COMMERCIAL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3153, 21 March 1871, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Hokitika.— The " West Covet Times" reports on the 13th : — Business is quiet. Hurt's Adelaide is Eellinp at £17 10s ; Dunn's, £17, in quantities. Company's sujjar is at present £56 per ton, and for £ood white Mauritius, £52 to £54; counters, £52. Brandies — owing to adviceß received by the Alhambra — are held for higher rates. Wheat, 3s 9d ; maize, 6b 6d ; oata, 3s 7d to 3s 10 for prime samples. Butter is advancing in price, and very little | coming forward. For prime Wellington the price asked is 8d to 9d per Ib. Potatoes are . now selling aL a higher figure, and sales attraction of imported have realised £5 10s per ton. Dunkdin.— The "Times" of the 13th reports : — a steady business has been done during the past week, though the operations in the import market bave not been extensive, and in those coming under observation there has been little of interest. For tlie up-coun-try districts and for coastwise the demand continues moderately good ; but storekeepers

are nofc yet ordering winter goods to any extent, though likely to be doing so immediately. The enquiry for liquids has been slack, and no item can be noted as moving in any but trifling parcels. Foivteas we note a fair enquiry chiefly for the better kind, the values of all which are sustained. The sugar market, recently noted as improving, oontinuee very firm, Kerosene has been demanded at 3s 6d, and ab this figure sales have been making during the week. The arrival of a heavy shipment at Melbourne, a portion of which is designed for this market, has dulled the enquiry and rendered the market at its close leBS firm. For samples of good new wheats 4s is now the highest obtainable rate ; old wheats seem to be very scarce, and though probably worth 2d or 3d more, nothing seems to have been- done. Now oats, moving in the early part of the week at 2a 6d, are now offered in large parcels at 23 3d to 2s 4d ; old oats are still quoted at 2a 7d to 2a Bd, but there are scarcely any offering. New barleys have scarcely come into the market yet, and quotations continue nominal for all except very superior malting parcels. Cattle.— Messrs Driver, Stewart, & Co, report for the week ending 11 March :— Weekly Market.— We yarded about 35 head prime quality cattle, which realised £6 15s each, or say about 18s 6d per 100 bis ; also about 250 sheep, inferior, which sold at 4s 6d per head. We quote prime quality cross-bred mutton at 2d ; ditto merino, at lsd to 2d per Chbistciiurch.— The " Press" of the 18th says :— Again we have to report a very quiet week. The reports from the country districts of the quantity of grain, partially and wholly damaged are very discouraging. A number of small farmers will be totally ruined, and others seriously crippled. Very little groin has been offering during the week, as the weather has entirely checked threshing. Wheat for delivery, is firm at Ss lid to 4s, for best samples, while 3s 6d to 3s 9d has been paid for inferior and faulty parcels, which unfortunately, preponderate. Flour remains at £11. Barley has an extensive 'range, and sales are recorded at 2s, 2s 3d, 2s 6d, and up to 3s 6d for extra prime. Very large sales of oats have been made, good samples of potato, Poland, and Canadian realising 2s o£d to 2s 2d, and inferior Is lid to 2s. Tartars are slow in demand, and move off at Is 9d to Is lid. In almost every instance the oats delivered show 1 signs of being touched by weather and are below the average of last year. It is a well known fact, that in many instances farmers who filled in their returns at estimates ranging from 20, 32, 25, 30 and even 35 bushels per acre find the actual yield, now they have threshed, 20 and even 30 per cent, lower than they had calculated upon. Hops nave been dealt in to some extent, fine pale samples 1870 Konts, realising Is 5s to Is 7d. Older growths are offering at lOd to lid, and in trade lines at ll§d to Is. Kerosene also meets with Borne support at 3s 9d to 3s lid ; stocks are rather limited. A part shipment is shortly expected, and quotations must decline on its arrival. ! Nelson.— The "Examiner" of the 18th | says : — Mr Stavert sold yesterday, at Richmond, a cargo of thirty-three head of cattle, ex Wanganui, from Wanganui. Steers and heifers in fair condition brought from £5 10s to £8 ; young cattle and store cows, in poor condition, sold from £2 10a to £6 10a.