DOMINION TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 30, 4 August 1927, Page 13

DOMINION TRADE

A FAVOURABLE TURN

GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN'S

REPORT

The Government Statistician (Mr Malcolm Fraser) draws attention in the monthly abstract, published today, to a favourable turn in the Dominion's trading position. He shows that the exports for the year ended 30th June, 1927, amounted to £46,----395,082, and imports for the same period to £47,373,687, leaving an excess of imports of £978,605. For the year 1925-26 the figures were: Exports, £46,336,847; imports, £52,157,702; excess of imports, £5,820,855. "The result of the year's trading, therefore, has been to place the Dominion in a more favourable position than during 1925-26 to the extent of £4,842,250—a circumstance due to the curtailment in imports of £4,784,015, and in a small degree to an advance of £58,235 in exports."

Increases in value of returns for principal exports are shown in butter, casein, fish and milk, but decreases, sorao slight, in cheese, beef, mutton and lamb, preserved meats and sausage skins.

The declared value of exports for 1026-27 is £58,235 greater than during 1925-26. Butter shows a considerable increase in both quantity, and value, although the average price per unit was 12 per cent. less. Notwithstanding an increase of 87,745cwt in the quantity of cheese shipped, the return was less by £735,262. A notable decline in both quantity and value is apparent in the case of beef. Greater quantities of frozen lamb and frozen mutton were shipped, although lower prices operated to reduce the return. The reduction in the export of apples amounted to over seven million pounds (weight), the value also falling by £103,459. Wool shows a moderate advance in both quantity and value, the return for 1926-27 being £853,786 greater than in 1925-26. Other items showing an appreciable increase are: Sheepskins, £151,295; coal, £81,421----gold, £31,035; seeds (grass and clover), £46,788; potatoes, £31,704; oats, £20,715. The most noteworthy recessions other than those already indicated occurred in: Tallow, £225,670; timber, £114,106; phormium fibro' £79,505; dried milk, £67,587; ' kauri gum, £51,174; preserved moats, £30,----75G; and calfskins, £22,756. In dealing with the first half year's figures, January to June, the Government Statistician shows that exports totalled £30,592,341 and imports £22,200,704, leaving an excess of exports of £"8,391,637. "Such a rosult is £3,635,383 more favourable to the Dominion than that for tho corresponding period of 1926," he remarks, "when exports amounted to £29,472,----834 and imports to £24,716,580. Exports ara up by £1,119^07, as compared with the firßt six months of 1926; while imports show a fall to the extent of £2,515,876." FEWER MOTOR-OARS. "Tho decline in imports, although general, is associated mainly with the motor trade, the motor vehicles imported having dropped by one-half—from £2,131,915 to £1,071,817 in value, and from 13,212 to 6857 in number." Further decreases are itemised. The principal increases occurred in* Flour, £139,793; sugar, £510,498; silks, satins, and velvets, £374,561; railway and tramway plant, £141,732; telephones and accessories, £215,202; electrical machinery, £1,123,963; engineers'' tools, £167,486; timber other than sawn, £128,638. DIRECTION OF TRADE. Of the total exports for the halfyear, amounting to £30,592,341; Brit- | ish countries took £26,891,589, or 88 [ per cent., as compared with 80 per cent, for the corresponding term last year. The United Kingdom took £24,----008,120, equal to 79 per eerit. of tho total, a percentage identical with that for the first half of 1926. The percentages which went to other export customers of importance during the | half-year are as follows (percentages for corresponding six months of 1926 in parentheses): Australia, 3.2 (5.6); United States, 5.1 (8.1); France, 2.7 (1.9); Germany, 2.6 (0.7): Canada, 2.5 (1.8).

Of the total imports of £22,200,704 during the first six months of 1927, British countries supplied £15,152,389, equal to 68 per cent, of the total, as against 69 per cent, for the corresponding period of last year. The share of the United Kingdom was £10,576,878, representing 48 per cent, of the total, which compares with 46 per cent, for the initial half-year of 1926. Other countries from which the Dominion drew considerable supplies are (corresponding percentages for the first half of 1926 in parentheses): United States, 18.8 (19.2); Australia, 8.7'(9.0); Canada, 6.3 (7.8); India, 2.1 (2.1); France, 2.0 (l.C); Ceylon, 1.7 (1.5); Germany, 1.5 (1.1); Dutch East Indies, 1.4 (2.0); Japan, 1.1 (0.9); Belgium, 1.1 (1.0).