EXPORT BOOM

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 220, 11 June 1924, Page 9

EXPORT BOOM

BUOYANT PRIMARY PRODUCTS

IMPORT SURPLUS CHECKED RECOVERY OF TRADE BALANCE Due to a great boom in exports of our primary products, the seaborne trade statistics of the first four months of 1924 reveal the happy result that the balance of trade in favour of exports during that period was nearly as great as the balance against them in the year of the great boom in Impprts, 1920, which was responsible for the subsequent slump in tirade and industry.

Bi Tblsgbafh—Press Association. Copyright. There is welcome reading for those interested in the growth of our overseas trade in primary products in the Statistician’s figures for the four months period January to April, just issued.

The Dominion’s exports for that period were valued at £26,942,129, as compared with £20,320,290 for the corresponding period of 1923, and £17,470,679 for the 1922 period. The figures disclose healthy increases in all the main items of export. Two alone —frozen beef and sawn timber —show decreases. The wool imported during the first four months of 1924 was valued at £10,644,889, which is nearly double the export of the same four months of either of the two preceding years. There is continued evidence that the import boom has been checked. The total imports are valued at £14,925,014, as compared with £1’4,346,272 for the 1923 period. Motor vehicles account for the increase shown.

The recovery of the balance of the Dominion’s overseas trade in favour of exports is becoming assured, as subsequent statistics are presented. For the year of the great import boom, 1920, the balance was'over £15,000,000 in favour of imports. How the pendulum has swung is indicated by the following comparison:—

Excess Excess of imports. of exports. Year. £ 1929 15,112,907 1921 1,886,384 1922 7,721,109 1923 2,480,575 1924 (4 months) 12,017,015 EXPORTS. 1924. 1923. £ £ Butter 4,925,739 4,786,393 Cheese 3,970,639 3,074,682 Frozen beef .. 275,660 367,107 Lamb 3,1041,078 2,948.996 Mutton 1,081,882 842,689 Sausage skins 264,919 158,839 Milk, dried ... 165,833 142,913 Apples 66,354 . 7,643 Calfskins .... 46,837 45,135 Cattle hides .. 159,909 152,216 Rabbitskins .. 65,470 39,018 Sheepskins, with wool .. 121,844 92,908 Sheepskins, without wool 427,304 206,826 Wool 10,644,889 5,851,655 Tallow 345,110 271,604 Coal 46,686 35,660 Kauri gum .. 143,163 121,514 Gold 187,442 200,044 Timber, sawn 132,789 161,349 Total ...£26,942,129 ££0,320,290 The total for the corresponding four months of 1922 was £17,470,679. IMPORTS. 1924. 1923. £ £ Confectionery 70,164 74,663 Wheat 162,688 50 Sugar 550,755 306,879 Tea • 279,416 330,717 Whisky 198,917 212,509 Cigarettes .... 221,541 226,405 Tobacco ...... 282,519 317,689 Seeds . - 86,561 60,280 Apparel 866,197 867,029 Boots 358,895 368,697 Hosiery ....... 147,178 222,188 Carpets 230,793 237,149 Dr apery ...... Cotton goods .. 160,992 ' 656,001 173,699 794,603 Silk goods 210,068 241,984 Woollep goods 412,811 560,603 Bags and sacks 172,780 142,722 Benzine 87,853 72.237 Gasoline 68,700 57,695 Kerosene 101,184 97,207 Mineral oils ... 69,433 56,427 Motor spirit .. 367,307 461,240 Paints 126,879 138,492 Coal 284,914 146,692 Iron and steel 124,353 90.815 Hardware .... 204,239 1£5,128 Galvanised iron 136,768 193,449 Tubes, pipes ... 163.840 213,728 Railway plant 237,929 139,426 Tools, implements 122,819 77,055 Copper wire .. 83,407 91,773 elec, machinery 740,130 436,192 Leather 101,338 132,949 Timber 276.871 140,835 Printing paper 160,508 301,505 Books, music, etc. 139,379 120,619 Medicines 93,740 110,945 Phosphates ... 75,126 83,449 Arms, animunition, explosives 100,599 91,742 Motor vehicles 1,126,510 655,777 Motor tires .. 110,437 255,405 Totals ... £14,925,014 £14,346,272 The total for the corresponding four months of 1922 was £11,37 5,944.