COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4024, 11 January 1875, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Saturday evening.

The amount of Customs Revenue received to-day on : oods entered for consumption was as follows: —

Taking into account that we have just got over the Christmas and New Year's Day festivities, business has been moderately fair. Some little extra bustle has been caused by the arrival, during the week, of the Nelson and Janet Cowan, each with large and varied cargoes ; but these will add very unnecessarily to the stocks of various articles already full. Brandy continues in the depressed condition that has become so discouraging to importers. Hennessy, in bu!k, has been entirely neglected, although in case several parcels have been made, and at prices only slightly easier ; and Bisquet's brand, in hulk, we may mention, is fast becoming a general favourite, moving off very rapidly. In geneva, there is no movement of any consequence, although <i small steady trade continues to be done. In whisky, no transactions are reported, what is doing being of very insufficient moment. In rum, some small sales have been made, but prices continue low in relation to ejst, which they fail to cover. Ale and stout are without any record of sales, the stock of both being very heavy, and the December trade having failed to relieve either to the extent confidently anticipated. In tobacco sales have been perfectly nominal, accounted for by the short time that has elapsed since holiday replenishments were effected by the trade. Descriptions low iii the market will be made up from a fresh parcel in the Sunlight to land. Prices are firmly maintained. In tea sales of balances of old teas are very difficult to effect; but the present season's are moving off, we understand, fairly. The Amur, which has been expected for some time, has not yet arrived. Sugar exhibits this week a slightly improved tone. Messrs whitelaw and Co report having offered for sale bj' auction yesterday the cargo of new season's, ex Robert Jones, from Mauritius. There was a large attendance of the trade, and, after some spirited competetion, about 5,000 mats were placed at the following rates, viz.:—Yellow crystals, £31 5s ; brewers', £32 10s to £34; fine yellow. £33 5s to £33 10s; finest whites, £35 ; and snowdrop erysta's, £35 15s to £30—all in bond. It is noticeable that whites were neglected, while low yellow crystals and brewers' crystals, at above prices, moved off freely. Butter is in full supply and still brings good prices. Really good choice is very scarce, Duueilin depending more than usual upon outside markets, the reason being that the high price which continues to be got for butter, pays the dairyman better than making cheese. In English hams and bacon a good trade, although limited, has been doing, a consequence of thfi high pi ice of Colonial. In hops there is no speculation at present, but the favourable price of the new season's in the Melbourne market P'lint to its pro ably ensuing here also, and a higher figure ruling. In malt a few sales have been effected, and brewers' stocks must of necessity, we should think, be getting low. Cornsacks are steady at from 12s to 12s od, hut the time of the year has not come when a demand is expected. In woolpacks a few straggling orders still come to hand, present value 3s 9d. Kerosene, stocks of which have been wearing down, has been replenished from the cargo of the Sunlight, but prices are likelj' to rule low for some weeks. In candles there has been a slight tendency to speculation, and some hardening of prices h.-is been effected, the cause being improving advices from Melbourne. Galvanised iron is now in sparse supply, and with advices to arrive not by any means of excessive quantities, the prospects of the market are very much improved. In fencing wire there is enquiry for certain sizes. In cement, the market had worn entirely bare, to meet which about 1500 barrels have fortunately come to hand per Janet Cowan. The price is well maintained, and the demand very active at present. In flour, a good town trade, but no export, has been done. Prices unchanged. Wheatprime milling—is very scarce ; quotations from 5s to 5s ra. Oats have eased from extreme rates, 5s 3d ruling, with limited sale, although 5s 8d has been given for very fine samples. Some few parcels are now finding their way into town. Malting barley is new quoted at 5s (id ; horse feed, 4s 3d to 4s 9d hoth dull. Bran and pollard are still at from £5 10s and £0 10s. NY) stocks.

Messrs Wright, Stki-iikxson, and Co. report for the week ceding 9th January, 1575, as follows :

Fat Cattle.—l7s head came forward and were all taken by the trade. We sold, on account of Messrs James Allan and Barry, 40 head at from ,£S) lbs to £11 for bullocks, and £T 15s to £10 12s Gd for cows; prices equal to 30s per 1001b for good quality, and 25s for medium do.

Fat Calves.—A few were yarded, which sold at from 30s to 50s each.

