NEW ZEALAND MEAT, WHEAT, AND WOOL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume x, Issue 1958, 18 June 1888, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND MEAT, WHEAT, AND WOOL.

People sometimes express surprise at the losses made by farmers in New Zealand within the last few years, and at the difficulty which the New Zealand Government finds in making revenue and expenditure balance. Those who are thus critical might find it difficult to account for and provide against the sudden rises and falls in particular lines of exports shown by New Zealand statistics. Thus in 1883 the export of wheat from New Zealand was 14,897,540 bushels, and of flour and sharps 12,040 tons. In 1887 the total exports of wheat were 630,214 bushels, and 9,699 tons of fiour and sharps. Taking 40 bushels of wheat as equal to one ton, an export trade in wheat and flour which in 1883 equalled 134,000 tons in 1887 fell to 25,000 tons. Within New Zealand the railways had nearly 110,000 tons of grain less to carry in the latter year, and the railway revenue would suffer accordingly Outside New Zealand the shipping companies would be embarrassed. Taking the average sailing ship trading to New Zealand as of 1300 tons burden, in 1883 New Zealand wheat filled 100 such ships ; in 1887 not 20 were required. We recently referred in these columns to the fact that freightage for New Zealand wheat was scarce this season. It would be far more remarkable if it had not been scarce. The estimated production of wheat in New Zealand in 1887 was 6,297,000 bushels, and in 1888 it rose to 9.424,000 bushels ; thus an increase of freightage for an exportable surplus of fully 3,100,000 bushels, or nearly 80,000 tons, more than last year had to be provided for. There was nothing to lead any outsider to anticipate so sudden and so large an increase in the exports of wheat from New Zealand. The profits accruing to wheat growers in 1887 were far from large ,• nevertheless, in 1888 the acreage under wheat increased by over 100,000 acres. The demand for freightage was further increased by the increase in the exportable surplus of cocksfoot seed, of which there were 174,000 bushels more grown than in 1887. Allowing four bushels to a sack, and ten sacks as equal to a ton of ship's measurement, the exti-a cocksfoot would represent freight for a further 4100 tons.

There is one consideration, in connection with the above figures, which we think deserves special consideration — viz., the readiness shown by tbe great body of New Zealand farmers to devote their energies to any new line which may seem likely to offer a profit from time to time" The fact that such is the case cannot fail to strike anyone who devotes a few minutes' study to New Zealand statistics. For instance, in 1882 the first exports of frozen meat were recorded and valued at <£19,000 ; in 1887 the export value was set down at .£455,000, representing 402,000 cwt., valued at a trifle less than 2^d. per Ih by the exporters. Take raobffiskins—in 1886, 8,546,000 skins, valued at £65,694, were exported; but in 1887, no less than 12,743,000 were sent away, valued afc .£111,172. Few people would credit that in one year New Zealanders drew additional income from rabbitskins alone of £55,000. Or take butter— in 1879, butter to the value of £1631 was exported ; in 1887, butter exports were valued at £54,921. Cheese exports also show a like rise : in 1879, exports of New Zealand cheese were valued at £628 ; in 1887, at £54,562. Nothing can be gained by a multiplication of such instances. Enough have been cited to show that the New Zealand exporter does from year to year vary his exports according to the state of the world's markets, and that he takes an active and intelligent view of what is going on elsewhere in the world,- when wheat-growing won't pay, he will ship frozen meat, rabbitskins, butter, and cheese instead ; and if the latter give bad results, he will have another try at wheat, and will still maintain most other lines nearly up to their former standard. There is no sign of New Zealand being played out in these statistics, nor of the New Zealand producer being lacking in resources ; but plenty of evidence of the very opposite being true.

On the other hand, when, the locaL industry protector talks of finding "home markets for all surplus New Zealand products, the gigantic nature of the task before him only becomes evident on a studj of trade returns. New Zealand grew wheat enough this year for more than 1,700,000 persons, or three times her present population. In 1887 New Zealand exported surplus ireat enough to feed another 500,000 persons for a year. Of wool, if we allow so excessive an amount as 22lbs of raw wool as tbe average quantity consumed per "bead ol population, New Zealand sent away wool enough to clothe a population of four millions, after fully providing clothing and blankets for ':he 600,000 people within the colony.