier this morning, and the price has been sustained by heavy purchases to cover shorts. There were rather lively times among importers, auctioneers, and buyers generally, owing- to the feverish state of political and financial affairs. Many kinds of goll fell some 10, 20, and 25 per cent.— for instance, Paul de Chevech [?]. woollen fillings, which two weeks ago brought 85 cents, were knocked down to-day at 59 cents, some lots being consequently withdrawn. Inferior qualities ot some articles, heretofore commandiiigj from 60 to 80 cents, went down to 42 to 44 cents. A few lots 40 inch bogging and burlaps sold from 15 to 20 per cent, below average prices. Domestic goods are firm in comparison with foreign articles. The panic in gol i unsettled everything, and in a few cases the fall was 33 to 40 per cent, from the regular price three weeks ago. The reduction in the rate of domestic goorls was not so great. JNew York, 27tli September.—ttold, 194,