COMMERCIAL.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 195, 16 March 1868, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Westport Times Office, Saturday evening. The following is the amount of revenue collected at the Customs lor the week ending March 14:— Monday £35 8 4 Tuesday 26 10 6 Wednesday 62 1 6 Thursday 44 14 0 Friday 45 10 5 Saturday ... ... 77 1 5 £291 6 2 Amount of gold duty, ,£275 13s 7d. The chronic dullness of business still continues throughout Westport and neighborhood, and as credit is virtually stopped we have no transactions of any magnitude to report; indeed until the present crisis is over everything will bo at a standstill. The rush to Queensland, both from our cwn locality and all the other townships on the West Coast still continues, notwithstanding the accounts received chronicle anything but success to the population already there, which is far too large for the extent and richness of the field. The schooner Maid of Erin, from Melbourne with a general cargo, consigned to Spence Bros., her owners, baa arrived, and brings news to the 6th inst. The Queensland diggings are exciting no ihterest in Victoria and New South Wales, and beyond the bare chronicle of the finding of the 1000 oz. nugget, nothing is said about the new field beyond a telegram received from Brisbane, under date of March 6th, which says—" Thirteen thousand diggers are now at the Maryborough Goldfields. The rush has been overdone, and great distress is shortly expected." Under the head of Commercial, the latest Argus says, "The most extraordinary dullness continues to prevade the import markets, and the inactivity of the month (February) presents a marked contrast to the preceding one, when so much liveliness and animation prevailed; and the change moreover has been so sudden that it makes it difficult to ascribe any reasonable cause therefor." During the week we have received 94 head of cattle, 700 sheep, 25 pigs, 10 calves, 12 horses, principally from Warganui, a portion however have gone on to

Greymouth. In breadstuffis little or no business is doing j holders of Hour still hold on at advanced rates, and quotations are for best brands £23 to £25. Oats show an upward tendency. Potatoes are plentiful; during the week several small shipments have been received, and are quoted at from £6 to £7. In spirits—brandy in case and bulk is Blightly advanced, and geneva is scarce and slightly dearer, but no heavy transactions are reported Onions are in demand, small parcels have been placed at 4d. Nelson ale still is the standard here, and the market is well supplied by every vessel from thence. Accounts received from Mokihinui chronicle its desertion, thcWaipara brought nearly the last of the population. The next few months will be a period of great trial to the general stability of the Coast, but we have sufficient confidence in its resources and elasticity to predict a bright future, when the clouds at present hovering over us are blown away.