COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10018, 9 April 1894, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Saturday evening. The amount of customs revenue received to-day on goods cleared for consumption was £35318s Bd. A fair amount of business has been done in the import market during the past week. Being the eirly period of the month has largely to do with this, but traders appear to think there is a slight improvement iv trade as well. Stocks of seasonable Hues are in moderate compass, and although purchases are stiU only made from hand to mouth vilues are hardening, and holders are hopeful of securing better margins on goods than have been procurable recently. A. further advance has been eitablished in kerosene. Stocks on hand and supplies on the way are light, and importers are gradually working the market up to a coveting p-ico. For parcels the quotation to-day is ls4o par gallon (flrm), and holders are not anxious to quit any quantity thereat. Ordinary lots command ls 4Jd per gallon, and the tendency is towards a further rise. In the bagging market there has been good inquiry for cornsacks. btocks are light, of 44's particularly, and these have beon freely placed at 5s 3d per dozen. Woolpacks are oat of season, and nominally worth ■ls lld far pack for fellroongers' lots. Candles are i seasonable demand. Best brands of imported aro disposed of at 7id to 7Jd rier lb. A fair business has bsen done in d-ied fruits during the week, but recent importations have had the effect of slightly lowering pricea. Currants are offering at 3Jd per lb ji parcels, and 3;jd in trade lots. Sultanas are readily procurable at 43d per _ lb. Elemes are not plentiful, and command a sightly higher figure, 4|d to 5d per lb being todiy'a quotation. The demand for fish has slackened off, hut American salmoa keeps in fairly good inquiry; ordiuary first-class brands secure 7s 6d per dozen, "Cocktail" (the leading brand in this market) commauding 9s 6d per dozen. Ling fish ia quiet at 5d to s}d per lb. Sardines move off slowly at 6s 9d per dozen for halves, and at 3s 9d ti 4s per dozen for quarters. Although the new crop of Nelson hops is now being pushed, there is vory little business passing. There is an unsettled feeling amongst those interested in the liquor trade, and this has the effect of limiting business in those lineß pertaining to it. Parcels of new hops are offering in Nelson at lOJd to lld per lb, but sales are few. Values are largely regulated bythe demand from Australia, and while there have been inquiries' from the other side, there has been little or no business done; the market is, therefore, at a standstill at present. On spot hero a few bales are placed now and again at ls to ls OJH per lb. Stocks of rice are ample for requirements, and there is not much doing. Dressed Japan is taken up at £1810s to £19 per ton, and Patna at £19 10s per ton. The market iavery bare of Queensland sugars, and with good inquiry values aro very firm. Finest whites— to which description the demand is practically confined — are held for £25 Bb per ton. The shipment of Mauritius sugar ex Taieri is being taken up rapidly at rates ruling about 2(5 per ton below Queenslands. New Zealand Company's No. 1 goes into consumption at up to £25 10s per ton. Some supplies of the Colonial Sugar Company's sugar imported from Sydney are being placed at £25 10s and £26 per ton. Teas are in fairly good demand, mainly blended sorts. In iron and hardware lines business has also shown a slight improvement dining the week, but Avith the exception of kerosene, already referred to, values are practically unaltered. Galvanised iron is quoted in trade lots at £19 per ton (usual extras). Fencing wire sells at £10 and £10 10s per ton (usual extras), and barbed wire at £18 per ton, in distributing lots. Cement is slow of aale at 14s 6d and 15s per barrel. Raw aud boiled linseed oil are in fair inquiry; the latter occupies tho anomalous position of being cheaper than the former, stocks being plentiful, while raw is in light supply. We quote: Raw, 3s 3d psr gallon in ordinary lots, and boiled 3s 2d per gallon. Castor oil is taken up at 2s Sd per gallon. Turpentine we quote 2s lOd per gallon, being a, reduction on previous rates. The New Zealand Land Association (Limited) have received the following cablegram from their London office, dated April 7:—"Frozen meatMutton market weaker. Canterbury mutton is worth 4Jd per lb j Wellington mutton^ 4Jd per lb. Limb market weak. Prima New Zealand lambs are worth, per c!,rcase, 5Jd perlb." ': .