ITALIAN TRADE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20085, 14 November 1930, Page 20

ITALIAN TRADE.

industrial growth.

expanding exports

Cavalieie G. Formieliella, Italian Con-sul-General « New Zealand, has received frofn the National Export Institute, Rome, "Lo Suiluppi dell' Industria » in which is set out in graphic form the rather startling rise of Italian manufacturing industries in recent years but especially under the Fascist regime. The expansion is shown in gold lire and it begins as far back as 1876, when Italy as a manufacturing country was among the least of the nations. The latest year is 1928. Taking the years 1913 and 1 92S onl y * or purposes of comparison (although growth since 1922 has been remarkable), and dealing v -ith some of the commodities ■•itpieted " the growth of certain industries appears to be phenomenal. And this not only in so far as the local market is concerned, for the export trade in manufactures is now of great importance to Italy. Exports of industrial products in 1922 were of the value of 1250 million lire; in 1928 they had risen to 2600 million' lire. Italian primary industries are and always have been of the utmost importance, represented by wine, oil, fruit, minerals, and agriculture in general; but the progress of industrial Italy is here shown, and is visible a.t a glance.

Capital invested in Italian industrial companies in 1913 amounted to 4,173,364,905 lire; in 1922 to 7,970,848,852; and in 1928, to 10,258,282,252 lire. Consumption of coal and other fuels used in industry was 12,952,427 tons; in 1928 it had grown to 22,823,517 tons. Imports of raw materials in 1913 were of the value of 2000 million lire, rising (as the price of all raw materials rose) in 1918 to 5600 millions, and standing at 3200 millions for 1928. The influence of the war years, 1914-1918, caused imports to exceed exports in 1918. But comparing 1913 with 1928, the position is rather startling. In the former year there was a slight debit trade balance; in 1928 the balance of exports of finished industrial products over imports was of the value of 600 million lire, but in 1927 it reached the 800 million mark. The values and volumes of various products for 1913, compared with those for 1928, were as follows: 1913. 19:25. Gold liir. Gold lire. All minerals • • 347,141,958 588,662,807 Ton 9 Tons. Iron .. -• 603,11G 509,325 Copper • • 317,334 5^2,430 Zinc and lead .. 2K2.932 237,137 Coal .. •• 701,081 852,770 Marble .. •• 494,312 c 31,820 Marble (exports) .. 317,332 349,4(77 Iron and sicel .. 9H8,G05 1,909 800 Sulphur .. 2rf«,310 336,700 Mercury. .. •• 10|0i0 17,953 Quintals. Quintals. Mineral acids -- 6,772,000 12,920,000 Alkalis .. 140,200 2,201,000 Explosives ■ • 29,029 41,120 Dyes . I.QOO 145,000 Paints and varnishes - 108,203 350,000 Oile (vejrotcblc) .. 530,000 1,655,000 Soa>ps .. 1,100,000 1,500,000 The Motor Trade, Exportation of motor vehicles has grown from 3233 in 1913 to 11,372 in 1922, and to 28,280 in 1928; and the use of motor vehicles in Italy itself has increased 81 times over those employed in 1913. . The sum o£ motor vehicles employed in Italy in 1913 wa5,23,364; in 1922 it was <54,298, and in 1928 it was 190,522. No returns of industrial electrical power in use arc given for 1913, but in 1922 it amounted to 1,580,000 kilowatts and expanded to 3,537,000 kilowatts in 3928. The districts in which electricity is in greatest use for indu3i try are mostly situated in Northern Italy, where the density of manufactures is greatest and the industrial population is largest. Artificial silk or rayon, a new industry, advanced from 150,000 kilogrammes in 1913 to three million kilo, in 1922, and 28 million kilos., in 1928. Curiously enough, wine production shows a shrinkage on that 1913, but beer a substantial increase, although not so much as on the output of 1922-23. Aerated waters, however, have risen from 297,873 hectolitres in 1922-23 to 435,426 in 1927-28, suggesting that a teetotal Italy is not beyond the bounds of possibility. Cheeso export, probably the toothsome •well-matured Gorgonzola so popular in England, has made good headway in export, namely, from 328,044 quintals in 1913 to 364,937 quintals in 1928, but there was a heavy fall to but 14-5,412 quintals exported in lf>2B. Foodstuffs. Between 1922 and 1928 there have been substantial increases in exportations of canned fruits, sausages and hams, and confectionery and three times the quantity of cacao is used in the manufacture of chocolate goods in 192S compared -with cacao used in 1913. Sugar production has made a relatively slight increase since 1913, but it amounted to : =3,470,000 quintals in 1928. Wheat mill- ] ing and rice exportations have also ] greatly increased. Italy figures, too, J in the export of ceramics, and has increased her exports of fine crockery (excluding terracotta) by double those of .1922, which were only a little more than the output of 1913. Production of chemicals, paper, rubber goods, boots and shoes, gloves, hats (felt and straw), textiles of cotton, silk, rayon, ;tnd woollens, and exports of them all show very substantia] expansion in svt'-eJK yo.i■•••>. Labour employed in manufacturing industries has iiecessarily increased with the expansion of output and increase of exports of manufactured goods. The returns: —

Telephones, telegraphs, railways (and goods and passenger traffic receipts) all show great progress since 1913, and accelerated advances since 1922. The information above referred to has been prepared by the Confederazione Generate Fascista dell' Industria Ttaliana. GUARANTEEING LOANS. A leading mercantile liouse in Melbourne has received a letter from London, setting out a rather remarlcablc scheme for guaranteeing payment of interest and redemption of principal of Australian loans. The promoters suggest that thev should undertake to outer into contracts with holders of Australian loan stocks and guarantee payment, as stated A New South \\ales loan which will mature in some ten years' time, and a Victorian loan redeemable within about half that tc J m > a £? the of a specific ofter. The guarantors, of course require a commission for their services It is thought that the scheme is intended to appeal mainly to trustees who may dear© collateral security Whether it is intended that the proposal should embrace Australian loans floated internally, as well as thoso floated abroad, is not stated Onn nl' the leading hanks of the United States is definitely mentioned as being interested in promoting the scheme.

Industry. >io. Operatives. Miseralurgical 1911. 1927. 49,473 120,903 Engineering .. 339,755 411,930 Chemicals .. 75,226 93,977 Textiles .. 481,714 (■yo.tus Woodwork .. 213,824 . 229,975 Printing 44,283 52.781 Leather 40,720 50,248