MARLBOROUGH STATISTICS, 1868.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 198, 9 October 1869, Page 4

MARLBOROUGH STATISTICS, 1868.

We are indebted to Dr. Bennett, the Re-gistrar-General, for a very valuable volume of Statistics of the Colony for the year 1868. It shews a considerable improvement in details on those for previous years, and will be veiy useful to those who, like ourselves, have occasion frequently to refer to works of this kind for the illustration of particular views.

Among other matters connected with Marlborough, we learn that the excess of Immigration over Emigration was 1 only. The Births were 97 males and 86 females. Deaths, 51 males and 21 females. The excess of births over deaths during the last six years was 692. The number of Marriages during the /same period were respectively 18, 26, 28, 37, 31, 31. The Imports at the port of Wairau were, From the United Kingdom 8,550/, K. S. Wales 50/, Mauritius 51, and Victoria 4,530/. Total £13,635. At Picton, from United Kingdom 437/, K. S. Wales 192/, and Victoria 1,185/. Total £1,814. The Exports from Wairau were to United Kingdom 35,842/, and consisted of coals 1/, miscellaneous 40/, skins 259/, and wool 35,417/. From Picton, to K.S. Wales 1,829/, and Victoria 956/, consisting of gold 1,604/, fish oil 956/, and wool 225/. Ko timber was exported beyond the Colony from this Province during 1868, while during the previous year there was 140,000 feet, valued at 698/, The total value of the Imports to Kew Zealand for the year was 4,985,748/, and the Exports, 4,429,198/. The Gold on which duty was paid in Marlborough, during 1868, was valued at 1,616/; total since 1859, 131,458, The total for the Colony during the same period amounted to the stupendous sum of 17,044,899/.

Some items of Revenue are worth noting down. Auctioneers’ licenses contributed 60/ ; publicans’, 842/; and bottle, 20/. Gold duty, 50/; Land Revenue, 4,970/. The expenditure included Interest and Sinking Fund, 329/ ; Salaries of Executive, 945/ ; Legislative, 173/; Courts, police, and prisons, 1,876/; Hospitals, relief to the sick and destitute, &c., 651/; Harbors, 280/; Education, 234/; Immigration, 5/ only ; Miscellaneous, 418/ ; Roads and Works, 1,522/; Surveys, 960/ ; Gold fields, 29/. Expenditure in excess of Income, 315/.

The statement of the Land Fund is as follows :—lncome : Sale of Crown Lands, 1,465/; Licenses and assesments, 324/; Miscellaneous, 3,181/. Expenditure : Receiver’s salary, 45/; Refunds, 178/; Miscellaneous, 2,851/; Paid to Colonial Treasurer to cover deficiencies in the Consolidated Fund account, 992/. The land sold was as under ; Town — Ba. 3r. 22p. at £5 to £2O per acre. Suburban —246a. 22r. 31p. at £lO-to £2O ~ Country—296oa. 3r. Op. at os. Bd. to £1 ~ —The cash received for the above was 1,403/ 12s. 6d. The land granted for Public Reserves was 20 acres 1 rood. There were 976,940 acres under lease, and 54,825 acres under depasturing licenses. The Customs Duties for the year at the several ports was at follows ;

Wairau. Pioton. Havel’k £ £ £ Spirits ... 2408 514 155 Tobacco 334 82 — Sheepwash 107 5 — Wine ... 117 39 10 Ale and Beer (bottle)... 18 4 — Tea 252 G3 — Coffee, Cocoa ... 8 1 — Sugar and Molasses ... 411 88 — Goods (measurement) 297 34 — Goods (weight) 379 16 — Ad Valorem ... 7 3 — Other duties ... 47 12 — Totals 4387 861 165 Covres. year 1867 4479 1511 619