Marlborough Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1881.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume III, Issue 251, 29 June 1881, Page 2

Marlborough Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1881.

Probably the most instructive and useful of the various returns annually issued by Government is the one detailing the imports and exports of the colony, it being a thoroughly reliable index of our progress in productive capability, and of the extent of our commerce with other nations. It is also useful in affording us a guide to the establishment of local manufactures, as by it we can discover the quantity of each article imported for consumption, together Yith the amount paid for duty thereon, and are thus enabled to form a fair estimate as to whether there are sufficient grounds for embarking in the attempt to produce it in the colony. A general summary of the import, ex port, and shipping returns of the colony for 1880, is just to hand, from the Government printer, from which we learn that the total value of the imports was £0,162,011, and the exports £0,352,692. It will be seen from this that the exports exceeded the imports by £190,681, and the colony is certainly to be congratulated upon the progress it is making, for in former times the position was reversed, and sound prosperity can be the only possible result if the present position is maintained. Turning to the various items set forth in the returns, we find that our imports of luxuries are not by any means decreased, and our temperance organizations have yet a wide expanse of labor, for the value of spirits imported amounted to no less than £206,897 —beer £98,454, and wines £52,099. The total duty on these three articles amounted to £460,099 ss. lid. The whole population of the colony was stated in a recent Government return at 489,702, and it will thus be seen

that for liquor alone there was an expenditure, in 1860, of £1 13s. 4d. per head, including men, women, and children. Tobacco, cigars, and snuff cost the colony £74,367, the duty amounting to £199,799 Os. 5d., giving an additional expenditure of over 11s. per head of population. From one point of view these figures afford a certain amount of satisfaction as evidencing that the country which can afford to expend so much upon luxuries of this kind must be in a tolerably nourishing state ; but there are few who will not agree with us in saying that the money thus expended might be far more profitably used in methods more likely to conduce to our prosperity as a colony. As an indication of improvement in our agricultural prospects, we note that LI 1,979 was expended last year in importing agricultural implements. The following articles which can and should be produced in profusion in the colony, were imported to the values mentioned, in pounds sterling, shillings and pence being omitted : Bacon and hams 15,421; butter 5,629; flour 35,133, duty 2,804; eggs, 285 ; grain 35,134, duty 2,717 ; jams, .jellies, and preserves 38,854, duty 7,177; soap (common) 1,092, duty 170; starch 7,826, duty 715; sulphur 2,620, duty 190 ; woollens aud blankets 105,103, duty 15,543; candles 57,222, duty 12,009; coals 169,550 ; earthenware 24,117, duty 3,595 ; bottled and preserved fruits, 1,548, duty 184; hops 13,343, duty 4,766 ; leather 54,659, duty 1,745 ; meats (potted and preserved) 2,299, duty 282; drain pipes 2,121; sausage skins 3,139; vinegar 9,916, duty 3,603. We have a splendid fibre

growing in a wild state in New Zealand, yet we imported bags and sacks to the value of 158,200, the duty paid being 2,550. Our seas teem with wholesome fish, yet we imported 38,626 worth, and paid as duty 5,013. Preserved milk, one of the last articles this colony would be expected to import in quantity, cost us no less than 10,149, the duty thereon being I, Tea was imported to the value of 250,765, duty 51,182 ; sugar (raw and i-efined) 577,734, duty 74,738 ; coffee 18,898, duty 4,520 ; cocoa 16,988, duty 2,641. Our imports of clothing, etc., were apparel and slops 191,464, duty 28,530; drapery 770,479, duty 118,297 ; haberdashery 34,734, duty 5,383; hosiery 22,046, duty 3,383 ; millinery 17,215, duty 2,570 ; silks 12,473, duty 1,903 ; boots and shoes 97,788, duty 10,717. Turning to the list of exports we find that the value of wool exported was 3,169,300 ; tallow 51,960 ; rabbit skins 66,976, seven and a half millions of rabbits having been destroyed to make up this amount; sheep skins 32,598 ; hides 17,653; timber 51,960; shells 12,531: grass seeds 6,698 ; potatoes 23,194 ; phormium, 15,911 ; oatmeal 13,490; potted and preserved meats 13,490 ; antimony, manganese, and silver are 11, kauri gum 242,817; grain 907,067, wheat being 632,943, and oats next 169,662 ; gold 1,220,263; fungus 6,627; fruits 1,591 ; fish 1,456; flour 6,076; coals 5,979 ; cheese 1,984 ; butter 8,373 ; bran and sharps 15,596. These are our principal items of export, and while the improvement in these is great, it will be seen from the imports enumerated there are yet many other industries which might be successfully established in the colony, and enable us to export instead of import several things upon which we now pay heavy duty.