IMPORT AND EPPORT RETURNS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12351, 13 May 1902, Page 3 (Supplement)

IMPORT AND EPPORT RETURNS.

The export returns for the March quarter, 1902, as compared with the corresponding quarter in 1901 are as follow:—

1902. 1301. March quarter ... £3,863,245 £4,684,689 Showing a decrease for the quarter 1 of £721,444; but, a3 we shall presently show, a good deal of this is duo to lower valuations. The details are as follow:—Coal shows a decrease of £20,254 (£23,480— £48,734); gold, a rather surprising decrease of £73,401 (£376.693—£450.100); kmiri gum, nn increase of £40,370 (£101,495 —£61,125) ; timber, a decrease of £28,553 (£47,015— £75.370|, no doubt duo to the Australian duties; butter, a very important increase of £101,449 (£486,428—£334,979); cheese, a decrease of £48,693 (£74,172—£122,865); preserved moats, an inercaso of £10 670 (£32,755—£22.033); frozen meat, a decrease of £20,860 (£648,122—£663,982) ; sheepskins, an increase of £5443 (£82,235 —£76,790); tallow, nn increase of £49,127 (£139,333£90,206), which ie remarkable, as the meat exported sliows a decretus, and is probably due to a good deal of tlie stock being over fat; wool, a decrease of no les.i than £580,922 (£1,516;337-£2,097,259), but this is largely due to reduced valtiatious; the valua- ■ tion this year is rather over 4jd per lb, against a little over 6d irt thn carraspohaiiiß quarter lust year, which nearly accounts for the difference. Agricultural products show tho vory large reduction of £227,!i59 (£70,515—£298.102), Hie chief decline being in oats (£160,000) and wheat (£41,000), probably _ largely due to holders sskinq; prices too high for export (it present. Phnrmium shows the verv respectable increase of £72,59?. (£110,330—£37,738), but the valuation this year Is £?S per tnn, against £16 10s Inst year, no doubt justified by the remarkable, rise at Home, but not to no depended on for anv long period. If we are correct in stipposim? that tho holders of agricultural products will, in fact, get higher prices by holding, the falling off on this head is not to bo reqrottod, and the rest is acemmtrd for by difference in valun of wool rather than any considerable falling oft*, in quantity.

Tlio imiiortfl for the quarter show a foiling off of £211,736.

1902. 1901. March quarter !.. £3.030,091 £3,241,827 But wb have again and again pointed out tliat the import returns would be of morn value if the sneeio included were stated, and we mipht add alfo the amount of imports of railway material., tie., on Govcrnliront .account, which we believe have been considerable. There linn boon a decrease in Auckland imports fur the quarter of £17,000. in Wellington nf £6*.000, in J/rttelton of £73,000. and in Diraediu of £Wf,ooo. which shows (o some extent how trade is trotuling northwards.