Overseas Purchases Tailed Off Already

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1938, Page 9

Overseas Purchases Tailed Off Already

t Special to “Northern Advocate ”l WELLINGTON, This Day.

Corrective influences, which have been operating for several months to improve New Zealand’s overseas trade balance, are reflected in the returns issued in the November Abstract of Statistics.

These returns, which ordinarily pass unnoticed by the man in the street, have suddenly leaped into prominence owing to : the Government’s new trade control policy.

Importations of many classes of goods made in New Zealand factories have been sharply reduced in recent months. Readjustment in Past Months. Ready-made clothing. footwear, woollen and cotton piece goods, wireless apparatus and hosiery are items taken at random from the long list, which show that in the articles which most concern Dominion manufacturers, a process of readjustment began several months before the enforcement of licensing. Significant exceptions to the downward tendency are heavy goods required for Public Works and other construction schemes. These include electrical machinery and equipment valued for the 10 months to the end of October at £2.320,000, iron and steel bars, girders and other parts, £870,064, railways and tramway plant, £707,417 (more than double the figures last year). Tractors and parts £638,029, dredging and excavating machinery £298,701 (against £53,691 in January-October. 1937), and tobacco £473,534,