OUR EXPORTS FOR JUNE QUARTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 3

OUR EXPORTS FOR JUNE QUARTER.

We published three monthe ago particnlare of •our exports for the March quarter, comparing them with the corresponding quarter of 1888. We mow give tho figured as published in the Gazette or thb June quarter, with some details showing •now the two quarters together compare with last year ;— June Quarter, June Quarter, 1889. 1888. Total exports „ £2,211,249 £1,426.290 Lessspeole „. 89,639 72,950 42.124.610 £1,353,340 The increase on the quarter, therefore, as compared with last year, is no less than £771,270, and this, added to the increase of £465,987 in the March quarter, makes £1,237,257, which are <vury remarkable figures indeed, following as they <do au increase of £722,434 for the whole of last •year That New Zealand, in spite of all the 'depression under which she has suffered, could linorease her exports by £1,960,000 in 18 months, ■without any sudden development of her goldfields, is a tact without parallel in the past history of the colony, nod one which ought to give tho greatest possible confidence to outside investors in our lands and bonds Taking the principal items, the increases are aa follows ;— June quarter June quarter 1889 1888. Wool ... .. £645.751 £364.194 Tallow ... ... 50.358 35,089 Monti (preserved) ... .15,120 26,1 11 Meats (frozen) ... 184.998 135,434 Sheepsklni .. ... 23,689 11,687 Agricultural produots ... 686,577 216,175 Of these latter the principal items are: — Wheat, £246,046 (£63,624) ; Oats, £153,848 (£67,166) ; Barley, £48,487 (£8479) ; Flour, £29,282 (£5077) ; Bops, £10,832 (£2625) ; Oatmeal, ' £10,739 (£5870). June quarter June quarter 1889. 1888. Xeather ... ... £12,679 £5,839 Phormlum ... ... 86,663 16,113 Apparel, woollens, and other manufactures ... 50,483 2,137 Coal ... ... 30.266 . 9.986 The increase in wool is remarkable and unexpected. Tbe exports for the June quarter this year amounted to 15,984,9351b. There was a deficiency in last year's exports of £206,000, supposed to he caused by tbe lateness of the season, but this waa more than made up by an increase of £220,000 in the March quarter, and now we liave a further increase of £290,000 on the top of that, which we imagine must be mainly in scoured wool, and besides this an increase of £17,000 in sheepskins. The large export, of frozen meat partly accounts for this, but only partly, and the increase in price could not amount to more than £60,000 As the number of Bhoep have slightly decreased it looks as if our flocks were becoming more productive in weight of fleece, but perhaps we e&xx hardly rely on one quarter's returns to prove this. The frozen meat trade is making gigantic stridea, and the figures will soon reach £1,000,000 sterling per annum. The exports of agricultural products are altogether phenomenal, and we fear we cannot rely on such good outside markets next year, but phormium, coal, and manufactured goods of various kinds are uomiug to the front as important items in our list of productions. The principal items of deorease are : — Jane quarter June quarter 1889. 1888 Gold ... ... £122,839 £197.191 Gum (kauri) „. 86,026 90,018 OhnflßH ... ... 25.059 30,748 Ltvoßtoolc ... 0,574 14.151 Rnhtilfc iklns ... 0.643 8,843 Pnr.atOßß ... 13.853 16.103 tfernin ... ... 22,580 86,171 The decrease in gold, following on a decrease of £72.000 in the March- quarter, ia somewhat puzzling considering the activity which is being manifested in our goldfields in various directions, ponaibly the individual miner is being drawn away to larger undertakings, such as quartzreefing, whichcannot produce returnß for some time to come, but this labour is likely to tell eveutually, and we expect before tbe end of the year out returns will begin to go up with a bound. The figures as a whole are both interesting and instructive.