DUNEDIN TRADE REPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 642, 19 March 1864, Page 12

DUNEDIN TRADE REPORT.

Otago Witness Ofpice, March 17, 1864. Flour and wheat are the only articles in which there has been any speculation since our last weekly report Of the former article there is none at present in first hands, and the retailers are asking extraordinary prices, which are freely given. We know of sales, of small quantities at £40 per ton. On Wednesday, Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn and Co, offered small lots of Adelaide, at auction, which were withdrawn, the highest offer having been £30. Subsequently, an offer of £35 was refused. It was expected that in the present excited state of the market, there would have been no difficulty 'in obtaining £40. Small parcels are now being bought up in the country, and brought to town, and there is little doubt but we will receive supplies from the Dunstan, if cargoes on the water do not soon arrive. Two ships, the Malay and Monarch, are known to be on the way from Adelaide with flour. The former left on the Bth. At Melbourne, the best Adelaide was worth £23, and the tendency throughout the colony was upwards. At Sydney the stock was low, and the price wag advancing; and from Adelaide advices are that there was a large export trade and an advancing market. It is understood that large orders were sent forward some time ago to California and Chili, and supplies are daily expected at Melbourne and Sydney from those countries. The extraordinary state of our own market will strengthen prices in the neighboring colonies ; but it will also hasten forward supplies, so that the present high rate, which has still an upward tendency, will rule much lower within a short time. The crops of wheat are uudoubtedly short, in all the Australasian Colonies, except South Australian, and flour must continue high, until the expected supplies from abroad begin to flow in.

Advices from the Lake Districts are to the effect that stocfts of general merchandise there, nre greatly reduced, and the effect is felt here as well as at InvercargUl. Up-country storekeepers ,aro taking advantage of the fine weather, ana goods continue to leave town in large quantities. While we note an improved . feeling, we have few changes to record. Sugars are firm at last week's rates. In provision? and liquors, there is scarcely auy alteration to note. Full weight sperm candles, ll^d to Is; light. 9£ to lOd; best Cork butter, lOd tolled; colonial, Is 2d; bacon and hams, Is l£d to Is 3d ; English cheese, Is Id to Is 2d j colonial, Is OJd to Is Id. The rates of cartage have advanced since our report of last week, and ore now steady at the

following quotations, for which we are indebted to Messrs E- De Carle and Co. :—

rokomairiro . . Waipori ruapeka Wetherstones.. Beaumont . . Fhe Teviot . . Manuberikia Danstan Hamilton . . LakeWakatipu Dunstan Creek . . per ton ; do .. do .. do .. do .. do .. do .. do .. do .. do „ do £3 10 7 0 7 10 8 0 10 0 15 0 32 10 1-2 0 12 0 18 0 16 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0