CUSTOMS RETURNS FOR THE COLONY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 52, 26 June 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

CUSTOMS RETURNS FOR THE COLONY.

(From the Lyilelfon 1 'hues, May 21.) The quarterly returns of customs revenue and of imports and exports of the colony of New Zealand have been published. The statement is brought down to the 31st of December last, and .the Commissioner of Customs is enabled to make a comparative return for the years 18(10 and 1861, which affords the most satisfactory evidence of the general progress of the colony. The total of customs revenue for the past year was £260,863 65.. 4d.; the customs revenue for 1860 was £189,167 15s. lOd. ; the increase is £71,695 11s; 6d. The receipts for the December quarter were £86,116 55., as against -151,358 19s. 2d. for the quarter of iB6O. Excepting New Plymouth, all the Provinces exhibit an increase upon the quarter, but, as might be exported, that increase is most remarkable a> Otago. The quarter there produced £39,212 17s. •Id. as against £8,212 19s. for the con-csponding period in 1861. The customs of the past year in that province amounted to £69,737 ss. 2d. ; in 1861 the total was £22,708 Is. 2d: increase £10,969 Is. The revenue received at Lyttelton in 1861 was £35,802 ss. 4d. ; Akaroa, £193 12s. lid. ; Timaru (one quarter) £133 16s. 2d. ; against Lyttelton £32,208 -Is. sd. and Akaroa £526 6s. lid. in 1860, showing an increase of £3995 Is. Id for the province on the year. Of the whole revenue for (ho colony, the North Island contributed £126,899 15s. ; and the Middle Island £133,953 12s. 2d. The imports of the colony in 1861 are valued at £3,493,811; the impOrts of 1860 at £1,518,333. of the former amount: Auckland lias, in round numbers, absorbed £600,000 ’ New Plymouth, £35,0(10 "Wellington, £272,000 ; Hawke’s Ray, £31,000 ; Nelson, £215,000 ; Marlborough, £6,500 ; Canterbury, £103,000: Otago, £800,000; Southland, £71,000. The imports of the North Island are valued at £938,000, of which £200,000 may be attributed to the presence of the troops. Those of the Middle Island are valued at £1,555,000. The exports for 1861 arc valued at £1,370,2 17. Auckland’s share is £78,5 11 only ; New Plymouth, £5,285; Wellington, 128,000 ; Havke’s Day, 659 ; Nelson, £33,610 ; Marlborough, £57,811 ; Canterbury, £213,555 ; Otago, £B-,! 1,150 : Southland,’ £BS 15.' It must not be supposed that £'659 represents the value of the produce of Hawke's Hay ; the exports of that province go in a great measure to swell the returns of Wellington, and, in a lesser degree, those of Auckland. Of the total exports £213,488 belong to the North, and £1,157,701 to the Middle Island. Large ns this ditfercnco is, it promises to be immensely increased during the present year.