COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1120, 24 July 1865, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Saturday Evening. The total amount, of revenue received on goods passed at the Customs to-day for home consumption was L 484 13s lOd, the items being:—Brandy, 224 gal 3, L 134 83 ; whisky, 128 gals, L 76 19s ; geneva, 97 gals, L 57 3s 9d; wine, 55 gals, Lll ; tobacco, 277 lbs, L3l 123 Gd ; cigars, 272 lbs, LCI Gsf 3d; tea, 17G3 ib?, Li 4ls Gd ; drapery, H 15s lOd ; sundries, LG3 7s.

The despatch and arrival of, the Home Mails, and a day lost over electioneering matters, have, in combination, caused the business of the past week to remain within narrow limits. Some symptoms of activity manifested themselves during the last day, not resulting in many or large operations, but betokening a bettor prospect for the week to come. The commercial intelligence from Britain cills for very little special remark. Shipments of most goods have been kept down (o moderate amounts, several articles being in short supply. Almost the only exceptions are bottled beers and genevas— the first of which goods senders seem to think our market can never have too much. The flour market has not been very lively. In Adelaide, rates are unaltered, with only trifling sales. Chilian, of which the present consumption still consists, remains in fair demand for country and town trade. Holders' prices are firm nt quotations, the latest intelligence from the Australian markets being favourable and affording little prospacts of shipments from those quarters. Provisions are actively sought for, and importers are pretty nearly cleared out of the chief items, viz., bacon, hams, and buttor. Both to this, and to the Melbourne market, shipments of bacon and hams are exceedingly small ; aud the present aspect of these goods, points to tho likelihood of an addition, being made to present rates—tliu present meagre stock ia not much distributed. The entire absence of shipments of butter from Great Britain, both to this and to the Australian ports, is noticeable. In spirits, the business done has not been heavy; two or three parcels of bulk brandy eh tnged hands just prior to the arrival of the mail sit mtes a shade easier th in last quotations, but since then notlrog has occurred to show the feeling of importers, though the probability is that prices will tiguin stitl'-n. Geneva has not improved—JDKZ is the or.ly brand in any demand; the heavy importations into Victoria of this article keeps the market effectually down. On the whole, shipments of spirits to this port, though quite equal to requirements, have not been on the heavy scale which characterised shipments at; the corresponding period of l-.st year. Bulk ales in the early part of the week drooped a little, but rallied again after importers had received their English advices, by which it appeared that shipments up to the 11 tfe "May had been moderate. Some parcels have since been placed at rates showing no diminution in value. Ales and stout in glass are only going off in small pa-eels, nt second rate prices, the heavy stock of good and second rate brands places the market in a most unsatisfactory state. Teas are without much stir, but prospectively looking well. Sugars are quiet, except for fine white crystals, the continued good demand for which seems to be due to some alteration in public taste; the comparatively small demand for darker sugars is only to be accounted for by such a supposition.