TOPICS OF THE MONTH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4788, 27 July 1876, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE MONTH.

The total tonnage of vessels which have arrived at the port of Wellington from foreign ports during - the month ending June 30, amounts to 3161 tons. The tonnage of the vessels that arrived here coastwise was 25,368 tons. During the past month the vessels that cleared out at the Customs for foreign ports had a carrying capacity of 3294 tons ; and the tonnage of all the vessels that cleared for ports in New Zealand during the same period, was 25,641 tons.

The amount of Customs revenue collected the port of Wellington during the financial year ending June 30, was £162,399 16s. lOd. During the September, or first quarter of the year, the largest amount was collected, viz., £42,541 16s. 9d. The third quarter stands next, with £41,167 9s. The first half of the' year also contributed the most revenue, viz., £81,795 7s. 7d.. £80,604 9s. 3d. was collected during the latter half-year. The largest amount received in one. month —February— was £18,991 6s. 7d. : Another harrowing tale comes from the islands of the Pacific. Our telegrams have given us an account of the fate of one of the labor trafficking crews, who have done so much to disgrace the British flag; and though the record of the shocking murder and cannibalism makes one shudder, it cannot but be felt that sharp retribution such as this will do more than laws, however severe, to check the accursed trade, which is growing and growing .into. larger proportions. The men who engage in the traffic can be much better spared from the .world than Pattesons and Goodenoughs. _

During the quarter ended 30th June, 1876, thcre.was exported from the colony 69,9580z5. of gold, valued at £278,270.; The total quantity of gold exported since the Ist April, 1857, was 8,108,5290z5., valued at £31,593,579. Tor the hall year ended 30th June last, there were exported 153,2340z5., valued at £608,793. The figures for the corresponding half year in 1876 were 176,6390z5., valued at £704,393. The exports of gold from the'different provinces were Auckland, first half year in 1876, 25,8260z5., valued at £99,962 ; first halt year in 1875, 29,5930z5.; valued at £114,769; Marlborough, 4500z5., valued at £1796, and 6910z5.j valued at £2766 ; Nelson, 35,8350z5., valued at £142,633, and. 46,5220z5., valued at £185,880 ; Westland,. 27,0720z5., valued at £108,289, and 36,0500za., "valued at £144,201 ; Ota<m,. 64,0510z5., valued, at.£256,103, and. 63,7'830z5., valued at £256,7770z5. It will be seen that Otago alone shows an increase.

The following railway returns have boen published for the four weeks ending 30th June last Kaiparatoßiverhead railway : Passengers, parcels, &c„ £77 2s. Cd. ; goods, £162 15s. Id, Total, £239 17s. lid.—Auckland to Mercer railway'; Passengers, parcels, &c., £739 13s. lOd.; goods, £OO7 6s. 3d. Total, £1338 Os. Id.—Waitara to New Plymouth railway : Passengers, parcels, &0., £l2B ss. lid.; goods, £39 l9s. 2d. Total, £l6B ss. Id.—Napier to Waipukurau railway: Passengers, parcels, &c., £492 10s. 3d.; g00d5,£543 9s. 3d. Total, £1035 19s, 6d.—Picton to Blenheim railway : Passengers, parcels, &c., £135 Is 6tL; goods, £199 2s. 3d. * Total, £334 3s.' Bd.—Brunner to Greymouth railway : Passengers, parcels, &c„ £45 7s. 9d.; goods, £34 14s. Total, £BO Is. —Nelson to Poxhill railway ; Passengers, parcels, &c., £125 Bs. BcL; goods, £43 Bs. 7d. Total, £l6B 12. 3d. ■' ' , We understand that Mr. John Broomhall, of Penge, Surrey, is shortly to pay a visit to New Zealand, ' with the view of ascertaimning whether it is a good field for the establishment

of a special settlement of well ; to-do farmers, on temperance principles. is a gentleman of means and position, and represents the Whitworths and some other, wealthy Manchester men who interest themselves in Fthe temperance movemenfcin jUe is s * expected to arrive in about two months. We are; sure no other colony could present such facilities for the establishment of a' settlement'-Of the. nature indicated, and we are equally sure that in jw ssiwurosid, accorded" to Mr. Broomhall and his fnendsr -Settlers of- this type are too valuable ( 'encouraged'in every possible, manner. > .We may mention also that it was reported a few days since that persohs'-now-'m 'tho coloriy are negotiating for a grant of . land upon which toi founcla special settlement. . . | The Registrar-General’s report on the vital' statistics of the boroughs of Auckland, Thames,! Wellington, Nelson,,,Christchurch, Dunedin,; and Hokitika for June are published. The: proportion of deaths to. the 1000. was as fol- 1 lows :—At Auckland, ,'l’s9 ; " Thames’, ’B3; Wellington, 2'28 ; Nelson, "51 ; Christchurch, 2'03 ; Dunedin, 1'07; Hokitika, '2B. The births were 15 more than in May. .The deaths were 2 more in number than the deaths in May. Of the deaths males contributed 60 ; females, 53 : 37 of the' deaths were of children 1 under 5 years of age, being 3 2'71 per, cent, of the whole number : 20 of these were of children under 1 year, of age. There were 7 deaths of persons of 65 years' and over ; 5 of these persons were males and- 2 females ; of these, 1 male, aged 69,'died at Auckland; 1 male of 65 at Nelson.; and 3 of 66, 76, and 79, respectively,'at Dunedin; T .female; aged, 73, died at Wellington ; and 1 of 75at Dunedin. The deaths in June' were 113, against 111 in May. Diarrhoea, which caused 1. death in May, was fatal in 5 oases last month._ From typhoid , fever there were 4 deaths, as in May. Scarlatina caused 9 deaths; 2at the Thames, 2 at Wellington, and 5 at Dunedin, against a total of 7 for May. The deaths from diseases of the respiratory system show a total of 16, against Sin May. There were at Auckland 3 cases, at the Thames ; 2, at Wellington 6, at Hokitika 1, and at Dunedin 4. Of violent deaths, one case was that of a man 40 years of age, who was accidentally killed by .injury to his brain, caused by a fall down stairs ; the other was a death from a wound in the intestines, from a, fall on a stump of a tree., Tn June, 1875, there were 152 deaths in' the boroughs, or 39 more than occurred in June, 1876. Comparison of causes shows that there were in June, 1875, 6 cases of measles,,against none in 1876 ; and 17 of typhoid fever, against 4 last month ; but, on, the other hand, scarlatina’caused 9 deaths in June, .agajnst none in 1875. There were 28 deathslrom’diseases of the respiratory system ,iri'’ June, 1875, against only 16 tn the corresponding' month this year. The excess of deaths for June, 1875, over those in June, 1876, being largely attributable to that cause.