The Westport Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 718, 1 October 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1870.

The returns of revenue collected at the Custom House, Wesfcport, during the last month amounted to £2,605 lis lid, as against £2,622 14s collected in August j £2,104 8s 9d, in July ; and £2,352 7s 9d, in June. The past month exhibits a decrease in the amount of gold duty as compared with the previous month, —September, being £7SO 7s 7d as against £OSB 19s 7d collected in August. It shows, however, a very satisfactory increase over the mouths of July aud June during which the gold duty amounted respectively to £36118s 3d, and £6S9 16s Id. The dry weather experienced during nearly the whole of the past month has had a most injurious effect upon our mining industry; and, although it was not likely to affect considerably the quantity of gold disposed of and exported during the month of September, there can be no doubt that it would exercise a prejudicial effect which would sufficiently account for the decrease of upwards of 1-lOOozs of gold that the September shipments exhibit, as compared with the quantity exported during the i month of August. During the current month we may anticipate that shipments will exhibit a still greater decline, owing to the same causes. At the same time there is no reason to apprehend that the productiveness of these goldfields is permanently declining ; the decrease which would be serious were it not duo to merely temporary and exceptional causes cannot, under the circumstances, give rise to any well-founded feeling of apprehension. The Customs duties collected during the quarter just completed, also compare favorably with the quarter ended June 30th, the amount being for the last quarter £5,030 lis from which the refunds of duties collected under the increased tariff have been deducted, against £4,84619s 6d for the preceding quarter. The past month also shows a moderate increase of import duties over the preceding months being £1,814 Is 2d for September against £1,645 4a Id

collected in August £1,730 7s 6d in July aud £L,O-44 17s3d in June. The returns generally must be deemed to satisfactorily Drove the increasing commerce of the district while as the centre of extensive and highly prosperous goldfields the figures are equally satisfactory.