The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 832, 1 July 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1871.

The Customs returns, for the quarter ended yesterday, of the amount of revenue collected at the port of Westport compare very favorably with those fur the three months ended March 31st, 1871. The revenue for the last quarter shows an excess of £2820, chiefly contributed by the increased shipments of gold, upon which duty amounting to £1796 was collected, against £460 6s 6d for the previous quarter. In the Customs duties there is also an increase of £1593. Compared with the corresponding period of 1870, the returns for the month and the quarter just ended also exhibit a marked improvement in the Customs duties though a slight decrease in the gold duty. Iu June last yearSjfche latter amounted to £6S9, and the Customs duties to £1614, while for the quarter the figures were—gold duty, £1894 15s lid ; Customs duties, £4846 19s 6d. According to these figures it appears that there has been a decline during the past quarter in the yield of gold as compared with the corresponding period of 1870. The decrease, however, is uot great, beim: not quite SOO ounces, and when the fact is taken into consideration that a considerable percentage of our mining population has been since then attracted to the Inangahua and Lyell districts, where the workings have not yet commenced to be productive, the falling off is really less than could have been expected.