The Argus of the 11th Inst reports:—

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 1004, 25 February 1871, Page 13

The Argus of the 11th Inst reports : —

In the import markets a steady business continues to be done. A fair amount of activity is reported in the market for breadstuffs ; the business done, however, has been confined to selling wheat, of which several parcels have been disposed of. Two lines of 300 bags eaoh of Adelaide wheat were placed at 6s 3d and 6s 4d per bushel, or 10s 5d and 10s 6|d per cental respectively. For a line ef 400 bags Adelaide, 6s 3d per bushel, or 10s 5d per cental, was also accepted. Fine Victorian wheat is offering at 6s 2d per bushel, or 16s 3Jd per cental. We have little to refer to in flour in the way of sales, as almost all the dealers prefer holding off at present rather than operate to any extent. Quotations, however, are maintained at Ll4 to Ll4 5s and Ll4 loa, but only trade parcels are disposed of. Oats are dull, and very few sales are coming under ournotioe. A parcel of New Zealand was quitted at 3s lOd per bushel, or 9s 7d per cental, for prime qualities ; ordinary samples are offering at 3s 8d per bushel, or 9s 2d per cental. Maize is decidedly easier, but there is not much decline after all ; Mies having been made at 4s 9d to 4a

fott par buihel, or 8a sjd to 8s 7£d P*? oentwt. In sugars there is a good deal of bnsineas doing* as the trade come forward and purchase very freely** now that they have 'got over their reluctance to ooncede the advance demanded by all holders. Some 1500 bags have been quitted at prices ranging from L 36 for very low yellows to L4O for good yellow orystaK The cargo of the Belsize will be offered by publio sale on Monday next. For teas we note an improving demand, more especially for congou, ranging from 13d to 14d. Kerosene oil still meets with favour. The Hero, for Auckland, takes forward several parcels, but many orders are stiil unexecuted on the market, having arrived too late to be shipped by the s earner referred to. We learn that offers aa high as 2s 7d have been made for Brilliant without being responded to. The quantity destroyed in Auckland now turns ont to he much less than at first stated, but the faot that the whole in the place has thus been burnt out cannot be denied, and speculators are not the less confident owing to that. In timber, we learn that the cargo of Oregon, per Columbia, wns disposed of this forenoon as follows :— 3 x 9 to 6 x 8 was cleared off at from L 6 10s to L 6 17s 6d j 8 x 8 brought L 6 10a ; 9 i 9, L 7 7s 6d ; 9 x 12, L 7 ; 10 x 10 and 12 x 12,' L 6 15s to L 7 6a ; 14 xl 4 and 16 x 16, L 6 5a to L 6 10a ; and 18 x 18, L 7 12s.