CANADA AND EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21112, 20 February 1932, Page 5

CANADA AND EMPIRE.

Imports. Exports. U.K. U.S.A. U.K. U.S.A. Year, per cent, per cent, per cent, per cent. 1870 . . 56 32 3S 51 18S0 . . 48 34 48 40 1890 . . 38 46 4S 42 1900 . . 25 59 57 34 1910 25 58 50 37 1920 . . 12 75 39 37 1925 . . 19 64 37 39 1930 15 67 25 46 1931 (to Sept. 30) 17 63 27 43

TREND OF COMMERCE. TRADE WITH UNITED STATES'. INDICATIONS OF DECLINE. [from otto own correspondent.l ->■; VANCOUVER. Jan. 5. The deliberations between Canadian and New Zealand. Ministers at Honolulu, in the direction of a reciprocity treaty, are the first of a series of negotiations in which Canada will reorganise the whole of her trade, in anticipation of preferential tariffs, as between her and the Motherland and the other Dominions. The Imperial Conference of 1932, optimists say, should see the consummation of an Empire trade policy that will bring the maximum benefit to each of its members. How Canada's trade stands to-day, in relation to the Empire, is illustrated by the following table, showing tTie percentage of it that is distributed between the Motherland and the United States: —

What the Figures Show. The table is not a convincing illustration of Canada as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Since Confederation, in 1867, British imports to Canada have fallen from 56 to 17 per cent., while the American share has almost doubled. At the same time Canada's exports to the United Kingdom have declined from 38 to 27 per cent., while the American share of Canada's exports has declined from 51 to 43 per cent., or at, only about half the rate of decrease. However, Mr. Bennett is entitled to plead that more reassuring deductions may be read in the figures for the past year—since his advent to power. The British, proportion of Canada's imports has risen in that period from 15 to 17 per cent., •while the American proportion has fallen from 67 to 63 per cent. Similarly, Britain's share of Canada's export trade ? has grown from 25 to 27 per cent., while the American share has declined from 46 to 43 per cent. Canada, buys and sells more with th« United States than with the entire British Empire, due to proximity, similarity of needs and of industrial systems of the two countries, and, to like standards of living. But, in the Underwood, FordneyMcCumber and Stnoot-Hawlev tariffs, the United States has deliberately affronted her best customer, and Canada, for the past year, has been assiduously engaged in hitting back. There are indications that the United States is awaking to Canada's value as a customer for her trade, as well as to the reaction of the whole world against American tariff policies. Tariff Revision Advocates. The Democratic Party, which favours tariff revision downward, is in power in the House of Representatives at Washington, and will force the hands of the Administration, if they need any forcing, to the recognition of the problem of recapturing lost trade, in face of extra handicaps to be erected against it at the next Imperial Conference.' The 1932 Presidential campaign in the United States will feature advances for better tariff terms with Canada. Synchronising with Canada's advances for preference in British markets, the dual policy in North America bids fair to furnish an interesting study for economists. STOCK SALES. EWE FAIR AT FEILDING. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION! ] FEILDING. Friday. The annual ewe fair was held to-day, when 21,000 ewea were yarded. Prices were satisfactory. The ewes generally were in good condition. Old ewes sold better comparatively than two-tooths. The be3t prices were:—Five-year, 9s 6d; fou? : year, 13s 9d; four-six-tooth four-year, lis 6d; two-tooth, 16s 7d (last year 20s). VALUES AT TE AWAMUTU. Th?i Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Ltd.,»reports a full yarding of sheep at its Te Awamutu stock sale. The offering met with spirited competition, especially lambs. Only a medium yarding of cattle was penned, late rates being maintained. A full yarding of pigs met with good competition, prices being slightly better than those at other sales. Quotations': —Sheep: Fat wethers, lis 6d to 12s 6d; prime fat lambs, to 13s 6d; fat hoggets. 10s 6d 1 to lis 9d; forward-conditioned wethers, 9s to 9s 3d; fat ewes, 5s to 5s 9d; good shorn Romney lambs. 6s to 6s lid: smaller Romney lambs. 4s Id to 5s 4d; black face lambs, 4s to 5s 4dj five-year-old ewes, 53 to 6s: poorer conditioned ewes, 3s 2d. to 4s; Border Leicester ewes, 9s; Southdown rams, lgn to 2gns. Cattle: Medium fat steers, £i 19s to £5 19s; unfinished steers, £4 to £4 10s; fat cows, heavy, £3 7s to £3 17s; medium, £2 10s to £3; lighter, 30s to £2ss; store cows, ISs to 22s 6d; boners. 9s to 15s; hulls, 30s to £2 15s; cows with calves. 25s to 30s. Pigs: Choppers, to 255; porkers, 23s 6d to- 27s 6d; stores, 15s to 19s; slips, 10s to 13s 6d; good weaners, 7s to 10s 6d; smaller weaners, 3s 6d to 6s»