TRADE OF BRITAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21596, 14 September 1933, Page 9

TRADE OF BRITAIN

STATISTICS FOR AUGUST all-round increases BETTER BALANCE REVEALED By Telegraph—Prees Association—Copyright LONDON. S ( ept. 12 The Board of Trade returns for August show thilt the imports into Britain totalled £56,754,457, compared with £53,312,814 in August, 1932, an increase of £3,441,(543. Exports totalled £30,996,794, compared with £28,551,780, an increase of £2,445,014, and re-exports totalled £4,300,000, compared with £3,491,459, an increase of £808,541. The principal increases were: Imports: Wood and timber, £1,813,000; raw cotton, £1,025,000; wool, £795,000., Exports: Non-ferrous metals and manufactures, £824,000; raw wool, £275,000; woollen yarns and manufactures, £428,000. Decreases. —Imports: Grain and flour, £432,000; food and drink, £438,000; oils and fats, £604,000.

A British official wireless message remarks upon the further expansion in overseas trade as revealed in the returns. Imports in August showed an increase of £1,048,231 over July and total exports an increase over July of £1,169,407. The July returns also showed a considerable advance over those of the corresponding month of last year, there being an increase in imports of £3,432,077 and an increase in exports of £2,434,962. The value of imports of raw materials last month showed an increase of £4,750,000 and there was an increase of £2,250,000 in the value of exported manufactured goods. Another noteworthy feature is the reduction by £1,250,000 in the value of exported food, drink and tobacco. From many reliable sources recently evidence has been forthcoming of a defi- ' nito improvement in the trading conditions in Britain. The best possible confirmation is provided by the latest returns, which show that the improvement was not confined to a few trades and industries only, but to business generally. For the eight months to the end of August imports decreased by over £35,000,000, compared with the corresponding period of last year, while in the same period the decrease in exports was more than £7,000,000. In recent months the figures have tended to improve, and those for August are regarded as exceptionally encouraging. The increase in imports was entirely due to the larger amounts of raw materials entering this country. £>ome of the principal increases in exports compared with a year ago occurred in iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, woollen manufactures, electrical goods and, cutlery and hardware. British automoßile exports also continue to increase. m Following is a comparison of the retijrns for August of the last three years:—' August Imports Exporte Re-exports 1931 .. JEG5.261.086 £29,136.915 £3,850.054 1932 .. 53,312,814 28,551.780 3,491,459 1933 .. 56,754,457 30,996,794 4,300,000 The apparent: adverse balance in August, 1931, was £32,274,117< It decreased in 1932 to £21,269,575. Last month the excess of imports increased to £21,457 ? 663. Corresponding returns for the period of eight months are:Eight : _ , « months Imports Export* Re-export* 1931 . . £553.059.989 £262,544,544 £44,494,846 1932 .. 465,943,418 244,878,810 36,126.869 1933 .. 430,829,188 236,133,551 33,825,658 The apparent adverse balance for the first eight months of this l , year is £160,869,979, compared with£184,938,239 in 1932 and £246,021,100 in 1931. INCREASED REVENUE DROP IN EXPENDITURE • 1 ■ LATEST TREASURY RETURNS (Received September 13, 6.5 p.m.) British Wireless * RT7GBY, Sept. 19 The latest Treasury returns show that Britain's ordinary revenue for the current financial year up to September 9 amounted to £250,428,045. At the corresponding date last year .the amount stood at £243,634,267. ; t. Ordinary, expenditure to date for the current year totalled £294,086,006, which was nearly £32,000,000 loss than the total ordinary expenditure at the corresponding date last year.