Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 2 January 1884, page 6


S U M M A E Y

FOR

EUROPE.

POLITICAL.

The reveuue returns for the quarter ending the 31st December, which are given in full elsewhere, follow an improve-ment, not only as compared with the corresponding quarter of last year, but as compared with the first or September quarter of the current financial year. For the quarter just closed the receipts amounted to £1,474,916, or £22,870 in excess of the receipts for the De-cember quarter of 1882. The decrease of £12,875 which had to be reported in the September quarter has been made up, and for the six months ending yesterday there has been an increase of £9,995. On the transactions of the 12 months there has been a decrease of

£85,833, which is to be partly accounted for by the loss of the excise duty on beer, which yielded £62,000 in 1882, but nothing in 1883. It has to be borne in mind that the financial year dates from July 1, and the returns for the past six

months are alone of immediate concern. They, as already stated, show an increase over the corresponding period of 1882 of £9,995. For the September quarter the receipts amounted to £1,309,765, and for the quarter just closed to £1,474,916, or £2,784,681 for the six months. The Railway receipts for the six months were £974,446.

In political affairs there has been little doing during the last fortnight. Members of Parliament, like the rest of the com-munity, are taking their holidays, and

the Premier since the Intercolonial Con-vention has suffered considerably from rheumatism. The attack came on during the warm moist weather which prevailed whilst the convention was sitting in Sydney. Mr. Service is now at the seaside taking rest from his official

duties. Prior to the Christmas week Mr.

Deakin, the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Tucker, the Minister of Lands, and Mr. Derham, M.L.A., had a six days' trip through the North-eastern district under the guidance of Mr. P. B. Wallace, the member for Benambra. They travelled by coach and on horseback from the Gipps Land Lakes over the mountains to Omeo and thence by way of the Upper Murray to Beechworth. Banquets were given to them at Omeo, Corryong, and Yackandandah. The object of the ex-cursion was to bring under the notice of Ministers the requirements of the district in the form of railways, roads, and bridges. Both gentlemen were much impressed with all they saw, and promised that Be-nambra should not be forgotten the next time a loan was floated for railway con-struction. General politics were lightly

touched on Mr. Tucker said the land question would be dealt with next session on the basis of giving security of tenure to those who took up areas which were suitable for glazing blocks. He hoped that if such a measure was passed it would be the means of bringing hundreds of selectors to join those who were already on the soil. Mr. Deakm inti-

mated that the three principal features of the Government policy next session would be a Railway Bill, a Loan Bill, and an Amending Local Government Bill. A million of money was coming from London for the making of new lines, for which rolling stock had already been provided, but where those new lines would be made had yet to be determined. He was not in any way committing him-self when he expressed his belief that Benambra would not be entirely passed over. As long as the credit of the colony remained as good as it was now in the London market, money would be avail-

able for railway construction, which was an excellent investment for the capital of

the old world.

Mr. Langridge, the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, accompanied by officers of his department, had a coasting trip on board the steamer Despatch, leaving Hobson's Bay on the 17th December, and returning on the 21st. The principal visited was Western Port, where a short stay was made to

examine the Kilcunda coal mine. The Despatch afterwards went on to Cliffy Island and Wilson's Promontory, where the lighthouses were inspected.

The Government have not yet ap-pointed the members of the Public Service Board, or the commissioners who will act with Mr. Speight, now on his way from England to preside over the management of the Victorian railways. They have had the names of a large number of gentlemen under consideration, but quail-

fied candidates are few in number. The

appointments will probably be made in

the course of a week.

Mr. J. B. Patterson, M.L.A., Minister of Railways in the Berry Government of 1880, is to leave for England on a visit by the next mail. He will be entertained at Castlemaine by his constituents on the 8th inst. A presentation will be made to him at the Protestant-hall, Melbourne, on the 7th., by representatives of the Orange lodges and other semi-political

bodies.

SOCIAL AND GENERAL.

The Marquis of Normanby returned to Melbourne on the 19th ult., H.M.S.S. Nelson, by which he made the passage from Adelaide, anchored off Queenscliff in the forenoon, and waited the arrival at the pier of the heads of the military service, who comprised—Mr. Sargood, Minister of Defence , Colonel Dis-ney, Colonel Hutton, Lieutenant-colonel Brownrigg, Lieutenant-colonel Walker, Major Fellowes, Surgeon-major Fulton, Captain Ind, Captain Gordon (South Australian Per-manent Artillery) and Lord Hervey Phipps, aide-de-camp. His Excellency accompanied by the officers then proceeded to the bat-teries which were inspected, after which he started for town where he was received and saluted by 50 of the Permanent Artillery,

drawn up on the platform under Lieutenant Hamilton, and was then driven to Govern-ment house.

Lord Rosebery, who is paying a short visit to the colony, left Melbourne for Sydney on the 23rd ult., to attend the A.J.C. Summer Race Meeting at Randwick. He subsequently proceeded to Riverina, to visit some of the large sheep stations in that district. Returning to Melbourne on the 31st ult., he visited Sandhurst en route, and in-spected one of the principal gold mines, as well as several institutions of the city. Lord and Lady Rosebery who are guests at Govern-ment house were present at the V.R.C. New Year's Day Race Meeting.

A paragraph which appeared in The Argus with respect to the arrival of a further batch of 373 convicts at New Caledonia came under the notice of the Premier and he considered the intelligence of such an important nature that he wrote a letter on the subject at once, and forwarded it to the agent-general. In the letter Mr. Service draws the attention of the agent-general to the serious evil conse-

quences that will arise to these colonies if the French transportation system is persisted in, and requests him to bring the subject under the notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies not only with reference to the protest already sent from the conference against the extension of the system but also with reference to the evils of the system as it already exists.

The letters from our special correspondent Captain Armit, which we published on the 22nd. and 29th ult., contained full and im-portant particulars with regard to the recent alleged purchase of land by an Australian syndicate in the Kabadi distroct of New

Guinea.

lhe enrolment of men for hi new militia is procicdni uatisfnrtoril) and about thru lourths ot tin number re luired have already joined lhe dilllculty which the Minister lor Detenu has to face is the procunnt ot g ntlemen to accept ofliccrs commissions. Specul exertion will be m ide to secure the co operation ot el tihlc pcrsoiiB foi the posi

tions 1 lie hist a) poiutments e Î olhecrs for the militia have been m ide Major Sartood (Minister fjr Delinee) Major limpkton Major Sleep and Major 1 reeman have been raised to the rank of lieutenant colonel and will be the semor olhecrs of battalions burgeon major 1 ulton has been iii pointed rrinci. al medical officer of both lund and sea forces lhe new Goun eil of Delinee will meet for the hrst time on 1 riduy, und will consider tlie retulatu tis

under which the nuhtia is to be governed Hie council will consist of the Munster (Lieutenant Colonel Sargood) Colonel Disney (colonel commandant) Captain Miinleville (commanding ollicer of the naval forces) Ciptun 1 ullarton (Naval Riserve) lion tenant Colonel templeton and au artillerv olhcer next junior to 1 leutcnant Colonel I Saigood who will lune a seat nt the council I B ) Ion), as the Minister occupies his | resent

position Iho other olhccn of the nuhtia will be appointed when thej liave been selected bj the Council of Dclcnce

lu nu approximate estimate of the season s wheat cr >p base I U[ on informationgutherc 1 bj the agncultur ii rei orter ot II Au ti d aman the total mea under crop is given ns lOllfiOO acres and the estimated jield of v heat at 11 ) )fc> 2J0 bushels the avenue being 1178.1 bushels pel acre lins is bj fir the largest liarvest ever gutherc 1 in \ ictori i and it ia estimate I thnt there will be a surplus for export in 1884 of no less a utantity than 8 J l8 " bushels ir 2 1 IOS tons Hie Iltur s aro given m grcatci detail m another part of the summarj

Amongst the i essengcra bj the R.M S S Rome which left Melbourne for loud m on the "Oth ult. were Mr fustice Willi una Sir J r mem bmith (Chief Justice ot lusmtrniu) Mr I ravers A lamson Serjeant Sleigh Iro fessor II A Strom, of Mell uumo University mid Professor tiurnej, of Sjdnej University Mr C I "n_ht ot Missrs Cubba Bright

an 1 Co on 1 Herr 1 Imbi 11

Hie Commissioner of Railvvajs has ap pointe 1 a board consisting of Messrs ¡s Mtrls (locomotive superintendent chairman)

1 Philpot (b gn d engineer) audit II 1 rancia (assistant general traihc manager) foi the purpose of in luiring into the working of the signalling and interlocking BJ stems on the

Victorian railvvajs

1 lu tw o lirst appomtmenta under the new Judicature Act have been made Mr Hopson P Wall er was appointed chief clerk aspro v ided for in section 34 at a aal rrj of ti 200 per annum and Mr 1 1 rout Webb vv na up pointed naaiatant clerk, uta salarv of "DUO

pei annum

Mr Service has considered it advisable to take some stops in reference to nn accourrt which appeared in I he Argus of the 15th ult respecting the abduction from tina colony of children now playing with the Pollard theatrical company m India, and with that view has forwarded letters to the olhciating secretary of tho Government ot India at Calcutta, and to Mr Bosisto, ULA.

the president of tho Rojal Commission ot A letona lor the Calcutta exhibition, who ia now ut Calcutta. ,_

Mr Hickman Molesworth waa appointed a county court judge at the meeting of tho

Lxecutiv e Council on the 28th ult.

Hie conterait tone and InJuatnal Txlubi tion held under the auapices ol the Victorian 1 ngineers Association was opened in tlie eastern annexe of the 1 xlnbition building Nicholson street on tlie 20th ult m the presence of a large assemblage Hie cere mony was penormed by Mr L L Smith, the chairman of the 1 xhibition trustees Up warda of 1 200 exhibits were received of civil, mechanical, marine hydraulic mining, agn cultural gas, electric, and military engineer ing works lhc exhibition has been well

attended and it has been rendered addi

tionallj attructivcbj tlie deliverjof anurabcr of explanatory scientilic lectures Hie ex lubits mid i artieulurlj those in the electric department are verj interesting

Mr A "cwham, B A of Cambridge Uni vcrsitj who has recentlj turived from 1 rig land ima been appointed to the post of lee

turer on natural philosophy and mixed mathematics at 1 nrrrty College, for the year

1881

A charge against Captain Stonehouse of the steamer Westmeath, which arrived from London on the 20th ult, ft r failing to supplj lila passengers with a propel quantity of wholesome and well cooked food, waa dis

missed

Mr \\ illmm reece the représentât« e of a company formed m Melbourne some months

ago for the pun ose of taking up large tracts or land m Norm Borneo lins just returned to Melbourne after having selected 100 000acres in a locality about 160 miles from Sandakau Hie land seemed to be suitable for sugar coffee, tobacco and cocoa plantations, and to that use the cornpanj intend putting it iliey will hold it under nn agreement with the British North Borneo Companj, which provides among other things, that unless they occupy it within l8 months of the com plction ot tho conti act their right will be

lorleited

Some cattle recently purchased bv a salea man in the meat marl ct were found, upon

examination to be m the lust Binge of tuber culosis a diseuse believed to be communi cable to the human Bubjcet

A time payment furniture dealer named Samuel "uthun, was recently sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour, by a Bench of magistrates at the boutli Mel

bourne 1 olice Court for aiding and nbettmg certain women m tho occupation of a house of ill faino Ihe police have received credit for their action in the matter 1 he prisoner gave notice of appeal, and was liberated on bail

Hie letter of Messrs Malleson ] nglnnd and Stewait demanding; from the I íesbjtcry

of Melbourne on beh ill of the Rev Charles Strone, the usual certificate which would en title him to admission into any other Presbj

terian Church lie might wish to join waa considered by the presuj tery in pnv ate, at a mectin" held on the l'lth ult Jt vv as decided to reply that the presbjtery "never enter tamed an application for a certificate except upon the direct request of the person îult usted "

Hie Presbjterj of Melbourne have given tlie Rev J Hay authority to c ".mine the records of tho Cairns Memorial Church ses sion in connexion with a charge tiLamst the Rev Ur Macdonald of actingiricgularlj min ducting to tho eldership of Cuirns Memorial Chmch Mi Andrew Harper on tlie explana

tions given bj Dr Macdonald as to certain

nllc"ed doctrinal views held bj Mr Harper

A conference took place on the lJth ult between the board or management ot the Scots Church nnd the committee appointed by the Piesbjterian General Assembly with reference to the contemplated separation of the Scots Church, but no decision was arrived at It is understood that the confci

euee will be called together again some time in February.

The Commercial Travellers Association held their annual dinner at the Cown hall on the evening of the 27th ult. About 100 guests were present including Mr Graham Berry, the Mayor of Melbourne, Mr. F. L. Zox, M. L. A., and Mr John Blyth (chairman of the Chamber of Commerce) Several toasts were drunk, and the dinner was a very suc-cessful one.

