GROWTH OF NEW ZEALAND'S TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13354, 7 December 1906, Page 6

GROWTH OF NEW ZEALAND'S TRADE.

LARGE INCREASE OF EXPORTS.

Taking the statistical year for New Zea- I land exports a.-, ending on September 30 the returns of this branch of the" colony's trade show a marked increase. Owing in very large degree to the strong upward movement that has taken place of late years in the price of our chief staple- wool — the value of the colony's annual exports has shown a progressive expansion for the j last live or six years. Following are the, | total values for years closing with SeptemI ber 50: — Years. Value of export*. : 1900-1 £12.7*1.62! i 1901-2 ' ...' 13.302.882 1902-3 '. 14.963.527 1993-4 ... 14.581,636 1904-5 15.674.135 190-3-6 17.754.7 C « I The increase in five years is at an average j rate of one million a year, but the expanj sion of the latest year alone is fully two million."* sterling. The year 1903-4 exhibitI ed a contraction in the- total value, mainly i caused by a falling-off of £500,000 in our shipments of frozen meat owing to the diminution in our flocks, a set-back that has been recovered in the subsequent two years. The following figures giving the values of our chief export.** for the last two years ! throw an interest light on the inciease I of two millions in 1905-6: 19W-5. 1905-6. ' Wool and sheepskins... £5.036.680 £7..%32.936 ' Frozen meat 2.749.325 2.054,692 ! Cold - '2.035.291 2.164.625 j Butler ami cheese ... 1.594.355 1.332.482 \ New Zealand heiil|i ... 728,585 742,354 ' Kauri gnm 503.031 575.742 ! Grain (whole anil i ground) 310,812 193.995 I Tallow 344.857 459.705 Timber 310.206 291.623 Other New Zealand produce 936.464 1.m.475 He-exports 139,425 148.654 •Specie 9.325 25.420 £15.674.156 £17.734.798 Increase for 1905-6 £2,060,662 Out of the total increase of £2,060,662 as much as £1,332,076 accrues in' the item wool, though with the exception of grain and timber every line in the table shows improvement. Looking at the distribution of this trade among the principal ports.- of the colony, we lind that the exports from the port of Auckland increased £462,144 for the 12 mouths ended September 30. as against an increase of £388.270 for the port of Wellington during the same period. Wellington, on account of its central position, still figures as the leading port for exports, tint Auckland take* second place, and is gaining somewhat, as shown by the figures quoted above. The total value of the exports of the chief ports of the colony for the year ended September 30, 1906. is as follows . —Wellington, £3.374,516: Auckland. £2,974.257: Lyttelton, £2.798,669: and Dunedin, £1,655.693. As there are still 5.000.000 acres of Crown and native lands locked up in the Auckland Province, it should only be a matter of time before Auckland heads the lists of exports for the colony.

PROSPECT OF SATISFACTORY

PRICES

POSITION OF THE FROZEN MEAT

TRADE.

[by tklecrafh.— association*.]

Wkjj.ingtos, Thursday. Speaking to a Post reporter. Mr. Harold Beauchamp, merchant, who to-day returned from London, said he thought New Zealand might confidently look forward to satisfactory realisations for most of the lines in which the colony is interested for some time to come. 'Hemp, tallow, wool, and pelts were commanding splendid prices, and each of these lines was in active request. True, there was a fall in coarse wools, especially short clothing descriptions, at the October sales, of from 7£ per cent, to 10 per cent., as compared with prices made in preceding sales, but he did not attach much importance to this drop, as the previous values were generally regarded as abnormal. The recent jump in the price of cotton would undoubtedly favourably affect the wool market. During the current season there would be keen competition in the colony for butter and cheese, the outlook for which was most encouraging. On the other hand he feared that we must anticipate a. bad market for iroaen meat, especially mutton. Very large shipments, he said, would be made by Argentine and Australia, and this would naturally depress the values of our product. In connection with frozen meat, he' said he would, like to give the views expressed to him by a London gentleman who occupied a most prominent position in the trade. Writing to Mr. Beauchamp under date of October 12, he said: "'those who have watched the course of events cannot but feel disappointed that New Zealand mutton has not taken a- higher position in the trade than it now holds. When first imported this mutton gave' promise of fine quality, and had this been carefully looked after, and efforts made for continual improvement, there is no doubt that a large number of buyers would have continued using it, who have now abandoned• it. In our opinion, one of the chief causes of deterioration has been the far too large exportation of the best lambs. Canterbury sheep used to head other brands by and even |d, per lb, but the quality has deteriorated to such an extent that buyers went on to other brands, and it is difficult to get them back. So the difference in value is now only about \A per lb. The Argentine folks have only been sending a few lambs, and their object has been to steadily improve their mutton, and in this way they have succeeded to a wonderful extent, until they are now almost able, to control the market prices of frozen mutton. We strongly advise that more care should be taken in preserving the quality, and that when any lots are killed .which .show distinctly good quality they should be labelled with a special brand, and be sent over to be sold entirely on their merits. Then, in our opinion, the selling forward (c.i.f.) business lias done incalculable harm to the trade, the grading for which is chiefly for weight, and quality is usually only a secondary consideration. Consequently there, is no inducement for the breeder to produce anything beyond ordinary quality. New Zealand shippers will have to face the fact that they have strong, competitors in the River Plate folks,' and it is only by improving the present standard of quality that they can hope to make the New Zealand mutton of greater value than the River Plate mutton. We are sure this could be done if only earnest attention were given to the matter. The New Zealand lamb trade is no doubt holding its own. but it would be far better even to restrict the quantities for a time ratber than continue to weaken the quality of the mutton. There has been a very large number of lambs in excess of last year, and had the numbers been less {as we were led to believe they would be), the lamb prices .would have been considerably better this year."