FIVE YEARS' ADVANCE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 219, 9 June 1908, Page 8

FIVE YEARS' ADVANCE

DOMINION'S ECONOMIC POSITION AN INTERESTING COMPARISON. RETURN BY THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL Tho Registrar-General (Mr. E. J. Van Dadolszen) has issued •ah interesting statistici'i - record comparing tho values of land an i improvements, bank, deposits, exports, imports, area of land under cultivation, railway'mileage, and'shipping, for tho year on'ded December, 1907,- with the year emkd December, 1902 —bridging ovor a gap of fire years." Such a long period in a growing coviiti-y liko New\Zealand necessarily means a, wide difference in figures; no matter how ' tho,; aro computed, ; and the publication i f tliu same is.the erection of a milestone along the road of this country's progress; but it. is only fair to emphasise that tho figures are separated by a five-yearly, period, threo at least, of which. saw New Zealand at th 3 top of its prosperity, and that,'it-is'no truo guide to the present trend of trade development—and : makes no claim to be—can bo fairly accurately judged by tho array of statistical information comparing'the exports and imports'of 1907-8 with those of 1906-7, recently'issued by tho "New Zealand Trade Reu'ew.".. Still tho' figures prepared by Mr. Vol Dadelszen are interesting, and quiio worth the arduous work that must liave been incurred in their compilation.

Tho Registrar: General's, return is as follows:— . ■ . ■. i , - 1902.' ; ISO 7. Population (excluding , . ' ' Maoris'" and- residents;'!. * • of Gook and father Paci- :. •"■fie Islands '"I ;i: 807,029 929,48-1 Valuation of land and improvements— '• ;■ \<-' . Unimproved -value 1 ' !' ■ (March, 1902-1907) (£). 01,847,727 149,682,689 i-Value-■ of, improve-.-. ments (March,., 1902-■: . '1907) {£) . , 59,968,405 86,961,847 Occupied holdings'(No.) '' 65.031 >~ • 73,367 Land' in cultivation '(in-. "''eluding sown ,- ! ' _ (acres) . ... "1-13,357,700 . 15,215,488 .Live'-stdck— Horses (No.) V.': ... ~I V, : 286,955 352,832 Cattle (No.) 1,-160,063 » 1,816,299 Sheop (No.) . ~,20,3-12,727 20,985,418 Pigs'. (No.)' ... ...' 193,740 '211,128 Postal, money-orders is-' 1 ' ' sued (£)>... ... ... 1,277,059 - 1,773,591' Railways,' Government—' 'Open' for .trafiio (March; 1 ■""" 1903-1908) (miles) v.-. -'- 1 ii 2,291 , . 2,471 Receipts'(March," 1903- , ; 1908)' {£),; ■' .!. 1,974,038 2,761,933 Snipping— . Vessels,inwards, (tons) ,1,089,179 1,254,266 • Vessels.-, - '.' outwards' (tons) ... ' '... ... '"1,018,770 .1,225,382 Exports of New. Zealand- - • nroduco— - - ' ' Wool— : "■', Quantity (lb.) i 160,419,023 171,635,505 ' Valuo (,£) ... ... "-■. 3,3541583 7,657,278 .Grain—'.' -" .; ' ' ■-. ~ ■ Quantity-(bu5he15).'.r.'.:''5,865,562 229,593 ■-'i Value (Je) 786,548 53,205 'Frozen-meat—' '■ , Quantity (cwt.),., 2,138,557 2,354,808 Value .(■£) ... ... . 2,718,763 3,420,GG-1 Butter—. 1 .' ' Quantity (cwt.).253,90S . 328,441 . . "Valuo■(£).., ~.. ■ 1,205,502 1,615,315' " Cheese— ' .. . ' ' - .. ■ '. Quantity (cwt). ' ...' 74,740 . . 23G.833 ' - Value (£) ...- ' 163,539 , 602,355 Phormiuiri' ;• • v Quantity (tons) ■ ■'... /■ 20,552' r 28,517 , .Value {£) 534,031 832,068 Gold — ■ n■ ■ . - Quantity (oz.) ,507,852 508,210 Value (J!) - , ... ... 1,951,426 2,027,490 Gum, kauri— .. •" Quantity (tons); 1 7,430 • 8,708 . Value i (.£) ' / ...' ... , 450,223 579,888 " Provisions; tallow, ,tim-,'' - ■bor, etc. tJB)M.. ; 2,333,704 2,934,845 . Total" exports New . Zealand ' produce ■■{£)''; 13,498,599 19,783,138 Imports ... ... 11,326,723 17,302,861 Output of cold (tons).... . 1,362,702 . 1,831,009 Banks-r-■' ' ' ' - , Deposits (average of .4. : !. quarters) (i£)" . ... '•17,231,767, 23,517,111 ■' Assets' "(average .of' 'if 4 .'.';' 1 . quartors) ' (.£) \ ... 15,999,180 ■ 26,584,239 . Liabilities (average of 4"" ' quarters) {£) '... 18,701,063 25,334,348 Savings-banks (Post Of- - - . fice and private)— ~ Number of depositors ... - 261,948 361,422 Amount to credit '(£)... . 7,876,877- 12,825,063