COMMERCIAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 1329, 25 December 1869, Page 1 (Supplement)

COMMERCIAL.

KanierL had a good washing-up last week ; shaves arc enquired for at £90. I hayeheaid of one share in the Brighton Lead having changed hands :it,£Uo. Holders of every description of stock in Ross are increasing their demamß I have placed one parcel of Band of Hopes af equal to -17s 6d. Stars, original 3()'s, can safely be quoted at £200. A little doing in Scandinavians, hut holders are rather too stiff in their demands. There are sellers at £&, aivl buyers at £5. Drainage Company's shares si:" beginning to attract a a little more attention. If is confidently expected thai the Ross United Drainage Company will have gleam up on the 29th instant. When this company gets fairly started, a new era of prosperity will dawn on I lie Tolara district.

We have again to report a dull month's business in the import mai'ket, and with this a very great fall in prices from those quoted in the preceding months. This is owing to a variety of causes, principally among which are the very large stocks onhand, and which have kepi increasing during the month. A very large quantity of cereals have come to

hand during the month, and at the beginning, stocks were well held, but gradually the pressure of paper becoming due was brought to bear,' an 1 the consequence has been that holders havo been obliged to give way ; added to this, the consumption has not been equal to tho supply, the trade having bought sparingly, or, as it is termed, from hand to mouth. Latterly every description of goods which had been sent to a market, has resulted in a loss to the shipper, and it is to be hoped that very little will come forward for some time, as it can only do so at a ; loss to the shipper. Flour, which we quoted at the end of November at £19 for Hart's, can now be readily purchased for £18 ; and if. a large parcel were taken, holders would submit to a less figure. ' Inrorprovincial flour has not receded in prk'e from our last quotations Oats are still easier, and the prices we quoted last month can scarcely ba maintained. "For Otago, 5s 3d is a full figure, and other kinds will barely realise as. Several large parcels are to hand during the mouth, but with the exception of a trial parcel which realised under 5s *?,!, none were sold at auction, and the whole lot were sent to store for a better figure. Bran is in steady demand, and prices may be s^id to h\ a shade easier than last month. \V« then quoted tho article at 2s Id and 2s 2d. At present the former quotation is the correct one. The stock in hand is large, and the demand is chiefly confined to the trade. - Ch:if£ has follpn very much in price. Our lust quo-

tations were £IGIO to £17, but hoi 'ers wishing to pace lines must now submit lo a much, lower price. A parcel,exAboriqine,fromMplbonrne went, nmier the hammer, at £14. The balance of the line went to store for a bett»r figure. Tho stocks are ample for sometime to come, 'The trade can supply themselves nt from £15 to Cl 5 10s ; huf to'place a large lin:. the former iigure is the correct quotation. Maize is scarce!)' saleable. All that comes to hand is to order, and the article may be sa ; d to be retailed out at 6s 3d per bushel. No large lines have been disposed of for a length of time. The stocks are. amp'e for present consumpf ion. Potatoes have receded in price since our last quotations at the end of last month. 01-' l stock are dull of sale,and lnuirht principally for feeding cattle. "New potatoes, at the end of last month, we quoted at £13, can now he purchased at from £10 to £11 12-; Gd per ton The market is well supplied both from Viuloria a-id interprovincial ports a id we also have now become potatoe growers to a considerable extent, a circumstance which, no doubt, helps to keep the price of the imported article under the rates obta'ned last year. Butter, which at the end of November we quoted at lid to Is, can now be readily purchased .it 8d to 9d per pound. The slocks are at present equal to the demand. Cheese has not changed from last quotation*.' Colonial hams and bacon are a little easier -on last prices. Sugars remain about the same as we last stated ; the demand has been steady, and the supply ample. In oilmen's stores, we have no change to notice. There was a little fluctuation in wines and spirits during the month, but at the end we cannot alter our former quotations. Groceries are steady and un<-hiiiged. We append auctioneer's reports during the month. Mr W. Todd, auctioneer, reports as follows : — Monday, ex Claud Hamilton — New potatoes, £10 10s ; lemons, 20s ; oranges, 16s Gi to 20s ; apricots, 19s to 25s ; butter, Sd ; onions, 4^\ to 4Jd. Tuesday — Bale of furniture, and effects at Mr Hyde's Westfand House ; good • attendance, and fair pr'ces realised. Wednesday, ex Charles; Edward and other steamers — Potatoes, £11 ss ; onions, £5 •, fowls, 6s 9(1 ; geese, 14s 6(1 to 16s ; turkeys, 2Qs ; ducks, 7s Gd to 8s ; butter, 7d to 9/1 ; onions, sd. Same day — Cottage and section in Stafford-street, to Mr Arming, for £3:5. Tuesday, on the wharf, ex Aborigine — Maize, 6a 3d ; 'onions, 5d ; new potatoes, £10 5s to £10s 10s, and £11 ; geese, 11s ; butter, Bd. Saturday— Charlie vi illiams's Baths, to •Mr Enuis, butcher, for- £55 Also, privately, parcels of butter at price* for quality ; jams, Bs. • ' Mr Richard Reeves reports a dull week's business. At auction sales, biddings very languid ; in fact, the business done under the hammer may be almo't set down as nil. Pro perty still dull of sale. In consequence of the extraordinary dry weather we have experienced fov such a length of time, there is little doing in mining matters. I have p >ssed a considerable number of Maori Reserve scrip through my hands during the past week, at an advanced rale. Should the rain at present falling continue for twenty-four hours, this : co:;ip.i.T)y will be, able to prove tho ground, when, no doubt, shares will be still more raluable. The Victoria Company at the