TRADE RETURNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3117, 10 December 1913, Page 3

TRADE RETURNS.

NEW ZEALAND AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. WELLINGTON, December 3. . The external trade accounts of the United Kingdom, with special reference to New Zealand, as compiled by the Board of Trade, London/ have been forwarded to Mr Wickham, Iraue uoi..muioi,u i.* New Zealand. The accounts relating to the trade and navigation of the United Kingdom for the nine months ended September 30 show that the values of the merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom daring the period were as follows ; —imports, £558,090,030; exports of United Kingdom produce and manufactures, £391,000,000; re-exports of foreign and colonial merchandise, £92,000,000. As compared with the figures for the first 9 months of 1912, the highest previously recorded, the exports show an increase of £28,750,000, or 5.5 per cent., and the exports of United Kingdom produce and manufactures an increase of £36,500,000, or 10.3 per cent. On the other hand, the re-exports of foreign and colonial merchandise show a decrease of £500,000, or 0.7 per cent. The increase in imports was divided approximately into equal parts between food, drink, tobacco, raw materials, and articles mainly unmanufactured and articles wholly or mainly manufactured. The chief increases under Ihe head of exports of the United Kingdom produce and manufactures were the following : Coal, £9,100,000; iron and steel and manufacturers thereof, £6,400,000; machinery, £3,400,000; new ships, £4,700,000; cotton piece goods, £6,000,000; chemicals, drugs, dyes and colours, £1,100,000. There was a decrease of about £1,000,000 in the value of the exports of cotton yarn. Under the head of re-exports of foreign and colonial merchandise increases were shown by the figures for most of the principal groups, but these increases were outbalanced uy a decrease of rather more than £1,000,000 in the exports of raw cotton and a decrease of nearly £2,250,000 in exports of wool. The foregoing figures relate to merchandise only. 'ihe total values of the gold and silver bullion and specie imported and exported during the 9 months were as follows ; —lmports, £55,970,000; exports, £41,920,000. The values of tho imports from New Zealand and of the exports and re-exports thereto during tho 9 months ending September 30 of each of the years 19.12 and 1913 were as follows :—lmports in 1912, £18,284,000; in 1913, £18,928,000; exports of United Kingdom produce and manufactures, 1912 £7,427,000; 1913 £8,155.000; re-exports, 1912 £594,000; 1913 £707,000. There was thus an increase in 1913 under each of the three heads. Among the principal articles were the following : Imports from New Zealand in 1913. Frozen mutton, £4,721,000; butter, £1,094,000; cheese, £1,553,000; wool, £8,015,000; tallow (unrefined), £677,000; skins (sheep), £545,000. Exports of United Kingdom produce and manufactures to New Zealand.—lron and steel and manufactures thereof as far as distinguished in the monthly accounts, £1,017,000; cotton'picce goods, £635,000; woollen and worsted' tissues, including carpets and carpet rugs, £354,000; apparel, £599,000.