COMMERCIAL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue XXVI, 26 July 1871, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

0 ■ Independent Office. The establishment of an extensive trade between California and New Zealand may now fairly be said to be an established fact. Gradually the manifests of the vessels engaged are creeping up, and not only do the gigantic boats of Webb's liuo obtain full cargoes, but so also do Hall'a boats. However, the tido ia clearly in favor of Webb's boats, as their increasing popularity demonstrates. On this trip the Nebraska brought over 3G72 packages of sugar, the largest shipment, probably, that ha« yet been received by any steamer on the Californiiin line. Her cargo also included, for Auckland, 200 cases of salmon. It is rather curious that, although the City of Melbourne left for Sydney direct only a few days before the steamer connecting with the Nebraska, the latter vessel fetched 289 packages for Melbourne and 200 for Brisbane, That the City of Melbourne is not a desirable boat for the conveyance of cargo may bo inferred from the fact that a large quantity of dry goods, insured in London for £600, were sold »t auction on underwriters' account at Honolulu, on July 3, being damaged by sea water. The following items of New Zealand produce were also quittod at the same sale : — New Zealand potatoes, lie to 2c per lb ; New Zealand cheese, ll£c to 17ic ; bread, 4£c to 5e ; New Zealand soap, sic j 1-inch to l£-inch rope, 15J-C to 16£ c per lb j superfine flour, per barrel, 7dol 25c j extra family flour, Bdol 25c. It will scarcely pay to export choeso for sale at Honolulu at 5f d per lb, but if it was saturated with seawater this may be considered a good figure. The English news received by the Nebraska must be regarded as most favorable. The stoppage of the war has made way for the industrial powers of the French, and their transactions in wool have been very large for two months past. In America, too, such a revival of staple manufacturers has set in as to hold out most encouraging prospects to New Zealand growers, who must have suffered not a little by the depression which has ruled for some time past. On the condition of the wool market, an English paper says : — " One of the evils of tho late European war is the groat advance in the price of wool and woolen fabrics. The most marked change is in low-priced, from which blankets and clothing have been made. Such vast quantities of stock have been used necessarily by both armies, that there is almost a wool famine in Europe in these grades. The same is true to a considerable extent hero. As an example, in the lofts of one of our largest houses, whore usually may bo found hundreds of tons of wool, waß seen a few days since one solitary bale. The effect of this h seen especially in the rapid advance of the price of carpets, which are made from these coarse wools. The sterling price has advanced in England three times during the past few weeks, and a further advance still is expected. Our own manufacturers have also found it necessary to advanco their prices in self protection, and it is said there can be no decline until tho next clip, a year hence." Treating of anothor extensive manufacture, an American paper says : — " The steadily advancing prices of cotton, during the last few weeks, have carried with them an advance in standard cotton manufacturers. The principal cause of the advance in the staple is the heavy ' short' interest, combined with the prospect of a short crop, and the restoration of peace in Europe. The reports from the Southern States are very unfavorable for the growing cotton crop. The acreage planted is fully 10 to 12 per cent, less than last year, and the weather has been so unpropitious that the plant is backward, and, in many sections, in so thickly a condition that not much more than half of last year's production is looked for by somo Southern autliO' rities." The latest "Nows of the World" has the following encouraging remarks on the state of the wool market of America .-—The wool market of the East has undergone great exoitoinonts, consequent upon the wool famine in Europe, wheie the stocks are reported exhausted by the use of the armies. At Boston this week the excitement in the wool market, noticed in our report of last week, continues without much abatement, and the transactions hnvo been the largest we have over had to report, amounting to 3,500,0001b5, of which 2,177 OOOlbs were Australian, New Zealand, Cape Mestisa, 'and other foreign ; 555,0001bs California, and the balance all grades and qualities of domestic offering at tho current rates. If wo had even a respectable assortment of domestic fleece, it is evident that the Bales would have been even larger, as prices hero scarcely keep up with tho extreme rates paid by manufacturers and dealers in tho interior. Prices, as previously noticed, are steadily tending upward, ant 1 we see nothing at present to keep in check this upward movement, unless the numerous buyers at tho Wost, purchasing for manufacturers and doalers, in many cases wiihout limit as to prices, are withdrawn from the market. The sales for June included 970,0001bs Australian and New Zealand at 41 to 55 cents j principally Australian at -1.7 to 51 cents. G. and J. A. Noble's flax report, published oxpressly for New Zealand, has the fallowing items : — The public sales since our last report exposed tibout 2,300 bales, of which 1,130 bales found buyers at about previous rates. After tho sales, in consequence of a demand for export, a further quantity was placed at, in some cases, an advance of previous rates Tho following sales affecting Wellington ex porters are given : — Ex Electra at Wellington — G & C Al, 29 bales sound sold at £28 per ton ; PKL, 19 bales bought in ; HF, 52 bales bought in ; CHB, 63 bales bought in ; it, 18 bales bought in ; CAW, in heart, 23 bales bought in ; McF, in diamond, 20 bales bought in ; H&G, in diamond, 1 bale, sound, bought in ; do, 37 bales, do ; do, 28 bales, sound, Bold at £23 5s per ton, dgs. in pro. ; WF, in diamond, 52 bales, sound, bought in. Ex Estrella, from Wellington— lT & Co, in diamond, 1 bale sound sold nfc £25 15s ; do, 7 bales, sound, sold at £24; do, 1 bale, sound, sold at £25 10s. Auckland.— The " Daily Southern Cross" of July 22nd eayß : — Adelaide flour has been disposed of in large parcels at £18 per ton ; Auckland-manufactured, a* tho mills, £16 to £]8 j Canterbury flour may bo quoted at £15 to £17. Adelaide wheat is worth 7s 6d to 7s 9d per bushel. Wo have not heard of any sales of Canterbury wheat, but a cargo to arrive would probably fetch 7s per bushol. Oats are moderately supplied. They aro quotable in large parcels at 3s 4d ; email lots, 3a 8d per bushel. Maize fetches from 4s 6d to sb.