COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3281, 12 August 1872, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Saturday Evening. The amount of Customs Revenue received ti-day oil goods entered for consumption vu •»» follows, viz. ;— £ s. d. £ i. d. Brandy ... 35 11 8 Tea ... 79 8 0 Whisky ... 21 19 2 Sugar ... 21 0 2 Geneva ... 44 16 3 Rice ...111 8 4 Beer ... 11 1G 3 Drapery.., 9 12 10 Tobacco ... 15 2 0 Sundries... 14 3 6 Cigars ... 21 5 0 Total ... £386 3 8

The opportune arrival of the Otago and Napier, both from London, with general cargoes, has supplied the immediate requirements of our market, but no more; and in the reduced state of stocks, that our wants are meantime met, is owing to the simultaneous arrival of the two ships. The Wave Queen, with a cargo mainly consisting of railway material, has also arrived. We are informed that much larger proportions than usual of the cargoes of these vessels I have been placed to land since their arrival. A considerable amount of increased business is reported as having been done during the past week. Transactions have been fair, considering that, commercially, we are still in mid-winter, and that even with continuous dry weather, the roads up-coun« try will not be serviceable for heavily loaded drays for a month yet to come. In ales therq has been some little increased enquiry, and sales by importers of Bass's No. 4 have been made at £7 10a. In spirits no improvement has taken place. A fair demand is reported as having Bprung up for Victorian and Adelaide wines, now obtaining general favour. Vestas have considerably advanced—arcsponae tc the advance at home, as well as caused by scarcity here. Dried fruits are firmer ; currants have advanced almost Id per lb. The following articles are scarce, though the demand is slight : Eleraes, capes, sultanas, figs. In teas, there is a moderate continued movement, the higher qualities are being more enquired for, and some parcels have been moved at fair prices. Stocks though relieved are still abundant j the latest advices, however, should tend to strengthen the market. Those received by a firm in town, from China, vid Melbourne, report tea as advanced from two to three taels, or about 2d j and the Melbourne Journal of Commerce states, "that no steamer is obtainable to bring down first oj new crop," the inference being that arrangements in anticipation of a brisk trade have been made. Candles, after the tedious advance which they have made, are hanging at present. Prices aye still, though barely, maintained. In thja recent arrivals several parcels of galvanised iron are to hand, which should meet with ready sale, if buyers are disposed to meet the requirements of importers. They , have not done so yet, and imj>orterß are , firmly holding for higher prices, i The price ' of Hour is still maintained—the quotations as , before, £13 and £13 10s—though not quite , so firmly. Chits are still quoted : good feeding, Is 9d to Is lOd; best milling sam-' , pies, 2s. Wheat 5s 3d to 5s Gd. . Barley, of '' which very little is offering—good malting ) samples, 5s Gd; inferior, 4b 9d. Messrs Wickjiit, Stbwibnson, and Co. re- ] port, for the week ending 10th August, as * :olows:— ~ c Fat Cattle. — The number yarded was i icarcely equal to the demand, being only 42 a lead of fair to good quality, which we sold r it from £7 to £[) 5s for bullocks, and £5 10s } o£7 03 for cowa. We also sold privately fc [0 head at £6 10s, equal to 20s per 1001b. t Ye quote prime quality 22s 6d per 1001b ; <] diddling do, 18s. „ Fat bheep.—There was again a scarce narket. 240 wethers of medium quality were n lenned, which we sold at 14s Gd per head. c Ye also sold privately, for delivery end of 1( August, 500 at 4d per lb. We quote prime n uality3idto32dperlb. . J Store Cattle.—Well-grown cattle are in ... iir request. We anticipate that as spring n dvancesagood many will.be required for Oj addock fattening. We qaote steers, 2fto w years, £3 ss; mixed cattle, £2 2s to £2 10s * or head. a

Store Sheep.—We have.enquiries for store wethers, but holders manifest i little :inclm*v tooni to selL J%Ve sold 80 teicestor 'ewes In tomb at £3 each. We quote merino wethera 8s to 9a.

