The Southland Times. MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1867.

Southland Times, Issue 678, 3 June 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1867.

The New Zealand Government Gazette, 30th April, contains a number of GoTernment statistics of general interest,' The tables comprise the imports and exports of the various ports of New Zealand, during the years 1865 and 1866 ; also comparative returns -for the quarters ending 31st December 1865 and 1866. There is a shipping return for the quarters mentioned, showing the number of vessels that have arrived, and those that have. sailed during that period; and the customs returns for the quarter ending 31st December 1866 and 1877. The tables are elaborate to a degree, and supply a fund "of information. In our endeavor to compress the mass of figures before us into the limits of a newspaper article, we are compelled to exclude all matter of secondary import. In the figures subjoined the imports and exports for the two years will be first given, showing the comparative progress there has been made during 1866, and further the Provinces from which the returns have been collected, and the custom r^tgyms from the varions stations, for the march quarters of 1866 and 1867. The amount of the imports of the colony for the year 1865 was £5,594,977, against £5,894,863 in 1866, showing an increase during the year, of £299,886. The amount of exports for the same periods was, 18.65, £3,713,218 ; 1866, £4,720,074 ; being an increase in 1866, of £1,006,756. To particularise, taking the ports of the two Islands separately. Noeth Island.— Imports— Auckland, 1865, . £1,842,416 ; 1866, £1,092,399 ; Russell, 1865, £2,233]; 1866, £1,362; Hokianga (including Waikato) 1865, £6,367; 1866, £6,378; J-Tew Plymouth (Taranaki) 1865,

£74,140; 1866, -£64,305; Wellington, 1865, £492,216 ; 1866, £684,380; Wanganui, 1865, £62,927 ; 1866, £72,025 ; Hawkes' Bay (Napier) 1865, £87,686; t .1866, £82,482. Total imports of the North Island, daring the year 1865, £2,567,98£; for * the year 1866, £2,003,331. Expoets.— Auckland, 1865, £224,410; 1866, £215,393; Russell, 1865, .£442; 1866, £41; Mongonui, 1865, £177 ; 1868, £4,621 ; Hokianga, 1865, £4,386; 1866, £10,300 ; Kaipara, 1865. £1,476; 1866, £3,428., NewPlymouth (Taranaki) 1865, £511 ; 1866, £1,424; Wellington, 1865, £145,331; 1866, £201,029; Wanganui, 1865, L 5,91 1; 1866, L 12,94 5; Hawkes' Bay (Napier) 1865, L 51,80 1; 1866, L 66,424. Total exports of the" North in 1865 was L 434,445 ; 1866, L 515,605. This shows a healthy increase in the exports during the year. " It will be observed that Auckland proper has retrograded, but the increase at the minor ports has swelled the total to a progressive figure. Sotjtheen Poets. — Imports — Nelson, 1865, L 400,463 ; 1866, L 437,27 2; Picton, (including Havelock), 1865, £8,228 ; 1866, £7,963; Wairau, 1865, £6,492; 1866, £5,295 ; Lyttelton, 1865, £638,529; 1866, £763,884 ; Akaroa, 1865, £6,030 ; 1866, £7,042. Timaru, 1865, £36,952 ; 1866, 32,559 ; Hokitika, 1865, £211,777 j 1866, £591,883'; Okariti, 1865, nil; 1866, £7,354 ; G-reymouth, 1865, £7,294 ; 1866, £221,916; Westport, 1865, nil; 1886, £2,857 ; Oamaru, 1865, £17,400 ; 1866,£10,923;Dunedin,1865,£1,582,057; iB6O, ,£1,615,802 ; Invercargill, 1865, £82,737 ; 1866, £133,982 ; Bluff Harbor, 1865, £13,831 ; 1866, £22,881 ; Riverton 1865, £15,088 ; 1866, £29,714 ; Chatham Islands, 1865, £114 ; 1866, £218. It will be observed from the above figures, in a large majority of cases, the imports for 1866 are largely in excess of 1865. Invercargill for instance appears to have imported most heavily in that year. There was a reason for it. The large demand for the West Coast market reduced the stock on hand to an extent that called for large importations. Expeots. — Nelson, 1865, £117,143; 1866, £61,323; Havelock, 1865, £9,538; 1866, £637; Picton, 1865, £30,372: 1866, £4,680; Wairua, 1865, £53,946 ; 1866, £39,822 ; Lyttelton and Christchurch, 1865, £450,389 ; 1866, £482,159 ; Akaroa, 1865, £5; 1866, £13; Timaru, 1865, £21,579; 1866, £2; Hokitika, 1865, £977,033; 1866, £1,372,620; Okarita, 1865, nil; 1866, £200; Greymouth, 1865, £126,056; 1866, £833,239; Westport, 1865, nil; 1866, £4,800;' Oamaru, 1865, £69,014 ; 1866, £43,000 ; Dunedin, 1865, £1,309,555; 1866, £1,051,584; Molynesx, 1865, £432; 1866, nil; InvercargiU, 1865, £59,380; 1866, £46,005 ; Bluff Harbor, 1865, £54,226 ; 1866, £64,103; Riverton,' nil; Chatham Islands, 1865, £105 ; 1866, £262. From the above it will be seen that the exports from long established ports have .for the most part rather diminished than increased, especially in Nelson and Otago. This must be attributed to the scarcity of labour arising from the large numbers that have left for the West Coast. Southland takes a prominent position, being among the few ports that has approached in 1866, close to the figures it had in 1865. The last table, a most important one, is a comparative return of the amount of Customs Revenue collected at the. several pqrts of New Zealand, during the quarter, ending 31st March, 1867. In looking over this table it will surprise the reader to find that out of the eight ports in the Northern Island, three give unmistakeable signs of retrogression, and the other five give but a faint semblance of advancement ; while " the Southern ports have, with few exceptions, far more than maintained their former position. Out of. the sixteen Southern Ports, only four show a decrease, as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1866. The falling off has been at the ports of Havelock, Akaroa, Greymouth, and the Bluff. In each case it will be seen that the deficiency is most insignificant. The decrease amounting to £83, is in reality, no evidence of a backward movement, inasmuch as during the corresponding quarter of the previous year, most of the surplus stock in this province was shipped to the West Coast ; and the exports from InyercargiU an^Riyerton show an ia-

