NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 26, 17 September 1914, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES.

“Doubtless, one outcome of the war will be to draw the attention of our own people to what is being manufactured in the Dominion,” says the annual report of the Wellington Industrial Association. It may be that the war will teach this lesson even better than that taught by the holding of exhibitions." Reference to the New Zealand Official Year Book (1913) will again prove the altogether unreasonable amount of goods imported which could have been manufactured in this Dominion. The following information is taken from the New Zealand Official Year Book, 1913, pp. 360-361: —“The value of imports, exclusive of specie, rose from £5,928,895 in 1890 to £6,115,953 in 1895, after which there ensued a steady advance to £17,247,162 in 1908. In 1909 there was a considerable falling off, but the returns for 1910, 1911, and 1912 show substantial increases in the value of imports.” _ After quoting those figures, the following appears“ The expansion of imports is still further to bo considered in connection with the condition of the manufacturers of the Dominion, for an increase of imports arising from a decline of internal manufactures would scarcely be regarded as a satisfactory position. That there has been great development of the manufactures of New, Zealand since 1895, not only in the great primary industries, but throughout, is exhibited in the section giving the result of an inquiry made at the census of 1911 relative to manufactories and works. It is desirable to consider not only the total value of the import trade for different years by comparing totals, but to ascertain the rates per head of population, to judge whether the imports are relatively greater or less than formerly. The fairest comparisons are from calculations made after deducting specie imported, as the amount of this commodity fluctuates widely. The figures for 1890 and each year from. 1903 onwards stand thus: —lmports per head of mean population, excluding Maoris (excluding specie): : —lß9o, £9 11s; 1903, £l4 14s 5d 1.19.04,. £ls os 4d; 1905, £l4 6s lid; 1906, £ls 19s sd; 1907, £l7 19s lid; 1908, £lB ss; 1909, £ls 4s lid; 1910, £l6 7s od; 1911, £lB 10s 2d; 1912; £l9 16s Id. The total declared value of imports iu 1912 amounted to £20,976,574, being an increase on the corresponding total in 1911 of £1,430,695- The figures, however, include specie. The value of coin brought info the Dominion in 1912 was £399,995, against £763,271 in the £dk-?,*“ltnd ; f these amounts are excluded, the increase in the value of merchandise is £1,793,971.