Commercial Intelligence.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 2943, 28 February 1884, Page 2

Commercial Intelligence.

Timaru Herald Office, Wednesday Evening*. Sinoa the departure of the last Homeward mail via America there has not boon roooh business done m town, ail's the port has been almost empty, shipping operations being confined to the reception of consignments of miscellaneous goods per coastal steamoM, and the despatch by the uame means of the later clips of wool. The proprietors of grain stores have boon clearing np m readiness for the deliveries whioh may bu expected daring the month now ensuing. In tho agricultural districts, however, peat activity is apparent. Tbe harvest is well begun, f.nd a large proportion of the crops on the lowjr country has already passed through tho binder. Owing to the coo! and moist characrter of the pa.it summer the bnrvost is a good deal later than usual, bnt tho crops have ripened rapidly under the influonoe of finer weather which has prevailed daring the last throe tr four wocks, and the harvest promUes to be iis short as the machinery and labor available can make it. Tho unusual character of the summer gavo rise to gloomy forebodings respecting the harvest season ; it was feared -bo damp and unsettled weather would continue, and make the gathoringof the crops m n sound state as difficult and uncertain as it; w is loft year. The welcpmo cliange as the surlier crops ripened, however, made the prcspeit more cheerful, and though we hod an uausially heavy rain on Saturday last, hopes aro entertained of geonring the balk of the grain m good condition, and should this be effected the samples will undoubtedly b 9 good, and tfco yields encouragingly largo. Tho threshing mills aro just getting to work, bat tboro have boon no deliverios yet to speak of. Tho question of opening prioes for wheat it) not yet sottlecl. For a fow small parcolß of sound early ripened, for mixing with old, millers hay* given 3s 63 for immodiato delivery, but this is no oriterion of value from an exporter s point; of view. Buyers for export talk of 2s lOd to 3* ; (powers, as osaal at tho opening of tho reason, will hold out for more. In view, however, of the assortod unusually lurge visible supply " ia America, it seems unlikoly thut the merchants will oporato at much over 3s. We observe that prices of wheat m Adalai Jo las; weok were quoted at 8s lid f.0.b., nnd about; tho nanio rate rulod m Molbonrne for export parcels, with a demand on the part of. buyers for a reduction. Tho probable values of oats bavo not yot boon dig. oussed. They a;re, as usual, noglcotod m favor of tho more important export cereal at this early staged of the season. In onr nummary sheet will be foend a description of the crops iii the soutaoru and wv«tern sections of tho district, by a iipeoial reporter, from jyho/io detailed devolutions and general remarks It will be gathered that, given dry weather during harvest, a largo yield of exoellent graiu will b» g*rx*red fchie yma.

The moist summer had the effort of producing unlimited quantities of feed, oiid root crops srs coming on wonderfully well. ' Btoot at all lands are consequently m eplendid condition, and have a plentiful supply of winter feed m prospect. Tho local value of fat stock Una not seusibly declined, howevor, the meat axport trade having furnished an outlet for the surplus, a good many thousands of sheep baring found their Tray Home from South Canterbury via Port Chalmers and Lyttelton. Before this time next year we shall probably have the pleasure of ohronicling considerable shipmunts of moat direct from our own port. Mr J. G. Alien, Bolford Mills, reports as follows :— Flour, f.0.b., per ton, .£lO ; ditto, ditto, por 1001 b bags, XlOlOs: ditto ditto, 501 b, .£11 ; sharps, £\; bran, £3 10a. Mesara James Bruoe and Company (limited), of the Royal Flouring Milla, report as follows : — Flour m sacks, LlO per ton ; m 1001 b baga, LlO 10b ; m 501 b bags, Lll. Br*n, L 3 10s ; ditto (feed), L4 — deliverod at mill. Mr R. Bowie reports as follows :— Flonr (wholesale) is fetouing £ 1 0 10a to .£l2 10a per ton ; best oatmeal, JJl3 lOa ; sharps, .£s los, f.0.b. ; bran. £i 10s, f.o.b. ; potatoes, old, 203 per ton ; new do, 8s per cwt. Mr Alpheuß Hayiss roporta m building matoiial — Timber: rod and whito pine from Us por 100 ft ; black pino and totnra, from 14a to 18s ; flooring and rusticated boards, from 14s ; :ind lining, from 12* 6d. Firewood, long, at "24a to 32s por cord. Firwood, out „ 26s „ 36s „ Split posts, from 80s per 100. All kinds of building and fencing material are m good supply. In building' matorial, Mr John JacVaon quotes as follows: — limber — Now Zealand white' pino, from 11s por 100 ft; totnra and black pino, 14a to 18s per 100 f t; do, Van Diemen'H Land, 22s per 100 ft cash ; V.D.L. palings (sft), 235 : do (Git) 255, cash j felloes, from Is 3d each ; tongued and grooved kauri lining, from 17s 6d ; rusticated boanls, kauri, 235 ; Qospol Oak galvanised iron, £27 per ton. AU kinds of building material and Muo gum timber are m good supply. Calls (Newcastle) are 3lis to 40s per ton m the yard. I' Firewood is at from 35s io 40a per cord. Firewood (out), 40n b.p. The principal imports at the port of Timarn for the four ■weeks endod yesterday wore as follows : — General merchandise, 1i75 tons ; ooal, 430 tons. The prinoipal exports for the same period were :— Whoat, 13,069 bushels ; oats. 23,272 bushels ; bran, 1656 sacks • sharps, 237 sacks ; flour, 2714 saoks ; grass seed, 159 sacks ; wool, ltiTl bales ; tallow, 20 casks.