crease that far more than overbalance the deficiency mentioned. To quote the figure's as set down as the receipts for the quarter, ending 31st March 1867, as compared with 1866. Noethebn Poets. — Auckland, 1866, £31,340; 1867, £37,089; Russell, 1866, £418; 1867, £508; Monganui, 1866, £373; 1867, £325; Hdkianga, ; .:l«66, £124; 1867, £392; New Plymouth, 1866, £3,151; 1867, £3,328 ; Wanganui, 1866, £5,044 ; 1867, £4,367; Wellington, 1866, £16,432; 1867, £18,648 ; Napier, 1866, £6,230 ; 1867, £6,834. , Sotttheen Poets — Nelson, 1866, £8,799; 1867, £9,364. Westport, 1866, nil ; 1867, £311 ; Picton, 1866, £479; 1867, L 502; Havelock, 1866, L 219; 1867, L 18 1; Wairau, 1866, L 794; 1867, £1,269; Lyttelton and Christchurch, 1866, £27,626 ; 1867, £28,021; Akaroa, 1866, £438; 1867, £415; Timaru, 1866, £2,343; 1867, £4,101 ; Hokitika, 1866, L 25,274 ; 1867, L 30.182 ; Okariti, 1866, nil ; 1867, L 69 4; Greymouth, 1866, L 15,292; 1867, L 14.493; Bunedin, 1866, L 48,41 1; Oamaru, L 1,358 ; Molyneux, 1866j»L42 ; 1867, L 114; Invercargi, 1866,' L 7,288 ; 1867, L 7,68 0; Bluff Harbor, 1866, L 28 5; 1867, L 202; Riverton, 1866, L 1,319; 1867, 1,433; Chatham Islands, 1866, L 92; 1867, LIOO. Total for the March quarter 1866, L 209,010; for the corresponding quarter of 186.7, L 220,053.