COMMERCIAL.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 452, 14 January 1869, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Business in town has been somewhat dull since the Ck.rirf.mas holidays, many of the up-country store-keepers having previous to tlio holidays laid in a sufficient stock for a month's supply. The retail shops and hotels i:j town have also during the past week been scantily patronised, as is usually the case during the first week or two of the New Year. In a few weeks, however, business will have returned to its former steady state ; miners will be washing up again ; the smaller stores will require replenishing ; and the importers' stocks will meet with more inquiry than during the past ten days. The market may be said to be well supplied with most articles at present, fair average stocks being held, cquivalentto the demand. The staple articles continue at steady prices. Provincial flour is abundant at low prices,, and Adelaide, though not largely held, has fallen £2 per ton during the past few days. New potatoes are not very plentiful, the stocks consisting of the last two small shipments by the Nelson steamers. Butter for the present is rather a drug in the market, the principal merchants being over-stocked. Hams and bacon are slack of sale, owing to the late abundant supply of butcher-meat in town, and in the outlying districts. The stocks of of horscfeed have been considerably reduced during the past few weeks, and fairer prices are now being realised. It is observable that larger quantities of i;ooJs are being sent up the Buller river by Iho var'ous storekeepers. This week two of the banks, the New Zealand and New Soutli Wales, have shipped nearly seven thousand ounces of gold. The amount of revenue collected at the Custom House during the past two days has been : Import duties ... £SI 13 10 Gold duty 511 11 0 £593 4 10