A FEW STATISTICAL FACTS.

Southland Times, Issue 1281, 19 July 1870, Page 3

A FEW STATISTICAL FACTS.

. (Prom the Otago Daily Times.) I Some tables showing the amount of the imports . and exports of the colony during the Jyear 1869, together, with an \ abstract of the Customs revenue collected during the year, and other information, hare been recently published in the form of a Parliamentary paper, The following are • few : ot the facts that may be deduced from them:— # - The gold duty collected during the year yielded revenue to the amount of £77,6541 The largest item of export was gold, £2,341,592; and the smallest shot, £5. The total value of the imports into the colony was. £4,976,126, being £9,622 less than in 1868., The total value of the exports from the colony wa5, £4,224,860, being £204,338 leas than in 1868. .17. boats wereimportedjuto the colony j in 1869, being 9 less than in 1868. They represented a money Value of £523. • The value of the gold exported was £2,341,592, being a decrease on 1863 of £151,129 or at the rate of 6.45 per cent. 764 vessels were entered inwards during the year, and 771 were entered outwards. The total tonnage of these 1535 vessels was 498,495. The imports of tobacco (including cigars and snuff) were nearly the same as in 1868, the figures being:— lß6B, £91,602; in 1869, £93,175; increase in 1869, £1,573. c 2027 tons 17cwt of flax, worth £45,245 were exported, together with 7 tons 1 cwt Iqr of tow, valued at £139. The export of this article in 1868 was only 534| tons, valued at £8,137. 12 deer, valued at £100, or £8 6s 8d each, were imported during 1869. Only 2 were- imported in 18S8j but they were valued at £20 each, so that we may say that deer are no longer dear. The quantity of wool exported during the year was 27,765,636 lbs., representing a money value of £1,371,230. There is thus a falling off, as compared with the previous year, of 1,109,527 lbs., or £145,318, being at the rate of 10.59 per cent. The falling off in the import of specie during the year was very^large, the total value of all kinds of coin imported being £139,150, as against £347,040, in 1868. This decrease took place in the gold and silver coin, the amount of copper coin imported being £10,050, as compared with only £140 in 1868. And yet the coppers are scarce. Hera is a paragraph for teetotallers. Duty to the amount of £391,620 was paid in 1869 on 1,095,934 gallons of alcoholic liquors. As compared gwith 1868, there is an increase in the revenue obtained of £233, though the quantify on which duty was paid is 61,311 gallons less. This is explained by the fact that more spirits and wine^-on which high duties are charged — paid duty in 1869, though there was a falling off in the quantity of ale and beer, on which the duty is less. 500 gallons, of New Zealand spirits paid duty during the year, yield-' ing a revenue of £150. . ■ The total quantity of flour exported: in 1869 was 504 tons, valued at £7,078. In 1868 only 238* tons, valued at £4,661, were exported. The quantity of grain (wheat, bats, barley, and malt) exported in 1869 was 520,662 bushels, of the value of £96,541. For 1868 the corresponding figures are — 642,674 bushels, and £116,983. There was thus a falling off in the export of grain last year of 122,012 bushels, or £20,442. This falling off took place in the export of oats and

wheat, that of TjarKy- shbwiag^riaige increase, while an increase, though of small amount, also -took'"pla~ce~iiJF the export of malt. 136 bushels Jof beans and peas, and I799ewt of rice, were also exported last year, their value Beingf fret down at £34 and £1,792 respectively.