STATISTICS OF THE PORT OF GREYMOUTH.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 464, 5 January 1869, Page 2

STATISTICS OF THE PORT OF GREYMOUTH.

Below we publish comparative tables showing the amount of import duty col= lected at the port of Greymonth during the years 1867 and 186Q, the amount of gold duty collected during the same periods, and the gross quantity of gold ex-t ported during the two years. We had hoped to have given something like an ac« curate table showing the passenger traffic inwards and outwards, but we find that the captains and" agents of the coastwise steamers are so irregular in reporting the number of passengers by their vessels, that the records at the Custom-house are' in this particular completely valueless. A glance at the tables below will show that a very serious falling off has taken place in the Customs' revenue for 1868, the actual deficiency as compared with the amount realised in 1867 being L 9.513 11s sd, This has undoubtedly arisen from three, causes— first, the large migration from Westjand to the Nelson goldfields, and, second, the emigration of a large number of miners to Queensland and elsewhere. The third, and what we believe tq be the chief cause is the almost total cessation of the shipment of dutypaid goods from this port, to Brighton, Charleston, §,nd Westport, from which source undoubtedly a large revenue was collected at Greymouth last year, The period of depression, consequent on the above-mentioned causes, appears to have been greatest from March to July, since when the variation has been less, and the last quarter of the year 1868 very closely, approaches the amount of the corresponding quarter of 1867. As might naturally be expected, the discrepancy shown in the Customs' revenue holds good, to a certain degree, in the case of the gold duty, the past year showing a deficiency over its predecessor of L 3,939 7s lid, but if allowance is made for the fact that this year no gold from the Nelson gold-fields p,n the coa^t has paid duty at Greymouth,- it may be safely assumed that the yield, of gold in the Grey district proper has increased rather than diminished, although the ajnount of duty collected at ttw port has been less. The quantity of gjold actually produced within the district is, after all, the safest basis upon which to calculate its prosperity, and we think that despite the apparent large decrease in the revenues, the last year does not bear a very unfavorable comparison with the preceding one. With regard to the quantity of gold exported from this port, the decrease in the amount f >r 18,68 is due partly to the same causes which have operated in the case of the import and export duties, and also to the fact that a large quantity of gold-4hat-was transhipped— h^r©— from— the -Nelson _coast diggings has for some time gone to Hokitika, and, since the port of Brighton was closed, has paid duty there. The decrease in the quantity of gold exported from Greymouth for the past year amounts to 75,740 ozs. On the whole we do not think that the statistics for the year give any reason for despondency. Trade and commerce throughout the colony have been greatly depressed, and we c&n assure our readers that this depression has cc ilfT far more serious effects in other portions of New Zealand than Westland. Comparative Table showing the amount of Customs Revenue collected monthly at the Port of Giejmouth, during the years 1867 and 1868.

1867. 1868. January . February , March . April May . June . July . . . August. . September October . November December £ & d. 5,234 0 8 3,720 7 6 5,456 6 3 4,261 4 9 5,035 9 11 3,904 14 0 5,041 5 7 3,217 12 1 3,478 8 8 4,542 14 10 2,630 10 2 5,164 111 £ s. d. 4,718 7 3 3,366 12 10 2,766 19 6 2,407 1 1 3,131 11 10 3,042 14 3 3,248 9 4 3,019 11 8 4,861 19 9 3,558 5 1 3,201 0 7 4,850 11 9 Totals . £51,680 16 4 £42,173 4 11 'able skowin collectel l mouth dvi and the Province c Westland. ig tne amount tucn!;My at the ling the yeais J proportion en }f Nelson and of Gold Duty poit of Grey--1867 and. 186>', edited to the the County of H * • •. ... ...... I p OOWOOCoUOiffi o Hi ©>-'CsWistO'<r^j©tocn-3 l ™ U>OUiWCCODtOOOO>oio-a 3 iotaoo©«owH'Ooos!^sios ?l ».! e>s rfk w rfx <i © rfk. rfi. cs © © © f K I. I | S 3l Ox t-4 «4 HHMM )-l 1-1 m *ica«QqiH-t©oowQrfi.corf».™ 00 cooooeocnooeoc&tohsrixooP 1 * ©eoo~4cn«©ss«nootor-oi" i— ' 00-<JCSbOCOI-'tOh-"<lOli-i&> •^t GO ft en g •^qpwgoootoiK&scni-ihaosm I P 4 00 i- l «Ci050000OH-i00i0l-'Oinpj «o 'able showing quarterly i 1868. the quantity of Gold exported during the years 1867 and 1867. 1868. r anuary . ) February . > rlarch . . ) ipril. . , i day . . . ■ rune ... [uly .! . . ) Lugust , September . )ctober . . ' November . ■ )ecember . i Oz. d. g. Oz. d. g. 35,700 5 20 22,071 7 0 44,952. 19 20 28,307 18 3 55,345 12 5 33,342 3 1 63,134 6 4 39,772 10 17 Totals . 199,233 4 1 1123,483 1$ 21