The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1891.

Thames Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 7035, 9 November 1891, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1891.

Somb very interesting statistics, showing the comparative trade done by this colony in the lsßt foar periods of the twelve months, ending on 30th September, hare been computed by Mr Samuel Carroll, of WeiHogtOD, for the New Zealand Trade Review, and are published by the Post, Mr Carroll shows that the imports have steadily increased in each of these four periods, the increase in the .imports of merchandise (apart from specie) in the last twelve months being in value no less than £469,555. This may be regarded as indicating expansion and improvement in trade generally. But it is the exports that exhibit the most striking figures. The totnl value of our exports has passed ibe ten million poiut, the record for the, last twelve mootbs being £10 005.890 This is an increese of £139,464 over the previous year. Bat inasmuch as the item " specie" amounts to £226,938, es against only £81,896 for the preceding twelve months, there is a falling off to tbo extent of £18.127 in the export of Fow Zealand produce. This, as Mr Carroll remarks, is " disappointing at first sight," bnfc *he proceeds to demonstrate by a careful analysis of the returns that the falling off is more apparent thin real. It is quite true that in several Returns there is a distinct decrease: for instance, £428 000 in wheat end flour ; £155.000 in flax ; £48,C00 in potatoes ; £24,000 in bideß and leather, end £66 000 in other New Zealand produce., But against these decreaees have to bo set increases of £245,000 in frozen meat (which item of espovt has now reached a value of £1,290 867 per aonom); in kanri gum, £14D,CC9; in gold, £125 000; wool and sheepskins, about £75,000; oats, £60,000; coal, £18,000; rabbitskins, £16 000; hops. £13 0C0; grass seed, £12,000 Apart, therefore, from wheat and flour there is o substantial baknos of increase, and (he apparent foiling off in' that class is explained as beiDg due to the excessive shipments last year from the accumulations of former season?, and to greater firmness on the part of holders at the present; The wool export shows an increase of only f or 1 percent in value, but of cecrly 6 per cant, in quantity, the gain in bulk being Rosily lost in the decline in valae. The progress of the frozen meat trade continues most remarkable. On the whole, the returns ar& very satisfactory, end in the opinion of the Trade Beview the current year "promises 6Fe>s better results thas any that have gone before."

■ Holiday houra were observed at the Posfc and Telegraph Offices to-day. The Telegraph office was ouly open between 9 and 10 o'clock this morning, which accounts for the paucity of telegrams and the- fact that the results of tho Auckland and Chrssfcchnrch races do not appear in our sporting column. The office will agaia be open this evening between 7 and 8 o'clock.

The fourth day's racing'of the V.11,0. Spring Meeting took place at Meniiugton on Saturday afternoon, and, as will bo aeon by the telegraphed report iv smother column, Mr W. Iv. Wilson's Auckland bred colls, Strathmore and Steadfast), again distinguished themselves, the former winning the Foal Stakes, and the iattar the Canterbury Plate, after a great race with Sadim, Marvel being third, tho time recorded being half-a second slower thau Dreadnought's Australian Cup performance. The V.R C. Handicap was won by Mr F. W. Purche's Portseai who defeated Sir William, the second-placed horse in the Melbourne Cap.

During a discussion in the New South Wa'es Parliament Mr Crick said that if the House affirmed the Chicago Exhibition appointments of the late Ministry, he would resign. The men appointed were rascals, whose infamy and villainy were only exceeded by the infamy and villainy of those who oppointed them.

Sheamng is in full swing at nearly all the large stations in the Waikato. At- Lockerbie, Morrinsvillo, Mr M. Harrison has just started on some 15,000 or 10,000 sheep; at Matamata they have some 25,000 to pot through ; and at Wocdlands tho Waikato Land Association have about finished on some 22,000.

A gbbat deal has been written (says the Te Aroha News) about the sum voted for this year's expenditure on the Te Aroha»Paeroa railway not being sufficient to cover cost of formation and permanent way,but at the time the Estimates came up before the House in September last, it was*reported in the papers that Mr Seddon had stated that the vote asked for, viz., £20,000, was simply for the formation of the line, and that the permanent way was provided for in another vote. This apparently escaped the notice of our Paeroa friends, butjwe have jest received Hansai-d in yrhich is the debate over this yery vote, and which ought to satisfy them on this point. Mr Seddonjsaid that the vote asked for would complete tho formation and everything, except tho" permanent .jv'ay. . Mr T Gadmtiu skid'there was a yoto on the .Estimates "for fcii© permanent v/oy which would complete the whole thingj and that ou the passing of these voles for the formation and permanent way, the line would bo completed the vrbole dietrncG from Te Aroha to Paeroa without any further expenditure. After these explicit statements by both Messrs Cadman and Seddon, there can be do", doubt whatever, we should think, that the line should be com? pleted to tho point originally fixed for the railway stationj so the principal reason — urged by those who advocate the alteration of the site—via , the impossibilityV>f finishing the work for the amount voted, has been shown to be utterly, unfounded.

The Lancet has the following regarding legislation, recently introduced against drunkenness in Germany: —" We are glad to see that the Government of Germany is goiug to deal stringently in the way of legislation with drunkenness, It may well be that somo of the clauses of the proposed Bill exceed in strength any that we could hope to pass in this country, where even n bishop has been known to prefer freedom to sobriety, as if drunkenness were consistent with freedom, or as if there were.any more helpless slaves than the people who drink excessively. Thoee who criticise such measures are apt to forget that they are only meant to restrain such as are no law to themselves. One of tbabest clauses of the" German Bill-is the proposal to forbid the sale of liquor before eight in lie morning and to persons visibly drunk. Ths difficulty is to gat evidence in Bneh csbss ae.tha last; Policsmsn should be able to say more on this subject than they, do, and there is a very unpleasant idea abroad that there is too good an understanding between them and the .pablicans. Whatever the explanation, the' fact remains that these ie no psopp^tipa between the num» ■hereof conviction* for drunkenness and the ootvio&oa of pubtfeaas fcr snj-plyiicg &vmk

It may interest fruit-growers at the Thames to learn that bo far the prospects of the fruit crop in this colony are satisfactory. A Southern contemporary says that in some parts of Canterbury the crop of apples is enormous. In the Wellington province the crop is the finest known for years, and in the North the prospects are also excellent. From latest advices from the Old Country there is a probability cf an unusual scarceness. From most of the principal apple-growing districts come accounts of shortage and damaged fruit. The few cases sent from this colony last season has whetted the appetite of the Home buyers for more, and there is every prospect that a large demand will exist for colonial apples at possibly paying prices. Our growers should participate in the coming boom.