TRADE OF THE PORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20800, 17 February 1931, Page 5

TRADE OF THE PORTS.

; AUCKLAND EXPORTS LEAD.

WELLINGTON HEADS IMPORTS.

PROSPERITY OF NELSON. The position of Auckland as the premier exporting port'of New Zealand was groatly enhanced in 1930, according to tho returns given in the latest issue of the Abstract of Statistics. Wellington, with its many central distributing agencies, maintained its position as the principal port in the counti-y for the imjiortation of goods. Last year the total value of Now Zealand's exports amounted to £44,940,692, compared with £55,579,063. In spite *of the much lower values ruling for primary products, Auckland's share of' the export trade showed a, comparatively small fall-ing-off from £14,721,526 in 1929 to £13,871,228 last year, the wet summer and early autumn of 1930 resulting in a large increase in dairy factory production in the province. The effect of the heavy decline in wool values and the holding back by merchants of large supplies is very noticeable in the export returns from Wellington, Lyttelton and Napier. The value of exports from Wellington fell from £14,665,549 in 1929 to £10,822,883 last year, Lyttelton's exports fell from £5,559,808 to £4,051,257 and Napier's from £4,114,977 • to £3,061,657.

Exports from Dunedin showed a large falling-off from £3,739,025 in 1929 to £2,187,378 last year, while New Plymouth and Invercargill, which dropped from £2,941,868 to £2,846,450 and £2,796,580 to £2,496,410 respectively, showed comparatively small declines. The only port in the Dominion to show increased exports last year was Nelson, where the value rose from £116,871 in 1929 to £141,510.

The total vajue of goods imported into New Zealand last year amounted to £43,025,914, compared with £48,797,977 in 1929. Importations through all the leading ports in the country showed considerable declines, though increased returns were registered at all the secondary South Island ports except Hokitika. Imports through Wellington were valued at £15,195,446 in 1930 and £16,813,203 in 1929, and through Auckland £13,727,887 last year and £15,740,700 in 1929. During 1930 Auckland and Wellington together accounted for 55 per cent, of the exports and 67 per cent, of the imports of the country.