Untitled

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1520, 19 February 1886, Page 2

An excursion from Rivertou and back took place oa Wednesday, but rather wet weather down country detained many from starling. At this end, however—although rather unsettle.!—the weather was tolerably fine, ancl bat little rain fell. The number of passengers was not quite 233. The quantity of gold and silver obtained dnring 1881 to 1883, iu all countries from which returns could be procured, was as follows : —IBB3, 141,000 kilogrammes of gold, and 2,743,000 kilogrammes of silver; 1852, ."old 149.000. silver 2.616,000 kilogrammes; 1831, gold 135,000, silver 2 458,000—the total value beiiivr £133,619,000. Victoria alone produced £10,269,732 in gold, or slightly over 17 per cent, of the total production of the world during that period. The whole of the Australasian colonies produced gold to the value of £17,879,156, or a little over 30 per cent, of the total production. America produces rather more than £6,009.000 of gold per annum by latest returns, so that America and Australasia together contribute over 60 per cent, of t'.e world's production. The estimates of the total value of go'd and silver, coin and bulliou in circulation in the world in 1870 (exclusive of China and soi»!! otlv.'r countries from which returns were not available) were 1350 millions sterling, being 700 millions, or ai»out 52 per cent, gold, and 650 millions, '„«• about 4S |>er cent, silver. The total value of gol 1 and silver coin and bullion in the world in 1883 was estimated at £1,601,551,000. In the Rakaia (Canterbury) district shscp sre, it is said, !>eing suld by ths owners at a shilling »- head, and some of the fanners are boiling them down. It is st.itad that the condition of the public finances of Canada is a subject of grave anxiety. It is not merely that the public debt is now so very heavy, but the municipal liabilities have become a serious burden to those who can ill-afford it.