STOCKS IN BOND, CLEARED FOR HOME CONSUMPTION, AND EXPORT.

West Coast Times, Issue 232, 16 June 1866, Page 5

STOCKS IN BOND, CLEARED FOR HOME CONSUMPTION, AND EXPORT.

The daily increaßing. % coramorcial importance of Hokitika has induced us, in this day's issue, to publish, for the first time, full and accurate returns of the stocks of dutiable goods in warehouse at the end of last month, the consumption during the past week, the quantity exported during that period, and the balance at present on hand in the bonded warehouses. The value of this information to the traders in the place, as well as to thoso who, at a distance,' have commercial relations with this port, is too well known to call for explanation. If an instance was required, we might point to the periodical gluts and scarcities to which this market is subject. It is a fact well known to the whole of our business men that the condition of any article, whether plentiful or scarce, in this market, is made patent only in the auction rooms when sales are effected at severe loss, or when not to be had except at extreme prices. Tho cause of this, to a very considerable extent, doubtless lies in the fact that hitherto no data have been procurable upon which any calculations could be based as to the amount of any particular line of goods — especially spirits, to which our remarks only refer — required to supply the market. The natural consequence has been that hitherto importing has partaken much of the nature of speculation instead of legitimate trading. If one of these instances of scarcity occured before or while orders were being exeouted, the importation came to a good market, but as a heavy glut heretofore has followed close on the footsteps of any sudden demand, delay was fatal to profits The publication of these bonded stocks prevents all possibility of such taking place in the future. It will be seen by a glance at our tables the quantity of bonded goods consumed in the place, and the stocks on hand to meet these requirements. We have gaid this will be regulated for the future ; it must be, however, in connection with other considerations that this is to be accomplished. One most important point to be borne in mind in examining these returns is, the fact of large quantities of goods being cleared at the ship's side, and which do not appear in any way on these returns, which goods are greater in quantity att fl port than, we daresay, any other in the colony. The cause alleged for this is, that importers prefer' paying the duty at once to making themselves liable for the bonded warehousemen's charges, which are felt to be in excess of all other New Zealand ports. Another matter to be taken into consideration in viewing these tables is, that a -few parcels of dutiable goods may be on board that do not appear in these returns, in consequence of being so lately imported that when our report is made up the goods have not appeared in the Custom House books. With these exceptions, the particulars that we now furnish may be relied upon, as presenting a full and correct statement of the condition of, and amount of, transactions in every

description of goods which are denned as dutiable under the New Zealand tariff.

Brandy -Bum. .".... ... Whisky [..".' Geneva Sweetened gin Other spirte Wine in wood Wine in bottle Beer in wood Beer in bottle Tobacco Cigars Tea Coffee and chicory Sugar 7,316 gallons 442 ... 3,496 ... 3,713 ... 332 ... 226 ... 6,193 ... 1,769 „. 1-900 ... 1,601 ... 39,751 lbs. 3,067 ... 15,261 ... 1,407 ... 34,691 ... Stocks in Bond 3rd May. 7,140 1,799 3,870 2,478 46,269 3.804 16,904 1,407 47,810 9,817 352 3,518 3,597 324 Stock in Bond Bth. June. 210 1,000 625 60 148 17 1,052 Stock Bonded, Bth to 15th June. 13,119 1,250 175 241 786 18 226 1100 160 250 498 2136 289 1983 Home Consumption, Bth. to 15th June. 2300 27 75 Exports from Bth. to 15th June. 6.638 gallons 1.639 ... 4,620 ... 1,980 ... 41,833 lbs. 3,515 ... 15,131 ... 1,407 ... 34,691 ... 9.545 gallons 177 ... 3,337 ... 2,959 ... 323 ... Balance in bond 15th June.