COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19201, 15 December 1925, Page 9

COMMERCIAL.

GROWTH OF WORLD'S TRADE TABLE OF PERCENTAGES. NEW ZEALAND IN THE LEAD, j New Zealand is leading, with a slight, advance on Canada, Japan being third., China fourth, Australia fifth, and Unite*] States sixth, in the table of percentages by which overseas exports have increased since 1914. These estimates arc based on a study of world trade figures for tho latest financial year. The table is as follows: 1914. 1924. P.O. £'looo. A'looo. Increase New Zealand .. '26,253 51,200 96 Canada .. .. 71.150 138,400 94 Japan .. .. 63.056 J. 03,700 04 China .. .. 61.192 83,852 !!G Australia . .. 70,74$ 04,600 84 United States .. 496,803 <548,680 30 Franco .. .. 288,000 330,000 24 Italy .. .. 90,948 107,568 11 India .. .. 156,600 169,200 8 Argentine .. 100,195 105,860 ft United Kingdom 617,871. 612,200 9* Brazil .. .. 63.703 50,200 22* Belgium .. 340,316 92,429 34* Holland .. ..290,000 156,000 47* Gormauy .. 510.000 271,000 47* Russia .. 156,400 24,400 83* 'Decrease. The physical volume of trade between the countries of the world is 96 per cent, of what is was in 1913, and it is steadily gaining by from 6 to 8 per cent, a year, according to a recent estimate by the United States Department of Commerce. The amount of gain recorded by the United States, over £160,000,000, is far in excess of that of any other nation. It is the first occasion, too, when the volume of the export trade of the United Kingdom lias been exceeded by that of tho United States. WEST AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. LARGER YIELD EXPECTED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) BERTH, Dec. 1.4, The Government statistician estimates that, the West Australian wheat harvest will yield 20,792,000 bushels. This would ho an increase of 769,184 bushels, compared with the previous harvest. PUKEKOHE POTATOES. MARKET FIRM AT 10s. [BY TELEGRAPH. -own correspondent.] PUK EKOHK. Monday. The market for potatoes was fairly firm ; to-day at 10s per cwt. f.o.r. Pukekohe. ! Owing to the farmers being engaged in ! haymaking, digging is likely to slacken somewhat. Earlier crops are becoming exhausted. On the other hand, the de- ; rnand for Christmas trade is setting in and accounts for the firmness of the market. AUSTRALIAN GOLD OUTPUT. THIS YEAR'S HEAVY DECREASE. The figures showing production of gold in Australia for the ten months ended October 31, are given hereunder, together with those for the corresponding period of 1924 and 1923: 1925. 1924. 1923. Oz. Ox, Oz. West Australia, . . 361,483 407,126 426.033 Victoria . . . . 42.316 56,616 "7,427 Queensland . . 36,391 1;2 ('8.315 New South Wales . 16,880 14,989 16.183 Tasmania . . . - 2.400 2,850 2,500 South Australia . . 650 2,500 2.500 The yield throughout the Commonwealth shows a reduction of 103.0730z., as compared with 1924, and 132,7480z. as compared with 1920. Die largest decrease is recorded in West Australia, where production has dropped by approximately 46.0000z. In Queensland tho figures for 1925 are 43,0000z. below thoso of 1924, due partly to the cessation of operations at the' Mount Morgan mine and the fact that the low price of copper prevents the reopening of the copper mines in Cloncurry, where gold is found in conjunction with copper. Victoria shows a decrease of 14,3000z,, but in New South Wales the yield is 2000oz. greater than for the corresponding period of 1024. In the case of South Australia and Tasmania the figures are really only estimates, and in any case the quantity produced is almost negligible. BREWERIES IN BRISBANE. AMALGAMATION PLAN DROPPED. Tho scheme of amalgamation of the Brisbane breweries has not been adopted. The companies concerned were the Queensland Brewery, the Castlemainc Brewery, Quinlan, Gray and Co., Ltd.. and Perkins and Co., Ltd. The directors of the Queensland Brewery, Ltd., have decided to abandon the negotiations. After the proposal was first made, shares in Perkins and Co., Ltd.. were freely bought in Melbourne and Sydney at advanced prices, but when news was received that tho scheme was not favoured by the Queensland Brewery, there was a sharp fall in values. "DUMPING" OF TIMBER. A VICTORIAN COMPLAINT. Victorian hardwood millers are complaining of the cheap foreign timber, which thev say is being "dumped" into the State* in 'large quantities. Large shiploads are said to be on the water. Most of this oversea timber comes from the United States. Last year a request was made to the Australian Tariff Board that an effective duty be placed on wood suitable for building purposes, but the application was refused. Probably the board was unwilling to take any step that might result in an increase, or prevent a decrease, in tho already high cost of building. but this, it is suggested, appeared to bo duo rather to the high cost of labour and periodical industrial trouble than to the high price of material. PROPERTY SALES. An auction sale of sections in the Pan- J mure Basin Estate on the Pamnure-Otahtihu Road was held by Samuel Vailc and Sons. Ltd ' last 'evoniitsr. The sections ranged from' }-acr© to about 4 acres in area. A total of 16 were sold. Two sections with cottages realised £470 and £4OO. Prices for the others ranged from .£4lO to .£IBO. Richard Arthur, Limited, will offer by auction on behalf of the Devonport Borough Council at their salerooms. Queen Street, opposite the Town Hall, this evening, tho leasehold ritthta to 71 building sites at Narrow Neck, Devonport.