IMPOSTS, EXPORTS, AND SHIPPING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3587, 30 March 1886, Page 3

IMPOSTS, EXPORTS, AND SHIPPING.

[By Telegraph.] Weilington, March 28 The annual returns of imports, exports, and shipping have been published, llio total value of the importß last year was £7,479,921, the duty received being £1,428,809. In 1884 tho valuo of imports was £7,663,888 and the duty £1,413,393. The value of articles exported last year •was £6,819,939, as against £7,091,667 m the previous year. The following are the values of the principal exports for last year, also 1884 :— 1885. 1884. £ £ Butter 10,237 66,593 Gold 890,056 988,053 Horses 75,700 56,789 Oats 260,395 267,286 Wheat 181,766 436,728 Kaurigum 299,762 342,151 Specie 81,077 1,440 Tallow .... ... 176,962 234,829 Wool ... ... 3,206,360 3,267,527 Timber 157,809 152,932 Frozen meat ... 373,857 345,129 Preserved meats ... 109,472 78,993 Babbit skins ... 5,754 107,514 The imports to the colony were : — From the United Kingdom, £5,227,551 ; Australia, £1,177,151 ; Tasmania, £77,757 ; Pacific Islands, £86,876; whale fisheries, £5858; Canada, £1421; United States, £401,532; South America, £65 ; China, £204,788 ; India, £129,630 ; Mauritius, £139,080 ; Africa, £565; Europe, £27,647. Total £7,4,79,921.. The exports were ! — To the United Kingdom, £4,906,907 ; Australia, £1,313,023 ; Tasmania, £37,135 ; Pacific Islands, £104,480 ; Guam, £16,410; whale fisheries, £1001; United States, £404,878; South America, £13,270; China, £13,940; India, £736; Mauritius, £2611; Africa, £4066 ; Europe, £1482. Total £6,819,939. The shipping returns Bhow that the number of vessels, with their repeated voyagc3, that •were entered coastwise at New Zealand ports for last year was 16,594, with a tonnage of 3,526,627. In 1884 the number of vessels was 16,910, with 2,924,722 tons. The number of vessels cleared last year was 16,531, ■with 3,523,683 tons, as againßt 16,915 vesseh, ■with 2,927.488 tons m the previous year. The number of vessels from British and foreign ports entered at New Zealand ports last year was 786, with a tonnage of 519,700 ; m 1884 there were 852 vessels, representing 529,188 tons. Those cleared out were — m 1885, 780 vessels, with 513,000 tons, a3 against 872 vessels, with 534,242 tons, m 1884. In 1885 tho duties and revenues collected by the Customs Department were £1,560,214, being an increase of £11,282 over that received m 1884. The duty collected on spirits shows a decrease of £24,127 ; of tobacco and cigars there wa9 an increase of £6322 ; sugar shows a decrease of £16,086, and tea of £5167; duty on wines has increased by £1625, and ale and beer by £1486 ; goods by weight and ad valorem both show substantial increase over previous twelve months. On all other articles the increase or decrease is slight.