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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3843, 10 November 1883, Page 2

The value of tho exports from Napior for the quarter ending September 30 is stated in tho Gazette at £*1G! Tho statement requires explanation, for the day may come when tho Harbor Board shall want a Loau Bill passed through Parliament, and some member may ask what Napier can want with a harbor when its exports for a whole quarter only amounted in value to less than .£SO. As it happens Napier produce during the September quarter largely made up tho cargoes of tho ships Tlalcione and Cumbria, that loaded at Wellington, and thousands of pounds worth of wool, tnllow, and preserved meats were despatched from Lyttelton in tho steamers lonic, Catalonia, and Doric. By some rule of thumb that has been adopted by the Customs Dcjmrtment export entries can only be passed at tho final port of departure. Hence the Wellington and Lyttelton returns are swollen at tho cost of Napier, which figures at ,-G'tG, while it is a fact that Mr F. W. Williams alono exported produce to the value of £1.5,108 during tho (September quarter. Mr Williams' exports were as follows:—4-17 casks tallow, .C.)4f)o ; JOO bales wool, £3082 ; diWS) cases preserved meats, foyoG. Messrs Kinross and Oo.'h exports, for tho samo quarter amounted to £5650, of which £1700 worth of tallow came from Messrs Knowles and Co.'s boiling-down works at Olive. Wo have not been able to got tho export returns from other merchants ; but, slask season of tho year as tho September quarter is in a pastoral country, it is fair to presume that they ail sent something away in tho shapo of scoured wool and tallow and skins. Wo are informed that several efforts havo been made to induce tho Customs Department to alter the system which at present prevails, and by which this port is made to appear in such a false position. But, as in every other case in which redtape is concerned, the department does not see its way to alter its established rule, though why export entries cannot be passed at Napier for goods to be transhipped for beyond tho colony passes our understanding.