Coontty &de«.—We held ou* monthly •alp at Mtwgiel oa Tuesdmy, fith. in

slant, at which only a moderate amdjuit'of stock woe offered. We sold 20 hm&ifak cattle at from £4 to £5 ss, and 30 hea&fosi&l cattle, 30s to £3 s*. 1 Iloracs.—The demand for heavy^JrsnghlS colts and. ,jhonf<w adapted r for, coaching. purr poses £b-well maintained."" At our "yards iio- : day we sold, ex Albion, from Melbourne, on •abconnt of Mr Isaac Gidney, 9 hfeavy draught colte at from £34 to £40, We quote firstclass draughts, £4£t©JssG j.'meaiumdo, £25 to £35; good hacks arid'lfght harness horses, £18 to £25 ; medium do, £10 to £12 ; light and inferior, £3 to £G. Wool, &c. -Reassuring news is contained in Epdish telegrams of 3rd July, which state —" The attendance of both home and foreign buyers is large. Competition continues extremely vigorous. Prices improve an the sales progress, and range about the same as thoue of Xaut series. Super scoured combing in moderate request; super scoured clothing jn active demand ; combing greasy and medium combing greasy find a ready market." By the arrival of the Suez mail we have our London correspondent's advices, stating, under date of 14th June, as follows :—" Wool.—We are now approaching £he time for the commencement of the third iicries of public sales of this year, which will begin on the 20th instant, and be continued till the 31st prox- Up to this time 205,295 bales have arrived, of which 38,198 are from New Zealand. 0# the total quantity, about 14,000 bales have been sent forward to Yorkshire and the Continent ; but on the other hand, wehave about 20,000 baleaheld over from May sales. We fear, from the tone of the market, that wo must look for lower prices ruling than we had in May, and that at the earlier sales of the coming series we eh all have prices very irregular ; but there is no doubt that large quantities of wool will be withdrawn and held over if there is any ierious fall in value, as the feeling is that we are likely to have a firmer market towards the end of the year. Breadstuff.—The cold ungenial weather of come weeks past made our wheat trade very firm, and an advance ot 2s to 3« per quarter waa pretty general on Russian and American red wheat, while white wheat met a slow sale at a rise of .about Is, unless for very fine sorts. A large proportion of the late arrivals from Australia has been more than usually infested with weevil—such parcels millers will only take for immediate use, and sales have been made from 6ls 6d to 63s Gd, while very choice brought 645, and was on Monday worth 655. An opinion pretty generally prevails that we are to see higher prices even with fine weather, though we might have a temporary decline. It is said that the wheat plant is much injured, and stocks low. We think, however, that a fortnight of such weather as now prevails would shake confidence and bring forward sellers. The cargoes on passage are less than at this period last year. Preserved Meats.—There is no' change to note in this market, prices remaining the same as last month; but the consumptive demand has rather diminished, and stocks are increasing New Zealand Hemp.—Prices remain firm, the Bupply being very moderate. Medium quality is worth £36 to £37, and better descriptions £42 per ton. Tallow.— The results of to-day's public sales of Australian are as follows :—1966 casks were brought forward, of which 1606 casks sold. Prices for mutton were in some instances a little below those of last week, and beef declined Gd to 9d per cwt. Fair to rather fine mutton realised 42s to 43s ; low to medium qualities, 39s 9d to 40a 6d. Beef sold at 41s to 42s for ordinary to very good descriptions; and low to medium sorts, 38d 9d to 40s Gd." Grain.—The demand for wheat is a little easier, but holders do not feel disposed to quit really good samples under 5s 3d to 6s 6d per bushel. Oats Lave a fair, enquiry, for milling samples at from 2s to 2s 2d, and for feed, at Is 9d to Is lid per bushel. Barley— malting, scarce. Any good parcels would command 5s 9d per busheL