An address, accompanied by a gold chalice, was presented to the Right Rev. Monsignor Moore Bishop elect of Ballarat at the Palace, Ballarat on the 24th ult, in com memoration of the ¿5th anniversary of his ordination About 50 of his parialuoncr», representing almost everj clnsa amongst the Catholics of Ballarat, were present

Iho new Bteam dredge Crocodile for the

Melbourne Harbour Irust arrived on tho 27th ult from GLisgow, after a protracted but uneventful passage

Hie commissioners of the Melbourne Hut bour Irust have received a communication from Sir John Coode ui connexion with the construction in 1 noland at au early date of a eli edge which vv ill be one of the largest in the world and will cost £¿8,000 upondehverj in Hobson a Bay

Hie Victorian Winegrowers Assocmtion aro making prchminiuy errangen« nts le r holding an intercolonial exhibition ot wine and other natural products of the soil in the 1 xlnbition building at an cailj date \t n meeting of the associ itiou Mr 1 rancks formerlj connected vv ith tho Trench consulate in ¡sydney, read a short paper on the advisability ol establishing agencies lu I ngliind I ranee, and Germany, for blending and maturing colonial wines in accor lance with the public taste BO as to aecure greater uniformitj aud higher pricea for the wine

Hie Hospital Sunday 1 und li is been distn butcd irs follows -Hie Melbourne Hospital £2 245118 lud "fred Hospital _ > i8 Is . I

Benevolent Asjlum £725 113 8<l Ljingin Hospital £025 17a lOd Hospital tor Sick Children £702 rs lid 1 je und ] ir Hoa pitil W53 17s 51 Homoeopathic Ilospitii

£ 127 17s 4 I Immigrants \i I Societj £_i J lis lil Hie total imoiint distributed was £01.09

Under the new PosUl Act which tool

eflcct from the 1st inst the postage on newspapers sent to the other colonies is leduced from Id to ld

At the mutation of the chairman and dire tors of tilt Cuten Insiirnnee Compini

about r0 gentlemen nu t at Sccttu Hotel on the 28th ult to wish Ion io aie to Mr II I

Langdon I ' one of the directors ol the compunj v ho left Melbourne by the KM S "muñón on n visit to J n"liind

Hil Melbourne Annual Jte"utt i vv is held on the - net ult in most unfavourable weather no fewer than seven boats being Hwamped Hie Mallen Sculls wna won by li 1 rudlev ot the Albert jail the lunirr 1 our by the Melbourne the Grund Chiilleng 1 our by the Victon i the Challenge Sculls bj A \\ littcs of li Vi tonn, the Maiden I iglit by the Vlbert purk the Bribe c 1 our by the Melbourne the Junior Sculls bj J Mitchell ot the Richmond til Maiden Clinker lour bj the 1 ootsciaj, the Chum pague Ghallcn"c 1 inht bj the Melbounu the Slui len Gig I our by the Barwon the lunior Light 1 ) the Williamstown and the bcmoi Light by the Melbourne

J lie charge against 1 D Pitman of huv n committed an indecent assault with lntei

to commit a felon) on ii joung man named Mason wai fuithei investigated at the City Police Court on the 27th tilt when th» prisoner was committed for trial to the next sitting of the Central Criminal Court to be held at Melbourne on tlie 15th 1 tbruarj 1884 bail being accepted for h s appear

unce

A shocking mining accident occur/pd on the 18th ult m the Duke claim at 'timor, near Murybor ugh 1 our miners stepped into a

cago to go down a shaft On thcsignnlto lower beint ti veil the engine driver, to the minimi

and alarm of all present, commenced to haul up Ihi cute passed the bruce and was

hauled to tho poppet hcadB Hie chain then snnppe 1 and the cage with its occupants was précipitait d to the bottom of the shaft a distance of 318ft I he names ot the men were Charles W Intel), lames 1 oym,

lohn Roters anti \\ lllmm Iones At the inquest the jur) returniila verdict that tin entine drivei was tuilty of eulpabli neth tenoe und consequent!) of manslaughtir, and lie w us committed tor trial 1 he accident li IS given rise lo a discussion us to the merits ol so called safet) cagis

A bush lire has bein ragint for borne days within seven or eight miles ot Intuía on tin run of Mr lies Winter Several selectors have been totally I unit out of house and home and miles ot fene ng hive beende siro)ed while from 10 000 to 10 000 ueres of ? nias nuil sevcrnl crops hnvc been consumed

lundrcds of sheep were til« si en dropping down in front ot the Humes Un Monday (he list ult, the lire was tnivellmt veiy fast towards J colamba covermt a spare of country between three anti four miles wide About 200 min were cmploj eil indcavouiirig to sudduo tin llames 1 arte bubli fires han occurred in other distncts

A popular concert was given in the Town hall on Tuesday, 18th ult by the musical pupils of the Asylum and School for the Blind, which was moderately attended. On the occasion of the opening of the Hotham 1 ree Library on tin liltli ult, a miseel laneous concert conducted bv Mr \\ 1.

1 urlong, was given m the town hall of that Since A musical society called the South

lilbourno Choral Societ) gavethcirmaugural concert in the ¡south Milboumi town

hall, conducted by Mr C B Winn, on Thursday evening, 20th ult 'Hie Musical Association of Victoria held their last meeting for the year at GunBler s Cafe, Collins street east, on Saturda), 22nd Decimber 'lhere was agoodattenl

ance On Christmas night the 1 own hull was crowded to excess on the occasion of the tlnrt) first annual performance by the Mel-bourne Philharmonic feoeiet) of Handels ' Messiah Hie principal singers were Miss Rosma Curandmi, Miss Christian, ILA M, Mi Annes lloeumont, and Mr Gooch, A ILA M liiere were a line orchestra and a well trained chorus, amount mg both together to loO peiforniers the whole being under the baton of Mr David Lee. The whole performance was highly effective. At the Exhibition building on the same night Mr Julius Herz conducted the first performance of " 'The Missiah" by

a new society called "The Musical Union." The solo performers were Miss Alice Rees, Miss Samuel, Mr W. Walshe, and Mr Edward Farley. "Manola" at the Opera house, was 1 ept on Hie boards until Christmas Lvc, and on lloxing night they opened at that house w ith the first performance here of "Rip Van M inkle, the new comic opera by Planquette, the composer of Les Glocius de Corne ulle Hie work is exceedingly well mounted Mr Vernon plays the part of Rip, which seems to present to lum some ihflieulties )et to be overcome The lown hall was well attended on New îeais meht to witness the first performuncehcre of Miss Alice S)dney Rurvett, a talented Australian pianiste, who has already won renown m London as well as in Continental cities Hie vocalists were the old favourites hire, namel), Mr Armes Beaumont and Mr Gor don Gooch A ILA M M Horace Poussaid conducted

ESTIMATE Or 'HIE MTIFAT CROP

'Hie following approximate estimate of the present season s wheat irop has been formed by the " \coman department of The Am tralasian upon the basis of its agricultural reporters annual tour of inspection throuth the principal tram pioducmt districts of the colony -

A summary of the articles written by tile agricultural reporter of 'Jhe Austral

«wo» upon "'Hie Crops mid the Harvest,' which < ove as usual been published from

time to time as the various districts wore visited! establishes the fact that the present seosoiiTj jield is the best obtained for many )cars 'llieavcragi pir acre, wlijoli is ex-pected to bo nearly two thirds mon than the uvirnge of thi pnst thiee )oars, has not been cqunllul slnco the mea under crop reached 100,000 acres 1 lie esti

mated average tins season is a little moie than 1-l-f bushils per acie upon ov er a million acres, the highest uv erato in 10 ) ears, w ith the exception of 1870, winn an avirage of 16 49 w as obtained upon an an a of d21,101 acres A good averute jield indicates thut satisfactory returns aro obtained by the farmers from the mea cultiv atod 1 ho gross produce of the wheat ciop, amounting to 34 1)98,250 bushels, is ovei two thirds more than the annual return of the post two years, and over a third moro than the greatest )lela ever obtained in the colony, giving a surplus for export more than three times as great as that of last season lill volume of whiat this season is made np not alone from good yields m the districts which havi bein averaging well m past )cars, but also from a largeuieaot tood crops m districts which have during tin last three or four) cms tiveu very hjit returns One third of the whole quantity of wheat tins season comes fiotn the Wimmera district In the county ot Borung occup)ing tho eastern side ot the ?Wimmirii mel, tho aica under cultivation has been lncieasmg for jenrs, but owing to bad seasons the average has been falling in suih away ns tosenotislv check the men ase of gross production 1 his j eui a tood season has been experienced, warranting the expec tation of an av erate of 15 bushels per aeie, ulncli upon so larto an area gives a total ot 3 bul 000 bushels while the count) ot 1 ovvati, on the west side of the Wimmera, winch has nlwnj.s jiclded well until lost jen, nyim promises an average of 10 bubhcls per acre, tlullB ft (.toss )ield of 1,150 000 bushels, oi a total for the ensteru mid western Wimmera of 5 011000 bushels

Such a return from the noitli west has never been obtained before Next m order ol pit

ductn cness comes the north eastern district, or the Goulburn Yalli) Hie count) ot Moira on the east of the Goulburn, w Inch has produced n large quantit) of vv hi at for several )ears past, has a luther average and largeranaundercultiMition than last year and is expected to jield over 2J million bushils, whili the adjoining counties to the eastward, vi? , Bogong and Delatite, promise over half a million bushels. Rodnej to the webt of the Goulburn, is estimatetl to produce 1232,000 bushels, so that the section hing betwien the Campaspe river and the Aus truhán Alps will probablj simply nbout four and half million bushils Hie central districts lying between the Campaspe and the Avoca, comprising the counties ot Bendigo, Gunbower, Gladstone, and tatchera, have )ieldid very poorly during tho last three or four ¡ears, and last season its crop was almost an entire failure \s there is a tood nverage)icld this season over this extensive area, its produce constitutes an important tactor in the toliil jield of the colony lhus Bendito, which last )car averaged only about 15 bushels per acre is ex pected to )icld 12 bushels and G ladatone which also tuve a low average, is estimutid to return 11 bushels per acre Comint to the old fanning districts on the coast Bide of tho dividing rantc, we find tiwi hiextentol land under tho wheat crop has, lor several jiuis been assummt a less and less important proportion of the colon) s w heat area Last season the crops in the coast districts av erased higher than lor some years, but notwith standing this heavy )ields obtained, the tfoss wheat production did not amount to more than about i 000,000 bushels Our reporter s visits to the districts around lv)upton, Bal

larnt, and Ceclong have resulted in u much lithter)ield being expected from those locali

ties than last) ear and as somewhat unlav our able ueeounts hilve been received from other southern farinin" districts it is calculated that in the coast ureas tin average )ield will show aleduction upon thut f the promus season without an) eompensntint increase ot lund under crop Hielos pon the old dis tucts amounts to about ihr quarters ot

million bushels Notwithstanding this loss tile mcreiiscd production in the northern districts is so ti cat as to tive the satisfae

ton tross )ieid lehrred to above The. follow mt table exhibits the area under the wheat crop and the )ields in the tlillerent parts of the colony -

Area ¡Av crate! llu^heN

Moira

ISOKOI u Del ititi)

Ko buy Hen 11.0

Clunt o\er Olotlbtono Tit I li

Kara Kuri

1 rm"

lu u

Tillot Pino i Dil

I on le ii 1 reniait

li t counties

Totals

bsOOO

I TOO 00 000 US 0U0 J 000 1 000 "JO 000 U0 000

1 Oil 50

1.1

1 -I ooo

84) 00 COO ooo

1 1-iSOOO JOUI 000 1 4.0 000

M 132 I II DOS 2.0

1 he usual illowiinei ol' 5]¡ bushels per henel

for a population ot say 100 000 will require

11)50 0U0 bushels and for sow mg next season an urea ot 1100 000 acres 11 IO 000 bushels will be mcdill, oi a total for bonn reqmtements of i> 600 000 bushels ^ubtri ct

ing *lus quiintit) from our estimated total )ield of 11 9J8 250 lusluls leaves a siiiplus i >r export ol t> US -50 bushels beckoning

1 jshels to the ton this pvts a silt plus lie exported in 1S84 of 2-1 IOS tons or em siderubly mon than thiee tunes the quan-tity exported in 1881

lill HOLIDAYS

Ihe Christmas holidays were observed ui der very favourable ci umslances, the weather on Christmas Day and Boxing Duy particularly being exceptionally fine Hie Government offices, law coutts, banks, and

principal mercantile establishments were closed on the 24th, 25th, and 20th, BO that a large proportion of the population had a recess from Saturday, the 22nd, at noon, until 'thursday the 27th Ihe city was full of visitors from the country, and there was a corresponding emigration outwards. Hie trafhc on tne railways was greater than m any previous jtar The principal attractions on ChrrBtmas Day were the performances of ' The Messiah by the Philharmonic Society at the 1 own hall and by the festival Choir at the ] xlnbition building Both were very largely attended, and the oratorio waa rendered elfte tively by each organisation On Boxing Day the intercolonial cricket match Victoria v TXcw ¡south Wales, was commenced on the Melbourne Cricket-ground in the presence of a very large gathering It wi" continued on the following lhursday Friday Saturday mid Monday, when the Victorians won by three wickets On each day the match was Biitisfactorrly patronised. Ihe annual tem perance gala on tlio 1 ncndly Societies ground on Boxing Day was as uBUal a very successful gathering On the same ti iy the summer meeting of the Amateur Jurf Club took place ut Caulfiel 1 Hie racing was good the fields being large in each case and the attendance waa up to the ave rage at these races In the cv cning panto iiumcs were oi"ned at the Iheutre Rojal «id Bijou llreatrt Aladdin with Miss Maegit Mooro in the principal character 1 erne, played at the hrat place and J he I orty llueves with Mra G B lewis in the leading part at the second Neither was as good us those of previous jears and tilt de creasing attendances each evtmn0 even ut so early a period of the Henson, mark the dis inclination ot the public to patronise this form of entertainment ira largely as was the case in the pust At the Om.ru house Mr Dunning s company produced Rip

x, an M inkle, und the piece has been ; produced eu.il evening since with auccesa

Impulse a ltiitly constructed drama abounding in rich dialogue and effective situations was produced at the 1 rincc-i llieatre and continues to attract large andrences 1 he con pnny ia small but splendidly suited to the piece and Mr

Jitherailgo who plajs the principal prrt tins I added another line performance to his already I long list Other minor entertainments have been giv en in other places in the citj

