BRITAIN'S TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 763, 11 March 1910, Page 4

BRITAIN'S TRADE.

SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NEW ZEALAND. By the issue of the returns of tho trade of tho United Kingdom for December the record of 1909 is completed. The comparison of the totals with those of the preceding year shows an all-round increase as follows:— £ ■■'■■'£ 1908 1909 Imports f 592,953,187 624,740,517 Exports of United Kingdom produce 377,103,82-1 378,379,444 Exports of foreign and colonial produce 79,623,697 91,365,465

Imports showed expansion earlier in the year than exports,; but though, in the first half of the year, exports were less in'value than in the previous year, the second half of the year showed so'great an advance on tho earlier months that the year's total of exports has never been surpassed except in the boom year of 1907. In December the exports were larger than in any previous December, whilo, both in November and December, imports exceeded those of any previous month in the history of : the trade of the United Kingdom. Moreover, in some cases, (e.g., cotton goods and coal), tho quantities exported, in 1909' were greater than in 1908, though the. recorded value was less, the diminution being due to a fall of price. The stagnation in shipbuilding, which affected other countries as well _as the United Kingdom, is reflected in a marked' reduction' in', new ships exported. For machinery, too, a reduced export is recorded; though tho total value was greater than in any year previous to 1907. Exports of iron and steel goods expanded in the second half of the year, and the total for the year showed an increase over- the figures of 1908. Both for machinery. arid iron and steel goods the values exported in 1909 were double those exported as recently as fifteen years ago.

UNITED KINGDOM PURCHASES "' .' FROM NEW ZEALAND. '.: The following statement shows the share of certain important items in the list of imports, into the United Kingdom, which was supplied from New ZeaI land in each ..of, the : last two years.:— Total imports into' Imports from United Kingdom. New Zealand. 1908. 1909. 1908. 1909. .Thou- Thou-, Thou- Thousand sand sand sand " • ■ -£'S' £'s £'s £'s I Wheat ... 38,295: 45,287. — 331 Beer, refri- . geratod... 10,277 10,294 542 660 Mutton, Te-' ;■-......,.. frigerated 8,140 ' 7,839 3,453 ■ 3,499 Butter ... 24,081 22,425 1,250 1,472 Cheese 6,68-4 6,830 80i 1,114 Wool, sheep's. ' or lambs' 27,997 31,880 5,942 6,935 Tallow and stearine... 3,111 3,360 590 .700 Sheepskins, w0011ed.... 1,813 2,052 183 176 Sheepskius, pickled.... 564 860 361 - 435 Hemp, dressed 1 and un-' .--,.■' ■ dressed... 2,950 2,641 : ' 411 215 It should bo'. observed, in relation to these figures, that the monthly accounts do.not give full details of all the items of trade, and that, in 1008, in .addition to the artioles specified'above, largo tities of certain other commodities were imported from New Zealand. Among these , may ... bo mentioned' kauri gum (.£419,418), ./and bladders /arid-, casings (.£110,877). ■ Corresponding figures for 1909 will'not be available until the. later and more detailed annual statoment is published. , The rapid increase of the supplies of cheese from New Zealand is a notable feature of the year's record, the figures, for 1909 being nearly half as-largo again as those ,of 1907. .' ':; NEW- ZEALAND PURCHASES FROM .- THE-UNITED KINGDOM. ■;- Some, leading items in the list of United. Kingdom exports in which New, Zealand figures as' a market of importance,, so far as the details of the monthly accounts afford information, are.shown below:—

Total export of Exports to United Kingdom' New Zealand produce. 1908. 1909. 1908. 1909. : Thou- Thou- .Thou-. Thou- . sand ;.sand sand sand £'s . £'b 2's iE's Spirits, British and Irish ...... 3,011 3,112 239 221 Irou'& steel . ... ' .. ,;. ; and manufactures thereof for . • which des- . tinations are - • ■.specified '20,990 22,468 1,020: 828 Cutlery & ■ ' ' hardware • 2,772 2,770 172 : 129 Cotton piece, goods ... 70,231 68,280 629 657 Woollen and .' . •',■',-. worsted tissues &■ carpets 16,351 ; 17,668 109 355 Apparel," waterproofed . . ■and not water.proofed .. 5,01G , 5,652 177 467 Boots & shoes ■ . ', (leather) ' 2,081 2,295 ' 185 16J Paper for :•. writing or printing 1,510 1,636 126 116 In addition to the avove articles • for .which destinations are. specified- in the monthly -accounts largo quantities of other-articles,.the destinations of which arc not so specified, were exported from the United Kingdom to.New Zealand in 1908. Among these may be mentioned: Books, printed (dC143,154); carriages of all lands, and parts thereof. (,£304,191); chemicals and chemical preparations (.£171,180); machinery. (,£459,190); ships and boats new (not registered as British) with their machinery (£582,251);', cotton manufactures other than piece goods (,£227,285). The values of such. goods exported to New Zealand in 1909 cannot, bo stated at present. The remarkable contrast between the records of the foreign and colonial trade of the United Kingdom in the first and second halves of the year 1909 cannot bo shows here in detail. Should the rate of recovery indicated by the comparison of the figures for the two halves of tho. year bo continued, the totals for 1910 bid fair to.surpass those of all earlier years without exception.