Commercial.

Otago Witness, Issue 1495, 10 July 1880, Page 15

Commercial.

CUSTOMS REVENUE. The following revenue was received at tho Custom house, punedin. during the week ending Wednesday

THE WEEK'S BUSINESS. Witness Office, Wednesday Evening. Several circumstances combined to make the past week a quiet week in business circles ; bad weather, and many firms selecting the end of June as their period of yearly or half-yearly stocktaking, being the principal. Trade hasin consequence been verydulland there isvery little alteration to report in the previous week's quotations. In ales and stout there is not much doing, as buyers are unwilling to pay the increase' 3 prices necessitated by the additional duty. Small lots of Foster's ales have been sold at 13s 6 to 13s 9d ; Bulldog, at 12s 6d ; Guinness' stout at 12s 6d, and Bulldog at 12s 3d ; but owing to the large quantities in first hands duty paid, it is still possible to buy at a very small advance on the old prices. With the exception of the usual winter demand for whiskies there is next to nothing doing in spirits, brandies especially being very quiet. Candles are slow at 9 Jd to 9Jd per lb for De Roubaix's. At auction during the week De Roubaix-Odenkoven's were placed at 9Jd per lb. In dried fruits there is very little doing, and prices are easier. We quote currants 5Jd to 5Jd per lb ; elemes, 7d ; sultanas, 6ijd to 7d. Recent arrivals have put the market in full supply of galvanised iron. Best brands are held for £29 and £30, but outsiders can be bought in parcels at £27 per ton. Fencing wire is slow of sale, and prices are not so firm. No. 8 can be bought at £16 10s per ton ; other numbers at the proportionate reductions. Oils, after a period of scarcity, are now in full supply, and prices have sensibly receded. We quote raw and boiled linseed at 4b and 4s 2d per gallon in drums, and colza at 4s 9d. Kerosene is now nearly all out of first hands, and prices have advanced. Light of the Age having been cleared out of agents' hands, is re-selling at Is 6d per gallon in bond ; Star sells at Is 4£d ; and there is a disposition all round to hold for higher prices. Sugars are easy, with little business passing. Finest whites are dealt in at £38 10s to £39 per ton, and fine whites at £37 10s to £38. Stocks of teas in importers' hands are of the lightest description ; but there will be very little done in the teamarket until the arrival of the new season's supplies. On Friday last Mr D. M. Spedding held an auction sale of general merchandise in his rooms, at which there was a good attendance of the trade. Amongst the lines sold were the following :— Lea and Perrins' sauce, half-pints, 12s 3d ; vinegar, 7s 3d to 7s 4Jd ; Pink's lib marmalade, 7s lid ; do salad oil, pints, 9s 6d ; half-pints, 5s ljd ; do castor oil, pints, 7s 4Jd ; half -pints, 4b 3d; bi-cavbonate soda, 19s 3d; whiting, £5 5s per ton ; De Roubaix-Odenkoven's candles, 9Jd per lb. Wheat has been inquired for during the week, but really prime samples are somewhat scarce, and I for these 3s lOd and 3s lid is generally asked. The large export shipments of wheat and oats are having a perceptible effect upon the market, and for the latter advanced prices are asked for best samples. Barley is neglected ; prime samples of malting are not plentiful, and the brewers will not look at inferior descriptions.

I*;— Thursday Friday Saturday Monday Tuesday ■ Wednesday 4 s. d 491 1 1 1738 1 5 296 10 4 1368 15 3 1210 19 5 636 11 6 Tota £5741 19 0