Numerous failures have occurred in the tallow, flax, and corn trades The Board of Trade returns for the month of March are satisfactory. New Zealand fives, ISGI, Consols, dated, 95£. Sixes, 1891, March and September, 108 f. Fives, 9oh The wool sales" for May commenced on the 6th. Prices showed no material re duction. The competition was weak, and the tendency decidedly downwards, con siderably quautities being bought in. A decline nevertheless continued in both Australian and Cape of Good Hope wools. Present rates are from 10 to 15, and in some cases 20 per cent, under the prices obtained in the March series. The sales are very irregular, but the chief fall is in middle-class fleeces. Extra fine Sydney still commands attention. Foreign buyers operated very cautiously. The total number of bales sold was 65,000, of which 36,000 were Victorian. 10,000 bales were burned in the Blue Jacket and Omar Pasha. Total arrivals. — Victorian, 112,207 ; Sydney, 41,360. Port Phillip, 186, middling fetched B£d ; Sydney, slightly better. The decline increased towards the closa of the sales. In tallow, considerable transactions have taken place at a further decline. Sales have been effected of 3184 casks mutton at 43s 6d, and 42 casks beef at 42s to 41s Gd. In hides, sales were effected with diffi cult} at receding prices. Highest prices, lls 4d; lowest do, 11s Id. Whale oil is at L 37 to L4O; sp^rm, at L4l. Sydney oil is at 42s to 465, and petroleum at Is Bd. Copper — Wallaroo and Burra, L 79. The total exports to Victoria have been ofthevalup. of L 550,450, showing an in crease of L 2 18,247. The total exports to Sydney amounted to L3D5,121, being an increase of L 210,727.
SHIPPING.
