RECORD BRITISH IMPORTS

Southland Times, Issue 23306, 16 September 1937, Page 3

RECORD BRITISH IMPORTS

PAST THREE MONTHS AUGUST EXPORTS HIGHEST SINCE 1930 (British Official Wireless) (Received September 15, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, September 14. In August £42,546,205 worth of United Kingdom goods were exported, the highest value for' any August since 1930. The overseas trade returns show that in the same month last year and in 1935 exports were valued at £35,258,115 and £34,881,955 respectively. The imports for August were valued at £86.659,083 against £66,055,677 and £59,146,232 respectively in the same month of the two preceding years. For re-exports the August values were £6,687,100, £4,425,975 and £4,185,651, this year, last year and 1935 respectively. The imports for the months of June. July and August were the highest in value ever recorded for a similar period of the year. The figures for the first eight months of the year show a growth in the value of exports from £283,170,234 in 1935 to £341,438,902 this year, and imports have risen from £536,565,065 last year to £654,374,867 in 1937. The totals for re-exports in the eight months are £41,809,595 last year and £54,201,309 this year. . , Comparing the eight-month periods of 1936 and 1937, the most notable increases in imports were in wood and timber (£10,653,207) and in nonferrous metals (£18,414,458); there was also an increase of £17,670,193 for-grain and flour, but this is more than accounted for by the higher prices, as imports by the hundredweights were 132,089,534 this year against 133,584,057 last year. In exports the chief increases were for iron and steel manufactures, coal, cotton and woollen yarns and manufactures of vehicles and chemicals.

THE WOOL MARKET BUYERS HESITANT AT LONDON SALES LONDON, September 14. At the wool sales competition was irregular, buyers being hesitant. Greasy Merinos declined by from 5 to 7J per cent., scoured by from 10 to 12 percent., fine crossbreds by 10 per cent, and coarse and medium crossbreds by from 5 to 7| per cent. A total of 7539 bales was offered, including 4610 New Zealand and 4830 were sold. The absence of Japanese buyers at the recent Australian sales reflected on the opening in London, where the. bidding, although active, was considerably below the sellers’ ideas. The Home trade secured the bulk. Prices were from 5 to 15 per cent, below the close of the last series. New Zealand secured the following prices: Merinos, “Oxford,” average 30d; slipe halfbred lambs, “Belfast,” average 21d; crossbred lambs, “Belfast,” average 20d.

Dalgety and Company, Limited, report having received the following cabled advice from their head office, under date of September 14:— The wool sales have opened. Competition is fairly animated. The selection is fair and the attendance good. Withdrawals were fairly heavy. The Home trade, Belgium, Germany, Russia and France are operating. As compared with the closing rates of last series good greasy Merino is Id lower; other descriptions of greasy Merino, l£d to 2d lower; scoured Merino, l|d to 2|d; greasy halfbreds, l£d to 2d lower; scoured halfbreds, 2Jd to 3d lower; fine greasy crossbreds, Id to IJd lower; medium greasy crossbreds, id to l|d lower; coarse greasy crossbreds, Jd to Id lower; scoured crossbreds, IJd to 2d lower.

The National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand Ltd. has received the following cable from London:—

“The auctions opened with a big attendance of home and Continental buyers. There was good general competition. Compared with the closing rates of last sales we quote the drop in prices as follows: Greasy Merino, best, Ijd; greasy Merino, average, l|d; halfbreds, sO’s-56’s, gd to Id; crossbreds, 48’s to 50’s, gd to crossbreds, 46’s-48’s, Id; crossbreds, 44’s-46’s, gd; crossbreds, 4O’s-44’s, gd; crossbreds. 36’s40’s, -gd. Slipes halfbred lambs, 2d to 3d; slipes medium and coarse, Id to lgd; merino scoured, 2d to 3d. “The sales will close on September 24.”

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., has received the following cable from its London office, under date September 14:— “There was a good attendance at the opening of the sales, competition by home and Continental buyers being fairly active. As compared with last sale’s closing rates prices are lower by Id to l|d for greasy crossbred, about the same for crossbred slipe, l|d for greasy merino, 2gd to 3d for scoured merino and 2d to 2Jd for fine crossbred slip. Russia is operating. The opening catalogues were fairly representative.” JAPANESE PURCHASES OF AUSTRALIAN WOOL TOKYO, September 14. A high Government official told the Australian Associated Press that it was morally certain that Japan would buy 800,000 bales of wool from Australia by June 30 of next year. THE PRICE OF GOLD LONDON, September 14. The price of gold is £7 0/3 an ounce.