FIJI'S EXTERNAL TRADE

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 5

FIJI'S EXTERNAL TRADE

HEW ZEALAND’S SHARE

WHERE IT COULD BE BETTERED

An interesting return, with even more interesting comment, of the external trade of Fiji (with particular reference to How Zealand’s share), is forwarded by the Department of Industries and Commerce. The total value of the import trade of Fiji for th} five years, 1918-1922, was as follows:

1922 946,063 The exports of domestic produce and of goods re-exported during the years 1918-1922 have been as follow:—■

It will bo seen by comparison with the figures of total imports that the colony has- throughout the five years had a surplus of exports ranging from £6OO 000 in 1018 to £1,200,000 in 1920. Fijian imports were drawn in 1922 mainly from the following countries, and to Uio value indicated ■—

The compiler of these statistics gives details to show that, in comparison villi Australia, our export trade to Fiji is fully satisfactory in respect to the following commodities: —Live stock, bacon and hams, bags and sacks, butter, cheese, lime and cement, oals, grease and tallow, meats, milk, and sugar. Our exports of fresh and preserved vegetables also show a fairly satisfactory total; hut in the following commodities Australia enjoys a much greater proportion of the trade than Hew Zealand:—Beer, biscuits, boots .and slices, bran, coal, coffee, confectionery, cordage and rope, drapery, drugs, flour, sharps and pollard, preserved fruit, furniture, galvanised manufactures, glassware, hardware, iron and- steel, jams, leathenvarc, machinery, manures, oils, paints, 1 paper, pickles, salt, soap, whisky, stationery, tea, timber, tobacco, twine, and woodemvare. “ It is evident,” comments tho compiler, “ that while New Zealand is not in a favorable position to compete in respect to some of these lines, the results arc not by any means as satisfactory as would appear possible. If manufacturers and traders will realise the extent of this market, with which wo have regular shipping connection, it is hoped that our position in this direction may he much improved. In respect to Fijian exports (£1,787,893 in 1922),’ it is noted that raw sugar and copra are by far the most important. Now Zealand did not participate in tho copra trade, but took a very large proportion of the, raw sugar, and imported' also bananas and cocoanut oil to a considerable value.

1918 ..£1,166,367 3919 .. 1,060,314 1920 .. 1,673,121 1921 _ 1,509,732

1913 „ . ...£1,650,183 1919 . ... 1,871,063 1920 . ... 2,696,418 1921 ... ... . . „. 2,541,458 1922 . ... 1,863,172

United Kingdom ... ...£219,920 Australia ... 422.245 Cunada ... 32,926 Hongkong British India ... j.1,454 ... 51,650 Kew Zealand ... 102,768 Tonga ... .„ ... 3,950 Japan ... 21.645 United States ... 76,172