PROGRESSIVE NEW ZEALAND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 14, 17 January 1908, Page 6

PROGRESSIVE NEW ZEALAND.

Yesterday we commented on tho general increase, during 1907, in the quantity and value of New Zealand trade. It is already possible to indicate al&o, with referenco to tho chief items of export, the valuation between prices obtained in 1907 and in 1906. NEW ZEALAND EXPORT PRICES. 1906. 1307. £ c. il. £ c. d. Wool, per lb 0 0 10.51 0 0 11.91 Gold, poi 07. 10 6 319 9 Frozen meat, per cwt .18 4 1 811 Butter, per cwt 4 17 5 4 18 4 Cheese, per cvrt, 2 11 11 2 16 0 Flux, per ton >. . . 27 18 9 23 3 7 Kauri gum, per ten . . 57 1 6 66 11 8 It will be seen that, in all these leading lines of export during 1907, on an average of prices obtained there was a decrease, as compared with 1906, in ono item only. Our gold yielded 9d less per oz. But our wool returned 1.40 d more per lb. Tho price gained for frozen msat increased slightly — by 7d per cwt v Butter prices increased by lid per cwt. Cheeso was better by 4s Id per cwt. The price of flax increased by £1 4s lOd per ton ; and tho price, of kauri gum by no less than £9 10s 2d per ton. This is a very satisfactory record ; but it must v be remembered that the increase in the export of dairy produce has 'been accompanied by a great decrease in the export of grain. Seventeen years ago, in 1890, we exported no less than 4,467,026 bushels of wheat. In 1906 wo •were able to spare for ex. port only 61,199 bushels. The figures for 1907 are not yet available. Sik years ago, in 1901, we exported 10,514,924 bushels of oats. Last year the export was only 36,810 bushels. We are becoming a dairying country at the cost of our agriculture, though doubtless to our greater financial profit while the. market is assured. And, as our figures show, both the product and the market are improving. Tho development of the frozen meat industry since the commencement of the trade in' 1882 has been progressive and very profitable. Twenty-five years ago we started export with 15 thousand cwt. Now the annual export is over 2\ million cwt., and the price is rising. The ' export of wool last year was the least since 1896. The export record year came in 1903, with 160 million pounds. Last year we fell 32 millions short of that figure. Taking the figures of population and trade jusl supplied by the Registrar-General, i, wo can make a comparison of trade- per head of the European population (excluding Maoris and inhabitants of Cook and other annexed Pacific Islands). The European population at 31st December last is given as 929,000, with an increase of 20,295 for the year, making the European population at 31st DecemI bor, 1906, 908,705. These figures and j the reported figures of trade, in 1906 and 1907 may bo tabulated thus : — NEW ZEALAND TRADK PER HEAD. lucre iso

These figures, in the case of imports, are about 5s less, aud ia the case of exports aro about 6s less, than thft Registrar-General's figures for 1906, based on mean population. The comparative value of the figures, as applied to 1906 and 1907, is the same ; and the increaso in 1907 is fairly represented. It is becoming questionable, however, whether it is desirable longer to exclude the Maoris from such statistical computations. A striking deduction from the Regis-trar-General's reported figures for 1907 is that the rate of increase of population, both from excess of births over deaths, and from excess of arrivals over departures, has fallen considerably, as compared either wilh the year 1906 or with the average of the five years preceding 1906. A comparison follows :—: — Increase Increase | births arrivals Nffc \ Estimated over over m-

Thus it appears that the increase of population in 1907, by excess of births over deaths, was less than m any year since 1903. By excess of arrivals over departure?, it was less than in any year since 1900. The net increase for 1907 was less than in any year since 1902. The contrast between tho number of persons who came to New Zealand in 1906, and stayed — 12,848 — is marked in comparison with the number who came a,nd stayed in 1907—5730. And the birth-rate is evidently feeling the effect of the high level of comf oi table living w« have attained. The yearly rate per cent, of increase of population fell last year dismally. In 1900 it was 1,87; in 1901, 2.52; 1902, 2.57 ; 1903, 3.04 ; 1904, 3.01 ; 1905. 2.91 ; 1006, 3.25 ; and 1907, 2.23. Where hays k oux. immijirautsjj;oye.i j

irar ]Jtpuiauoii. ueauis. aepanureo crease. 1900 .. 768,278 J 12,346 „ 1831 .. 14,177 1901 .. 787,657 .- 12,857 .1 6,532 .. 19,379 1802 .. 607,929 ~ 12,280 .. 7,992 .. 20,272 ISOS .. 832,505 -.13,301 .. 11,275 .. 24,576 1904 - 857,539 .. 14,679 .. 10,355 .. 25,034 1305 .. 882,462 .. 15,621 .. 9,302 .. 24,923 1900 .. 903,726 .. 15,913 _ 12,848 .. 28,761 1907 . 929,000 . 14,565 _ 5,750 . 20,295

lauo. £ 6. d. Impart* .... 16 14 9 Exports „ . . 19 18 3 Total ...... 36 13 0 £ 6. U. is 5 r 21 12 0 39 17 8 £ ff. d 1 10 1( 1 13 ! 3 4 I