COMMERCIAL.
The amount of revenue collected at the Custom house on fioods cleared to-day for consumption \vasi!2,BtiSl9.s.
The export of coal from Greymouth during last week was 1,341 tons, and of timber 203,044 super feet and 954 sleepers. The Westport coal export for the week ended the 17th inst. was 4,505 tons 13cwt, as follows: Westport Coal Company, 3,747 tons 7cwt; Cardiff Company, 758 tons 0' cwt. Business in the import market has been up to the average during the week. _ Sugars are in good inquiry, finest Queensland bringing in trade lots .£2l 5s to £2l 10s. Dried fruits are firmer, cur rants being placed up to 3£d, sultanas 5Jd, eleines 4}d to sd. Kerosene is moving off at unchanged rates. Tinned fish meets with a little more demand. Stocks of salt, both fine and coarse, have run rather low ; prices in consequence show some advance. The usual trade is passing in spirits and beers. The balance-sheet of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company shows a profit for the year of £11,023. A dividend of 7 per cent, is recommended, also that £2,500 he carried to the reserve fund, which will then stand at £15,000, and the balance (£1,523) carried forward to the new account.
GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKET.
The Mutual Agency Company of New Zealand, Limited, report that prices ruled as under at their weekly auction sale to-day : Oats. Market continues without animation, hut all lots offerinir find buyers at late rates'. We sold at auction t:-day as follows:—Sutherlands (fair quality), Is Sd to Is BJd (ex trucks); sparrow hills, Is 8d to Is Bid (ex store).
