Commercial Intelligence.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1479, 18 June 1879, Page 2

Commercial Intelligence.

Timaru Berald Office, Tuesday Evening. We regret that wo are unablo to report any satisfactory improvement m the stato of geneial buainess, the depression m all branches of trade being quite ns bnd ns at tho dnte of our last report. Failures have been numerous, and m several instances for heavy amounts. We fear many moro will occur before thc crisis passes away and things resume their natural position. There arc great complaints amongst working men about scarcity of work, nnd meetings of " unemployed " have heen held iv Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, nnd elsewhere, to urge upon the Government the necessity of finding work. Thc appeals made have been promptly responded to, nnd work offered by the Bailway Department and numbers of the local bodies, but strange to say, very few men have taken advantage of it. Despito the professions of misery and destitution, whicli the "unemployed " put forward, they somehow or other lind plenty of money to get drunk upon. While there is no use hiding the fact thafc the laboring classes are feeling the pinching of the shoe as well as their masters, we must t-trongly impress upon our Home readers the fact lhat there is no need for any man to starve here, as if he will only agree to reduced wages — say 7s nnd Ss per day, instead of Os and 10s — he need not seek far for employment. Unfortunately for themselves and tho colony at large, the working men hnve been pnid far too well m the past, when good labor wus scarce, and they now cannot be brought to understand that they should expect to bo paid at a less into when times aro hard. Egged on by a few lazy, useless, semi-educated, but plausiblo vagabonds, with fluent tongues, they are not only causing misery to themselves and their families by their groundless cries of " wolf, wolf," where no wolf is, but are injuring thc credit of the colony at large. Under the advice of tlieir leaders, they turn up their noses at pick and shovel work, and consider thomselves too good to do the " Government stroke." The wet weather which has (ruled during the past two months, has onabled ploughing operations to bo carried on briskly, and the majority of the crops are now m the ground. A lesser acreage hns been sown this year than last, owing to the farmers being hard up, but we hope ere next season comes round that agricultural prospects will wear a brighter aspect. Owing to Australian ndviccs, wheat has hardened {[considerably, and it is nowquoted by somo merchants as high as 3s 8d for primo milling. Oats are slightly firmer, at ls Od to ls lld ; wliilo barley, owing to several American cargoes daily expected, is easier. During the month, two more vessels have been despatched from Timaru for Homo — viz., the ship Margaret Galbraith, on May 21th, with 42,868 bushels of wheat, and 197 sacks of flour ; and the barquo Edwin Fox, on June 13th, with 36,052 bushels of wheat. The barques Chile and Clnn Campbell are now loading for London, and should be away witliin a fortnight. The export trnde during the past four weeks hns ngnin been very heavj-, tho principal shipments by sea being 137,176 bushels wheat, 1376 do. barley, 336-1 do. oats, 103 sacks mnlt, 38 do. bran, 8-17 do. flour, 35 boles sheepskins, 160 do. wool, 3817 cases preserved ments, 52 ensks tallow, kc A few sules of suburban land hnve taken place, and on tho whole the prices realised havo been far higher than was expected. Thc building trade, although not so active as it was somo four or fivo months back, is still fairjy brisk, nnd not a few new business places of importance aro going up m various parts of tho town. Tho works on tho Breakwater have been at a standstill for nearly six weeks, owing to the steam crane breaking down. It is expected to be m full working order again this week, when work will be again resumed. The Broakwater now extends about 250 feet seawards, 120 feet being of solid concrete. The depth of water at the end is about 15 feet at high, and 8 or 9 feet at low tide. Messrs Taylor nnd Bowie report ns follows: — Flour (wholesale) is fetching £8 and £9 per ton ; hest oatmeal, £17 ; sharps, £5, f.0.b. ; bran, £4, f.0.b. : potatoes (wholesale), £4 per ton. In building material, Mr John Jackson quotes ns follows : — Timber — New Zenlund wliito pine, from 16s per 100 feet ; totara nnd black pine, ISs to 20s per 100 feet ; do, Van Dicman's Land, 20s per 100 feet ; V D.L. palings (sft), 20s ; do (6ft) 2-ls ; V.D.L shingles, 2-is per 1000 ; spokes, 42s per 100 ; felloes, from Is 3d each ; Gospel Oak galvanised iron, £31 per ton. All kinds of building material and blue gum timber nre m good supply. Coals (Newcastlo) are £2 10s to £2 los per ton m the yard. Firewood is at from 34s to 40s per cord. Firewood (cut), 40s b.p. Mr James Bruce reports : — Scantling : Bed and white pine, 16s per 100 feet; blnck pine, or totara, 20s. T. and G. Flooring and Busticated Boards : kauri, 22s per 100 feet. T. and G. Lining : kauri, 20s per 100 feet. Eauri cut to any size, from 20s to 25s per 100 feet. Galvanised iron, £30 per ton ; hardwood, 23s per 100 feet ; palings (sft), 235, (6ft), 25s j firewood, from 35s to 40s per cord ; stakes, 27s 6d per 100 ; posts and rails, from £5 to £5 10s per 100. All kinds of bnilding material nnd kauri timber are m good supply. — Flour (wholesale), £10 j bran, £4 10s ; sharps, £5 lOs ; oatmeal, £16 ; pearl barley, £25. Mr Alpheus Hayes reports building material as follows : — Per 100 feefc superficial — scantling, 14s ; boards, 15s ; flooring, T. and G., 20s ; fining, T.G. and 8., 18s ; rusticated, 20s. Per 100— posts, 100s; rails, 90s; stakes, 245 ; pickets, 12s. All kinds m good supply.