AUSTRALIAN IMPORTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxix, Issue 7265, 12 August 1907, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN IMPORTS.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE. ' ' ; LONDON, August 10. The Board of Trade has issued a report based on material collected on be■rialf of the Advisory Committee by Mr it; J. Jeff ray, Imperial Trade Commissioner to Australia, wlio visited the Commonwealth last year, and complet- ; cd his report in January last. TheBcfarcl of Trade's report declares that the statistics reveal substantially the comparative progress of foreign coun-< tries as contributors to Australian imports, but the abuse of reliable figures concerning the countries of origin to a certain extent makes any comparison misleading. There is cvi- j dence, however, which suggests"that the ' gain of foreign countries is greater in appearance than reality. There is nothing to suggest that Britain's position is seriously menaced in the great staple lines, cotton, iron and steel goods.- The 'report'goes on to refer to the rivalry in woollens that British manufacturers experienced in Australia. Mr Jeffray | considers this competition certain to increase rapidly, and that the same may 113 expected in regard to boots, shoes, "hats and mining machinery. The report concludes: "British traders, on the -whole, have deliberately chosen to restrict themselves to a small number of preit main lines of production, leaving the smaller cheap lines largely to foreigners. Freights should be dealt with with a view to placing British and foreign importers to Australia on a greater equality."