THE DECREASE IN EXPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14806, 9 October 1911, Page 6

THE DECREASE IN EXPORTS.

The returns of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce show that during " the produce year" which .terminates with September, the export trade -of the Dominion during 1910-11 was less by nearly two millions sterling than in 1909-10. The actual figures are: « *■• £ Exports during 1909-10 ... 20,554,272 Exports during 1910-U ... 18,471.118 Decrease for the year ..." 1,883,154

This means that an immense sum of money has been lost to our, national housekeeping, there being so much less with which to discharge the innumerable public and * private obligations of the community and to fill the various channels of industry and trade. The Government boasts of its increased revenue, but decreased exports and increased Governmental revenue simply means an increased proportion of the national wealth seized upon by the State in some form of taxation. Admittedly, every country must .. expect . a . certain amount of fluctuation in. its harvests, in its trading and in its prosperity, but the actual cause of this extraordinary fluctuation is that the Govt' ernment has practically suspended land settlement, and * has' thus abolished the steady and custom- j ary increase in productive power | which ordinarily prevents seasonal fluctuation being noticed in - new j countries. The Government and its apologists weary the , ears with their perpetual. iteration and reiteration of! the wonderful manner in 1 which Native Lands and Crown Lands are being opened up. Yet nothing alters the fact that although the North Island is full of waste and unoccupied and unproductive lands—as any traveller may witness for himself— land ballots " have become almost

unknown and there.has been a steady drift to Australia of desirable and competent settlers. Thus production iias'been checked, and yet the Government boasts of what it does and has done for the country;