THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3752, 6 January 1881, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1881.

In the year 1879 there was a slight decrease both in value of goods imported in and exported from the colony. The gold export sank from £1,240,079 in 1878 to £1,134,641 in 1879. In this export we hare been steadily decreasing in the value of gold sent to the Old Country and elsewhere and from £2,844,517 worth of gold exported in 1866 we-haye gradually diminished to the amount 'mentioned for 1879. The total amount of gold sent out of New Zealand to the Australian Colonies 'and Great Britain since 1857 am unts to 9,240,982 ounces, the value of which was £36,137,081, or an amount only a trifle larger than our national debt. The wool also exported, although being more than the amount of 1878—62,220,810 lbs in 1879.as against 59,270,256 only brought in to the colony the sum of £3,126,439 as against, £3,292,807 in 1878. This large diicrepancy is to be accounted for through, the depression of the market at Home, where prices have become considerably less! during the past year. The total value of wool exported since 1853 if 'upwards .of £45,000,000 sterling, and the quantity has. gradually increased from 1,071,3401bs in 1853^t0 62,220,8101bs in ,1879, a fact which testifies to the excellence and value of this article in the Home market. The export of Phormium Tenax (flax) has considerably decreased during the year 1879, only 445 tons being exported, the; value being £7,874, as against 622 tons exported in 1878, value £10,666. The amount of kauri gum exported was 3,228. tons, at a value of £147,53,5, being an increase *bf' £15,000 on the value of gum exported in 1878.- The export of wheat, tallow, etc., also shows a slight increase of £43,000. These figures, although not by any means reassuring, are nevertheless not discouraging, and it is clear that although trade has been depressed during the year 1879, that the effects of it were not so severely felt in New Zealand as elsewhere, although there is a large decrease of £117,053 in the exports for 1879. The imports counterbalance the exports to the tune of £2,811,130, and'it is vsff evident that the Government in this colony are relying too much in making the country appear prosperous by means of borrowed money. The colony, as it is at present, has a fictitious value, and its "real value is carefully kept in obscuro. It may be said that the colony is young. So much the worse for those who have taken in hand the task of recruiting her financial position. Until the Government attend more to the development of local industry, instead of wasting valuable time -in irrelevant "and positively culpable discussions* "oiP trivial^ 1 political' matters^ we may expect the same kind of balancesheet. The fight between political factions*bf the House has much retarded business, and it appears very much as if members give themselves up to wrangling about silly political quibbles instead of endeavouring to advance the colony in value and strengthpn her credit. And yet these Heaven born legislators are paid £200 each per session to sit and squander away valuable time and money according to their own sweet will! Truly we are a grand "colony! .Ruled by legislators whose incompefcency is a subject of constant remark, and who have no more idea of the way to conduct the affairs of the country on a sound and tangible basis than a pig has of playing the pianoforte !