EXTERNAL TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25177, 14 April 1945, Page 5

EXTERNAL TRADE

FEBRUARY GAIN

BALANCE MORE FAVOURABLE A favourable balance of £2,114,000 as the result of external trading during February is revealed in the monthly figures released in Wellington yesterday. The position shows a marked improvement upon that of February, 1944, when there was an excess of £957,000 in imports. Exports for the month were nearer the average of normal years and showed an expansion of £1,664,000 in comparison with the low figure reached in February, 1944. Imports showed a reduction of £1,407,000 on the figure for the previous February. For the eight months elapsed, of the production year there is an excess of exports amounting to £2,982,000. A comparison of the returns for l'ebruarv in the past five years is as follows: — „ Exports imports Excess nii'i .. 0.iM.0.n00 i.mil,ooo 1() I'2 .. S 07,5,000 2,0 17,000 o, I JO.OOO mi;! .. (i.'i-'i.ooo 3,037,000 3.M5.000 1011 .. 4,-105,000 5,1 ">'2,000 « 1j)15 .. 0,150,000 4,045,1)00 '2.114.000 *Exoess of imports. For the first eight months of the production year, which opens in exports and imports since 1941 have been: — _ Exports Imports Excess 1041 .. 41,840,000 20,173,000 12,667,000 1942 . 44,163,000 33,555,000 10,608,000 1943 . . 50,585,000 36,592,000 13,993,000 1914 .. 50,737,000 02,549,000 11,812,000 1915 .. 53,574,000 50,592,000 2,982,000 •Excess of imports. Import values include defence materials and equipment and lend-lease supplies. CANNING ACTIVITIES LICENCE TO EXPAND (0.c.) GTSBORNE, Friday Tho Bureau of Industries has granted a licence to Swifts (N.Z.), Ltd., to expand their ennninc activities at their Wairoa works. Ino company asked for a licence to can fruit and vegetables, but tho bureau limited tho licence substantially to vegetables. It excludes stone and pip fruits and citrus fruits, and requires tho Swift company to take supplies only from tho Wairoa regional area. It is understood that, an unsuccessful attempt to secure a fruit and vegetable canninsr lirence for a new cannery proposed to bo established at Napier will ho revived by a-n application from a company, representing local capital, which will he assisted in its organisation by the Auckland firm of Thompson and Hills, who already have a bulk depot in the district, but carry out final packing in Auckland. Tho bureau so far has resisted attempts to establish additional canneries in the district, on tho ground (hat when the war demand ceases tho undertakings will be handicapped by excessive capital obligations.