COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10596, 14 September 1896, Page 1

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Saturday evening. The amount of customs revenue received to-day on goods cleared for consumption was £640135. Business during the past week in the import market has been fairly good, more particularly in connection with the country trade. Values of goods are well maintained, and stocks are within moderate compass, i The s.s. Fultala arrived . during the week from Calcutta, via northern . ports, bringing to this market 1270 bales of wool- ■ packs, some 1000 half-cases of castor oil, and an assortment: of other Eastern lines. The ivoolpicks are just a little early in the season, and there is as yet no business to talk of being done, but imports are principally in execution of con-, sumers' orders, aud the quantity for resale in the 1 open market is not large. ' We do not hear of any transactions Beyond a few^ bales having changed hands. The nominal quotation for small lots is Is 7d per pack, but a concession on this is quoted for quantities. The small quantity of castor oil which the FuKala brought has riot affected quotations. Holders Btill ask 2s lid to 3s per gallon for ordinary lots. A steady demand has prevailed for dried fruits, sultanas especially beiug in request, and these are very firm at 5d parlb. Currants are taken.up at 33d to 3Jd per lb. In response to advices of the state of the market at Home, elemes have hardened very much, and holders prefer now to keep them rather than let them go at the figures which.have recently been ruling. The current quotation for best samples is 4Jd per' lb. Trade in 'fish is quiet. Ling is scarce, and secures • 48s per cwt. In salmon there is only a small business passing, but prices are steady. We quote Vancouver salmon Bs to 8s u'd per do2en for tall tins and 9s to 9s Gd for flats. "Cocktail" secures up to 9s 6d; other brands of American salmon are selling at about 7s 9d per dozen. Sardines are without change, requirements being filled at 6s 9d to 7s per dozen for halves and Si 9d to 4s per dozen forquarters. There is no local business to report in Nelson hops, nor are stocks uf prime hops very heavy in Nelson. Quotations there for best quality are 9Jd to lOd per lb1 f.0.b., and brewers for the most part supply their requirements from Nelson direct.' A few sales of OuKfornian hop; are phasing at Is Id to Is 3d per II), according to quantity. Notwithstanding the ■ tfastern advices there is very little movement in the rice market. Dressed Japan remains nonii- ; nally at £Vi 10s to £20 per ton, with yrry little dqin». Patua is just in. a similar position, and the nominal quotation is from £l!) lUs.to £20 per ton. Sugar is selling very freely, principally Queensland. A3 already reported, the Colonial bugar Company have reduced their prices by £1 per ton, but holders of Queensland sugars have only so far blade a reduction of 10j per j ton, and sales of best whites in ordi- ! nary trade lots are . made at. £22, 10s per ton, duty paid. For parcels £17 per ton in , bond is the current quotation. There are some ' j very good yellow sugars this year aniongst tho i Queensland consignments, and these are selling ,I M £21 per ton, duty paid, in trade lots. There 1 arc no China sugars in the market, and the Colonial Sugar Company's output remains at £17 : per ton,'f.o.b. Auckland,-for No.'3. ; There is .1 fair, business passing in teas, almost entirely conlined to blends. , On Wednesday, liist Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Coi offered a small catalogue i of Ceylon teas, and on' Friday last Mr I>. M. Spedding offered a small shipment of Indian teas, (ex Fultala. The trade was well represented at i both sales, and all the lote were cleared at fair rates. In iron and hardware lines.: business has ! bee'n'steady during the week, but we' have no alterations in values to report. Galvanised iron is selling at £18 to £18 10.i par ton,, according to quantity, and sales of barbed wire are passing at j about £13 per ton. A considerable quantity of kerosene has been quitted during the week for shipment toother ports. Stocks. here. are not large, and prices are firm at lOd per gallon for ( parcels in bond, and Is 4Jd per 'gallon", duty paid, for 'ordinary trade lots. The ' long-expected (Dilpussund arrived this week;' . ' \. ' ."' ' ■ ■'■• ' ' '»- : ■ ■': ; " •;■ ' "l