THE DEPRESSION LIFTING. Increase of Customs Duties. Wellington, Sept. 1.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 218, 3 September 1887, Page 4

THE DEPRESSION LIFTING.

Increase of Customs Duties. Wellington, Sept. 1.

Tin: Customs duties for August amounted to £121,079 as against £108,641 for the sumo month last year, and £96,712 for July of this year. The advance is attributed partly to the importation of spring goods by drapers, and partly to the reaction from the depression of previous months. The returns from the principal ports were as follows : Auckland £26,927, Wellington £19,988 ; Christchurch £21,633 ; "Dunedin £30,549. The beer duty for August amounted to £3,729 ; also an advance on previous month's. In August last year it was £3472 ; and in July last £3.454. The amounts for the principal towns are : — Auckland, £801 ; Wellington, £429 ; Christchurch, £767 ; Dunedin, £695.

In the " good old days " of the Thames there was a standing fcoasb in times of convivialities of " Here's ten thousand ounces to you." This good wish appears on the eve of realisation, judging by the magnificent assay of Hikutaia stone — the only difference being that the yield in the present inslanco is principally silver. The result of the treatment of one pound of ore taken from the black seam in the Prospectors' claim lms caused great interest in town to-day. The ingot of three ounces fifteen pennyweights of bullion obtained by Mr Burns, assayer at the Bank of New Zealand, was on view at Mr Witheford's office, attracting great attention. This yield is at the rate of 8,400 ounces to the ton. Mr Witheford has samples of stone from the footwall and hanging-wall of tho reef, which will be assayed shortly with some of the picked stone, and will give a more correct estimate of the value of the entire reef, which is eight feet wide. The team from which the stone assayed was taken was not more than two feet in width. It is thought , that the bullion will be worth 7s 6d per oz. The intrinsic worth of the ore is, however, so great that assayers agree that it is doubly as rich in bullion as any other stone which has been subjected to treatment. An ofFer is made by a practical man to put up a plant on the Thames for £1,500 which will effectively extract the precious mcLal from this class of stone. Anyone with a thousand pounds to spare can have, an opportunity of investing in the plant by applying for particulars to Mr Witheford.—" Star."