HEAVY EXPORT TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1924, Page 6

HEAVY EXPORT TRADE

Advance figures relating .to the I exports of <the' Dominion, as announced by the J Minister of Customs, make the total to be nearly £46,000,000, of which all Ijut £600,----000 is-the produce of the country. Still quoting round figures for 1923, the period under review, the value of dairy (produce is £18,250,----000 ;r meat, ,£9,000,000 j wool, £11,----000,000: The exact flgures, ;the value placed upon the commodities by the Customs, _are £45,977,119 including £596,231 x>i re-exports. This is very satisfactory as indicating the growth-in volume of the exports arid the maintenance of the primary products exported at prices remunerative to their pro-' ducers. Mr. "Stewart gave no details at all about the imports, which have made substantial increases in most of the depart-^ ments—softgoods, spirits, musical instruments, motor-cars, boots and shoes— and continue that increase. ; For the eleven months ended 30th November—the -latest :figures at the disposal of the public—the imports were valued at £39,786,241, as compared with-■£ 31,508,425 for the corresponding . eleven months of 1922. However, they will not have increased to .such an extent m December- last as to materially reduce the margin- of £2,455,808 between imports and exports in favour of the Dominion. But that balance (eleven months) was slight in comparison with -those of other prosperous years, when the substantial excess of exports over imports was looked for as a regular thing. • The great enhancement in the price of wool, as" shown at tne sales in the Dominion and British markets since the November figures <were compiled, and- the fact that its export from the Dominion is being made, and will continue with that of -meat and dairy produce, will-help to show by the end of March next a very ieavy trade balance in favour of the Dominion, providing the imports in the meanwhile, have not got put of hand. ' .