The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1886. The Agricultural Department.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1296, 23 July 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1886. The Agricultural Department.

Mr W. de G. Reeves, whose appointment as officer in charge of the Agricultural Department of the Government attracted a good deal of public attention and was made the subject oi , some unfavorable comments by this and other journals a few months ago, has presented his first annual report. We confess that we are surprised and and entirely pleased by the interest and value of the report prepared by Mr Reeves. It could not be expected that in a single year the newly-created Department would effect all the purposes for which it was established, but the report under notice contains a large amount of practical and statistical information with regard to the agricultural and pastoral industries of the colony, which must prove of considerable value to all those engaged in these pursuits. Concise accounts of the principal agricultural and pastoral shows held during the year 1885 accompany the report, and a statement of the value ot alimentary products, &c,, imported to and exported from the colony during the preceding year is appended. The latter statement reveals certain facts which should receive the earnest attention of our producers and manufacturers. One thing that cannot fail to impress even a casual observer is the large sum we paid for fresh fruit. Our exports of this commodity amounted in value to [only j£iu, and in addition to our payments for fresh fruit we paid for jams and jellies, and for bottled and preserved fiuits. There is a total sum of ,£87,737 paid for goods which might and should be produced in the colony. The following table, giving the value of a few commodities imported to the colony during the year will show at a glance tha several important industries still awa development, viz.:—

£ Candles ... 74>959 Confectionery ... 15,818 Fish, preserved ... 51,086 Fruit ... ... 87,737 Milk, preserved ... 12,823 Oil, Linseed ... 17,350 Pickles ... ... 6,181 Seeds ... ... 70,993 Soap 5.532 Starch ... ... 6,717

.£349>i96

In addition to the articles enumerated in the above table, we have to a smaller extent imported a variety of others, such as beeswax (£435), biscuits (£1432). and chaff (£2591), which might readily be produced on a larger scale in the colony. Our principal alimentary exports during the year are valued respective'y as follows Bacon and hams, £12,433 ; biscuits. ,£5.135; bran and sharps, £41,556 ’ butter, £66,593; cheese, £25,074. dour, £33,324 •' barley, £25,138 beans and peas, £15.866 ; oats, £267,286; wheat, £436.7 28 ’> bops, £IB,BIO ; oatmeal, £10,975; frozen meat, £345,120; preserved meats, £59,224 , and potatoes, £53.536The following table shows the tpta

value of alimentary products we have exchanged with the countries enumerated during the year :

Many of our readers will be surprised to leatn that our imports of chaff exceed our export? of that commodity by 152 tons. This arises from the market of the West Coast drawing their supplies from Victoria, and will, in all probability, not be remedied until the completion of the Midland Railway. But in some other cases where the balance of trade is very much against us—in candles, fruit, preserved fish, and seeds—the figures are not creditable to colonial enterprise and energy, and we trust the next annual report of the officer in charge of the Agricultural Department will reveal a much more satisfactory condition of affairs.

Mr Taylor, the member for Sydenham, has given notice of bia intention to ask the Government the following questions ; amend the Stamp Act in the direction of increasing the stamp composition paid by the Banks doing business in the colony for the privilege of issuing Bank notes from 2 per cent to 4 per cent. (2) I f no amendment can be made daring this session, will the Government consider the quwtion daring the recess, with the object of introducing an Amendment Bill next session ?

A return has been presented to Parliament showing the result of the property assessor n: of 1885 as compared with the assessment of 1882 The following are the figures for the prlncipa boroughs:—

New Zo.dand boroughs amounted to £3*2.3:7.093, as against £27,607,897 for for 1882, and of the counties to £64,455,542 against £60,274.543. Tonus therefore show an increase of nearly 20 per cent., counties a decrease of about 3 per cent. The total rateable value of New Zealand property in 1885 (including £3,700,000 for the proportion of Crown Ituds on which rates are payable by occupiers, which was included in the total for 1882, but which is stated separately In 1885) was £100,532,640, as against £93,882,440, an Increase of nearly seven millions.

Earl Cathoart in a paper contributed to t

Countries. Imports. Exports. United Kingdom ..£255,891 £901,026 Kaw South Wales 24,690 455,133 Victoria.. 42,599 82,187 South Australia .. Fiji, South Sea Islands, 4,257 42,789 and Whale Fisheries.. 13,934 85.009 Queensland .. — 33,887 Cape Colony ,. ., — 12 6G9 Tasmania .. .. 83,603 13,250 Bengal 4,163 Mauritius .. ,. — 8,424 United States .. .. 84,127 8,192 Brazil .. .. .. — 1,859 Western Australia .. 13 225 Hongkong, China .. Germany, Holland, France, & Belgium .. 1,061 — 464 — Totals £409,533 £1,577,529

1882. 18F5 £ £ Auckland ... Hi 2,826,144 6,150,869 Thames 190,941 179,129 Napier ... ... 776,107 1,070,182 Wellington 3,403,402 3,530,742 New Plymouth 374,632 312,977 Wanganui... ... 532,674 471,010 Nelson ... • •• 851,001 884,758 Hokitika ... 101,650 92.961 Greymouth 128,699 104,435 Blenheim ... *»• 253,896 390,351 (Jhriatchtuch 3,221,692 3 573,899 Sydenham... ... 701,233 705,808 Lyttelton ... 379.214 369 899 A shburton... 213,090 206 248 Timarn ... ... 561,971 509,390 Oamaru ... 788.3:8 702,543 Dunedin ... 4,376,033 4,231,687 Caveraham 460,700 437,936 Port Chalmers 220,996 205,296 VTornlngton 307,014 342,545 Invercargill ... 766,222 1,032,444 The tot -il rateable valuation of the