Fat Sheep. 1200 were penned, consisting chiefly of cross-breds of fair to good quality. We sold 000 crossbrods at from 14s Gd to 15s each, and quote prime quality mutton, half-bred, at from 21d to 2?d per lb - merino, 2.]d perlb. " ' '

Fat Lambs.—The demand is good. About 200 were yarded, which sold at from <)s to 13s each. At these rates we sold, at auction and privately, 050. Store Cattle.—There is still a good enquiry for grown cattle fit for paddock fattening. We sold at auction at Mosgiel on Tuesday, 4th inst., 150 head bullocks and spayed cows, at from .£3 15s to £012s Od for former, and £3 15s to £5 12s 6d for latter. Mixed' cattle are worth from £3 10s to £4.

Store Sheep.—We have numerous enquiries for crossbreds and young merino ewes and wethers. We sold 15,000 cross-bred Lf-icester ewes and merino ewes, at from 10s Gd to lls Gd for cross-breds, 8s fir G-tooth merinos, and 5s for full-mouthed dhto. vVe also sold 48 merino rams, imported from Tasmania, at satisfactory rates. We quote half-bred wethers, 4-tooth, 10s to 10s Gd ;do ewes, 10s Gd to lls (id; ditto mixed, 2 tooth, Ss to 9s; merino ewes, 2 and 4-tooth, 9s; do do, G-tooth, 8s ; do, full-mouthed, 4s Gd to as; do wethers, 2, i and 6-tooth,6s toGsCd; do full-mouthed 5s Cd.

Horses.—The demand is well maintained for heavy draughts and strong coach horses. We beg to call attention to our sale of heavy draught horses on accouut of the Executors of the late * dam M'Leod, on Tuesday, the 12th inst., and to the sale of SO heavy draught mares and geldings, ex Omeo, from Melbourne, on account of Mr John Trestrail, on Saturday, Kith inst We quote first-class draughts £05 to £75 ; medium do, £85 to £50 : good hacks and light harness horses, £25 to £30 ; medium do, £14 to £18 ; light and inferior, £5 to £7.

Wool.—We shall hold our next public sale on Thurs day, 14th instant.

Sheepskins.—We held our usual weekly sal* on Wednesday, when we offered a considerable quantity, chiefly dry station skins. There was a good attendance of buyers, and keen competition for full-woolled merino skins, but half-breds are not in as good demand as they were a month ago, and do not bring as high prices as they did then. Our sales were as follows: iiutchers' green skins, half-breds, 5s lOd to Gs 4d • merinos, 5s 4d to Gs ; lambs, Is 3d to 2s ; station skins 2s 4d to Us, according to description. Hides are in good demand, and command an advaiica on late values. We so'.d several lots of light and medium weights at from lGs 9d to 18s (id; heifer skins 7s ; calf skins, 2s 7d. Grain.—Wheat is in good request, and milling samples are saleable at 5s Gd per bushel; medium at ii 9d to ss; and inferior at 4s to 4s 3d. Oats are hardly so firm in price ; sales of feed having- been made at 5s 3d to 5s Gd, and milling at up to 5s 9d per bushel.

Mr Bradsiiaw reports the following cash transactions for week ending Saturday, January 9th, viz. :—

Sales of Colonial Bank of New Zealand shares, at ICs; National Insurance Co., £1 Ss; South British Insurance Co., £2 7s; Standard Insurance Co. 10* Forbury Park Co, £42 Is 4d; Mosgiel Woollen Factory Co., £2 ISs. Sellers: Colonial Bank of New Zealand 10s; Guardian Printing Co., £2 4s; Mos"iel Woollen Factory Co., (£3 paid up),£3, (10s paid up), 10s ; National Insurance Co., £1 8s Gd. Buyers: Colonial Bunk of New Zealand, 153; Forbury Park Co., £40National Bank of New Zealand, £3 Gs, cum div • National Insurance Co., £1 7s; Standard Insurance Co., 10s.

Brandy Whisky.. Col. do Rum .. Geneva.. £ s. d. .. 125 3 7 Tobacco .. 36 14- 1 Tea .. 15 15 0 Sugar .. .. 21 4 8 Drapery .. 34 5 9 Sundries Total £ b. d. .. 14C 8 0 .. 54 3 0 .. S4 1 6 ..130 8 6 .. 73 3 8 ..£727 7 9