The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5249, 19 January 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1878.

The Customs returns for .the-year 1877, which were published.in; a' .Gazette on Thursday last, must ‘bo regarded as highly satisfactory, rlt’ is generally recognised that the Custom House is One of the best tests of tire prosperity of a, country, for by it we afe'enabled'to'estimate the purchasing powers of the people. Gauged by this standard Jlfew Zealand is in a prosperous condition, for the returns show an increase on the previous year. It is true that the increase is not large; but it is nevertheless highly satisfactory, as tliere were croakers who were never tired of predicting a great falling off in the te venue returns. For the first three quarters of last year the Customs revenue showed. no increase on the same period of 1870. The excess on 1877 accrued inthelast quarter. Tlie following are the'returns, under the different heads of revenue,! for:: the quarter ended 31st December, 1877, and !tbe ''corresponding quarter of the: previous year : ;!1 '‘ ‘ *

It is shatter for congratulation that 'the West Ooastof the Middle Island appears to' be emerging from tlie depression wbicli has prevailed there during .previous years.!,' That part of the colony should be partloiilarly interesting to tlie .people, of this city.-: \The;resources in;minerals' are yet in an infant stage of: development, arid in the not distant future the West Coast will have a large population, Mel-: bourne now ■ almost' entirely monopolises the trade of Greymouth,'Hokitika, and Westport; especially the two former, but this i cannot. for,' many; /ears, longer. Port’ Nicholson!, as ai harbor' is superior ,to .Port. Phillip, ,-and! the Melbourne merchants ; ,wilh be considerably" handicapped in"’competing with the merchants of this,; port . ifor tho. “West Coast trade, Wellington, roughly: speaking, being some [ nine hundred miles nearer tho 'West Coastports, .than! Melbourne. ‘The goldfields of New! Zealand" Have been a greater factor in, our progress thanjnany people give' them credit for., T,For'some Tyears tl/e" .gpldminirig industry'/has npt .-been in a flourishing state, but let ,us trust that .the. year 1877, marks a.turning point in this highly impdrtant/branch of cPloriia! industry. The totap yield of our goldfields for 1876 was 322,01C0z5., representing la value of £1,284,328. In 1877 the yield , was 369,0120z5., representing a .value of £1,484,574, showing.-.; an increase in val ue, jn round numbers, to the extent of £200,000. Annexed is the return of the quantity: and value of gold entered for exportation from New Zealand for the years ended 31st- December, 1876 and 1877 :~ 1 7 , ;;

It will bo seen that there has ‘ been a slight".falling oil’ at the. ports of Nelson, AVestport, and Dunedin, but that Auckland! and the, /West; Coast ports;show: a large increase, /lie total quantity of gold 1 exported from this colony from the Ist April, 1857; to 31st 1 December last, amounts to.. tho, enormous, :sum of £33,753,688. Of ' this total, ! Auckland cpntributed£4,l7B,463; Picton, £170,850; NrilSon, 1 £6,414,062 ; AVost , Uoast, £8,450,095 •; Otago and Southland, ■£14,‘531,698. Wellington’s contribution is exceedingly- small, being -only some thirty ounces, of tho value’ of'£l2o; It ~will ibo seen trom the aljpve that the yield of the Nelson goldfields and Westland was about equal, to that frohi all other parts of the South Island... . .

, r j 1877. 1870. ' f .£ . . £. Spirits j -I, .• 91.931 -89.105 * jNew Zealand .. 1,018 1,772 Cigarsjand snuff ■4.727 4,773 Tobacco ... . . 33.533 30,390 ,,, 1 Sheepwash .. 01 14 Wine • .. 11,189 11,044 A.le, beer, &c>, in bottle 5,359 5,101 i,, in wood , .. , .953 * 853 23,425 21,140 Coffee, cocoa, <fcc. .. v..2,034 2,574 ,, 'Roasted.. .. ’ ' .. s 15 Sugar and molasses 30,649 34,537 Opium 083 729 Goods!by weight ... — .. 19,407 . 18.049 'Ad valorem, 10 per cent, ■ ■< .. 02,196 65,572 Other duties .. , .. 8,394 ' 1 ■ Totals .. 302,792 294,128

1877.; ' ■ 1870. A Ozs; £ Ozs. i ' i ; £ ■ Auckland .. 87,010 391.421 70,075 , 277,707 Picton . ■ 87.4 3,197 .. 450. ,. .. 1.700 .Nelson ; ’ ri,303 21,182 0,812 20,387 Westport .. 13,950 75,841 '21,774 ‘ 87.175 Creymouth.. 80,240 320,907 C8.941 275,705 Hokitika .. 53.40-4 213,505 35.487 141,947 Dunedin .. 105,082 422,857 108,053 ■435,273 Invercargill 8,037 ,32,482 9,524 38,213 809(012 £1,484,674 322,010 £1,284,328