CLICK] 1

VICrORIA V NLW SOU1II WALES

Iho thirty first intercolonial match be

tween Victoria and New South Wales has | just been brought to a finish after five days

phi) 'Hie Sjdnc/ team for the J ear waa not I considered a strong one as Spofforth, Massie, i and D Gregory were unable to pin), while

the Victonan team on the other hand, had | performed rcmarkablj well m club matches more eaptcuilly with the bat Murdoch the Sydney captain, winning the toss from Black ham, went in on one of the Imeat wicktta ever prepared m Australia and us the weather was splendid for batting the lost wicket did lot loll until lute on the followm" tia) when the total vv as 112 runs. Murdoch playtd perfect cricket for his score ot 158, Oarrett hit freely for 0-1 and lonea the joung player who waa looked upon na tin, lailure of the last Australian I leven although a line batsman on Australian wickets pla)ed very good tricket for a score of 52 Murdoch put a ball up that should have been taken when he hail scored about 50 runs, but outside tina bail stroke winch in the ordinary acceptance of the term could scarcely be called a chance his cricket was

perfect Hie Victorian captain tried ci^ht bowlers but thert was no possibility of doing anything sensational on Buch a wicket 1 aimer got live of the vv rckcts at much more than the average toat and Bonnor carne out in a new capacity as a fast bowlei, by taking two wickets at a comparatively small coat The \ lctonana made an un favourable start M Donncll vv ho waa nev er in better hitting form than at present going out for onlj a few runs Bonnor

pluytd steadily foi 41 never once attempting | a big hit but Lewis one of elie most promis mg of Victorian colts together with an old and tried cricketer in Midwinter, both failed todo anjthing remarkable lour wickets

were down for 118 and at that stage Horan [ and Scott came together, and were not sepa rated untrl the score was carried to 30J Horun plajed one of the mostptrfttt rtinings lit has ever made in Australia for 120 got without the slightest chance Scott who is a young player with strong claims for inclusion in the lourth Australian 1 Itven now being got together proved the justice of the demand

mude on his behalf by currying out his bat | for u splendid mmn"8 of 111 He also gave no chance until he had reached the three ligure score Hie total ol tht innings was 120 or 8 luna in advance of New South Walts "ino bowlers were tried but onlj Gum tt and ] vans performed with anything like eiltet Playing on a wicket where 823 runs had already been scored, the Sydney men in their second innings went down íapidly, Bannerman being the only batsman who made a fair stand. Midwinter waa in line fonn with the ball and took seven | wickets for 6< runs three of these being

caught off his own bowling ont a rtmarkably |

line effort

Hit Victorians, with 136 runs to makt commenced their innings on the tilth daj, and only got tht number after losing seven wickets thus winning tht mutch by three vv ickets M Donncll who scored 12 showed

the best cricket Hie wicket was all m |

lav our of tht bowlers und both Garrett and 1 vans performed splendidly Of the 31

matches plajed between Victoria and New | South Wales the former colony baa won l8,

and the hitter 13

I he acorea for the match were as foi

low -

VICTOWA VlllHT IXX1XOB

P M Donncll o Clove b C orrctt ir G Bonnor, c Garrett b Jones 41 T Horan b Garratt 1" 1 Lewis b Oarrett Iii W Wldwlntor o Murdoch, b Evans 1« H Scott not out 114 1 Walters b Evans " Hlackhain b Oarrett I Palmor run out 10 XI Shane, 1 b it b Garratt 2 Doyle hit wicket b Garrett " 1

Sundries s 29

Total 4"0

Bovvuxa As ir,"ra- Garrett 403 balls, 1°(1 runs, 03

nmulens 1 wide 1 no ball U vviokots Jones 140 | b ills 07 runs IJ maillons 2 no bolts 1 u Ickot

1 vans 80S balls " runs " limitions 1 no boll 2 wickets

SBCOSD INMSaS

Doyle o \unii b Garrett 4 ii alione o Murdoch, b Lvans 17 Horan 1 b w b Garratt 21 M Donncll, o and b Evans 42 Scott run out 1. Bonnor, o "vans b Garratt 0 Mldwlntor o Bannerman, b Evans 10 Blackburn not out I1* Lewis not out 7

Dvcs r Legujo 1

Total Uti

BOWLING A ""HIS -Second Innings-Garrett 208

balls "0 runs 24 maidens 8 wickets Evans 200 | balls 48 runs 28 maidens J wickets Iones 4 balls

a nina

"TW SOUTH WALES

H118T IX.MN03.

Bannerman h 1 aimer 12 "iirdouh c and b Mi lw inter 158 Jones o Waltors b Horan D" "osos b I "mel l8 I vi ns b Midwinter ja durrat a and b Bonnor " A len ti Dom or 7 Ii linn b lain or " Xiorr o Walters b Palmer 0 Cleovo not out 8 Hall b 1 abner 0

Sundries 10 Total 41. BOWLMO ANAI vsis -I xlnior J02 balls 1J1 runs

maidens J no 1 ills f vvlokcts Horan 104 bolls 3J runs 14 mai lens 1 wicket Midwinter 100 bills 70

runs 15 maidens 2 wiekots Lonuor ¡U I alls " I

runs 5 maldci s 1 no ball 2 wickets

BKCOMI IXMSOS

Bannerman o mid b Midwinter 31 Murdoch b I aimer 22 Jones b Midwinter 4 Moses c on 1 b Midwinter 0 1 v ans e und b Mldwlntor li Garrett r. (Hackham b I almor 4 Allen b loluiel 0 "ui n b Midwinter °4 Marr b Mldwlntor 11 Cleeve b Mldwlntor 2 Hall not out 2

Sundries 11 Total "j

BOWLIÎ.0 Ax vivs«-1 aimer 100 bolls 50 nu s 21 | maidens 2 no 1 ills J wlcl ots Ml In Inter 203 balls " runs 27 maidens 1 no-ball 7 w ieicets

AUSIRALIAN rt" VIN V COMBINrD I

AUS 1 KALIANS

1 he iirst match pluyed bj the fourth -Vus traban 1 leven waa commenced on the Mel bourne Cricket "lound jestcrdaj their op p menta being a second Australian team the sen from the different colonies Hie Austr ihana went first to the vvicl ets and rcmiined in all day scoring 328 runs foi the liss ot three wit letts lhc Inchest scon ra wert-Murdoch Ho (not out) M Donncll 111, und G Gillen r2 All tlucc brtamtii i lujtci 1 ni cricket 1 he Australian team for 1 n"

lind luu not jet been billilly tluscn and .

time is some prospect of 1 vans joimn" tht |

fourth eltvtn

lUCING

Hie Victoria Amateur lurf Club held a v ery enjoyable race mtetrn" on Boxing Day 1 he weather was all that could bt denired, and some intercstin" racing was witnessed Mistake by Dante--Stockdove, won tlie Selling Knee, Creswick waa a very close second, and Amelia Victoria third J ady "umpden by Slanderer- Iriumpli won the Hurdle Mace Sparke was second and Matador third Guy 1 aux. by lotchlight -Snowdrift run avvav with the Summer Cup as he led almost lrom aturt to Imish Norfoll was second and Little Sister thud Nine otheis sun ted Hie

Juvenile Stakes brought out 11 Htarters The winner was Reginald, by Grandmaster-Av e Maria Rufus was second, and Culdee third 1 ight horses started for the Steeplechase, which waa won by Songster, by GloriousSongstress , lack Scandal was second and Noorong third. 1 he meetint concluded with the Malvern Handicap for which a dozen horses Btarted Chuckster, hy Infidel-Little Nell, won in good style Uproarious was second, and Phantom third

LABOUR MARKET

At the meeting of the Trades-hall council, held on the 21st December, the secretary was instructed to convene a meeting of the Eight-hours Anniversary committee to make arrangements for the annual demonstration which is to be held on April 21. It promises to be even more successful this year than hereto fore as many newly-organised societies will take part in the sports, &c. It was resolved at the last meeting of the Trades-hall Council

that the second intercolonial Trades Union Congress be invited to hold its session in Melbourne on the 22nd, 23rd, 21th, and 25th of April next.

1 he Victorian Saddle Humes and Collar Makers Society have finally a loptc 1 a new list of prices copies of which have been sent to the misters ot faetones in mil uriund M< lbourne. V meeting i f the societ) will 1 e held nn the 8th inst to consider what steps shall be tiken in the event ot any of the masters refusing to abide b) the new list

I he Victorian Society of 1 elthtitters held a meetint in the 1 rudes hall on the 20th ot December to which they mvitc 1 representa tives trom all sointies whose interests vvire likely to sutler if the rccommendutions of the lanlT Commission were carried into effect A moderate but influential number ot mein hers attended und appointed a committee to firm a permanent ortanisation to watch over

the r interests

The Victorian United Furniture Trade Eight-hours League and the Victorian Cabinetmakers Society two very strong bodies will amalgamate on the 14th inst under the name of the former. The members of this trade are alarmed at the large number of Chinese who are starting in the furniture manufacturing business. It is stated that the Chinese who work much longer and can live cheaper than Europeans, are turning out work tli it is very successful in its competition with the European

article.

As regards the building trade every line of it m bus) but labour is plentuul 'Hie clothing trade is also very busy, and a want is felt for tood hands Hie keepers of letistry offices statx. that there is a great diurth of domestii servants liny are not procurable, even nt the very hit,h wilges offered _

INTERCOLONIAL NI W SOÜTlTWALIS

llio Calédonien arriving at Sydney on the 19th ult brings intelhtcnce that a severe droutht has been experienced in New Call (Ionia, and that a water famine threatened Noumea the capital On Decembei 11 a party of convicts Bci/ed the cutter Heloise, and set sail lor Australia, carrying off the captain of the c utter as a prisoner Much ex citement prevailed in Gov eminent ein les

from tin fuit that tin Irench Government has appointed a sort of colonial board to dis cutes all matters affecting colonial territor» s undir 1 rciich ruli î\ew Caledonia is to clut a member to join the bonrd at Paris

On the 19th ult tin non Vi B Dalley At torne) General mude a statement in the letislutivo Couniil, in tin lourse of which he said that it was the intention of the Go v eminent to invite a discussion m Purl ni ment on proposals which might be modi ion cerning tin business of tin lonvention

A shocking death through the attack of a shark occurred in the 1 arrumutta Riv er on December 20, the victim beint Mr Cuthbert Vere Lysaght a )oiin0 tcntlenian 21 years of a^e who hud not been more than nine months in the colon) He wus swimming in the streum when he was seen suddenly to dis appeal Hie body was recovered four hours ulterwards and the tlcsh was stripped oil the arm, side and thigh and the body was also

mutilated about the stomach

Hie Rev \\ H Ullmann leader ol the ' gospel arm), has been lined 10s and costs for loiterint nbout und obstructing the road way Hie inspector ot nuisances pro

secuted

1 he will of the late lion ] Km¿ Cox has been proved for £9J »72

With the object ot currying out the views of Parliament as expressed in the immitra tiou voti of last year as to the disirableness of obtaining a certain proportion of suitable cimtrunts from Germany mid other countries on tin continent of I urope tin Government have entered into an agreement with Messis le Kloot and Kirchner of Sydney w ho have undertaken to convey such emprunts in numbers not exceeding 200 every second month to Sydney, trom llambutt Biemen and Antw erp

Au important libel action lias just been concluded at Sydno) Hu plaintiff, Mr Cook wus formerly manager ot tin Sydney and County Bank and the defendant Mr Larnach wus at one timiColonul 1 mesurer of New Zealand and it memtier of tin well

known firm of Guthiii and I arniich of Dunedin Hie libel was contained in a letter addressed by the defendant, a director of the Colonial Banl of New /ealiind to his brother, Mr lohn I arnach tin aiiountant ot the Sjdnc) and County Bunk, of windi tin plaintiff was at that time tin miinutir It was in unswci to litters written by Mr lohn I arnach to the defendant requesting lum to furnish lum with an account of the plaintiffs character In it the defendant spoke of Looks conduct in various transactions and asserted that he had lost mom) by lum au 1 that tin Colonial Bank of Niw /caland had also sustained treat losses Ihioueh Ins pecu luttons. He udvibcd his brounr to lay the letter bofori the directois in Older that the) mitht get nd ot the plunitilT as a ' dangerous scamp and one who would bring i um upon them Hie letter caused thi plumtill s dis missal und to this circumstance he attributed

the fact of his having been unable to lind similar cmploj ment since 1 hi Court de eided that the occasion of the commum cation was a pnvileted oin but left it to the jury to say whither there was evidence of malice and a wrontful motive on the defendant s part either trom the terms of the letter itsell, or fiom the suiroundint cir-uin stances HIL jury lould notatiee and the parties consented to their discharge

Over 1,100 persons have bein udded to the population ot the colon) by the arrival of the ships North Pericles and fc»denhum Hie Nortli broutht 387 immigrants and the Pericles und the Sj denham broutht 370 and 3-12 immigrant« nspictivel)

Hie New South Wules Parliament will re assemble on the 15th mst, after the

Christmas recess

1 he 1 arl ot Rosebery has travelled a t,reat deal throuth New South Vi ules and has been shown most objects ot interest m S)dney and the country districts

It is reported that in a short time the journe) by express tram between S)dne) und Melbourne will be shortened by nearl) two hours 1 he distance between the two capitals is C71 miles and the time at present oeiupied b) the express is 19 hours

It is rumnuied m Roman Catholic circles that there is a probability ot Mousienor Patterson uuxihary bishop to Cardinal Manning being appointed Archbishop of S)dne) _

QUI LNSLAND

A lutter arrived at Mar) borough from New Caledonia on December 19 with eight 1 lench convicts on board with liberty tickets m their possession Hiey were immediately arrested by the police

Hie board uppointed to consider the com petitive dcsinns received for the new public buildings have made the follow mg selection -Grainger and D1 bo Mi lbourne first

Smith and Johnson Melbourne Becond, und Grainter and Nuish Adcluide third

A collision occurred in the Bnsbuiie River

on the mtht of December 19 between the Kcilawarru, bound for -sjdney with pas senters and caipo and the A S N Compaii) s

steamer \letona winch bud entered the river from the uortliirn poits Ihi Keilli wurra was tut tlirou"h from below the watu hue to tile deck Her foieeastlc filled with watei but the forehold compartment bunt watxrtitht prevented the vessel fillinf. any fuitlier and sin leturned to port lln\ii tona suffered some shtht dainute

Hu I J vernor turned the hrst sod of the Mackay nulli a) on the 21st Di eml ci III the preset ee of 2 DOO people Mi Griffith (the Immer) when repl)iut to the toistol Hie Mims.tr) said he attached veiy tient mi I ort mi i to tin usults of tin \ustrulasi m Loiivintion as ulleetint the interests ot \us ti ii tsia ispeeiall) in priveiiting tint roxinuti ot any foiii"ii power and the nillux ot

criminals

Hie barque 1 erwnk law which arrived at Umbum li nu I lastow on 20th Dcei ml cr H ith II 2 mum rants bus been quarantined hav mg 15 coses of sear! nina on bo ird

