THE GRAIN TRADE.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2237, 8 July 1870, Page 2

THE GRAIN TRADE.

The following table exhibits the quantity of flour and grain imported into and exported from New Zealand for the ten years from 1860 to Dec 31, 1869:

WELLINGTON. (from oi;k ovrx cotjrkspoxdkst.) The great and important topic of conversation (luring the week has been the Treasurer's linanacial statement, which comes on for discussion to-morrow (Tuesday). At the first sounding of the large scale of borrowing enunciated by the Treasurer, hon. members were fairly paralysed, but now that they have had time for reflection and enquiry, they begin to take rather kindly to Mr Vogel’s policy. True there are malcontents, detractors, and oppositionists, who do not believe in anything emanating from the Treasurer, merely on account of their dislike of him personally. But even among those, who I am happy to say muster few, there is beginning a spirit of enquiry, and who look at measures, not men : measures having for their ultimate re*

results the development of our resources — South and North—by encouragement of immigrants from Europe, by the inauguration of public works and by the opening up of our waste lands for settlement. • Mr ivey lolds’s resolutions are put down for discussion on Wednesday next ; but I am afraid they will be further delayed until-the llnauoi.il statement is dealt with. The resolnt ons of Mr Reynolds do not seem to carry much conviction here ; indeed imongst members the prevailing opinion is that they arc somewhat premature, or if not so, the better course for Mr Reynolds to have pursued would have been to have consulted those gentlemen with whom he is in the habit of acting, so as to have prepared such resolutions as would have been acceptable to both sides of the House. Mr Reynolds, however, in Lis desire to be doing, has not acted in the manner I have stated, nnl the consequence will be that I am afraid his ref dutions will not be carried. 1 understand the now tariff has not been so cordidly accepted amongst* your good people as 1 should have desired ; but however much you may have been taken by surprise, the House was equally so. But on the whole, although at present there may be exceptional cases of hardship, I believe*lie principle is right. No doubt you are aware that the new tariff, although carried by resolution of the House, baa yet to bo legalised by parsing a Bill, toe clauses of which Bill will de debated clause by clause, and possibly some of the obnoxious clauses, such is an extra duty on blankets and a protective duty on flour, may be expunged, and remain as they were originally. The sub-division of the revenue of the Colony liy the introduction of capitation allowance being part of the whole acliemfe of finance, seems to give general satisfaction among members, more especially' Canterbury, who will receive in addition some L25,0U0 in of last years’ ■ revenue. Some Otago members think different ou the subject; but viewing the whole scheme, as propounded members must give and ; take. The opinion is that Otago benefits beyond any Province in New Zealand, by the large Customs duties paid by her pierchants into the Colonial Exchequer for goods transhipped coastwise, especially into Canterbury, where there is a large and growing trade froiu (>tago : where most goods are shipped, duty paid, thus giving Otago the share of Customs revenue which, under other circumstances, would be collected in Canterbury. The hou. member for Bruce (Mr Brown) distinguished himself on asking to be allowed to introduce a Bill for the repeal of the Hundreds Regulation Act. Ho kept the House in a state of hilarity for a time, so much so that the earnest faces of the bon. gentlemen added twofold to the ludicrous* He graphically described the state of tremor into which lie had been put by the ,hon, member for Port Chalmers (Mr Main), informing him that the position of a new member introducing a Bill for the first time was a task of so momentous and trying a nature that one member died under the responsibility. Mr Brown was allowed to introduce his Bill, and from all appearances there is no probability of the lion, member dying under the load ; as from all I can gather his Bill will be rejected in favor of the acceptance of Mr Macandrow’s. The latter is a Bill, I believe, giving effect to certain resolutions passed at the special session of the Provincial Council of Otago in connection -with the Hundreds Regulations Act, which I believe were introduced by Mr Brown himself.

I860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1864. 1865. 1866. 1867. 1868. i 1869. j Imports. Exports Imports. Exports. Imports. Exports. imports. Exports. Imports. Exports. Imports. Exports. Imports. Exports, Imports. Exports. Imports. Exports. j Imports. Exports. Flour .. tons 300 18 4,882 44 6,202 ««• 14,986 ... 16,1884 1 19,801 1 23,264 24 8,098 9711 8,871 1534 ! •6,347:1 1, 504 Grain — Barley .. bush. 473 * 7,782 8,956 26,662 30 35,364 3,238 14,868 18,904 2,390 28,966 392 443 9,258 15,031 51,366 j 1,600 92,557 Maize •• 5* 24,102 18,818 58,590 200 195,225 127,246 ... 133,975 126,680 ... 114,566 86,701 1,150 ! 107,425 Oats • • .. 5,973 36,773 65,619 119 207,572 505,460 459,185 3,580 99,295 19.5S4 89,043 27,449 65,672 17,639 1(1,227 484,533 | 1.606 342,677 Wheat . • • 45,488 11,168 61,210 497 208,677 6,047 164,022 248,863 331,116 3,473 266,186 4,769 235,473 131,915 188,477 04,297 | 183,256 SI,758 Not described,, • ... 1 7,502 325 ... ... 2.024 ... ... j ’ i ...