COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14927, 1 September 1910, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

CUSTOMS RETURNS.

Tho net Customs duties collected at Dunedin for the month of August amounted to £50.626 10a 9d. Tho licer duty amounted to £2511 13s 9d, and 10,4310z of gold was exported of fe value of £41,561. Tho figures for tho corresponding month of la6t year were:—Net Customs, £27.358 8s; beer duty, £2448 12s 6d; and cold exported, 86840z of tho value of £34,764.

AUCKLAND RETURNS,

C?er United Press Assocutioh.) AUCKLAND, August 31. Tho Oustoms returns for Aueklaaid for August total £76,833, as against £48,441 for tho same month last year. Tlio surtax collected last month .was £1720, and the beer duty £1880, as against £1810 'for Auglist> 1909. Tho exports for last month amounted' to £240,235, aa'compared with £151,153 for August, 1909. Of the largo increase (£89,082), gold and silver account, for £29,274, kauri gum'for £37,175, beef for £4211, hides for £4999/ Mow for £2777, and skins .for £2034. Laiit month's gold oxport was valued'at £83,156, and' the silver exported at £20,259.

CLEARING SALE AT'IDA VALLEY.

Tho Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of New Zealand, in conjunction with tho National Mortgago and: Agcnoy Company, .report havingi hfld, on August 25, on account, of Mr' George N. M'lntosh, at his liioinMtcad, Ida Valloy, one of the most successful' sales that the auctioneere havo conducted for a oonaiderable time. Capital arrangements had been made by the vendor for tlio convenience of tho auctioneers and buyers, tho shpop boing carefully drafted in convenient, rotation pons, t-hiis enabling buyers and salosman to keep together. The ccttlo and horses wcro also 6plondidly a-vranged; After partaking of Mr M'lntosh's hospitality tlio auction commenced with tho shoe;), and all being in gocd condition'and buyers numerous thero was no- hesitation on the part of ,bidders in starting each lot .close to .full value. Competition was exceptionally - keen throughout the. iiuction, and a complote clearance of tho whole of his stock and plant was speedily effected. There was a vory largo muster of- farmers from all parts of Ida Valley, Maniototo, Alexandra, Clyde, Wanaka,' Taieri, Dunedin, Milton, StrathTaieri, and Oaniaru. It wes woll known throughout tho .country that tho property had changed hands, and tho stock sale, bjing absolutely unrosorVcd, had tho effect of bringing buyers from near and far. The following are a few of-tbe prices obtained: One-shear B.L. ram, 9gs, purchased by Mr Alt. North (Glenomani); a line of twoshear B.L. rams, 4igs; B.L. hoggets, Ms; owe hoggots, I 83; a lino of superior halfewes, two, four, and' six-tooth, 25s 3d'; cnc-shcar B.L. ewes, 21s 6d; three and four-year-old quality Clydesdale fillies, £30 to £40; useful farm geldings, to £37; dairy cows, to £8 15s; steers and heifers, to £6; harnsse and implements, 6atisfactcry prices.

POST OFFICE NOTICES,

Mails closo at tho Chief Pest Office, Dunedin, a 6 under :— For Northern Forts, overland, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6.30 a.m.; Tuesday, 'I'luirsday, and Saturday, 10.30 a.m. i'or I'almcMton. " Oumaru, Waimate, Teinuka, Timaru, Ashb'urton, Chri6tchuroh, overland daily at 6.30 a.m. (lato letters C.P.O. 7.10 n.m., inail van 8 a.m.), and at 10.3U a.m. Ilato letters C.P.O. 10.45 a.m., guard's van 11.15 a.m.). For Grcymotith, Hokitilcu, and Reeflon, Monday, Wednesday, and .Friday, at 10.30 a.m. For Invercargill and intermediate offices, daily at 7.30 a.m. date letters C.P.O. 8 a.m., on mail van 8.20 a.m.) and at 3.45 p.m. (Into letters C.P.Q. 4 p.m.' guard's van 4.25 p.m.). For Oamani, Timaru, and intermediate ofliecs, daily, at. 2.30 p.m. (lata iettors on guard's van 3.18 p.ii|.). For Cromwell, Clyde. Ranfurly, and intermediate offices, daily at 630 a.m. (lato lottors on guard's van 7.45 a.m.). Lato fee letters must boar. Id in addition to tlio ordinary postage. Newspaper mails clos" 30 minutes earlier than ordinary letter mails. . . TO-DAY (THURSDAY), SEPTEMBER 1. For Norfolk, New Hebrides, Banks', Torres, and Solomon Islands (via Auckland), at 10.30 a.m. FEDERAL SERVICE. For United Kingdom and Australian States (via Wellington), Continent of Europe, Ceylon, India, Japan, China, Straits Settlements, Mauritius, South Africa, Mediterranean Ports, etc. (due in London October ; 10), per North Exprer-s, at 10 a.m. .Money ord-srs issued till 4 p.m. on 31st, and registered articles accepted till 9 a.m. on tho Ist. late lettors may bo postal at C.P.O. till 10.30 and on guard's van till 11.15 a.m. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2.' For New South Wales, Queensland, and Fiji (via Auckland), at 6.30 a.m. For Lyttciton and Christchurch, per Tarawera, at 3 p.m. DIRECT SERVICE. Tho next parcel mail for United Kingdom, etc., will bo closed at 7 p.m. on September 6. ■ SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. The next bsst despatch for United States of America, etc., etc., will be via San Franoisco, at 10 a.m., on 'Soptertibor 15. W. ST. G. DODCT.AS,Chief Postmaster.