An order in Council has lately been issued permittmt no luboui vessel to t<> to the islands currying mt re hrearms and uinmuni tion than is absolutel) uecessury for the pio

tection of such vessel

Hie biirquc Duira und the ship Dimtrituc ha e arrived at Moreton Bay with imtni"runt.s Hie Duntrune bruits 147 bounty mum

traills

V serious disturbance occurred at the Mackay races on lloxing Da) About 100 1 unakas attacked the 1 uropeuns assembled on »lie course I he) were eventually dis persed by a number of horsemm and sevirul of the knnukus we c knocked down some of them bciut seriously injured It was sub sequently discoveied that the disturbance was caused by the time expired islanders Litht Luropeans were injuied b) missiles

thrown by the kanakas, and next day 35 of the latter were picked np ia «_B canefields more or lesa rnjured Kumerflra are afloat that tlie kan Utas intend making a raid on Brisbane, and the police arc adopting extra

precautions

1 lie Swedish schooner Natal Captain Lu« trom arrived in Moreton Bay on Decemlier 28, and reported that n mutiny and murder had taken place on that vessel during the voyage from Boston 3 arly on the morning jf the 2Gth Novemlier, the captarn was awal cned bj a blow from a broad axe down

the sidt of his face Ile jumped up and found the carpenter of the shin with the axe uplifted

for ti second blow Hie handle struck the captain s arm and he received a severe blow on the temple A sailor at the same time had

attacked the chief mute who was asleep lu Ins berth w ith a rev ol v er I he sailor lind and the hall struck the mate on the side of the nose I he mate then Hci/ed the revolver and

nnhcd into the captains cabin He found the captain bleeding budlj the mattress ljcmg saturated with blood All hands then inndst much confusion and excitement went on deck the captain and the chief mate 1 tine, attacked bj the crew live men with blind

spikes Hie captain caine I a shot gun and

tlie mate had a revolver which he took fiom tlie siilor A scrimmuge ensued and the revolver WHS knocke 1 from the mate a lund overbourd Hie crew were evidently atnud of the gun uri 1 four ot them nn aivnj into the hold tile captain kei ping on deck I he captun then le irnt the death of Ina son the sicondmate who bud been cut down whilst washing his clothes in the moonlight by a sulman named Bill lhc four men who esc iped into the hold remained there for four dajs refusing to come out ultimately they were induced to eenie out and the captain shot demi Bill and tlie carpenter, tlie ring lenders in the mutiny and muider When the vessel nruved in port tho three men con cerned in tlie mutiny were arrested on the authority of the Swedish consul

SOUTH AUS I"ALIA

An explonn0 partj, under the leadership of Mr Charles \\ mmckie, nn experienced ex plorer mid bushman has made a successful journey throu0h a large portion of the un known interior of Australia Altogether Mr \\ mmckie succeeded in mapping about 40,000 square miles ot unknow n land

Sir 1 homas rider lia« announced Ins mten tion of presenting to the council ot the Ade laide University 110 000 for the purpose of founding a medical school irr connexion with the Umv ersitj

1 he sweeping condemnation passed bj -the Koman Catholic. Denn of Adelaide ilium the state school teachers has been challenged bj the I>OII/li A list) alian Regida

A suggestion lina been made by the /oo lo0ieal Society that South Australia New South Wales, and Victoria should Btock the Uiver Murray with trout

Hie ship Berat arrived from Loudon on December 21 with 2bJ assisted immigrants, all being in good health

Miss 1 milio " 1 Ider daughter of Mr J ridet, a Government oflicer ¡ma been 1 illcd bj a rocket discharged during au exhibition of fireworks at the Glenelg Baths She was struck on the head bj tht rocket

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

1 he merchants at Perth are much con cerned at the continued depression m the sandalwood markets of Singapore and

China

A slight shock of earthquake has been felt

at Perth.

A letter has been published fiom Mr. Anthony Hordern confirming the intelli-gence received by telegraph that he had joined Sir Julius Vogel in the proposed rail- way schemes.

TASMANIA

'Hie £800 000 debenturts bill lias passed both Houses 01 this amount, ¿"'IS 000 is for railways, and the balance for other pul) lit works Hie amount tor radwavs is to be expended as follows -Parattah and Oat lands, £8 000 Derwent Valley, £140 000, 1 ingal, £100 O00 Launeeaton and Scotts dale, £300,000 1 he parsing of this measure brought tlie session to a close

It has been stated in the Asaemblj that the colonj will have direct steam communi cation with 1 ngliind early this year, the subsidy to be paid by the colony being £15 000 or £10,000 a J ear

A new steam niivujition companj is hkelj to be Inrmed to run a linger and better class of steamers bctvvei n Melbourne anti Liitm cestón Hit capital ia tobt £100.000

I urthquakts art «till report. c1 from the coat coast thtrt being sonic stvere ones at

Launceston

A large lire occurrerl at Launceston on ChriHtmus Day bj whit It the soup and candle factory ol Mr Alexander 1 vuna, Lsk eapla node, was totallj dtstrojetl

""W7LÄLA"D

'J he uncmplojcd labourers ut Chrrstchurch have leluscd to accept Government woik at Is (id u duy

News conies from Samoa to the ellect that the Parh imtut and chiefs there havtunuiu mously ugreed to take steps tow ards obtain in"unnc\ationto"civ /calami IheSarnoans have been particularly impressed wilh the lurge sums voted in the New /eil md Purlin ment for education, native schoolu, und land

coutts

Mr Brjce, the "ative Mnnstei, lias con eluded delimit arrangements for tht trian guluüon und suivtj ot the King Country, comprising ne irlj 4 000 000 acres

A hit in Sjmonds street tuckland has desttojed tight buildings the damage beni,,

estimated at iii 000

One of the lirst fiuits of Martini Henry s splendid performances on the Victorian turi is the purchase of two Musket lillies from the

New Zealand Stud Companj for export to 1 nglund Hu purchaser is Mr Ashbury, late M P for Brighton

Mr Jones an American, who recently carne over aa uiana0er of tile Ouchung-i Iron sand \\ orl a, bud mi altercation with a labourer named M Dei mott, attci winch he allot lum twice with a revolver

Hie Governments a stella lues rescued one of the boats crews ot the schooner bnruh W Hunt which arrived over a fortnight ago from Campbell Island, with onlj the ciptuin and steward on board, the remainder ol the crew, 13 in number, having left the vessel in sealing boats 1 he party rescued consisted of the second mate and live men, who were in a virj exhuusted condition 'lhey hail suffi red great privations, huv mg been without watti for lut dajs and without food for seven dajs Nothing had been seen of the otlur bouta crew 'Hie steamer ia Btill sturthing for them

Up to Decembei 17 the re< eipts on nccount of property tax for the turn lit jcurumouiitcd to £217,000 the »holt ot windi sum was poid in tosh during a single tortuight in addition to tins sum Borne IS 000 oi £10 000 is esti

mated as still oiitstundin0 1 here is also about £4 500 on account of insurance com

names which is not prjublc till Aprrl next v\ ithout this last, howevci it ia piacticnlly certain that the 1 rcasurersestimute(£"" 000) will be exceeded Among tlie contributors are Heveral 1 II"IIB)I pecin and peeresses, in eluding the Duki ot Manchester, Larl and Countess of Denbigh, 1 oíd Lj "elton, and others _

MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL

The Argus Ollice, 'lutsday Pvening

'1 he Australian mails for 1 ngland and the Fast left on the _0tH December by the R.MSS Rome 'Hie Rome goes atraight through to London without going on to Bombay, und as a conacciucnce she ia full of cargo lrom these colonies She also takes a number of passengers 'J he Rome in addition to theusual items of cu"o, took away gold and treasure to tlie vulue ot £58 800 3a bd T he R M S S Parramatta from London with the mails from 1 uiope India mid Ghinii irnved in the b ij on the 25th De comber 1 he I arramatti brought i vciy large mail, consisting ot 127 b i"-i and packages I he steamship Pote si 11 the Orient line, arrive 1 on the 2bth December from London iu the Sue/ Canil Hie Potosi hies made a fast passage of tb dujs and lina brought liles ot 1 n"lish papéis to date 23id ult, or one vvtel later than thooC bj the H M S S Par nurlutta I hese wire put on board at Sue/ 1 he Potosi brought out upwards c 1 470 pits

sengeis in nil clisan for the culonics Of these "4 were in the third cabin und steel i"c lire U M S S I iguriii of the Orient line left here on tlie "Jth December with pas-, ii"crs and u full cargi Hie 1 n nell mull "cam ship Melbourne of the Messageries Mau times arrived on the oOth Dicember She left Marseilles in tin *_nd \ovcmbcr and haa accomphshc 1 a quick pussu"e being tour dajs within lontruct time liles s Bothwell Castle which ai rive Ion tin JSth December is lrom 1 ondoiitid the Sut/Canal and A ltlaidt Hie tiverton which irnved on the 21st ult is thi latest ot tin An"lo lustraban Com puny s licet of ateumshir s coming here She is lrom I ondon vi i the Cuj c of Good Hope and considering the long sttetch ot stciium" a vcrv "ood piissunt has I ecu i ffected Hie tiverton was lull el puAsingirs ml cargo 2'IG pirsseiiocrs were embaí ltd at London und Plymouth Hu sa Westmeath which made hei lirst acquaintance with this pott on the 22nd ult, ia from I oudc u vv ith passen gers and car"o She waa taken up to load tor Adelaide Melbourne and Sydney and her very capacious twet n decks were fitted up foi something like 400 passengers. Hie actual numbei booked waa 370 Bj the Liguria which sadi d on the 2Jth Dceimbei besides a large cargo of colonial pioduec,u¡fuithet slumucnt ot over 5 000 car

eases of mutton were stored away in the refrigerating chamber, and competent judges who hud an opportunity of seeing the meat be/ore bung put nway gave it as their unpro judiccd opinion that no finer shipment had iver boon exported The sheep were a picked lot to begin with , the carcases were firm and sound and bud been very carefully prepared,

and their appearance was as near perfection

as lould hi attained Ihe refnterutin,. machinery was in capital working order

1 hero lias been little doing m the import market during the past fortnight the hohduys having mtcrlered considerably with business Besides which, as in many cases it is thi close of the finnn cial joar traders will only parchase small parcels for their actual requirements Con lideticc is well sustained and no insolvencies ot any consequence have occurred the outlool tor the coming ) ear is mon satisfactoiy than at the same period last year Stocks are considerably reduced and are more in uccoid vv i til our re luircments though in some few branches < t trade there is still almost complete stagnation fiom overim 1 ortution 1 he moncj marl et does not show any alter ltion and the present outlook does not promis much reduction in rates of in teiest Ihe returns for our wool ihp uni wheat crop ni ty give some slijit relief but the diiniind for money is btill active espeeiall) foi investments m the tidjacmt colonies It is not

therefore anticipated that there will be much cliiinte for some little time linns actions as wo have ahead) stated, have been ot a very limited character and we have few sales to reler to Bulk also are only mr v mt oil in smull parcels at late rates Bottled ales and stouts an sellint fieilv at agents quotitions Jut t°ods have bardi) been noticed I rade sales of cornsacks an mukint at up to 8s. ljd, dut) paid wluli woolpicka have been inquired for but holders uie very firm In candles little has deen done, stocks being viry htlit A good de maud is maintain* d foi cements and as

supplies arc small full price» arc readil) ob tamed Goslmts has teen quitted to land at IBs while foi Km"ht Bevan, and Co s up to 15s Od bus bun obtained lishhavp been m fair request and sales are makint steadily at cunent rates Sardines and salmon have been most m demand, and prnis foi tin former are sightly firmer ovvm_, to uduces fiom home Brendstufls have not had much attention, traders not eating to opiiati till the market lins become more settled 1 or Hour a fair demand h es bien expeninccd but prmupally foi small parcels lor ordiniuy tradi leqmriments ixiw lloui is connut mon truly into town and dunn» tin past fortnight about 200 tons hiive been cleared oil at from ¿J os to ¿I 7s (id No large lines have however, chanted hands lower prices beint anticipate I shortly W beut has not been in much re mest the principal bu)crs having

been the millers who have been supplying themselves for a short peuod and even these dunng thi paut few da) s have rifusod to operate at prisent quotations New wheat is offerint lreely in fair paieels at Is 2d , but without leading to mi) extensive busnnss I cw sales ot any consequence have been made toi forward deliver), tin trade not carin,, to undirtake for« uni lontruitB till the ) leid was approximately estimated 1 his wi aie now in possission ot fnd from the special agricultural rcportei of Ihe Amtud aman we have the following rcgardm" last )ears crop and this jears estimated yield As usual, great care has been taken in forming this estimate both in col

leeting and eoinpilmt the nilormation, to avoid exagteration As a rule, tin estimate ot llu AuatiaJaxuiii has bun Inghii than Hayters statistics and it has been shown that the Government returns aie always undir tin truth I list se ison althouth the official figures tome neurly up to our estimate they erred in not bciu" luth enouth According to the final Government returns published in May lust the quantity of wheat trown m the colon) lust season was 8 715 110 bushels being slightly under our estimute Upon the b isis of our ow n estimate thin was a surplus available for ixportof 2 288 02J bushels Now tia a quantity equal to 2 «11(>S bushels was actual.) exported up to 22nd Dieember 1883 it IS evident that I lu. A usti alaman« estimate was within the maik It is nluo evident that a surplus of tin pievious years crop was drawn upon, mdicutint that our esti mato of 18812 which showed a surplus was also correct \s equal cure has been bestowed upon our reports tins season it ma) be safily expectid that the satisfactor) results forecasted will be leuhued Hie total vield is estimated at 14 9J8 250 bushels trom ] 014 )00acres bein,, an average ot H 783 bushels peí aere 1 list )cur the revised returns wen as follow -904 000 acics at an average of 9 Ob bushels, giving a crop ot 8 738 025 the usual allow nine of 5J bushels per head for a population ot suy 900,000 will re pure 1 J50 000 bushels and tor sow mt next seuson an area of 1,100 000 aeies 1 U50 000 bushils will be needed or a total toi homi lequiremetits of b 000 000 bushels Subtract-ing this quantity from our estimated total )ield of 11998 250 bushels liavis a surplus for export of 8 W8 2o0 bushils Reckoning ¿7h bushels to the ton this gives a surplus to bo i xported m 1881 of 224 908 tons or con siderably more than thru times the nunn tity exported in 1883 It is evident there fort that nothing short of a V lgorous export business eurlv in the season can pievent wheat from being a drut in the inarki t to wards the end of the year lo do tins how cvei tarmers must be nicpiucd to meet the market and sell their w heat at u price whit li will leave a maiyu to the shippers I ceding trams continue to be neglected and only small parcels have changed hands. A fair denian 1 lins been ixpeucuccd toi fruits but only Binni 1 parcels have been disposed of for immediate wants lor durants i'd is obtained I tusins have only hud moderate attention at late rutes Hops are »h"htly firmer, but onlv tiade salis lui making ut current rates Hie Victorian crop proinisis will but tin tasmanian is sufiirint trom droutht and only about a twq thirds crop is looked tor Mult is mount oil sleudil) at recent quotations I lttle has been doing in metals only trade sales haunt beui le poitid Oils are in moderate request I ero sene eipeciull) been inquired tor fun bales of which mc pcndint Oilmen s stores are mount off freely ut atenta pnces Rice hos hardly been noticid, only a tew tradi puriils having bien quitted latterly A lau deni mil has been experienced for sugar but lew sales have been cllected peiidmt the laite quantities to be ollered utter the holidays Ihe trade also have been purchosin,. luieel), and are fairl) supplied foi the pre-int leas have lum m Oood request and owing to îc cent advices trom China prices ure u shade firmer medium con"ous have especially been m re tuest and as stoeksol thiH description are li"ht lull priceshuvcbecnobtuinqd Cul) trade sills ot tobacco are making at currintrates W nies han had modiruti attention Spirits have also been dealt m lo ii fair extent Hie followtut sales ot stations have been ail vised -Messrs. \\ llhatu Sloane and Go report lim nit sold on nicimnt of Messrs. Govett and 1 aimer in conjmiuion with Mr G W Hamilton) 1000 cows one to four 3 cars from then Culb den Station, Queens land to Messrs C T Gaidiner and Co, for their Noithern Icrntory eountr)

Mehsrs ltaleith Aitken and Co lepoit having Bold (conjointly w ith Messrs 1 mien, Gibson und Co ) on account of tbi executors ot tlie late Mi lohn Cummin,, tin Gnotuk estate situated near Camperdown anti lou taming an inca ot about 7 700 acres ot free hold lund, at a satistaitor) price the pur chaser bung Mr Glory. Hope Hie New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Com puny Limited (in conjunction with Mr Ccoi"e Howat) îeport bavin,, sold on uc count of Mr Georti Albert Nicholson the Mooroolbark estate comprising 971a. 3r 2 lp , at iib los pi i acre to Messrs J G Smith and D Whitley total amount of purchase money, £lb 279 Gs Od.

