DOMINION’S BUSINESS.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19460, 27 December 1934, Page 9

DOMINION’S BUSINESS.

NOVEMBER STATISTICS. (EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY MONTH. A SATISFACTORY REPORT. The Monthly Abstract of Statistics for New Zealand for December dealing with the trade position during November states: — The normal seasonal increase in industrial activity is reflected in statistics illustrating the state of business in November. The number of men a charge on the Unemployment Fund on November 27 was 56,439, a decrease of 288'8 since the previous month. A marked improvement in the employment situation has been evident even during the slack months of the current year the winter increase in unemployment being considerably less than in i'933. In tact, the peak level during the current year was recorded in January, usually one of the lowest months in' the year, while the November total was 22 per cent lower than that recorded at the same time, last year. 'Prices at the opening wool sales ox the current wool-selling season are considerably lower than those realised at the corresponding sales last year, but are still materially in advance of the extremely low prices ruling during 1931-32 and T 932-33. Some improvement in the tone of the market was evident at the Christchurch and .Timaru -sales, which succeeded those at North Island centres. Banking statistics for November re-, veal an increase in advances for the third successive month. Although the ratio of advances to -deposits is still abnormally low ('69.26 per cent), advances have increased- by £2,900,000, or approximately 7£ per cent., since August. Deposits have ■ fallen by £4,700,000, or 7 per cent, during the same period, but are still'considerably above' normal, despite this fall. A Record Season. November proved to be an exceptionally busy month in respect of overseas passenger traffic arrivals totalling 3946 and departures 2495 — both exceptionally heavy totals. Among the passengers arriving during the month were 1666 tourists including 761 tourists visiting the Dominion in the course of a pleasure cruise. Bookings at the principal resorts point to a.record season. Sales-lax receipts during November were £205,256, easily a record amount in any one month since this form of tax came into operation. The total for November of last year was £164,829, so that a substantial improvement is shown by the latest returns. Sales tax paid during November would be swelled to a certaim extent by the payments of retailers on it least a portion of their Christmas stocks: so that it would appear that a heavier volume of Christmas shopping is anticipated than was the case last year. Statistics of imports of certain classes of commodities usually favoured for gifts also support this impression.. ...... > „0.Trade statistics for November show that a slight excess of exports emerged as the result of overseas trading in commodities during the month; whereas, during the preceding four months an excess of imports was recorded. The value of imports was lower than in the previous month (when an exceptionally heavy total was recorded), and this fall, combined with a seasonal increase in the volume of exports, restored the commodity trade balance. Pricos. The general index number of export prices for November was 968 (on the base: average prloes ruling during * 1909-13—1000) a decrese of 7.1 per cent sinoe October. The fall in the general index is accounted for almost wholly by a severe drop in the Index number for wool, this index falling from 1041 in October, to 734 in November, a decline of 29.5 per cent. The general index number of wholesale prices was 1340 (on the base: average wholesale prices ruling during 1909-13—1000), an increase of 2 points over the figure for the preceding month. The index number of prices of locally produced commodities fell by 1 point since October, while that for Imported commodities rose by 6 points. The all-groups number of retail prices rose by 4 points since October, the November index being 29 percent above that for 1914. The threemonthly collection of statistics of clothing, drapery, and footwear pricos and of prices of miscellaneous Items Df household expenditure was taken In November. The Dominion Index . number for the former group has risen by 0.4 per cent since August, while ■. the latter remains unchanged. The index number of share prices on the last trading day in November was JOO9 (on the base: average share prices during ‘1926—1000), an increase of 5 points on that for October