NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, April, 30, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 808, 30 April 1853, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, April, 30, 1853.

The departure of the Stately for London laden with a valuable cargo of New Zealand produce leads us to Bay a word or two on the export trade of this Province and of the Southern settlements of New Zealand, a trade which is rapidly increasing in value. The bulk of the Stately': cargo consist of wool — the staple export of the Southern Provinces — 1389 bales and twelve bags, or 370,1791b5., valued at £ 25,000, and the whole cargo may be estimated at upwards of £26,000. But besides the wool shipped by the Stately we understand there are about 600 bales ready for shipment by the Lord Nelson ; about tho same quantity lias been shipped from Nelson to Sydney, and a considerable amount has also found its way up to Sydney in various vessels from this Port. Altogether, in the opinion of well informed persons, the result of this year's clip i in the four Southern Provinces is estimated at fully 3000 bales, the value of which may be reckoned at between £50,000 and £60,000. But besides these exports to the mother country, a colonial export trade is rapidly growing up be . tween Melbourne and the other Australian Ports* already of considerable amount and of daily increasing commercial activity.. The colony has benefited to some extent' by the gold brought back by those settlers who have visited the diggings for a season, it is benefiting still more by the wholesome stimulus given to the industry of the country settlers by the great demand for produce of all kinds in the Australian Colonies, owing to the influx of population caused by the gold discoveries. We cannot better illustrate this than by turning to the Quarterly table of exports published in Thursday's Government Gazette, and noting a few of the items. The amount exported from Wellington daring the quarter ending 31st March last, of bacon and hams was £300, of cheese £560, of butter £1,097, of flour £2165, of rope and cordage £825, of sawn timber and houses in frame £4,365. In the corresponding quarter of 1852, the export of bacon, butter and cheese was nil, that of sawn timber £IQO. So that in these four items alone the increase of the exports ia the quarter just ended over the corresponding quarter of 1852, is £6,200 or at the rate of nearly £25,000 the year. And every week brings fresh arrivals of vessels seeking for cargoes of New Zealand produce of all kinds. We" understand that all the timber the sawyers of the Hurt can cut for the next six months has been agreed for at greatly advanced prices : and the high prices brought at yesterday's sale of New Zealand

produce is a convincing proof of tlio groat demand which has sprang up. > Uat these hi^'h pvices indicate a^so the j great want of additional coasting vessels to bring the produce to the port of shipment. j Along the coast, in different districts a very large amount 6£2&ew Zealand produce, we understand, is collected waiting for shipment, but the number of coasting vessels at present engaged is quite inadequate to meet the demand. It is known that the natives throughout this Province havegreatly extended their cultivations of wheat this year, and yet for want of adequate means -of transport the j price of wheat is unusually high at Wellington, j Another favourable sign of healthy progress ia the increasing number of settlers gradually spreading into the country. In our last num." ber we noticed the growing prosperity of Wanganai, and the increasing number of its inhabitants. If the Governor's liberal Land Regulations were in full operation, the amount of immigration to New Zealand from the neighbouring colonies would be increased to a still greater extent than it is at present, and this colony would derive all the substantial advantages which the gold discoveries in the neighbouring colonies can confer without any of their attendant drawbacks.

Besides the extracts in to-days issue, Thursday's Government Gazette contains a notice of 37 Crown Grants under Purchases from the Crown, of two under purchases from the New Zealand Company, and one for religous purposes, at Nelson, being ready for issue at the Commissioner of Crown Lands Office in that Province ; and tables of Imports and Exports of New Zealand Produce at the Port of Weilington.during the quarter ending 31st March, 1853. The approximate value of the Imports is stated at £21,417, that of the Exports at £29,780 10s.

Tub Necromancer, which arrived yesterday morning from Nelson, has brought the melancholy intelligence of the death of the Hon. C. A. Dillon, who was unfortunately drowned in crossing the river on returning from the Wairau on the 16th inst. Mr. Dillon, who had his son with him, was in company with Mr. Morse and Mr. Pasley, and in crossing the river he sent his son over in the care of Mr. Morse, and he himself was fording the river by the side of Mr. Pasley, and appears to have lost his foot« ing and to have been carried away by the force of the stream. Mr. Pasley in attempting to assist him was also with his horse carried down the river, and with difficulty escaped. Every effort was made to recover the body, which was found by Mr. Duppa and brought in to Nelson. The funeral was appointed to take place on the 24th instant. Mr. Dillon was one of the earliest and most respected of the settlers at Nelson, and a most active and zealous colonist, and his loss is deeply and sincerely lamented. He has left a widow and numerous family.

The Mountain Maid, a new Aberdeen clipper, purchased by Mr. Peacock, arrived at Nelson, from Sydney after a quick passage of seven days, and was to come on to this port. Her mail has been brought by the Necromancer, bat no later English dates appear to have been received at Sydney, up to her departure, than those brought by the William Alfred.

At Mi?. Allen's Sale *of Produce from the Chatham Islands yesterday the following prices Tvere obtained, wheat, 700 bushels, at 10s. Id. per bushel; bacon and hams, 7d. per Ib. ; potatoes; £6 18s. per ton, cash, and other articles at equally advanced prices. The competition was very active. '