TRADE STATISTICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6450, 22 February 1908, Page 10

TRADE STATISTICS.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. FIGURES FOR A YEAR. Gazette” returns of tho exports and imports of tho Dominion for the year IDO7. These statistics are, however, of sufficient interest and importance to deserve a more Extended review, as they present to ns in a concrete form the result, on the one hand, of the labours of onr groat army of producr/rs, and, on the other, the volume of the imports required lo minister to the sustenance apd comfort of the people. INCREASED SHIPMENTS. Turning first io onr exports, we find that tho total value for the twelvemonth compares as follows with those of recent years:—

The value for 1003 showed a strong advance upon x^ rec °ding years owing to the rtxtra demand for our products that arose in consequence of the reduction in .Australia’s output under the stress of the then-prevailing drought. The* next year, 1004, experienced a light fallingoff. which would have been greater by marly a million but for an advance in the price of wool. Each return subsoqmuiilv shows {substantial increase from .year to year, to which the continued rise in the priefl of woo! in the main is the heaviest contributor. The following figure© give the values represented by the several classes of exports during the past two years :

Th© increase hare is, it will be soon, close upon two millions, and apart from specie it is over that amount. Of this total a little over ouoj million arises on wool and sheepskins; meat stands for an increase of <£SGO,OfIO, butter and 'cheese for .£378,000, while hemp, kauri, pum, tallow and timber each contribute a quota, more or less substantial,, to the aggregate increase. BULK AND VALUES,. It is an interesting question how far this increase represents larger output and to what extent it is simply th© result of higher prices. A comparison of the weights of the shipments for the* respective years —we will not weary our readers with all the figures—mate's it evident that in the case of wool the increase is traceable, to the extent of over 85 per cent-, to heavic/r output, while less than 15 per cent, vs attributable to hotter prices. To a .slightly larger extent the increase in tbw vame of meat is also due to heavier shipments. In these two itwns alone, therefore, it appears that to tho extent of over .£1,350,000 the increase arises from heavier output. In cheese, butter and tallow, also, increased quantity accounts for about .£360,000 out of the total increment of .£574,000. Against these there is a falling-off in grain and grain stuffs of close on .£IOO,000, and of over *£240,000 in gold. In kauri gum tho increase shown accrues in spite of a shortage In quantity of about 5 per cent. Fully two-thirds of th© increase is therefore traceable to heavier output. Tho proportions in which our exports, apart from specie and parcclls, were despatched from the various ports of the Dominion were as follows for the years 1906 and 1907:

It will b© eeen that the improvement is almost confined to North Island ports, only* two lines of the southern division exhibiting- any increase. Of the two islands, ono shows an increase of Jfel,861,554, and the other only ,£204,404. THE IMPORT TRADE. Turning now to imports, we find that the total values of these during the last fiva years compare as follows, apart from specie, the imports of which have been heavy;—

It will be noticed that while the three/ earlier twelvemonths were practically stagnant, a sudden and substantial advance is made in the last two years, the increase, apart from specie, shown by 1907 over 1905 being .£4,060,630, equal to ■between 32 and 33 per cent, for tho two years. Although this increase is exceeded by the increase in value of oxports. yet it may well bo considered too heavy, within so short a time, to be quite healthy and legitimate, and it suggests the id,ea of over-importation. The gazette returns give no indication of the classes of goods which compose these imports, and the Customs revenue returns do not, at best, furnish mqre than a side-light upon this question. The proportions of the respective entries at the several ports of the Dominion during the lost two years, apart from specie and parcels, compare as follows :

Hdre again it is observable that the heavy advances are at North Island ports, those of the South Island ports being comparatively light. The proportions of increase are as follow :—North Island, .£1,779,700; South Island, .£365,661, while the aggregate of specie and parcels shows a light decrease. The position occupied by Wellington in both branches of trade is very gratifying. The chief headings of Customs revenue for the last two years compare as follows :

Whatever,mav be thought as to thef pru-

dcnce of the scale of onr importations, there can be no doubt that these returns 1 of activitv in all branches of trade, and a high newer of consumption in the Dominion. The amount paid by way ol Customs duties shows substantial increase in all lines except sugar, the decrease of which is accounted for by the remission of duty in the last session of Parliament. A state of prosper 7 clearly indicated by Die returns of both imports and exports. At the same time it is well to consider the on "hetho serious fall m the price! of vool and the indications of dccliniiif; trade, :xu Mm natural sequence of such a our products in the neai fuuue.

Excluding Including Y oar. Specie. Specie, £ £ 71*0.1 ... 14,971.926 15.010.378 loot ... 14,738,760 14,748,348 1905 ... 15,042.959 15.055.947 1900 ... 17,992.480 18,095,137 1907 ... 20,00-1,293 20,071.636

1907. 1906. X £ Wool 7.657,278 6,765,1)53 Sheepskin?? 79G.J27 680.630 Meat 3,550.285 2,989.382 Gold 2,027.490 2,270.904 Butter 1,615,345 1,560.235 Chc'ese 664,122 341,002 Hemp 832,068 775.981 Kauri gum 579,888 522,486 Tallow 560,945 455.020 Timber 311,862 304,941 Grains (whole, ground) : 57,529 154.854 Other N.Z. produce... 1.131,406 1,018.850 Ke-exports 279,975 153,536 Specie 7,316 102,657 Total 20,071,636 18,095. r/T

1907. 1S06. - £ £ ’Wellingdou 3,918,512 3,325,418 Auckland 3,466,189 3,153,287 Napier 1,784,885 1.406.091 Poverty Bay 993,367 874,358 Taranaki 917,278 671,871 Minor N. Island ports 1,121,133 909,785 Lyfctolton... 2,836,739 2,837,953 Dunedin 1,537,288 1,604,175 Tiraaru 1,216,542 1,102,719 Bluff 1,180,867 978,389 Minor S. Island ports 1,064,098 1,107,894

Tear. Excluding Specie. Including Specie. 3903 ... £ 32,075,959 £ 32,788,675 1904 ... 12,897.253 13,288,917 1905 ... 12,479,012 12,826,691 190G ... 14,303,170 15,211,403 3907 ... 16,539,642 17,302,796

1907. 1906. £ £ Wellington 4,835,856 4,160,085 Auckland 4,373,2X4 3,447,367 Other N. Islqnc ports 918,907 740,825 Lyttelton 2,526.067 2,517,668 Dunedin... 2,406,902 2,208,774 Other S. Island ports 1,168,477 1,009.343 Specie 763,154 908,233 Parcels post 310,21P 219,108

1907. 1906. £ £ 595,214 556.395 ■Wine and beer TO.fi.^O 62.601 Tobacco, all shapes... 535.824 166,011 234.363 219,531 1,317,180 Other duties 160.180 Total 3,079,422 2.899.103