NATIONAL COMMERCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8187, 31 July 1912, Page 4

NATIONAL COMMERCE

SOME INTEBESTING STATISTICS. TBADE OF NEW ZEALAND. The official returns of imports and exports for tho quarter ended June 36th appearing in the “Gazette” give trade particulars of considerable interest. For the quarter in this and tho previous year the imports and exports, apart from specie, compare as follows: —

1912. 19H. Exports Jk),0b4,169 .£4,722,729 Imports 4,569,777 3,969,459

Excess of Exports .£1,574,392 ,£753,2*J Tiio result of tho quarter's trading shows considerable improvement on the corresponding period of last year, in bpito of the heavy growth in imports. It will be remembered that the earlier part of the season now drawing to a close was somewhat disappointing as regards exports, owing chielly to unfavourable weather conditions. This loss has been largely regained in tho quarter under review. EXPORTS. The exports for tho past three yearn ending with. June 30th compare as follows :

The latest year's figures are act very far behind those of the previous year, and are well ahead of any year prior to the three under review. The 1909-10 season stands easily as a record for exports, as we were favoured with an exceptionally favourable season for production, and splendid prices were outained for all our principal productsThe values of the principal classes of produce that go to make up the sum of our exports compare with the previous years figures as follows: — 1910-11. 1911-12.

The splendid prices and good season for the dairying industry have resulted in the excellent increase of 31009,217; of this, about 31364,000 is due to increased production, and 31245,000 * results from improved prices. This item is decidedly the brightest feature in the table. Other lines showing increases are grain 3171,730, timber 3139,000, and the miscellaneous item. The increase in grain all accrues from, oats, while wheat has a heavy falling oil; the figures for these . two lines for the past. s throe years are ns follows t—--1909-10. 1910-11. 1911-12. •6 £ £ Wheat ... 257.780 294.515 90,965 Oats ... 314,024 26,948 254,779 In wool and skins there is a falling of l of 31250,000, of which 3150,000 is in skins. The weight of wool exported in the last three years compares as follows:

1909-10. 1910-11. 1911-12. Lbs ... 196,287,586 181,620.393 .188,365,911 Tho heavier weight as compared with the previous season-would have meant an Increase of £115,000 at that season's values, but instead there is a loss ot .£200,000, so that prices have been nearly 2-5 d haver this year. Frozen meat is £203,431 less, all due to lesser output, values being a shade better. Tallow has a loss of £18,500, kauri gum of £98,000, and hemp ot £29,000, all duo to decreased production. The shares of the various ports in these exports compare as follows for tho past two years :

Wellington and Bluff show the bestj increases, due to dairy produce mainly, | while Auckland's increase from that 6ouroo is more than counterbalanced by loss in. gold, kauri gum and hemp, Lyttelton and Timaru suffer from the decrease in wool and meat. IMPOETS. Following are the totals of our imports for the p£6t three years ending with June SOth.:— Including Excluding specie. specie. J> 4? 1909-10 „ 15,645,060 15,266,815 1910-11 1b.5Va.1G9 18,001,021 1911-12 20,939,770 20,314,855 The increase here is something phenomenal, amounting to five millions in. the two years, and the total is now the highest on record, surpassing the excessivo total of 1907-8 by nearly three ■ millions. I The shares of the different ports m these imports show the following com-

Of the total increase of .£2,313,83-1 the North Island has nearly two millions, Auckland alone having over ono million. AucWajid has been going ahead considerably of late, and no doubt- a good proportion of these imports will go in the opening up of fresh country for settlement. COMPARISONS. The relation of out imports to exports has 6hown considerable fluctuations in late years, as will be seen from the following figures (specie being omitted for comparison):— _ , Excess of

The latest year ehowe just a bare margin of exports. A reduction in the scale of importation would therefore appear advisable, especially in new of the very high total which these havo now reached.

Including Excluding specie. Bpecie. Tear. Ji JB 1009-10 ... 21,935,917 21,911,723 1910-11 ... 20.557,061 20,510,928 1911-12 ... 20,416,387 20,305,291

£, & 7,863,412 7,614,016 3,875,379 8,671,948 Butter find oh/eose 2,778,748 0,387,965 1,898,910 1,710,021 Grain, all kinds ... 409,126 480,857 658,962 , 640,451 4,56,353 858,336 435,485 474,483 349,610 320,63V 194,002 160,614 236,080 145,4SW Other N.Z. Produce 1,150,135 1,183,815 r,^04,17G 216,658 46,733 51,096 Total .£20,557,661 je20,416,S87

1910-11 1911-12 3,342,980 3,545,861 4,327,166 1.597,092 1,634,198 Poverty Bay , .._, l.lu/,078 • 1.U56.3U5 877,540 905,029 .*.. 2,9/6,235 2.694,756 Dunedio. _ 1,397,135 1,423,887 1,426,125 1,339,346 9uu,li7 2,353,935 2,548,671 Parcels post ..I.... 37,062 39,927

panscm: — Dunedin ..~ Minor ports . 1910-11 £. 5,042,033 , 4,77b,907 2,897,705 2.552,728 578,118 341,599 1911-12 6,086,328 5,155,027 3,063.711 2,685.539 2,623,453 624.915 400.797

Exports. £ . 19,403.248 Imports. £ 15.4S6.903 Exports. 1906-7 .. 8.916.345 1907-8 .. ,. 16.745.5S9 i,,4o4.(;G9 •739 030 190S-9 . .. 18.309,279 15,755.036 2,554,183 1903-10 .. . 21.911.733 15,^oo,815 6.644 90S 1910-11 .. .. 20,510,92S 18.001,021 2,509.907 1911-12 . .. 20,305.291 20,314,855 50,4d6 •Excess of imports.