STATISTICAL YEAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1926, Page 10

STATISTICAL YEAR.

DIVISION OF SEASON. “The Juno year is the ideal period, although for all practical purposes the March year is also fairly suitable.” In this sentence the Government Statistician (Mr. Malcolm Fraser) sums up the Australian financial year (ending June 30), and the New Zealand financial year (ending March 31), in their bearing on the question which is the better period during which to measure the annual export of a primary producing country, whose exports consist almost wholly of seasonal products. The calendar year (ending December 31) is almost certain to “split the season.” By way of example, Mr, Fraser points cut that wool, the largest item of export, is sold about December and January, which causes the exports of any season’s clip to be divided between one year and the next in varying proportion. A favourable season or a sudden demand may cause a great increase of exports in the December quarter, with the result that the March quarter of the next year shows low figures. The same argument holds good in the case o>f -butter and cheese, although the operations of the dairy control board are now tending to equalise shipments throughout the year.” At present Mr. Fraser, in his “Abstract of Statistics,” published in monthly editions gives details of imports and exports for the calendar year, and also gives details of exports for the year ended March 31, to meet the situation referred to above.