The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1895. A CAUSE OF DEPRESSION.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 38, 13 August 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1895. A CAUSE OF DEPRESSION.

Tke New Zealand Trade Review in an article on the wool clip shows that policy of the Government combined with the timidity of capitalists, are not the only causes of the general depression. Cur contemporary says : The export returns to the 30th of June throw a further light on the question of the volume of the last season's clip of wool. The result of the returns for the six roonfhs ending 31st March— a period during which some SO per cent of the shipments of the twelve months go forward — seemed to be in absolute contradiction to th& experience of those who had bad the handling of the wool in the Hawke's Bay and Wellington districts, inasmuch as the returns showed the quautity to be equal to, or in excess of, that for the preceding year, whereas experience had indicated that it was a good bit less. The June returns bring experience and statistics into harmony, as they show a heavy drop as compared with the June quarter of 1894, a diop of over 3,300,000 lbs. The following table gives the figures for the nine months of the present clip — Ist October to June 30th— compared with (lie corresponding peiiod the year before :—Total fur the North Island for nine months ending June 80th, 1 895 — quantity 6'2 ; 4*>7,9 ( J3 lbs, value £1,---902,392 For nine months ending June 30th, 1891— quantity G4, 898,071 lbs, value £2,080,1)88. Total for the rnuth Island to Ju c 30th, 1895 — quantity 59,939,452, value £1,872,093. F( r nine months ending June 30, 1891 —quantity 57,128,748 lbs, value £2,---048,091. Total for the colony to June 30th, 1895— quantity 122,427,115 lbs, value £3,774V155. For nine months ending- Juno 30th, 1894 -quantity 122,020,819 lbs, value £4,135,079 Wellington and Napier bjth thow a decrcae, approximately such a- had been anticipated, the cnuse ascribed being that the great prevalence of rainy weather during the wool's growth had washed the grease out of the fleece, reducing its weight and its bulk for packing- The North Island shows a decrease of some 2,400,0001b5, and the South Island an increase of 2,800,0001b5, leaving a net increase of 400,0001b5. This period covers 95 per cent of the year's export. These figures are very suggestive, while, at the same time, they explain much. Let us hope the comiDg season will make up all deficiencies.