THE COLONIST. Published Daily—Morning. Nelson, Thursday, July 12, 1906. BRITISH AND FOREIGN SUPPLIES.

Colonist, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11677, 12 July 1906, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Daily — Morning. Nelson, Thursday, July 12, 1906. BRITISH AND FOREIGN SUPPLIES.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the British Empire League, held in London on Monday last;, Mr J. G Jenkins, the Agent-General for South Australia, we are told through the cable, emphasised that foreign trade with Australia was increasing more rapidly than British trade, notwithstanding that Austra- : liana would sooner, trade with the British than outside nations. A return showing the value of imports into, New Zealand during the years 1895 and 1905 has just been i issued by the Government, and this shows that the imports into New | Zealand from foreign countries are still, despite the preferential tariff, increasing at a greater ratio than 3 those from British dominions. In - 1895, excluding specie, the total im- • ports from the United Kingdom and g all British possessions totalled Last year they aggregated £10,360,633, so that in ten years the increase was substantially under 100 per cent. From foreign countries the imports in 1895 were of the value of £612,55^, and last year they had increased to ,£2,120,545, an increase approaching 350 per cent. At this rate it would only take some thirty years before foreign impoits would eual in value those from Britain, providing the demands of the Colony were unlimited, but as foreign imports must shut out British goods, imports from foreign countries will exceed in value those from every part of the British Empire in very much less than thirty years, unless effective steps aro taken to foster and protect trade within the Empire, "the foreign States from which this Colony imports most largely are the United States of America, from which our imports have risen from £394-, -233 to £1,438,591 in ten yeas— substantially over 350 per cent — and Germany, from which imports, in th£ same period, have grown from £78,034 to £277,467, also over 350 per cent. In certain articles the increased consumption of foreign goods in the ten years is very remarkable. Of apparel and slops, such increase wus frohi £10,713 to £20,279; the imports of boots and shoes jumped from £2882 to £66,058, and the Lancashire cotton mills are clearly meeting with keen rivals, for the imports of foreign cotton piece goods increased from £3364 to £17,670, and those from countries outside the United States aod Germany advanced from £239 to £4252. Foreign drapery [increased from £1315 to £9096, and haberdashery from £1199 to £6215. The impbrts of foreign silks increased 1500 per cent, and notwithstanding our own woollen mills, and imports of woolens from the United Kingdom having more than doubled in ten years, foreign imports are now making an appearance oq the list, increasing from £721 to £5561 in the ten pears. The imports of foreign cutlery advanced from £398 to £3021 : those of hardware and ironmongery from £25,538 to £68,088, and rails from £1136 to £23,555, while machinery, including agricultural implements made a stride from £19,612 to £199,740, and iron and steel of from £15,346 to £100,783. The importation of foreign made nails increased in the ten years by nearly £28,000 to £35,288: the imports of uails from America alone increased from £4703 tb £24,631 in the period mentioned. The importations of sewing machines increased from £16,492 to £20,249. and of artificers' tools from £9941 to £47,135. On the other hand the importations of sugar and tea from places outside the Empire fell off materially, while the imports of foreign spirits decreased about£4ooo. Of tobacco the foreign imports increased from £91,529 to £133.843, those of paper from £20,128 to £56,---550, of printed books from £1710 to £9097, and of stationery from £4765 to £21,306. The imports of foreign arms and ammunition increased from £5050 to £17,454, of automobiles, etc. from nil to £21,063, of bicycles, etc. from £602 to £9259, of carts and carriages, etc. from £6425 to £21,079, of chinaware from £981 to £13,828, of drugs, etc., from £10,0a3 to £52,327, of fancy goods from £9970 to £47,562, of fruit (including preserved) from £33.331 to £129,103, of furniture etc. from £8112 to £32,479, of glass and glassware from £6379 to £i7,262, of i- leather etc. from £4344 to £28, 166, jj of musical instruments from £19,076 ■ to £55,785, and of oils from £77,343 0 to £173,431. The figures indicate that ail sections of the community are purchasing more and more foreign made goods, and that the trade of the Empire is being undermined by rivals whose interests are not identical with our own, and who either place restrictions on New Zealand trade, or consume as little as they pan of her products. In many cases the • New Zealand consumer is unaware of ' the country of the goods he purchases, but who wish to see the Colony's best market maintained will do well to ponder over the figures we have quoted.