NEW ZEALAND TRADE RETURNS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7866, 18 May 1891, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND TRADE RETURNS.

! WELLINGTON, April 24. Although the official trade returns for (ba past quarter are not yet quite complete, an approximate computation has been made, which I believe is exactly tarrect, but does not include parcels post imports and exports. I understand these are estimated at about £20,000 imports 6nd £50,000 exports. Excluding these the New Zealand imparts for the past financial year amounted to £6,294,143, as against ' £8,2(50,630 for the preceding year, and jwj £5,908,206 for ISSS-9. The exports amount IL to £9,199,140 as against £9,705,783 for last "Wi, '*&*£, and £8,201,409 for the year before. -J- There Is thus an increase of some £34,000 *vg over the preceding year in imports, and il ot $91,000 in exports, but the previous ■f year's improvement over its predecessor !] was much more marked, us will be "i Been by the figures quoted. The explanation of the diminished rate of increase of f Imports may probably be found in the fact (hat the Dunedin Exhibition last year paused the Dunedin imports to spring tome £300,000 over the previous year, while ia the past year they have .similarly defclined, so allowing for that special *J itimulus in 1889-90, the result ot the past "• i**** comparison is highly favorable. f The labor troubles of last year must - also have had a marked efleet on trade. Ibis, no doubt, has tended to influence exports, which have not gone on swelling Ssin the year before; indeed, the last aarter even exhibits a decrease in exSrts as compared with the March quarter X). The falling off is only to the extent Of about £6000, still any change in a downward direction is disquieting. Detailed -figures are not yet available, but-1 believe thac flax will be found accountable for a, large part of the difference. One ; noteworthy feature in the past year's exports is the fact that Napier now holds fourth rank as an exporting port, having passed Dunediu by some £30,000 and coming next to Auckland, which is third, and Wellington being first and j lecond and Dunedin rifth. It must be r borne in mind, however, that Oamaru and >- Jnvercargill divert a large portion of the vtago export trade (,£950,000 between them ♦ J Jast year). Had their exports gone from luunedin; ;ln other words, had that port Despatched the whole of itsprovincial Pnwwts, as did Auckland, Wellington, ana Napier, Dunedin would have been a good second to Lyttelton, even if the tatter had Be _ t away the £580,000 of J.unjU- exports. The respective export m f? t -kwere-Lytteltou, £2,018,460; Wel- *§ hngton, £1,460.900; Auckland, £1,322,150; ■* Jfrpler, £1,174,-37; Dunedin, £1,143,587.