During the fortnight only four wool s iles have bien held the last bemt on December 21 when the usual holiday interruption took place Hie followiut table shows tin num ber of bales offered and sold bj each firm of selling brokers from the commencement of tiic season to du te corapured vv ith tin bales sold by thim last season -

It Goldubrough &

Co

-V. / Loan £ M A

Total Melbourne D I A Í, Co el lla.uo VCo

S) ni ut L A. Co V) 1 letou 4. Lo

lotil ft-vlcs

1140,

2.IJISI IS Olli

TI 137 41 88 20 coi io noa 1» 4U1 li, "10 io SIL, io sai

10 0011 87 0bj|

sun: 177J 'ILCNS l»b3, | I 04!

Kb 0001« jlS'llJ 8b0 "1 (Lo1 _

An increase in the bale i of 21 GoS 1 ales or 22 1 er cent is tines shown but the shi.mcnts and sales list )car were much later thin usual Com. and vvithlbbl-a no1 mai )car -the sales show an increase of 11 30J 1 aleb oi about HA per cent

In tin few sales that have been held bincc our hist summnr) not mon* clips ot note havi i ussed the hummer In lasmunian mermoea, J D in a block lina leuhsed 12M foi 15 bales In Western district meimocs Brun,, 1 rungle from the Wannon has bei n sold at 13d tor 2b bales In Kiverina mermoes looma trom the Ut pel Murra) has lcuhse 112]d. for 1 0 bales the chnt sah in Upper Lachlan wools

being Meadows ovir H13W 211 balls ot line short red tinged mermo at lOJid. In bconred merino tin top pine hub been 19^d lor 49

bales of Jil over Mount Manara Iroin near Wilcannia while in washed lieece a leahy tood hot-water washed merino C &, S ovir Glenisla, from neal Cavendish, in the

Western drstnct, realised 24id for 143 baleB, , , ,

In Sydney the Balea up to the holidays amounted to about Gl.OOO bales out of about 97,000 balea (offered, and in Adelaide ",000 balea have been sold out of 43,500 offered Ihe solea were resumed in Sjdney on Monday when 4 000 bales were sold out of 5,471 bales offered

Hie following table shows the shipments of wool fiom the four tolomes to the latest dates received, compared with the shipments to the same date lost j ear -

v letona

v South Wales] Queensland

Doe

Deo " Deo. 20

From

July I

Bales

¿00 _S 172 014 J'>,05_

1SSJ

J ill J 1

Hales 199 3i 2 010 0 _,1"

10 203 I 421 700

Bxies

0"0

1Û JOH

"ease

8S12 Isct

Inere isc

Hie total mercase is, thus 81,437 bule-i

Last j eui a shipments were, however, ot tina period decidedly behindhand, but if the comparison vv ere to be made with 1881-a normal yeur-there would still be an increase of lrom 50,000 to 60,000 bn les

At a meeting ot the associated btnks the follow in" rates of exchange on London for b0 daj -i bills were adopted, to come into force on and alter the Dttember21 -Bujmg, 10s per cent discount, selling, 7s (id premium Discountsdonotahow any alteration, on three months bills, 7 per tent ptr uniium , bevond that currencj, 8 per cent per annum , interest on overdrawn accounts 1 pel cent per annum, interest on deposits remains at 4 5, and 0 per cent tor suma lodged for three, SLX, and 12 months respettiv c1 j

1 he latest dates received aie as follow -.rom London, \ov 2* , New York, "ov 17 , Hong Kong, Nov 2o Batavia, Nov 17, Calcutta, "oi ¿7, l.oehovv, Nov 23, Mamilu, Nov 17

'1 he eleaiances of gold eflectcd at the port of Melbourne during the past fortnight amounted to 11,45%/ 'Hie total exports from the port anice the beginning of the j ear hav e been 411,070o¡', whrle for the torre «ponding ptrrod ot last j ear they were 384,3650«.

.UIIMO tOMPAMtS

On tht 20th ult the 14th annual meeting of the National Mutual Lila Association was held in the Melbourne 'lown hall, Mr 11 Langton occupying the than Mi J M Templeton, the manager and nctuury read the report and balance sheet, from winch it appeared that during the past year 5 850 pio posais were received tor polities amounting to £1,588,777, and that 1,148 polities were issued, amounting to £1 003,707 lhere were also issued 111 children a endowment polities tor £17,1/", makin,; altogether 4 2J2 new polities issued, amounting to £1081,707 Hie chun man, in moving tht adoption of tlie report and bulante sheet, and there waa only outouie- m the United Kingdom-namely, the GreBham-which in 1S.2 issued moie policies than this oflice issued, and there were only three olhccs in the United king dom which insured a linger imount The dircctois had purchased buildings situated m tin beat part of Brisbane, and tney lind now only to duect then attention to ioamuma and \Vestern Auatraha m order to have a habitation in all the colonies Mr K G Btiiaon aeconded tilt motron, which waa carried unanimously Messrs 1' Moubrnj, M Lang, and I *eigusson vvcie uiuinimouslj re elected directotu, und Messrs lhompson and 'lulloch cletttd auditors In unswei to a question the tliuirman said that a suvinca bank brunch would be opened at the head olhce on and alter tim 2nd lanuarj Aa the association bud alreudy received deposits of vanous amounts at du ferent rates of interest, the new blanch would be un extension and simplification of what had aliiady lx.cn done and he had no doubt that us fat as the members were concerned (lui would be glad to avail themselves of the new advantages '1 ht rate of interest it vv as proposed to giv e waa 5 pe" cent, w Inch was Ininti than tlie amounts puid by tlie Savingb Banks Deposits would 1" received of £1 and upwards Votes ot thanks to the directora and officers vv ort passed

On the ?8tli ult the tweltth annu ii general meeting of the Australian Widows 1 und Lile Vssurunce Society Limited was held, Mr .Joseph M Pratt presided, und 'ii mo ing the adoption ot the tw elfth amil ul report md b dance sheet, said he bchev i J that no other olhec cither in the British Lmpiie or Aus traba could be named th it could point to suth great reaulta at the end of its twelfth year ot txtatcnte fJ lu funda at the begin nmg ot tht year amounted to £128,000 they had intrttistd to £174,f>00 Ihe rtnowal pie inuiins during tht yt_ amounted to nearly £4ti,000 as againat £.",000 the previoua j ear Hie new ousiness done was tertamly sur prising It was all but £1,000,000, notwith standing the fact thal it was dually dont ni Victoria and New South V alts Ofhtca had been opened in Queensland, South Austral! i, and Tiesmaniii then, again, their mttrtst hud jampee! from £8,000 to £10,000, mid the claims undei policies had been £11,000 na against £5,000 Ihe total amount ot tlie ntvv policies issued was £000,000, and thty would agree with him that the extra claims wert light considering tht increased risk 1 he endowments matured were £400, aa against £200 the prevrous j ear, and the cash bonuses were £1,300, as against £1,200 It spoko well for the aocictj that, out ot the bonus declared, not more than ibout £«100 cash had been puid, allowing that assuieia had full confidence in le-iving the other ti 000 in nsaurance wrth tlie Bocietj 1 he j car s surrenders umounted to £000, its against £000, and this waa a specially ¿ratifying circumstance, na vv hen assurers were vcrj anxious to Burrentlcr theie was gcucrally li screw loose somewhere 1 he amount lor commission tina year was £10,000, as against £0 000 the previous jcar 'Hie pri miums received on new policies had increased from £b00 000 to over £l)iX» 000, aud that was a yearly buaineas which any office might be proud ot, but it was onlj ofterjears that tht ultimate bentfit of the lust cllortsot the society were appircut, and the tumis m hand begun to multiply 'Hie small amount of the cluimB upon policies, namclv £<),000, was a mutter for congratulation, and further it wus a most pleasing thing to mention that it bad been more than covered bj the in "rest. He was coi turn that not another sotuty could be mimed winch had been able to do that m its twelfth jem Mr D Nathan seconded the adoption ot the report and balance sheet, and the motion was unumraousljr agreed to Mt John Ferguson, one ol the retiring directors, und Mr Alex ander Dick weie unanuuouslj elected to the board, and the chairman p ud a ti ibu te to tile energj displayed by the othcrretiringdirectoi, Mr Simon 1 raser, at present m 1 tidanil, while engaged in the work of the socictj On the proposal ot Mr John Mitchell, seconded by Mr I Grigg, it was decided to men nse the fees of the directors from £700 to £1,000

On thcilst ult,theannuil meetingof share holdtrs in the \\ omen a Model Ludgmghouse Company vv es held at the institution, I rank lui street Mr John Blyth, chairman of duectors, picsided 'Hie directois halt yearly leport announced that the building had been completed, and handed over bj tlie corr

tractors Shortlj before the opening ot the

house for business a number of hüllen were invited to mci t the directors, and personally inspect the arrangements which had been made for the convenience and comfort of the lodgers HICBC ladies foimed themselves into a comnntti e ot ids ne, and after due dehbi ration prepared a code ot rules for the management oi the institution Hie lodging house was opened foi business onMonilav, the 12th November A sum of £1000 had been borrowed lol Ave j ears at 0 per cent, and the bud ling hud been insured agauibt lire lor lb 000 Hit directora bud elected Misa M W ilhutn as matron lrom a large number of applicants I he chairman moved the adoption ot the repoit and balance aiieet Mr J 1 bli iwsccondedthemotion winch waa adopted unanimously Dr Singleton, Mr G Shaw and Mr I W Hunt, the retiimg directors, were re elected without opposition, and the meeting closed with a vote ot iii inks

to the chairman

Alo mid Stout-Little has traiisplictl in bulk ales onlj "lull jxncels havui, I.cn quitted it late liten Buss s is quitted at "~ 103 Murri xn s is moving ort at jb7 " lu Aitken s bales nrc mid iii" to an ive it "tí "'lissais has had liloilci ite attention at ¿.8 Beruturu s I as 1 eua "hi to arris.

at 1.0 1 s 1 or bottled ales a good duitind u inalutaiiiul audtaii tales irciuakiug ataeelitsp "is Uottled ales 1 ive been in good icqitcst and s les aro irukiun frielj at aguuts quotdtlo is 1 ost" a leas li 11 moderate attention at 11s "io bulkil«, bland is ss orth 10s IM 1 ea I s do¿ a lund coiniiundu i lealy "lo at lus lid In X1 tis in u lui snel

about MO casks have been "li at lu Illirie» is ..ellina in trade mriclj at lui "I V. pare I of Klens burg stock nJu, bl ou"ht 10s Od leniients lias been quitted it las titilen s lias boon booked to airlie ut 10s rl A tiatccl of "00 coi ka Hawkes void at los Yollilgur's is moimi, olí at 9d Peyes is sorell 10b Lottled stouts aro selling frcclj it late rates £»00 co-slts llurkog were liaceil l"t sscck at los id Uoin-'s head has tuon lai"oly dealt in (J c_ki> bava y been i laced at 10-» list weet "huon I | lg bran 1 is worth 10s Oil Iteail s do-, s In. 11 lias

ruidj sale atlus 3d Iii,, bulMo^biuudis svorth lui Fosters Oulnncsss sells Inch at lu» I lood s lu cliainpierue bottles has had sulcti covcrinî? 100 c-ssks at" " Ionisent s commands a reads silc at 10s Jil in Ü Binnu dimycr sie heir of tome I ir u jsareJ» lins mg been placed at 10s. Din ke s is vvortli

9s Od

Hags -md Bogiring -fhcro lias not 1 Cell much demand Tor th"i and only n few small p ir"ls bul u been disposed " for present requirements Com backs are onlj selling ¡li trade parcels for the countrj for immediate wants, I ut no large llncsh-ito cliangid luuid- tor such parcels as li m. boen quilted up to 8s Ud has I ecu obtained 1 ot lar"c i-incls in bon 1 "s lojd tstpiouxl Woolpacks have not been noticed but holders maintaln const icrable flmire*« tit 1 up to -s fjjti is a"cd for "lins tor Victorian nimio packs _ Sd duty pa 1 is obtained Bran bo,3 aio mosiiur oft in small parcels at up to »s in bond Gunny bags have been noticed to a moiler ile extent, and besides other parcels wo hear of loo bales having been disposed of at from rs 4)d to Ss Oil Messrs 1 VV Hoilgiro and Co , writing from Cal cutta under dato "th bovcmlicr, report as follows

- ' Juto Fabrics -Our market generally bos uccu

very dull, with little business doing, and the tendency is decidídly downward Buyers for tbu colonies show no inclination to opcrato at tho advanced rates asked by mills, and ii they persist in this course, it is \ery probable that bcfoic fong wo shall return to previous quêtions Tho only transaction oí im portante during the fortnight has taken place ut w ooli v ks, of w filch 1,500 hales lOjlb , at 11 Or , and 1 500 do , llilb , at 1 2r , found hut era for January

I cbruary delivery A salo is also reported oí COO baits, lO-JIb, at J 1 Cr, for early December delivery Our quotation to-da> for lO^Ib standards Is Î lr to 1 1 Cr Cornsacks -A small lot of about 200 bales of 1) shot sacks, chicflv from bccond hand waa sold at lo 1 >r per 100 Branbags and orebags aro un changed . , .

