COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2257, 30 April 1869, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Time* Office, Thanday E v> n! r g Tho total amount of Custom* Revenue reooivod to-day on goods cleared for consumption waa aa follows, viz. :— £ %. d. £ h. d. Brandy ... 14 10 5 Sugar .... 25 11 2 Whisky... 9 15 0 Coffee 25 11 3 Geneva ... 10 13 9 Chicory ... 14 0 0 Rnm ... 40 10 0 Drapery ... 216 6 Wine 10 18 C Boots 5 0 10 Tobacco ... 15 2 6 Stiudries.., 16 14 I Tea 14 13 0 Total, £211 6 II

There has been a* little doing to-day m during the preceding day or two, and for the remainder of tho month it in not likely that anything of any moment will occur. Tho commercial intelligence to hand per Gothenburg is genorally favourable, but in not likely to affect any of the staples in any appreciable degree, and in pricea generally there is no change to be noted. In produce extreme quietness hai been apparent, the deliveries in towd being trilling, and any disposition to enquiry giving way in theso an in other goods to the general holiday-feeling which prevails.

Mr Wcatgarth'a Circular, dated London, Feb. 2Gth, reports : — Tbo conversion and consolidation arrangemonts were coaoluded on 3let December laat. I am favoured with fcho following particulara from the Crown agents. The total of the now consolidation stock issued l>y Bale or conversion has been L 4,191,100. The outstanding old stocks not converted aro — General Government G per cents, (original total Ll.050,000), LG84.100, and 5 per cents. (LI,300,000), L51>8,200 ; Provincial Government G, 7, 8, and 10 per cents. (L2,192,05(1), L 645.300. These amounts, together with two Imperial guarantee loans of 185G and 18G7, LOOO.OW each, make the total outstanding dobenture debt of the colony LG, 988,700. Of thus amount L.i, 007,000 is the Provincial debt, guaranteed by th'i colony to the creditors, but for which the provinces are also still liable. Thin amount of provincial debt includes the proportions for each province of tho Imperial guaranteed loan of 185G, and also of the Loan Allocation, 1805 (connected with the native war), imposed on the provinces of the North Island, So far as can bo estimated from data now available, the total debt of each province, including the above, aad deducting sinking funda, loans paid off, to, ia an folioWß :—Auckland L 750 000, Taranaki L-75,000, Hawko'u Bay LOO, 000, Wellington

L1G5.000, Nelson L 70.000, Marlborough L22.01K), Canterbury 1,775.000, Otago L 680,000, Southland 1/170,000. A fair amount of business has bef n done in colonial securities during the month. Pricea of Government debentures in most instances advanced from 1 to 2 per cent., but a partial relapse has occurred within the last tun days, owing to some littlo pressure of Bales of Victoria, South Australia, and other government stocks, in anticipation of various | further loans. The long expected Victoria loan ia, however, the only one that will appear for the present, and as the bonds have now arrived from the colony, its announcement is looked for next week. Tne new Zealand Consolidated 5 per cents, are sti lat the depressed price of 934—^1 DU' there are considerable transactions in the stock, which from its large and uniform amount, is now one of the most marketable of the colonial securities. South Australian, after advancing Ito 14 per cent, have had a partial relapse. The firmness and high price of the Victoria stocks is favourable to tho prospects of the new loan. The following ia a summary of the changes in the prices of the various Go- j vernuient and other debentures since the date j of the last ciiou ar, the 29th ultimo : New South Wales 5 per cents, due 1871—6, are 4 per cent higher, and tho two loans by drawings are eacn \ per cent higher. The Victoria loaoß, after rising 1 per cent., have par-

tially relapsed, 'ut are still each 4 per ant. better, 'ihe Queensland loans are each 1 per cent higher, and the Soath Australian about 4to 1 per cent, higher. Tasmanirm and New Zealand remain at About the previous quota' ions. la other debentures, there has been uome demand for those of tho Melbourne and Hobaon'a Bay Kail way, and the 6 per cents., due 1880, have advanced 1 per cent, while the 5 per cents- have advanced 2 per cent.

The Gothenburg brings intelligence from Melbourne to the 22nd iost. The Argue of that date reports :— Little occurred in tho market to-day to alter its tone. In breadstuff* there was literally nothing doing, both town buy«rs and country millers waiting the turn of events. No alteration was mado in the quotations for flour. Good samples of Victorian wheat were worth 5a 6J, and inferior from «5s upwards. Oats were quoted at 3s 10d to 4s 21, and maize from 4s l!d to ss. In barley there was nothing doing ; but malting barley was asked For, and is worth 6a. There ib now no malt in first hands. A few trade sales were made to-day at 10s 6d, but the article is well held In hops there was no change, but choice

qualities are scarce. There waa some eraull inquiry for candles; for Brandon's yellow labels, lid was refused. Kerosene was very finxt An offer of 2s 3d for a large mixed parcel of Devoe's and Cozzena's (consisting, however, most largely of Devoe's) was refused. The Sydney market, wo believe, has been bought op. Of Java rice, ex Thorkild, 100 tons were disposed of at prices which show an improvement on recent rat**, but which still leave a largo 1038 to the shippers. In tobaccoes we hear of tho salo of a consider*1 le parcel of half pounds, at an improvement of quite a halfpenny per lb. Quicksilver is being more inquired for. The sugar market was tested by an auction sale, at which medium and brewing sugars went at very full rates, crystals maintaining their former vane. By the Triton, which arrived to-day from Port Louiffl, we have Manritiua dates to the 10th ult. They state that a late telegram had been received from London, which

rep >rted a rise of L 2 10s in that market, cwweqaent on the Cuban insurrection ; Kugars, consequently, were very iirmly held in that market, and higher rat*« were expected. Only one ship was loading, the Krnilliene. which waa taking c*rgo for the Vict'frirt Sugar Company. The brig Odaliuka, which lately arrived from Liverpool, changed hamis at a price withheld. The prospectus has been shown to us of a. ncwlSankintj institution which it is proposed to form in Melbourne, with the assistance of Knglish capitalists. The liability ia to be limited, and the capital LJ.000,000, with power to double it. The Advancement of poney on freehold securities and on ca-b credits is to form a special feature of the buxiness of the new institution, which will alifo purchase or make advances on Government securities. The success of the monetary institutions established of late yearn in Melbourne would appear to indicate that there is room for this proposed bank.