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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 869, 3 October 1871, Page 2

For the Juue quarter the returns of Customs Revenue collected at Westport, showed a slight increase over the total for the corresponding period of 1870, the figures being for the quarter ended June 30, 1871. £7206 16s sd, against £6795 2s Id for 1870. We regret to be unable to record an equally satisfactory condition of things for the last quarter, the returns showing the very marked decrease of £1598 2s 7d when compared with those of the corresponding quarter of 1870 ; and for the month of September the falling off, though not quite so marked, reaches the sum of £324: Is Id.

The following figures give the returns, for the month, and quarter, ended Sept. 30, 1871, and for the corresponding periods of last year from which a comparative estimate of the decrease may be arrived at ■ — Monthly returns for Sept. 1871. Custom duties, £lslß 0s 6d ; lighthouse dues, £7 2s 6d ; merchant shipping fees, 2s 3d; arms fees, £9 5s ; gold duty, £555 18s lOd; total £2120 9s Id. Monthly returns for Sept. 1870, Customs duties, £1684 19s 5d ; lighthouse dues, £8 5s 2d; merchant shipping fees, 7s ; arms fees, £2 lis; gold duty, £7BO 7s 7d; total £2441 10s 2d.

Quarterly Eeturns : September, 30 1871—Customs' duties, £3961 16s 7d; lighthouse dues £l7 Is 3d ; merchant shipping fees, 183 ; arms fees, £l6 16s; wine license, £1; gold duty, £1577 18s 4d ; total, £5575 10s 2d. September 30, 1870 Customs duties, £5030 lis; lighthouse dues, £23 8s lOd ; merchant shipping fees, £1 Os 6dj arms fees, £l6 7s ; wine license, £1; gold duty, £2lOl 5s sd; total, £7173 12s 9d. The most serious feature in connection with the above figures is the comparatively large decrease in the amount of duty received for the exportation of gold, amounting for the quarter to £523 7s Id, and representing nearly 4200 ounces of the precious metal. According to these figures there has been an absolute decline in the productiveness of the goldfields averaging very nearly £1220 weekly. As these figures may, however, be very considerably affected by the quantity of gold in purchasers' hands on September 30, we think that the actual decrease in the yield of the goldfields may be fairly estimated at 2000 ounces. "We shall endeavour to show that this state of things is exceptional, and probably but temporary, giving place in all likelihood to a prodigiously increased productiveness. For some time past the reefs at the Lyell andj luaugahua have attracted ! considerable numbers of our mining population who had been hitherto actively employed in contributing their quota to the yield of gold. Tbe labour of these latter while employed in ascertaining the value of the newlydiscovered reefs has necessarily not been immediately productive; many having been engaged for upwards of twelvemonths in prospecting for the reef, and, having discovered it, in testits value. The withdrawal of a large number of men who had hitherto actively contributed to the total gold exported will, we think, sufficiently account for such a decrease as has actually taken place. It may be said* on the other hand, that the more fact of the men transferring their energies to another sphere could not interfere

with the working of the ground they had previously occupied, aud which, as a rule, is represented by wages men. But our argumont may still be sustained, as their places are filled, not by fresh arrivals, but by men who have been less profitably employed either working occasionally for wages, or obtaining an extremely moderate livelihood by working tailings or sandy beaches during flooded weather.

The Custom duties also exhibit a decrease of £IO6B 14s5d, for the quarter, and the same cause that has operated to bring about a reduction in the gold has been similarly active in reducing the amount of customs duties collected. We will not attempt to deny that a population must bo fed, but, we think, that it scarcely admits of a question that the consumption of necessaries by a community depeuds largely, and of luxuries almost entirely, upon the degree of prosperity that it enjoys. It is also a fact, that while a large proportion of the population at the Inangahua has proceeded thither from these districts, their wants have been almost entirely supplied by the Greymouth traders. The same cause, therefore, that has operated to the temporary disadvantage of this port and district, must have beneficially affected the port of Greymouth. We may yet mention another cause which must have injuriously affected the revenue of this port in common with the rest of the colony—we refer to the operation of the Distillation Act. On all spirits distilled within the colony a duty of 6s per gallon is levied against 12s on imported spirts. The result of this extraordinary reduction in favour of the native industry has been already a loss to the colony of fully £30,000 in revenue, against the comparatively trifling advantage derived from an increased consumption of grain. The strongest advocates of protection must surely admit the disirability either of the colony taking over distilleries and raising the revenue to one uniform rate, or of the duty upon New Zealand distilled spirits being increased to 9s or 10s per gallon.