Candles havo been in fair request, but few sales have como under our notice as otoeks on tho spot ire lljit litbht'y a low hundrtd bo\cs were cleared oil at up to lOJd Schied mis aro rcaddy d13 posod of as thej como to han 1 at lOJd Orient

arallincs are selling at lid lor DU O s and DU J a 8¿d in bond is obtained for parcels to arrive Stocks in bond tins week amount to &7 chests and casts and 200 hovea Colonial niado candles aro mov ing oíí steadily at I vto rates I or Apollos 0£d i» obtained while tlio comet brand realists 8gd Kitchen s pctrolincs arc selling at 9£d , and their star brand is quoted at 8$d

Chemicals - \ sli"htlv better demand has been experienced for lhu»c latterly, but few bales of any contcqucnco have transpired up to the present Soda costáis havo been quitted at £S Caustic soda is belling stcudilv in trade lots tor 40 pel cent ¿.14 is obtained , 00 per cent 's quoted at £13 10s , and 70 per cent at £1J 10s Car bo nato of wxia has had moderate attention at £11 10s fcilicato of soda is slow of Rale at late rates A parcel of bicarbonato of soda has changed hands at ¡Clt ISs In tarbirlo acid trade gales ara making at Is. lid Cream oí tartar Is worth 1H ljd Jars are quitted at up to l8 (k1 Howers 01 sulphur aro moving off at £11

Irado sales of prepared opium aro making at prices ranging from ¿Is Cd to J5s.

Ciitcory is selling steadily in small parcels for un mediate wants at Cid in tins and M in other packages

Confectionery -A good demand is experienced for tuesoby the manufacturers, and sales oro making freely at full pi ices Mctorlnn made dry amoving 0lint7d Candied peel hastiad moderate attention utOJd Tor jujubes from is to I* Id is obtained

CofTeo Ina been In fair demand, but onlv smnll parcels have 1K.CH quitted at late rates No*. 1 and i Cevlou plantation are belling at from iHd tolOd lava »tantallon is worth Od , while for otlier deserto tioiiB this ll0urû is also obtained

Cordage- Manufacturers lunoit a fair trade in qulry for theso at current rates liest descrip Mons ot Manilla hemp \ ictorian made rope hare u good inquiry nt £67 and of jin to jin larg« parcels havo been placed at £75 Tlat ro|>cs arc helling nt from £82 to £J0, according to the dimensions In Sew Zealand flax ropo fair orders have been received at 4.1s, willie for cordage sices of this kind 50s is quoted Hay lashings aro moving off at 40s , and seaming twine brings from is to lu Id Shoptwine bus tlie ordinary trade demand at from Od to Is

Cement -A good demand continues for this and full prices are lcadily obtained for Mich pan els as nie d\ diable Gosling s is readily disposed of on arrival at lfs , whllo for Knight li o ran and Co o up to 15s Od has been paid Quotations range from 14s tXl to 15s Cd according to brand and parcel American plaster is worth 11s Whiting is moving off ut£4

lis (k1

1 ¡bli -A good demand was experienced Inst w eck, but thiswecK little boj been done ling has been in moderate icqucst, and tradi parcels have been quitted at up to f>}d A fair demand ho» been expo ricnted fui fresh herrings and sales havo been makin/ at from Gs 10i,d to 7s , according to brand kippered herrings aro quoted at 10s Od 1 ed her rings are moving off at trom (tis to â~«, lor white hcrrin.,3 Jus is paid for barrels, whilo for kits Ils ¡3 quoted A fair demand continues for salmon, but prices are hardly so linn, and last week wo wcro advised of about 1,000 cases having been cleared off in parcels, at a cou cession on late rates Small parcels are mov hu, off at tip to 8a .ki, duty 1 Kitti Jardines continue in good request, and sales are makin,; freely at full pnces Quarters are getting scarce, and trans actions h ive In consequence been mosth in halves

Hales during lost week covered about COO cases at up to Gs for quakers, and up to 9s for halves Ovsters are moving off at b3 Cd Lobsters aro still scarce, and up to On. (k1 is readily obtained for beet brands We aie advised of 100 cases of Burkes having been quitted at t>tf yd

I lour and Grain -I ittlo lias been dono In bread stuffs this w eck, the boll ti a j s hnv mg interfered mate nally with oper ttiotte l'riccs( howcvcr, are h trdly bo Ann, and few t-alts arc making torfiour, thero has not been much inquiry, and only a few sin ill parcels have changed hands for immediate wants at about late rates A better demand, however, is looked for shortly lor new, from £9 5s to £9 7s Gd has been accepted, but only for small Earecls To-day wo hear of SO tons of new havlne,

ceri cleared off in parcels at this price OI 1 is quoted at up to £0 10s _ but no traiiR-acMoi s ha. e comu under our notice H heat ra? not been in much request, and as the millen aro ¿itisflcd for the mo ment, there mo hurd ty any buyers the quantity offering not being sutlicicut to Induce shippers to operate Ibis has induced holde*.s to offer bitch parcels as have come to hand at- a. concession on lato rates, but this even ho/» not led to business Ihe receipts nre ttcadily increasing, and moro activity ia anticipated early next month when the at rivals oro likely lobe onamuvh larger scale At present however, the demand batt been conflned to the millers, who have supplied then selves for their immediate wants He porto from tho country ure of a most satisfactory character, and the vicld It is anticipated, will I» over what was estimated at first We shall thcrefoic havo a very laige surplus to dispose of, hut unless farmers uro prepared to accept lower prices shippers eauiiot opcrato, especially as the home iiDikct at the present bus n downward tcmlcuev

1 ew btiqis have y etbeen engaged to load here, shippora waiting to see what price Is Ilk ch to rule for wheat wv that if exports arc to hu made caily in the year Krices will havo te come down to the level of

onie values Advices by th< mail do not promise much for the future of tbc ma kct the supplies in stocic and availablo being so large as to pre eludo any very t,rcat advance in prices With this product in view, it would be advisable if farmers and others will meet the market and send away sufliclcut to make our local market stronger, othcrwibo vvo shall havo a long dragging season nod unsatisfactory prices Ihe transaction leported last week covered about 6000 bau*» which were cleared off ut un to 4s 4d for new, anti up to 4<i lid for old At the elote of the week, however, the market was weak at 4s Jil This vv eek about 4 000 hags hav e been cleared off ut up to 4s -!i¡d Sellers arc offering freely at 4H Jd, but v itiiout leading to business The arrivals of wheat show a very considerable in cruise, while those of flour romain about tho same Ihe shipments do not vary very much lim arrivals at Melbourne, Williamstown, ¡sand iidgc, Geelong, and coastwise for tho week ending ¿¿ixl December amount to i 058 bags of Hour and 12 074 bags of wheat, while tho shipments were 1,340 bags of flour The total arrivals for the year now aggregate Ü4 101 bags of flour and 772 103 bags of w heat vv hile tho total exports are i5I),f>07 bags of flour and Í0ÜÍKK) bogs of wheat Ihe latest message from Adclaido quotes Is Od to 4s Od as the pneo there for shipping parcels while the last cablegram received from London ¿.ives 46s as the price per quarter ex store while tor p irtcls to arrive Ms Cd Is quoted lhere has been very little doing in feeding grains the trade only purchasing small parcels accordiiiL, to their requirement» Oats have not been in much request, and we havo only heard of a few small ptrccls having cluuiged hands The yield this season Is exacted to bo fullv up to requirements, and buyers will net thcrcforo operate largclv

last week about 3 500 bags were cleared off at from ~s lOd for tho feed up to»» 2d for stout Calcuttas realised from ¿Ü 4tl to 2s Od This weel only nbout 1,000 bags have been cleared off nt from 2s lid for light feed up to li. Jd foi prime btout Nothing has transpired in barley, the fanners not caring to accept the prices offering Multetcrs arc willing to operate toa moderato extent at bs Od , but do not care to t,ivo moro In the face of a^ood crop tor Cape up to Js. is quoted lit peas little has transpired, only trade Miles having been effected at up to lfs Small parcels ot uui/o were quitted lost week at from 4s to 4B Id lo day, however, prices are tinner, and wo huir of 100 haga of Gipps Land having been quitted at from 4s M to 4s Jd tor bran u fair demand continues and bales are making steadily at lOJd 1-or pollard up to lid ts v anted ~\ it tom n made oat meal Is moving off at up to £10 10s lor \ ictorian pearl lurlu} £2,1 ¡4 obtained

> mils-Little has transpired in these this weel, though early last week a "ood business was done in moht descriptions Currants especially w ero in request, and sonic goal sates were effected last week, thom,h latterly pilcos havo not been quite so tina 1-arly last week a few hundred packages were cleat ed off at f>3d , but later about 400 casks and caves wcro quitted at up to uJ.il Kaisins have also had modélate attention Sultanas have been in good demand, and we hear of about SOO boxes having been disposed ot nt up to 7__d Good sales of clemes worcicportodat up to Cid tor new, though leas monuywus it ce p ted for old fruit New Valencias aro moving oft steadily at up to G$d lor figs a fair demand has been experienced, and sales are making ut up to lod Ionian almonds are selling at is loi bingil, bd Is quoted

Gunpowder-»votniiig of unv consequence has transpired in this article sales having htcuconflricdto small parcel for immediate wants Mian, H is selling at 151*1 Utils blasting Is worth Cjd Forkalmess and Curtis and Harvtv a (id has been obtained Other brands uro moving off in small parcels at

5¿d

Hops -Little tins been doing in this article, though lutturiy a slightly better demand has been experienced, and hinall parcels have been dUpjited nf at ubout katu rates Advices by the mail report tinner prices at home owing to tho indisposition of miowera to sell at curicnt rates Wo also hear from Tasmania that the vines are buffering considerably from the drought In our local market the trade are only purchasing when absolutely ntccbbary, and con« quentlv only bin all parcels are being quitted at lull prices Trade salts of 'Victorians art making at up to Is 4d , though holders of best hainples aro asking more moiiev In Tasmanian« little has been doing , only one or two paicels have been quitted, at up to Is 4d in bond Kents have liad moderato attention and wo ate advised of 20 bales having been disposed of in lots at up to 2s 4d duty paid Hav arlan» aro in short supply, and up to _N Gil dutv paid has been obtain eil for small parcels

Mult continues to move off hi fair parcels at late lates líast Ltiglish is quoted at up to 10s Gd while fall sales of \ ictorian made aro makin« nt from 7a to 7s U according to parcel

Metils- \o bales of any consequence have trail

spired in these, tilc tiado only opetathig for their immediate wants Colvanised iron is moving off quietly 111 tndu parcels at from ¿20 to 1.21 according to bl uid llg lion has not had much at

tcntion and wo hav c oiilj heard of small paréela having been quitted at a concesión on £4 ^s lu- und rod iron continue to move off quietly at £0 fahct>t iron IIILS been putted at from £10 los to £11 10« for ¡NOB ¡j to lb while hoop Iron has been quitted at up to i,10 10s In fenem- wirofair^alcs aremakiiigat full prices but no si teni lints h¿vt tome uudci our notice cjuotatlous lan^e from £11 lus to £1. 10a aotoidmu to bi vnd and number fahot is bellin«- it£_ï)

lu sheet lead wo hear of a good parcel having changed hands at £21 W hitclea I has been quitted at £J° Tumhtts are moving off sttadilv 1C tokt has bun pi iced at up to Jls Muntz metal is selling at trom 7jd to <Sd I w bank a nails havo been quitted ut lbs 0d lu Irenen nuls v fair bubiuesí, U doing at l*-s Aintru m nails

are selling ut \* Huivy axes Collins s and I Shai pa F have hcfti stdd ut (CU Ames s shov els havo ' 1 ecu quitted at 5 s Dav s I) H neal 0 H4m to 3Uln

fetch 4M I or other makers o' same dimensions prices rule from iOs to His Hollow aro is saleable at J-ÏJ pci cent off list

Oils-Only v 11 clorato inquiry has ln.cn c\pc litiictl for that anl feu balts have transpired kerosene Is moving off sttadilv in trade parcels at from lid to Id, but no largo lines have changed hands Cablegrams aro to lund from New \ oric odv Wing an advance there w Ith n strong market Stocks in bond this week amount to .11,705 casts Castor oil has not had much attention and few tiaiisactioiis have come under our notice Small pareóla aie moving off at horn Js lOd to Js m bond Messrs I W Hcllgcrs writing from Calcutta, undci date S«th >ov ember report as follows -

Castor Oil -The market Is quit t and sales nro small amounting to about 500 cases London good seconds at 0 Gt 500 -oses Liverpool good bcconcfs at 0 2r Our quotations arc slightly lower vis -London goal seconds » 0 to t) 8r London fair seconds, ti 2r

London ordinary seconds, Or , No J, 813r *

Cocoanut oil is quoted at £3110s Linseed oil. in bulk, has smalt soles at 2s Od for casks and _ for drums Olive oil is without much attention at 4s 4d for c-islts and 4s Od for drums 1 olar oil la in good request at from £23 to £50

