JOHN BULL'S COLONIAL CUSTOMERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5665, 12 August 1905, Page 10

JOHN BULL'S COLONIAL CUSTOMERS

(From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON June 16. The remarkable increase in the trade between the United Kingdom and the colonies, as shown by the / Board of Trade’s latest Blue Book issued last Saturday, certainly serves to emphasise in a very significant manner the plea for those closer relations which Tariff Reformers advocate so Strongly. There is no stronger argument than the logic of facts, and tho Board of Trade figures supply the very concrete fact that our exports to British colonies, which five years ago were iesj? than ninety-four and a half millions in value, have increased to a hundred and twelve millions, or only seventy-two millions less than our exports to foreign countries. Durng the same period the value of our imports from the colonies has risen to over a hundred and twenty millions, an Increase of nearly fifteen millions since 1901. In round figures, our trade with our colonies lost year was worth two hundred and thirty-two millions.

Since 1900 tihero has been a continuous increase in the exports from the United Kingdom to our orer-sea possessions. while imports have recovered iti a remarkable manner from the setback encountered in 1901 and 1902. Our imports from British possesioms have risen in five years by the value of £10,377,000, and our exports to them have gone up steadily by £17,500,000. The yearly totals are worth, notice:

A striking fact is that our export trade to the colonies is increasing, while our export trade to foreign countries is decreasing. The full comparative figures for 1300 and 1304 are:— 1900 1904

British exports to foreign countries ... 196.757.121 188,773,170 Colonics ... 94:,434,875 111,937,870 The volume of imports from foreign countries is steadily growing. Since 1900 they have increased by £17,585,9.80, while British experts to foreign countries, though higher in value for 1904 than in any of the preced.ng three years; are still nearly eight millions below the total reached in 1900. We have been drawing less raw material from the colonies since 1900. when the value was a little over £51,000,000, while it is now below £48,500,000. The colonies, however, have been supplying us with more food and drink, the amount under this head having increased from £42,370,000 in 1900 to £56,440,000 last year. An increase in rhe manufactured goods supplied to us in competition with home work, from £128,270,000 to £135.160,000 in five years, has gone entirely to foreign countries. Analysing: our total export of goods manufactured in ihe .Un'ted Kingdom, wo find an increase from £228,800,000 to £2-13.820.000 m five years, hut it is colonial consumers we hare to thank for the whole of it. Colonial requirements of home manufactures have risen from £-81.940.000 in 1000 to £98,370.000 hst year, while the "comrernents of foreign countries have diminished.

Imports. Exports. £ £ 1904 ... 120,018.406 111,937.870 1903 ... 113,070.792 111,146,804 1902 ... 106,916,457 109,091.856 1901 ... 105,084,880 104,873,821 1900 ... 109,640,921 04,434,875