NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY. Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1925. EXTERNAL TRADE

Northern Advocate, 8 July 1925, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY. Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1925. EXTERNAL TRADE

The latest figures isued by the New Zealand Government Statistician show that the import trade of the Dominion continues to flourish. During the first five months of this year imports, excluding specie, totalled £21,320,297. In the first five months of last year we were satisfied with imported goods woTth less than 19 millions, and in the corresponding period of 1923 we spent less than 18 millions oil commodities from abroad. Imports in the first five months of this year have exceeded those of the similar period of last year by almost 21 millions, the average monthly increase being about half a million. This means that every day during' the first five months of this year we spent on imported

articles about £3000 more than we did lastly ear. The comparison between the It wo periods shows that we have had this year, up till the end of May, £330,482 worth of soft goods in excess of last year's supply; there has been a si&ilar increase in hardware; in fact,! every class of imports except foodstuffs has shown an increase this yea*. The figures relating to motor j vehicles are again startling. During the five months ended May 31 last we imported almost two million pounds' worth of motor vehicles, the increase shown, by comparison with the corresponding period of last year being £685,952. The figures for the first five months of. three years are certainly impressive: 1925, £1,968,501; 1924, £1,282,549; 1923, £863,218. During the five months of this year New Zealand has received 10,262 motor vehicles, as compared with 7596 and 4802 in the corresponding periods of 1924 and 1923 respectively. The average value of the vehicles imported this year works out at £fi)2, while last year it was only £169. The increase in value may be taken to suggest that commercial vehicles have figured more largely among this year's importations than they did twelve months ago, and if that assumption is correct the significance of it is satisfactory. But a census of motor vehicles would perhaps show that many people are going in for rather better cars than they did a year or two ago, and therefore the average cost is increasing. If they can afford a higher standard of comfort there is no reason why they should not enjoy it. The cost, however, is large. During the 151 days of the first five months of this year we imported each day—Sundays aTe included —68 motor vehicles, and the average value of each day's importations was over £13,000. Benzine for the increasing number of motor vehicles also bulks larger in the imports than it did, the ' supply required during the first five months of this year exceeding that obtained during the corresponding period of last year by three million gallons. The records plainly show that we are spending very freely on .imported commodities. Export trade during the five Thonths of this year totalled almost 25 millions, an increase of some four millions over the corresponding period of last year. Exports increased by 13.6 per cent and imports by. 13.1 per cent. Unfortunately the high value of wool was a great factor in the increase of exports, and though it helps to make I a satisfactory margin between exports I and imports, the fact remains that the volume of exports does not mj crease as it should do. The Dominion will not be in a safe position until < production is increased and at the j same time importation is kept within reasonable limits.