Oilmf n s Stores -A good demand is maintained for thoso, and sales aro making frcclj at agents prices Iho following aro the general quotations ruling; -In Jellies, black currant Is selling trccly at from 14s to 14s Od In lib Jams, red cross brand, a largo business continues at 5s Od Salad oil in quarts is worth from IBs. Od to "s, whllo pints aro selling at from Os Gd to 12s (x1 Halves lmvo c-ood attention at from Bs Od to 7s Od In Morton s, pints havo been placed at 9s Od , vvlulo half pints are woithto5s4d Castor oil remains Ann at 7s "1 for pints, ami 4s Gd to 4s Od for half pints Sauces aro moving f reelj at from tis Gd to 10s Od Capers hasoastcadj trade demand at from 0s Od to ,s In Boll and Blacks plaid vestaa wo hear of 0 ns s lias ing been cleared ort at 4s , Bryant and May s vestas aro also moving oil ut from 3 )d to 4s Wc hear of .00 cases bavin; been disposed of at 4s Wood« vestas arc in g'ood request at Os Palmers have leen plaitit 4s id " Bells oro sillín.' freely ut 4s Colman s mustard in good demand at Sid per lb for Jib tins lib tins bnn . 10s Od , and Jib. tins sell at 0s X ietori in prepared mustard, m small tins is selling freely at 10s Od tier doicn in boxes and Is -1 to IJ 4d perlb in4!b to'lb lins forgcnullie 1) S 1- lutins »worth 1. lier dozen in boxes, vs hilo lod nnd up lo Is per lb in lar.o tins " obtained \ letorian cocoa " moving' off fleclj atfld and 10d to Is id and up to Is Oi, accordins to qualltj In imported kinds Taj lor Brothers selisficels ntls 3d Xictonan choco late Is worth Is Id to IJ Iii Column o white and bluo starch tsmusimr off freds at f!d Orlando Jones H is al o in «coil demand at "Jd Kellmann s rico stareil is selling- Ircclj at O'.d Thumb blue is coins; offal «jil Sa.o and tapioca aro sellinc in trade lota at from l¿d to -4d I oi inwarnnl and s rrmicclli a good demand is maintained at lod Black pepper quitted at from Old to 7d , and w hito peppor is moving off at from

10Jd to lid

Provisions.-No auction sales havo been held till to daj pal titulara of which will bo found in another

column

Quicksilier-Trade sales only ol this article havo

been uni ing at Is 8tl

Idee has onlj boen in moderato request, and few salt) Havo transpired Holdors of Patna mo fir n ist from "10 to "17 according to parcel" Writing fiom Calcutta under date "th November, Xlossrs I Vf llcllgers and Co report -BIco -Supplies of tlio new Seeln crop aro expected to arriso in about three weeks lhc crop is a partial falluro, being estimated at about ono third only of last j car s "Hors havo been asking high pnces until within tlio last few dajs, w hen thej began to show moro Inclination to meet bujera Wo quoto fine Patna to day -CU 10s per ton f o b Japan Is worth from £18 to £10, according to sample while Melbourne dressed Tapan is selling nt "19 dutj paid Vi u hear of 50 tons lias Ing been placed at £1S Boeiihi llajali Is mos ing off slow lv at _" Tlicro is little doing in Chinese, only small parcels liai ing been sold at £17

Salt -A fair demand is reported for this staple, but only small parcels lu»o olmiigod hands at luto ratos Black Horse Is sillingat £1 l63 forlinoand £3 17s Od for coarse Hock wilt is quoted at £2 1" Od

Sugar-Nothing lias transpired this week, but early in lastwcel a good demand was experienced, but lattcrls, owing to the largo quantities offer ing, less disposition boa been shown to operate, besides sshlth, as tile end of tho jcar is so near at hand tra.lcrs do not caro to Increaso their stocks In Mauritius sugar«, whites and browing crjstals havo lieon most lu request, nnd soino fair parcels liase changed hands at full price. 'Hie market liai been further supplied by tho armai of tho I den and tlie »reconsliiro Queens land descriptions havo also had moderato attention, though latterly holders havo not cared to accept the pnces offering Tho conni-uij sbiujara ara moving off steadily at their quotations foi No 1 £30 is ob tallied No 2 Is worth £" »hilo No J leallscs £" rho folio» ing aro tho actual ti-iusootions during tho week -On Mondai fiOO bogs and pockets Xlauritius wci-o disposed of at up to W3 for whites, while for 200 bags of brewing crjstals _!2 svas obtained 2 000 pockets of Bourbon sugat wcro also cleared off at full prices On Tucsdav, under tho hammer, 2,700 bags and J 217 pockets Mauritius, ox Golden ltusset woro disposed of at pnces ranging up to £33 for whites Tho balanco was vvithdl iwn for higher rates Aliout 1,43.1 bairs and pockets Mauritius and Queensland wcro quitted at »ame timo at up to "30 10s Pnvatclj.OOO bags brewing crjstals were ills posed of at up to £" 10s , whilo 500 pockets wcro placed at wp to £13 On Wedneeda} somo largo parcel i of brew lue; oi-vstals were disposed of at into rates while for n few parcels of whites up to £33 was obtained On "liirsdav at auction, mid after tho sales out of tho largo of the Louis Lngcuo, 7,41)0 baga and pockets wcro cleared off at £29 to £29 10s for grainy jcllosvs, £31 to £J2 los for grojs, £32108 foi brewing crjstals, and £32 10s for bott whites Tho best whites wcro withdrawn for 1 ighor rates I'll

vvlolj nothing of atij consequence waa reported lo* d«j vvn lau c no sales of atij con "que ico Irado sales of whites uro making' at up to £ii whllo 200 lagB of brewing crj stats bas c been quitted at a full price. Nothing* was dono early this vvcok owing to tho holiduj s On Ihursdav onlj a fesv small parcels cliaug'cd h nids at late rates Io daj also onlj a fen trade sales has c been effected

Tea-In consequence of the bolillas s little orno business has been done in this staple The prospects foi tlio coming j car appear to be fairly bright, and auction sales will be licld cailj next week Common congous continue in "ood request at from Od to lod pu lb sopehoes are coming Into moro fnv our and aie saleable up to Is 4d Kaisosi buds aro also in good demand r-inccongoUBnronosvbecomillgsenrcc, mid should comm uid fair prices Quotations -Com mon to good common 7Jd to lOd , good ordlnars to flasoury kaisous, lid to Is medium to line, Is to Is 2d , line to finest Is 2d to Is Uti , choice, Is Sd to Is lod , choicest _ to 2s Id

Timber-No "les havo boen held during tho past fortnight, and wc iiave not heard of auj transactions

pnvatelj

Tobacco -There has not bcon much demnud for this staple, and onlv trado sales liai o bcon effected nt nbout lato rates X Ictonau made aro selling steadily in small parcels ut late rates Quotations rungo fiom Is 4d to Is 8d tor common, and from Is lod to 2s. Id for medium, while for best quail tics from _ 2d to 2a Od is readily obtained lu impoitod there is not much doing, only trado sales having been roportcd at current rates A lirgo shipment was offered to das at auction and a cou sldcrablo advaneo on lato rates was obtained Gcuciol

quotatioiiBrange as follow -Common quality liatvvork is worth Is 2d medium to good brings from Is 2d to la. 5d and best kinds réalisa from Is 5d to Is 7Jd. naij tobacco, High Admiral sells ficcly at Is 71,(1 , twists aro worth from Is 3d to Is Od aromática and nasics command a icady salo at from Is Od to 2s Cd At auction 191 packages T C Vi illlains and Co s and VV atson and Vi Gill s tobaccocs wcro quitted at tlio foliotilim; prices -fives, Is lOil to Is lOJd , pocket pieces, Is 0Jd to Is lOd , black rods and bara, Is lOd to _ , aromatic twists, 2s ¿vd to 2s (k1 , dink do, 11 Jil to Is, 10 cases Old virginia also rcallsod lOJd per lb, all faults In Manilla cheroots thero is not much doing, quotations rango from 60s to 00s .ucvo Havana aro wortli from 70s to 70s Cortados aro selling at from 078 Od to 70s Swiss clears aro moving at prices ranging from 34s to 30s for Onnond s, nccordiucr to quantitj lavcrncj s aro in good demand at J2s Gd German cigars aro slow of sale at 30s to 00s Hamburg are belling at £10 1 or Havannah a trood demand exists, and genuine descriptions fctcli from

£12 upwards

Wilna and Spirits-This vi eck little of anj conse quence has transpired, but last wcok a fosv sales wcro effected In ports, among other sales wo bear of somo 100 quarters sar loua qualities having been cleared oil at up to £50, while 30 quarters Hunts port is ero quitted at a full I ince Prices rule as follows -Common kinds

irlng £20, medium aro worth up to £50, is hilo best kinds rcall . up to tOO In »heines wo havo also a lair demand to report, about 120 quarters good brands basing been disposed of at up to tGO also 10 quarters of lorresters at full ratos Common descriptions aro worth C2'», medium, £>0, while be. brands bl ing up to £100 Othci wines, suth os Jonrnu i reres olarota and Prolltrs wines liase been largely dealt in nt cm rent rates Champagnes haschad eonsidcrabio attm tion and sio hear of 100cases Moot and Chantions gold top and 160 cases of L "oedorcr having- been quitted at up to S7s (k1 A large parcel of Duo do Montebello w ino has also been quitted nt 90s Com mon brands bring from "s , vv hilo host qualities sell frcclj at up to 100s Genova maintains a readj snio, and largo parcels has o been cleared oil at late rates Among other sales vs o hear of somo 000 cases JDK/ 15 bottles has injr been quitted at 14s 3d , and 400 case^ 20 bottles, at 14s 9d Woolfas schnapps aie "Hing in largo parcels nt 2" In Bttrkos sciinapiis, some 400 eases hav e boon booked to arriv o at late rates Brandies continue in good request, and wo aro adv Iscd of tlio follow Ing salea -SO quarters Albert dark (bonne all the present stock) at a full prlco, and 50 quarters of palo at an adv anco on late rates. lu Otard s bulk somo 15 quarters havo been placed vv hilo 2" cases of this brand havu been quitted at 31s Hennessy s caso is vory firm, and some 400 casos hav o changüí hands at 3" Cd , w hilo resales havo been effected nt 30s Ihrco star is worth 48s Martcll s is firm at 35s Cd In Pruniers vvclioar of CO

quart- ra having boen placid at late rates Bulk vihliMca have not been in much request, but tlio caso of all leading brands iias'liecu largctj dealt in Iho follón Ing aro somo of tho actual sales reported -200 eases lorim SOO oases Libber» Glenlivet 000 eases Duns illo s at 17s (k1 , and 400 cases itoj al Blend at 10s til In bulk wo have onlv hoird of 30 qunrteis of Dunville s having been taken up in a lino at 4s 9d Itumlsserj sloss of "o foi the present and ive has« onlj heard or the quittance of 10 quaitirs of HW 1' and 15 quarters Lemon Hurts, 10 op, nt " Jd lied star Is offering at " In Queensland wo aro advised of tho quittanco of 2o hhd, to arrive at 2s 7¿d Iho follow ing oro tlis general quotations - Brandi -lion llcaays 1875, 10s Od , 1877, 17s Cd Malteils is sell Ing freely at ira (k1 , dark is ssoith los, Otard s 1"J veis Boareo at 13s and 1878 is worth 10s Od Barnassons Is «ellina; at from 8s. to Ila. 0d , according to vintage Marett3 slovr ot sale at 9s Dents Mounios ia worth 0s Clumpsg'iie Mnojaids, 7s lulcs Hobin s 1S73 8s, dark _ (ni 18" vintage, 13s. (k1 Itunaults 7s rtd Irltocho, Sa Blsquit, DilboucluS and Co 7s (ki , La G rando Marque, _ Sa

Pmct Cvstillon is slosv of solo at " Boisson 1-reres is worth 5s Gd Xicukov/s has Eales at 8s

Vinegrossirs brings So Lucien Bellota is worth from 7a "I to ils Cd Associated Vines arda lias Urge solos at ~s for old Ss is louuircd Alberta, 7s

Dulan s 7s Central \inejanls ,7s 3d Prunicr'a 0s , ltielui I and Mullera s ud Gaspard a ¡is 3d Hennessj a eise is helling freely nt 30a three star 4&s Mai "Il s in good demand at 3 s cd for one star 4e_(*l for threo star Otanl a nuotod at tis Denla Mounie a 31s Od VKuUow i 2" Ixl Ma etta 30s , l_iiault»hearoeat2:a I ntiui Bellota Da nnd tinco star -2a Iticiuitl and Mullera M-lliiigallGa. Gd ,othtr bran la an. inplciiUful «uppli atfroinl7s to_4s ltiiui -Quotations rule as follow - Lemon II irt " "d

li VV r> 3s k1 lud Heart ts Demorara old " Queensland is belling at Ja III Geneva in good rennest values are-for JDh¿ lj and 20 bottles scaled and Uiiclled, 11s to 14s lil

Ulaukuiliclni and Nolens kel genes a quitted at from lil to Ills («1 s unous descriptions V anden bag bell brand i tiling at 12a, lit Meousa key steuis at 13s Gd VVhiblues llave bein fairlj noticed lor good brands Thom and cameron s 3s es1 John Ho. s 3s Gd Values foi whiskies-guicnllv range lrom " GJ tola Ixl, and is Gd toas " bunt liles wortli 6j William lanius, on s is quit tod freds it " Gd Ivnku G"ci,anil to s Loch Dhu bland lellin, at l<*i foi ease Shamroel and Vants in ¡ ooil demand tho tonner at Is 9d and tho lattci at s lor \ints caso 178 is required ii menai quarts moving' at 21s Young, King and Co 's bulk is selling at os while foi their Brian Bom in taso 17s is ol

taincd l'ncoro brand in fair demand bulk hi mi*s 0s while case ia woith 18s. Standard lias lariro sales at 7s (k1 ease IDs (k1 1 lana brnid ol I s atte 1 is soiling at Os Oil I ord r Castlo Blend Ins travers at 0s for ness, and fis Gd for old Walkers bulk ill demand at Ss to Ss (x1 , while case biiu-s 17s Od Ushers old Glonlisct brings 7s (ki ail special quality in small parcels 10s 01 Innes and Grieves" quitted at 7s , their very old Uam Var moves frocly at lia Dunsillos caso In crcat ««'"»'d at from 10s Od to 18s ed lojnl Blend 10« od Lorim quoted at 18s Gd

according to contents St Mungo bulk brin"*i 8s Od case fetches 19s (Id Thistlo Blond brings lila. Mitchell a has a constant demand at from 22s to 24a. Bull whisky moving In small lota at "s Od Sir It Burnetts old tom sells fieelj at 12s

MELBOURNE WOOL AND STATION

PRODUCE leEPOKT.

