DROP IN BRITISH TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 23796, 19 April 1939, Page 5

DROP IN BRITISH TRADE

DECREASE COMPARED WITH 1938 FIGURES FOR MARCH AND FIRST QUARTER (British Official Wireless) (Received April 18, 6.30 p.m.) . RUGBY, April 17. The United Kingdom’s exports in March were valued at £41,634,577 compared with £42,155,373 a year ago. Imports amounted to £77,976,374 against £84,853,649 and re-exports were £4,923,288 against £5,468,269. The figures for the first quarter of the year, with the decreases for the same period last year and the same neriod in 1937, were:— £ Imports 218,543,318 Decrease (1938) 26,741,727 Decrease (1937) 11,399,275 Exports 119,129,085 Decrease (1938) . 1,740,854 Decrease (1937) 1,991,531 Re-exports 18,224,658 Decrease (1938) 1,507,834 Decrease (1937) 4,468,177 The fall of £1,740,854 in exports for the first quarter compared with the same period last year was entirely accounted for by manufactured goods, for which there was a decline of £2,313,741, which was offset by an increase in food, drink and tobacco. The largest single item of the decreases was iron and steel and its manufactures — £2,959,674—and next came cotton yam and its manufactures—£l,sBs,373. Coal showed a fall of £409,708, although there was an increase of £959,876 -■ompared with 1937. Among the manufactured goods showing an increase was vehicles, including locomotives, ships and aircraft—a rise of £2,941,447 against the first three months of 1938.