(t'KOJI ODB'OWN CORRESPONDENT,)

•November 16 tb>

How dull everything is! This is now the general remark wherever people, most'do con gregate. Nor only is there little or no news stirring, but, worse still, little or no Inisiness i s being done. Heavy stocks are.the rule, and they move off very slowly. Still, however, trade is sound, if not active, and the^Cy are no whispers even of any disastrous' conse.]uences. Wool is coming in'but slowly yet, owing a good deal to the very unfavourable weather which has prevailed lalely. I never remember such a back ward season, and the Halcione, our first wool ship of the season is often delayed in her loading by want of material. The Border Chief, under charter to the Slapping Company, is also load ing. The only place where any business activity seems to exist, is on the Queen's wharf, which "is almost always overcrowded, ■ vessels often having to lie double banked. The wharf accommodation is, indeed, altogether inadequate to the requirements of the port now, and the City Council, to whom the wharf belongs, are almost powerless to remedy the evil as the Legislative Council, last session, without i-hyine or reason, threw out the Bill which the representatives passed giving the Corporation power to raise £50,000, for the purposes of wharf extension, and authorising the convey ance to the city of the portion of the Harbour Reserve required for such extension. .This Bill having been thrown out, the City Council, even if it had the money, has not the power to drive a single pile outside the boundary of the pre sent wharf. The only possible way of render ing the accommodation better seems to be to buy a hulk, and place the wool presses now on the wharf oil it, so that the wool might be pressed in the stream, "and the wool ships load there. The -'Chamber of Commerce has, by a deputation, in terviewed the Minister of Public Works to urge on the construction of the promised rail way wharf. 