Messrs R.GOLDSBIIOUOH and Co LIMITBD fortnightly

report -

Wool-The business transacted In Ulla market during the past fortnight lias been on a restricted scale, owing to the Intervention ol the Christinas hohdajs The usual auction sales however, will bo resumed to-daj, and as tho armais liavo been fully up to the average for tins season of tho } car, large catalogues «ill bo brought fom-ird throughout tho month Dilling the recess tho bulk of the passed in lots at the late -.-ales hal o boen satlsfactoril} disposed of bj priMito contract, consequently ver} fe« parcels tint baie been prcviouslv offered no» remain in varehoilso lnees eontinuo to bo Moll maintained for all "ood condilli, mcrinocs and fine hnlf breds both »rciisv and scouicd but all inferior and faulty descriptions and stiong crossbreds remain easier, the late discounting "dikes from England having had a

dcpres-ing eireet on theso sorts

Ihe current priées are - Grew inferior, (x1 to Sd ordmarj to average fed to lod good to superior, luid to lid Fleece washed (mierioi), lid to 13d , ordinarv toaicragc lid to rd overage to good, lbd to20d supcrioi 22d to - A Seourcd, inferior, 1 d tol4d ortlnnii, lud to l"d , middling to good, 1IW to 21d superior 22d to 2ld

Liclnngo on London is at . poi cent discount for drilt-i at CO davs sight, and J pel cent oxtra for caell JO da\ s addit onal

The folio« mg \ csscls liai e cleared during tho fort night «¡til «ool on board -Dee 20-Hame, s s , Mel

bourne to London, 1,4.« bales Dee 21-Gulf ot A enicc s s Melbourne to Antwerp, ',&» 1)alc3 C"1 b-iles of this shipment aro for London), Dee 29Liguria s s , Molbounic to London 299 balea , Dee

IS-bilges, (supplementär} Porti nid cargo) Mclbourno to Loudon \72S biles Dec 22-Schwanden, Mel-bourne to Boston, J 001 h iles

LIVE S10CK 11LP0KT

There has been onlj ono market at tho Flemington janis during the last fortnight, no Bales ha\ing been held during Christmas week aho number of itockjarded was 2,Tb!J fat cattle 250 fat calves, 27 400 fat sheep , and D 300 fat lambs 1-at Cattle --The aupph consisted clilcll. of Victorian lots, a largo proportion of «hlell «as of good to prune qualit\

hales extended over t«o da}s viz, the loth and 20th December, the . irds not being largo enough to accommo lato so largo

a number Thcro «as a full attendance of bil. eis the demand «as active cspcciall} on the second da., and advanced rates were realised, tho o suitable for Christmas beef being «eil eonipeted foi

Primo pens of bulloeks sold at £10 to £11 15s a few o\tra to i.U 6s , good do , from io to £ ), second do , from io 10s to £7103 inferior from ¿J Primo poll» Of cows from £7 10s to £8 17s ed , good do , from £0 to £7 , middling and inferior from£l lab Calvca-A laifcO proportion of those }ardcdwas of good quahtj The supply «as beyond require-ments and priées ruled lo«ei throughout Best sold at from 60s to bos , good, from Jus to 4as , second, from 25s to SOi infenoi from lrs 1 at Sheep-Tho suppl}, althouji large «as not execs

slvo, talcing into consideration that a fortni-hts) «ants had to he provided for Best merino «ethers « ere in fall demand, and sold at ligares full} equal to those ruling tho previous market but middling and inferior descriptions and crossbrcda «ere dull of Fiilo, priées for such liai inga donn» ard tendeur]

liest crossbred « cthors sold at from 11s. to 12s , a fen extra to lit, good do , from 10s to los. Ud , second do , from 8s ed to 9s Cd inferior, from 7s

best merino «ethers, fiom 10s tolls good do fronv 0s to 0s Ol , second do Irom 7s to 8s., inferior, from 6s I at Lambs -The bulk of thoso penned waa of second and inferior quallt} Best descriptions «ero in demand, and sold at a slight advance on last quotations, but indifferent sorts were dull of sale ot about late rates Primo realised fi oin 8s to 0a, good, from ös Cd to 7a Cd , second, from rs to b3 , inferior, from d3 Od _

SILLS Ul PKOPLRIY

Mr JAV,I-S P.oi, auctioneer, 01 Swauston street, reports the salo b} auction of tho following propertics, viz. - ^ariavillo-"0 allotments (the «Bolo offered) In Gamón, 01- arrell Harriet, Chapman, and Hamilton streets, at from 12s to fa per foot, £47i Ils Od titzrov -Marion street land 00ft bj 76ft with old buildings thereon £395 NunawadingFarm of 40 acres partlv cultivated w ith house, LL . l_50 Sandridge- lllotmcnt, Lsplanado east, J3lt byanavcrago depth of about 6-ft, at £4 per foot, also, another allotment, same street 33ft. by 115ft. at £4 10s per foot Lmcrald hill-Weatherboard cottage and land 20ft b} 8011, Palincraton-crcacoiit, £JO0 allotment OMt by 112ft, Herbert-street, at £5 poi foot Mornington, parish of Moorooduc-lO^ acres land, with old buildings £350 Kew-Allot incuts, lockington street, at £2 10a per foot, £286 Uaw thom-Allotments, Iiivorsdalo-road, 7ûft by 167ft, at £4 pel foot Total amount of sales, £3,645 4s Od _

¡.HIPPING rOIl THE FORTNIGHP

PORT Ol' MELBOURNE

ARRIVALS AND CLEARANCES SINCE OUR LAST Strauinr. A , American, Au , Austrian, B , British , B*A ,

British American Belg , Belgian, Bo, Bolivian, Br , Drarlllan, Ch , Chilian , D , Dutch , Da , Danish , I , 1 rench , G , Cernían, I, Italian , N , Noiwcglan, I", 1'oitugucM., Pr , Peruvian , It, Russian , ¿J ,b«cdish , bp .Spanish , sli ,ship, bq . barque, bg, brig, sell, schoouoi, s s , steamer

Dee AiiniMiD

20 Dnimbiirton, I) sh , 1,840 J LI Johnson, Lou-

don -Win M Culloch and Co

21 1 Irth of Clyde, B sh , 1,207, \V Smith, Glasgow.

-John Bl> til and Co

21 Tannadice, B s s , 2 183, Stephen C Green, Foo-

chow , ¿o -Gibbs, Bright, and Co

21 Aldborough, B bq , 1 126, li Trunks, London.

-Win M Culloch and Co

22 \\ cstmcath B s s , 3,101, . Stonehouse, London.

-W Slddele} and Co

22 Balmain, B s s .50, \\ Ellis Liverpool-W.

Howard Smith and bons

2J Tiverton, B s s , 2 07o, W M'Kenzic, London

-Jas Service and Co

ti Crown of Scotland, 15 sh, 1,550, Jas Smith,

Liverpool-Jas senlee and Co

21 Drumlanrlg, B sh , 1121, W hdmondson, Drain

men -Lord and Hughes

24 Lden, B bq , 112 John Nairn, Port louis, Mauri-

tius -Mathew Mitchell

26 Pairamattn, It M S , 4,7o9, A lil Ballow, London

-Geo AMtlicrs

20 Poto«i, B s s 4,219, Il Studdert. London -Gibbs,

Ilrieht, and Co

27 Bothwell Castle B s s , 2.542, Robert J C Todd,

London -Jas bcrv leo and Co

27 Crocodile, steam dredge, 113, Charles Gibson,

G'afgow -M hito, Alford, and Co

27 Berwickshlio, B bq , 6Ai J Bruce, l'oit Louis,

Maim ti us -I anning, Nanl.lv oil and Co

27 bidnc}, S bq , 002 1 hranier. Gelle -Master

2J Hero, B s s , Sal, John M'Intosh, rill -D.

Mills

29 Mild, B bq , 2JS, J C Peterson, Mango and

Suva, 1 lji -I'igott Bios and Co

30 Melbourne, r as, 4 2o0, Rene Monler, Mar-

seilles, A.C -Dalgety, Blackwood, and Co

JO IIolliow,B as 1,411, Alfred ^urdlu, Hongkong,

Le -Loiimcr, Home, and Co

JO Sedwoll Jane, B sell, 188, B II Evans, Natal -

Master

DCC CLHVRBD 01 T

10 Urn, G as, 1,476, Rlekleff Molsen, London,

Antwerp, and Hamburg -W Clash} and Co

20 Home, It M S S , 2 518, Geo 1 Catea, London via

Adelaide and Colombo -Geo Withers

21 Star of Peace, B bq , 1,114, H B 1 rancis, Puget

bound -Grlce, Sunn ci, and Co

21 Gulf of Venice, B s s , 1 001, D bilan, London -' Dilgot}, Blackwood, and Co

21 Dolmlm, B bq, 338, 1 II Robson, Malden

Island -Grlce, Sumner, and Co

22 Aberdeen B s s , 2 J71, C Matheson, London -

Dalgctv, Blackwood, and Co

22 bolivvandcn, N bq, S A Grendcrscn, Boston,

U S -Newell and co

28 Liguria, B s 3 , 2 980, G N Conlan, I ondon vi»

Adolaldo and Naples.-Gibba Bright, and Co

28 Greta, B sh , 1,190, W D Cassady, Antwerp -

Dalget}, Blackwood, and Co

Jl Loch Rannoch, B sh , 1,188, Jas Ross, London -

J Sanderson nnd Co

TORT OP GEELONG Dec ARltlV FD

25 Lady Halewood, B bq, 381, Thoa William,

Mauritius -Dalget}, Ibbotson, nnd Co

SHIPS CLE VRED OUT WITH COLONIAL

PllODUCE

PORT Or ML LBOURNE

Die 10

Etna for London, Antwerp, and Hamburg -4,218 bia wool, 1 trunk boots 2 pkga curiosities

Due 20

Rome, R M S S , for London -1,448 bia wool, 499 his leather, d7 bia 10 oka si Ins, S bis hall, J04 tigs bark, 400 es preserved meats, 3 cks 0 es wine, 6ea apparel and effects 5 es jams, 8 pkgs boots lo cs ale, to bgs Hour r> u* almanacs, 5 es 5 oka butter J bia newspapers, SO cs merchandise, and 15 b\s trca suie shipment (value £»8 BOO)

Drc 21

Gulf of Venice, for London, via Antwerp -6,032bl» wool (150 cs preserved mutton

Dclinira, lor Maldon Island -21 pkga merchan-

dise

Dec 22

Aberdeen, for London -6,053 bis wool, 2 pkgs glu-cose 12 cs vv ino, J pkgs merchandise

behw anden, for Boston, USA -J2 cs cocoalnc, 31)7 oa llorlinel J pkgs woodwulo, 2 cs guns 8 cs cartildge«, (I pkgs geological specimens, 2 pkga merchan-dise 12 cs organs, lu pkgs machinery, J cs sewingmachines, J,(!01 his wool

Duo 28

Li. m Ia for london via Adclaido and Naples_ 301 lils wool, 10 pkgs tallow, 40 his skins, 65 bia leather, 1 ck pearl shell, 12 cs wine, 000 ca preserved meats 1,330 careases frozen mutton, 42 pkga mer» ehandise and effects, and J Ins sovereigns value

£0 7b0

Gi eta, for Antwerp -5 S29 bis wool

Dee 31

Loch Rannoch, for London -375 bgs ground bark, 2 es carpeta 2 pkgs gum, 173 bgs epclter, S4 pps tallow, 6 67U bU wool, lob's leather, 263 bia sheep-skins, 3U bia basils, l8 bia scrolls

PASSENGERS BY AND SINCE THE DE

PAitrunu or THE LASI1 MAIL

Drc 20

Rome, R M S b , foi London, 4c Passoni»crs saloon lor Madras-Mr Longbottom lor Cal cutta- Messrs J S Boase h L Vail lor Bombay -Messrs Vi Hordern, L M Caslon Browning lor Marseilles-bcijcant and Mrs Sleigh and fern ile ser \ mt. Major and Mrs lames, maid servant, and groom, Mrs and Miss Tea"uo and governess tor \ onlce-Mi nnd Mrs Ci isp Mrs G Robertson, Miso l.obertson, Mivtcrs Robertson (two) infant, and governess Mr Justice billiluna Mrs Williams, four children liiianf and nurse Professor Strom, Sir r Smith and lath Smith Sienor tillppo I radios!. Messib C 1- Bliebt Knies Robertson \V Sutherland, It Maxwell M 1 Imblad 1 oi London-Mr and Mrs I. Wright Mr mid Mrs Tiavcrs Ad Hilson, children (two) Infant and nurse Messrs 1 A Hurry, D I

Jacobs M Croisdill H D Brinsmead, Se}mour, I Gibbs, Adamson, Inn

Die 2S

T ¡gun i b a , for Loudon, le Passengers-saloon

1-or London-Mi 11 s Collier A II, Bri.ht, Mi and Mrs C I Bul} and child, 0 A Yoiin.', Rev M lloohhan Mi D T .mott Mrs Bald«in and fainilv, Mi and Mrs Carne and famllv. Mi 1) Gllmoui loi Nnples-Mr W hutnevvsk} , and J4 second nnd 101 third and stcera"e, for Lon

don

LISP or PASSENGLHS HY HU. P AND

o SILAMEHS

Tho follow tug is the saloon passengci list of theP ando Compaii} j R.M b Shannon, which leaves foi Lurope on tllu uid uibt -Sn tredenck Haines Mr and Mu Grron in 1 von Mi II Anders Mrs Wing field Mr and Mrs Mini, Mi M Ivci and Mr D M Iver, Mi and Mrs Uiii"don, MI.MJJ I inedon(three). Ml 1 \ Clave Mi 1 riser Mi lees Mihi lees, Mrs md Miss I on an Miss Kv in Mi C Peacock

Hu saloon pwscii"cr list of the I" and O Coin pani s II M S laianialla winch is adieitised to s-vil on the 17th hist is ns follows-Mr and Mrs Grimwade, Misses C i Im« ade (two) Ml Grimwade two children ami two nurses Mi and Mr« Barlow Miss M Donald, Mi and Mrs bebo n, Mr and Mrs Maudslev, Mr 1

M Do« doss Mr A 1 Grccnlleld, Mr H F Do Little Mr G K De Little, Misses Dou"las (two) Mis B b Thompson and Maatoi thompson Mi and Mi-a. Joseph Thompson Dr Damla, Mr mid Mrs A 1 Anderson, Mr and Mrs Onm, Infant tun! nurwe Dr mid Mrs J p ljun, Mi J D keenan, Mr. Lucas, Misa 1 lcuiina