A RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 32, 9 February 1929, Page 12

A RECORD

iXPORTS AND IMPOSTS

PAST YEAR'S RETURNS

'•Evening-Post," 9Ui February. The Government Statistician gives preliminary trade figures' for the year ended 31st December/1928, showing that exports of £56,188,481 were the highest yet ,rc'tooled, this figure being £920,209 in excess o£ the previous record of £55,262,272/ registered' in 1925. Imports for the year amounted to £44,888,260, leaving a favourable visible balance of trade of £11,302,----215 a figure which.has been surpassed on one occasion only-in 1919, when abnormally high exports due to the shipment ot produce purchased by the Imperial Supplies Department in earlier years were instrumental in causing an excess of exports of £23,298,377. ' ' Exports for 1928 showed an advance ot £7 692 127 over the previous year s figure. Wool, although showing little increase in quantity, advanced from £12,961,744 to £16,679,098, reflecting a marked improvement'iii price. Other noteworthy increases were recorded in the following items (1928 figures shown first with- those for. in parentheses) :-Butteiy £ 11,----302 667 (£10.015,390); cheese, ±.6,693,9:>1 {£5,582,596); frozen beef, £1,043,(82 £583,871); frozen lamb, £6,641,222 (£6,----011,939); frozen pork, £448,642 (£351,501); Jeal, £111,144(£58,394); dried milk, £359----«03 (£308,101); apples, £489,796 (£264----392) -calfskins, -£302,649- (£245,536); cattle kides £925,456 (£677,289); sheepskins, f. 1,924,097 (£1,550,812); tallow, £804,271 i £7l4 441). The principal declines oecured in:—Oats, £32,209 (£110,978); rabbit*kins, £582,148 (£682,658); phormium fibre, £352,152 (£473,221); clover seeds, £16,723 (£80,554); grass seeds, £145,729 £175,244); coal, £173,693 (£221,253); kauri gum, £240,139 (£278,032); gold, £489,584 (£534,639); sawn timber, £376,756 (£425,----3)6). ' ' ■ Imports of £44,886,266 represent an advance \of £103,320 over the 1927 total. Motor vehicles 'increased from £2,037,109 to £2,766,919, the number having advanced from 13,107; to 18,787. Other prominent increases occurred in the following items: —Sifgar, £1,126,444 (£977,144); hosiery, £519,141 (£466,626); apparel and readymade clothing, £2,156,520 (£1,994,525); boots and shoes, ' £1,049,408 (£949,769); cotton piece goods, £1,922,979 (£1,827,423); gilks, etc., £1,001,952 (£839,956); fencing wire, £242,608 (£181,307); asphalt, £132,----144, (£58,291); fertilisers, £618,055 (£495,----370). The principal recessions were recorded in:—Confectionery, £269,099 (£339,----030); raisins, £180,255' (£229,410); flour, £152,308 (£203,153); whisky, £497,833 '(£610,833);. cigarettes, £726,300 (£804,----654); tobacco,; £752,331 (£598,965); drapery fi.e.i., £507,878 (£595,173); motor spirit. £1,655,451 (£2,005,984); coal, £342,----431 (£515,801); galvanised plate and sheet, £412,230 (£004,171): tubes, pipes, and fittings, £473,271 (£531,987); hardware and cutlery, n.e.i., £910,731 (£1,019,904); electrical goods/ £1,762,463 (£2,041,003); engineers", etc., tools, £1(52,550 (£236,230); tires, tubes, and covers for motor vehicles, £964,774 (£1,058,774).

: In a set of tables the Government Statistician shows the direction of trade. In Exports, in 1924, the goods shipped to the United Kingdom were 79.90 per cent, of .the total, but this had bsen reduced in' •1928 to 72.09 per cent. Increases, comparing these years, are. shown in exports to Canada (from 1.36 per cent; t0'4.39 per cent),-Germany, France, Belgium, Japan, and United/States. ■' Imports from Great Britain in 1924 were 47.82 per cqnt., reduced to 47.43 per cent, id 1028. There were shrinkages j comparing the two . years, in 1928 in imports from Canada, Australia, and Fiji; and important increases in;the: following, countries:^ ■..- ■ - '■,:..,,, .-,,,■; . - • . 1924. . 1925. ■- Germany ..' '..... o^6o 2.00 France 1.56 1.83 Belgium 0.56 1.11 -Japan ..;...... 1.02 1.28 United States 16.05 15.28 The countries whose exports to New Zealand substantially outweighed their imports from the Dominion in 1928 were:— - Exports Imports to from Canada 4.39 7.26 Indu.... 0.67 1.74 Ceylon . 0.01 1.92 .. United States , 7.58 18.28 Other countries 1.11 4.63 Among the countries in which trade balance is in favour of the Dominion were 5 United Kingdom (exports 72.09 per cent • imports, 47.43 per cent.), Germany, France', and Japan.