HIGH IMPORTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23160, 5 October 1938, Page 20

HIGH IMPORTS

TRADE IN-AUGUST * ' " EXPORT TOTAL DECREASED ■ \_J— . , 1 £635,000 FALL ON LAST YEAR Imports in August, t though nearly ■ £1,000,000 lower in value than for the . corresponding period last year, reached ■ the level of £5,063,000, according to the preliminary figures of overseas 1 trade for the month issued by the , j Customs Department in Wellington •j yesterday. This total is over £1,000,000 | greater than the valuation for August, j 1936,-and more than double the figure J recorded in 19313. I Exports, have decreased . £635,000 in ! value, compared with those in August ! last year, but still exceed tho level i for the month iu any other year since j 1933. An excess of imports amounting : to £1,240,000 is shown. A surplus ot' imports is normal at this season, but tho level, like that of the previous year, is substantially above the average shown since 1933. The figures for August in the past six years are:— ' , E.xcess of Exports Imports Imports Aug. £ £ £ 1933 . . 2,031,000 2,130,000 *492,000 1934 ..3,080,000 3,232,000 152,000 1035 .. 2,870,000 3,622,000 746,»00 1930 .. 3,150,000 3,997,000 . ' 847,000 1037 . . 4,458,000" . 0,008,000 \ 1,550,000 1938 .. 3,823,000 5,063,000 1,210,000 ♦Excess of exports. For the first eight months of the calendar year exports were £6,469,000 lower in value than for the corresponding portion of tho previous year, when, however, they were at an abnormally high level. This year's figures are the second highest since 1933. Imports, at £36,783,000, are some £200,000 above the level ' of ; 1937, and are the highest in the past six years. ®The excess of exports at £8,130,000 is the lowest in any year since 1933. A comparison of the eight months ended August in the past six years is as follows: — Jan.- Exports Imports Excess Aiu?. £ £ £<

1933 . . 20,370,000 10,107,000 12,003,000 1934 . , 37,430,000 19,850,000 17,574,000 1935 . . 33,203,000 23,287,000 0,910,000 1930,. 42,001,000 27,388,000 14,073,000 1937.. 51,382,000 30,579,000 14,804,000 1038 . . 44,913,000 30.7&3.000 8,130,000

. There were no exports of specie during August. The imports were valued at £3125, this figure .being additional to the value of imports for the month previously given, lor the eight months ended August specie exports were valued at £750 and imports at £27,116.