OUR HEAVY EXPORTS

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1915, Page 6

OUR HEAVY EXPORTS

ASTONISHING FIGURES

INCREASE IN MEAT SHIPMENTS.

'.Dhe reason of New Zealand's present prosperity is fully explained in certain figures.' .showing the value ot Now Zealand produce exported during the- twolvo months ended September 3d, which figures were made 'available by the Prim-a Minister on Saturday {.states; The Dominion). In the firsi. six months of the year under review' the value of exports was £121,539,960; in the next three months the total was nearly doubled, rising to £23,----644,783; and the gross total for the year was £29,341,179. These figures do not include imports re-exported to such places as Uarotonga, Tonga, and Fiji, which would amount-to another three-quarters of" a million. The total of £29,341,179 ' represents the Dominion's surplus production. A great <leal of the increased export has been in meat. Although there was a shortage of refrigerated space on outward steamers, a shortage which must have had some effect in certain localities in retarding export, the export of meat for the twelve months ended September 30 was 1.0(56,622 freight carcases more than for the corresponding preceding twelve months. The total export or meat, in freight carcases for the two years was as follows: — - 1914-io 0 894.099 19i3-14 ... v 5,327,477 Increase 1.566,622 it has been alleged lately that the Board of Trade is buying New Zealand n-f-at at lower prices than it lias to pay lor River Plate beef and mutton. In recent correspondence with tht> Prime Minister on this subject. th& High Commissioner states that his inquiries show that freight and insurance charges from the Argentine to English ports are \d per pound lower th:in those .from New Zealand. Argentina beef has also this aclvan-

ta«e—tlmt it mh he sent to French poT-ts for tho u.-,e of the armies.' New Zealand lnciit cargoes, on the contrary must be sent to London to be sorted, because they are made up hr'elv of lamb, and lamb is not used for *tho trooos. Mr Mackenzie s opinion is that New Zealand meat costs the Imperial authorities just as much as Argentine meat, but he is seeking definite information on the subject.