The Westport Times. SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1869.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 498, 1 May 1869, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1869.

We published, a few days ago, figures showing the revenue of the Nelson South-West Goldfields for the last two half-years, exclusive of revenue derived from import duties or from the export duty on gold. The figures, however, were not altogether complete, nor were they exactly correct. We are now enabled to give the returns for the whole financial year of IS6S-9, and with it a return of the revenue for the year ISG7-8. By these returns it will be seen that during the past year there has beeu a considerable fallingoff in the revenue received at Westport, Charleston, and Brighton, while there has been a slight increase in the Grey district. Notwithstanding the increase at the Grey, it does not realise the description given of it by Mr Button, as being entitled to the first position among the districts comprised in the Nelson South-West Goldfields. Even with the increase to the credit of the Grey district, and the reduction in the case of each of the other districts, the Grey only occupies a third-rate position. Brighton, it should be noticed also, does not receive full credit for its revenue, while Charleston is benefited by the same circumstance, as for tho past two months, in consequence of the transfer of the business of the Court to Charleston, the revenue of that district includes what would otherwise have been credited to Brighton. The following is a comparative return of the revenue for the two years:— 1867-S 1863-9 £ s. d. £ s. d. Westport ... 11,613 5 1 ... 6,537 8 5 Charleston... 8,242 9 6 ... 6,944 18 0 Brighton ... 5,141 15 4 ... 1,990 8 10 Grey 4,419 18 6 ... 6,484 17 11 Total ... 29,417 8 5 ... 21,957 13 2 The following is a detailed statement of the sources from which this amount of revenue is, in each district, derived. For convenience in fitting the figures to our columns we omit the shillings and pence, and indicate the different districts by the initial letters of their names only : W. C. B. G. £ £ £ £ Miners' rights ... 1503 1268 323 2073 Licenses— Business 1172 1350 560 1127 Auctioneers' ... 80 80 Watermens' ... 70 Publicans' ... 2674 2727 857 2355 Warden's Court ... 108 245 68 111 RegistrationsExtended claims, 10s 18 60 5 46 Special, 5s 20 35 29 31 Races, &c, 2s 6d, 115 303 52 198 Agricultural leases, deposits and rents, 256 83 Extended claim surveys 187 599 73 88 Wharves & buildings 226 Road subscriptions Sundry 105 67 21 102 The following are the total receipts from each item: Miners' rights,

£5167 ; business licenses, £4209; auctioneers' licenses, £160; waterrnens' licenses, £7O; publicans' licenses, £8613 10s; Wardens' Courts, £532 10s; mining registrations—extended claims, £l3O 10s, special, £ll6, races, &c, £674 7s 6d; agricultural leases, deposits, and rents, £563 18s; survey of extended claims, £948 12s Gd ; rent of wharves and buildings, £355 5s lOd; road subscriptions, £ll9 16s ; sundry, £297 3s 4d.