OVERSEAS TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 14

OVERSEAS TRADE

PAST YEAR'S FIGURES HIGHER BUTTER RETURNS WOOL VALUES LOWER INCREASE IN MOTOR IMPORTS An analysis of New Zealand's overseas trado reveals that the decline in the favourable commodity balance, from £16,003,295 in 1934 to £10,251,134 in 1935, was accounted for chiefly by a fall of approximately £5,500,000 in the value of wool exports. That trend is likely to be corrected this year with the present higher prices for wool. Total exports in 1935 were £46,538,678, against £47,342;847 in 1934. The value of the principal exports from New Zealand in the past two years compares as follows: — Varia 1935 1934 tion p.o. Butter .. £13,616,740 £10,042.776 +36 Cheeae .. 4.376,512 4,694 409 -7 Bwf .. 979,711 871,J09 +l2 Lamb .. 8,184,521 7,903.337 +4 Mutton .. 1.837,600 1.590,564 +ls Pork .. 1.308.222 1.138,488 +!•> Wool .. 7.090,873 12.516,420 -43 Gold .. 1,441,790 1,320,C90 +9 Increase in Imports Variations in the quantities exported were as follows:—lncreases: Butter, 7 per cent; lamb, 1 per cent; mutton, 14 per cent; pork, 15 per cent; gold, 5 per cent. Decreases: Cheese, 13 per cent; beef, 1 per cent; wool, 13 per cent. The total value of imports in 1935 was £36,287,544, compared with £31,339,552 in 1934. Principal items compare as follows: — Varia 1935 1934 tion p.c. Motor vehicles .. £3,207,431 £2,261,968 +42 Motor spirit .. 1.085.361 .•. Piece-goods .. 3,284,005 3.202,907 +1 An par el .. 1,107.546 1.036,201 +7 Elec. machinery 1,276.316 *5? Tobacco and tig. 691,208 554,492 +25 Tra . 648.535 725.164 —ll Sugar .. 710.639 646,150 +lO Direction oj Trade An indication of the direction of New Zealand's trade is given in the following table of percentages of the total value of exports (country to which shipped) and imports (country ot origin) . Exports to Imports from 1935 1934 1935 1934 p.c. p.c. p.c. P-C. United Kingdom 83.63 81.59 50.39 50.38 p.-.J. 1 41 1.46 6.70 6.70 India .. 0.13 0.14 1.58 2.13 Ceylon .. •• 0.00 0.00 1.75 1.87 Smith Africa . 0.06 0.06 0.15 0.18 AmtaUii 3.83 398 10.90 10.33 Fiii . . • • 0.19 0.18 0.22 0.33 Other British .. 0.52 0-42 107 1 - 92 Totals, British 89.77 87.83 73.31 73.84 sr..:: aais «| Br. :: iS £ « : Dutch Indie. .. 0.01 0.01 3,96 4.41 United States .. 5.30 S.M 11* Other foreign .. Totals, foreign 10.23 12.17 26.69 26.16 The export percentages show the (rrcat dependence of New Zealand on the British market, although the United States was a better buyer m 1935. In imports to New Zealand, Canada and Australia showed a greater proportionate increase than did Britain.