Colonial News.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 358, 9 April 1856, Page 8

Colonial News.

OTAGO. By the "Polly "we hare received the Dunedin Witness up to the 29th ult. Flour is still quoted theie at £40 for Ist quality, £25 ('ov 2nds. per ton. No quotations are given either for wheat, oats, barley or potatoes. The following review of the progress of this settlement, is from the Witness of the 29th ult : — "The eighth year of our existence as a colony has just closed, and many are the changes we have witnessed. In truth, it does appear that the world progresses at a railroad pace, and even in this, the most remote puriion of the British Empire, somewhat o? the onw.vd progress begins to be felt. We say begins, for during the first five years of our existence we seemed scarcely to advance at all At a great distance from the home country, unsupported by Government, aid, unassisted by poweiful private patronage like our neighbours, almost unknown, neglected, if not despised— our earlier days were doys of struggle. To thos<i of onr number who formed the first band of colonists the tardy nature of our first progress will be well known, but to more recent add tions lo our number, the liard-fight, the struggles, and hardships, endured by the earlier colonists, weie they known and "nppieciated, would be a consolation in the difficulties met with—difficulties inseparable from the first settling down in a new country, which might be bravely battled with and be subdued with patience, perseverance, a:id industry, before the ren"ml< and riches of a home can be secured. For the first two or three years Dunedin made rapid .progress, and it was not unnsual io hear exclamations of surprise from those wiio returned to the settlement after a brief absence. Since that perio 1 the town has been almost stationary, and the onward progress has been visible in the rural and pastoral districts. But notwithstanding ihe fact that the extent of the town has not greatly progressed, the amount of business done, and being done, in the town has augmented, and is augmenting at ■a rapid pare, giving an unmistakable evidence of the prosperity and extent of pro.ducijve efforts in the real work of colonization—the subduing of the wilderness. Tht: subjoined table of the imports and exports fur '.he last eight years shews the gradual and satisfactory increase of trade : — AV-TtlAOi: OF TUX VaI.UK OF fjIPOHTS AND fcxi'i-KJs, ami df \\ie Ctstoms Revknuk. f««r die Province of Oi;ijyn, in e;iuli year, fV'>m the establishment of Cu^tmns iu-^Jkiy, 1848, to 3 Jsi December, 18.'>5 :—

jjotr. Previoun to 18S4 noarly i»l) produce exported vft* entered i-oai-lwue. uud of cunr.H went to the tieciit of the f-ort -at whii-h the vessel i-arryinjj it ul.-areil furtifju ; hut ill Shut »nd the p">»t year all prodti:'e exported ha* haeu cjpuipd ilifKtt for iv &ual portof dcstiuatiou,

It would appear as if a Tailing off had taken place in ih« revenue ..!' (he past year, although such can hauliv lie said t.. he she case ; tlie discrepancy iuiscs from tho 'act that it was anticipated aconsider.tlde addition would be made to the duties on spirits liy the General Assembly dnrintr ihe session of 1854, and in consequence merchants relieved wiruely from bond, else the rears would liave been as nearly as possible

equal. ABSTRACT OF THE V*I.OB C-V THE IMPORTS, liXPoirrs, ami Customs Hkvknuk Un the quarter endinj; 3i>t -Marc}), 185(5: — ISIFOKTS. EXP lUT3. HEVENI'E. . £'22,(548 £vS9O7 £1278 In looking over the above tables (from which it appears that our imports to a very considerable extent exceeds our exports), it. must be borne in mind that the prosperity of the community--cannot be tested by the old-fashioned doctrine of the balance of trade, because in a new country a very large amount of the imports consist of productive capital, including liv- j stock, which is left, to fructify, and is so much additional wealth to the community. The amount of shipping entered inwards and outwards has remarkably increased.

The returns-of immigration and emigration for the last year shew * balance of immigration of 223 souls, and for the first quarter of the present year, 275 souls, ■making an increase of the population from this source of 498 souls. Unfoitunately we have no statistics of the extent of land under cultivation, or of the increase of stock since last year; but from the quantity of land sold' during the last twelve months (since the reducliou in price), amounting to about 1(5.000 acres, and which has been wholly purchased by bona fide colonists, we have every reason to believe that a very cousideiable breadth of laud has been brought under cultivation. The amount of stock at the average rate of increase upon the ascertained quantity last yeav is about the number stated in the following table : —

From the foregoing statement it will appear that the progress of the province of Otatro has been gradually accelerating. The imports have greatly increased, and the exports have made strides during the last year exceeding the experts of the whole of the previous seven years; and when we take into consideration the amount of land sold, and the great extent of country we have yet for sale, we cannot but feel that there is a glorious future before us."

YEAR. 184S 1«5'0 1851 18.VZ 1BS4 lf-53 jfl16.;9 II 6 «93^ I 7 0 13-iiS 18 0 14i4K I 0 15.i79 8 0 IIO74 5 0 43<>ai 7 0 44543 11 0 BSf'JP.TS. -*0 0 444 0 .'.4 6 2 131 10 770 0 6481 19 24 182 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 REVKSUK. Jrf 24 19 4 1835 5 9 li-02 7 3 2197 3 10 238(5 17 10 2276 lt> 0 57*1 14 10 4375 11 0

Imported Cat lie. 8.133 721 Sheep. 78,536 4.660 Horses 544 409 8,854 83,196 851