The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1872.

Southland Times, Issue 1526, 19 January 1872, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1872.

Dtjbiko the year 1871, the export trade of Invercargill, as shown by statistics published elsewhere inthis issue, amounted to £130,610. The returns gave some odd 1 shillings, but as these are immaterial, we have not reckoned them in either this or any of the following enumerations. The amount for the preceding year (1870) was £166,166, so that we have here an apparent falling off of 25 per cent. In estimating this comparison, however, it is necessary to bear in mind that throughout the past year an exception- , ally large proportion of the export trade of the district has been sent coastwise, which means that it has been forwarded to Dunedin for shipment, not a single farthing of which is credited in the aforesaid returns. In token of that, we have only to point to the fact that no mention whatever is made of preserved meats, despite the large quantities manufttoiwr©— ——ring tUo your. *__ox* it will be borne in mind that a whole fleet of steamers, together with occasional sailing crafts, have been plying to and from the Southland ports and Dunedin. That trafiic must have absorbed a very considerable proportion of our exports — we should say not less than fifty per cent, of the whole. These go to swell the returns made up by Dunedin, so that we, in common with other port-towns similarly situated, have a twofold disadvantage to contend against. "What renders it the more discouraging is that these drawbacks operate in proportion to the extent of our industrial pursuits and local enterprise. On the one hand, it deprives us of a fair estimate of the commercial importance to which our trade has attained, and on the other, its relative importance is placed in unfair comparison. In other words, our commerce is divided into two equal parts. One- half is so disposed of as to diminish the apparent whole, and added to the precedence really attained by a neighboring, or, as the case may be, a rival port, thereby securing for the trade of the latter a fictitious value. We are very far mistaken if an arrangement could not be made on easy terms whereby a state of . affairs so manifestly unjust co the public interest could be remedied. It would not, we should think, impose much additional burden on the Customs department to keep such separate accounts as would enable the original port of embarkation to take credit for either the imports it may consume or the exports it may produce. The thing simply resolves itself into one of those mercantile adjustments whereby correct accounts are kept as between one branch establishment and another, or true and explicit statements rendered between principals and agents. It would be of great service to the political economy of the country. The legislature would be furnished with reliable data to go upon in regulating the harbor service of the colony, instead of being left to give effect to a relative value in the one, which, properly speaking, belongs to another. Port towns and districts situated — in nautical parlance — coastwise, are more deeply interested in tlti-* suggestion than may at first ,sight appear. So long as they are content to submit to the present arrangement, they cannot with good grace complain that harbor improvements and port services are not adjusted in accordance with the scale of their commercial importance. To return, however, to the enumera. tion of the periods under review. The import trade amounted to a declared value of £79,357 against £9L,405 for the preceding, year. This is a decrease of about 15 per cent., which falls to be accounted tor by causes similar to those which have operated against the export returns. The amount paid for imports, deducted from the sum received for exports, leaves £51,253 in favor of the district for last year, and £54,761 for the* preceding year. Turning to the items of the account as enumerated, detailed particulars of which ,d,re published in another column, we find

that this increase is mainly the result of a farther development and increased utilisation of our native resources. Oats, for example, show an increase of £760; sheep skina, £118, and hides, £109. The most astonishing increase, however, is in the exportation of gold. In 1870 it was 2456 ounces, valued at £9830. In 1871 it amounted to 4286 ounces, valued at £17,150, or nearly double that of the preceding year. The question arises, How is this increase to be accounted for ? Is the gold pro- I duced by Otago proper finding its way ] here, or is the goldfields' area of Southland extending, and the yields increasing ? ! We are inclined to adopt the latter view, j from the fact that our trade and exchange with the goldfields of Otago are not known to have increased to any very perceptible extent. On the other hand it is a well known fact that the escort service of Otago is so complete that it is very unlikely indeed that much of the gold will find its way into any other channel than that of Dunedin. Then we have the fact that Orepuki is yielding handsome returns to the few parties engaged upon it, and that all along the coast beach parties have set in to work. This is of itself a highly encouraging state of matters, and should lead us to devote more attention to the auriferous cccowooa <\? tho district. Ia addition to those enumerated above, we have timber, sealskins, bones, and oatmeal, all of which appear as hopeful items, and some of which did not show in the previous year's returns. On the reverse side of the pcture we have got wool, which has decreased from 2,464,539 lbs in 1870, to 1,975,853 in 1871. This staple alone j gives a rebate of £40,012, The apparent i deficiency however is accounted foi by the increase in the shipping trade coistwise. Indeed we have been informed #n good authority that instead of a deficimcy in the wool produce of the district it has increased from 1500 to 2000 bales. It is just however as we have state A above. Until a more equitable adjustment of the trade of the different ports has been provided for, any increase, or in fact the actual state of affairs, cannot be properly ascertained.