CUST0MS REVENUE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3888, 7 February 1870, Page 4

CUSTOMS REVENUE.

The return of Customs revenue for the quaiter ending the 31st December is published m the Xrw Zealand Gavtte of the 20th ultimo. The total leceipts for the quarter amounted to 210,074/., being an mcicase of nearly 6,000/. over the con espondni" quarter of 1808, when the total was 209,681. More than one-half of the receipts for the quarter came from two provinces—Auckland and Otago. At the poit of Auckland, 07,10-y. was received; the other poits of entry m this province retumm .— lhissell 410/. ; Mangoinu, 205/ ; Plokiauga, 851/. Ihe receipts at Dimedin were 54.8(37/ • the only other port of entiy m Otago, namely^ Oamaru, showing a leturn of 2,582/ As compared with the corresponding quarter Vf 1868, the province of Auckland shows an increase of 12,684?. ; and Otago, an increase of 2,722/. Thus the two provinces give an increase over the corresponding quarter of 15,400/. ; and as the total inorease for the whole colony is only 5,413/,, there is a decrease of just 10,000/, to be divided amongst the other provinces. Wellington port is responsible tor jibout 2,700/. of the dcci ease— from 18,056/., to 15,355/.; and Whanganui has decreased about 600/. Nelson has increased slightly— from 7,693/. to 7,779/.; but Westport has fallen off by 3,350/.— from 7,573?. to 4,523?, Greymouth has been about stationary, thefhjnes being 11,592?. for the last quarter, as against 11,622/. Hokitika has gone down 0,500/.-- -from 20,469/. to 14,133/. ; but almost deserted Okarita has risen from 541/. to 738?.. Canterbury increased slightly, her three ports collectively showing a rise from 22,647/. to 23,767/. Southland has decreased, by about 960/. at Invercaigill and 25/. at Bluff Harbour, while itiverton has increased by 150/. The total of the Customs revenue for the year 1869 was 823,508/., as against 788,820 -in 1868. Auckland (port) increased from 140, 7o8? to 204,374/.; Russell decreased from 491/. to 410?.; Mangonui increased from 157?. to 205?., and Hokianga from 252?. to 8ol?. lmnedin's increase waa from 207,583/. to 210,523?., and Oamaru's from 9,051?. to 9,254?. Hokianga shows the largest decrease, namely, from 81,716/. in 1868 to 61,456?. last year. Westport's decrease was about 4,000/., as was also Nelson's ; but Greymuiith increased by about 3,000?. Invercargill came down from 25,325?. to 20,401?.; and Wellington's fall was from 64,118?. to 58,212?. Napier shows an increase of over 1,20(M. on the quarter, and of over 6,000?, on the year.

They have in Wisconsin what are called "hard times parties." The invitations are Written on brown paper, and request the guests to dress in their old clothes. Bean soup, orackera, and dried herrings constitute the refreshments, with "cambric tea" and water to wash them down. The guests walk bo&e,