2

H.—44,

The following table sets out for each of the last ten years the value of our exports, imports, total external trade, and trade balance, while the diagram which follows illustrates these figures graphically.

The table given below sets out the quantities and values of the principal items of export in each of the calendar years 1928 and 1929.

As will be observed, increases in quantities exported are recorded for 1929 in butter, cheese, lamb, wool, kauri-gum, and gold, while the remaining items enumerated in the table show decreases. Increased values are shown for all those items of which greater quantities were exported in 1929 than in 1928, with the exception of wool. Tn this case a recession in value of £1,319,812 took place owing to the downward trend in prices last year, in spite of the fact that 30,793 more bales were exported. Pelts, however, showed an increase in total value for 1929, although smaller quantities were exported.

m , 1 T, , , Excess of _ r . Total External Year. Exports. Imports. Trade. - - Exports. Imports. £ £ £ £ £ 1920 .. .. 46,441,946 61,595,828 108,037,774 .. 15,153,882 1921 .. .. 44,828,827 42,942,443 87,771,270 1,886,384 1922 .. .. 42,726,249 35,012,561 77,738,810 7,713,688 1923 .. .. 45,967,165 43,378,493 89,345,658 2,588,672 1924 .. .. 52,612,711 48,527,603 101,140,314- 4,085,108 1925 .. .. 55,262.272 52,456,407 107,718,679 2,805,865 1926 .. .. 45,275,575 49,889,563 95,165,138 .. 4,613,988 1927 .. .. 48,4-96,354 44,782,946 93,279,300 3,713,408 1928 .. .. 56,188,481 44,886,266 101,074,747 11,302,215 1929 .. .. 55,579,063 48,797.977 104,377,040 6,781,086

1928. 1929. It em . j ' Quantity. Value. Quantity. | Value. I £ £ Butter .. .. .. Cwt. 1,449,570 11,302,667 1,653,797 13,227,917 Cheese .. .. .. „ 1,567,272 6,693,951 1,779,093 7,017,463 Beef, frozen .. .. „ 699,274 1,043,782 328,416 534,442 Lamb, frozen .. .. „ 1,832,079 6,641,222 1,850,937 6,786,053 Mutton, frozen .. .. ,, 997,420 1,946,013 879,457 1,790,628 Hides and calf-skins .. No. 1,201,147 1,228,105 958,719 677,925 Rabbit-skins 12,104,072 582,148 9,122,917 361,949 Pelts .. .. .. „ j 8,817,267 1,409,514 8,559,739 1,423,606 Wool .. .. .. Bales 657,849 16,679,098 688,642 15,359,206 Tallow .. .. .. Tons : 25,748 804,271 20,832 693,614 Kauri-gum .. .. ,, j 4,394 240,139 4,937 267,610 Gold .. .. .. Oz. 118,720 489,584 119,379 490,240 Sausage-skins .. .. Lb. | 3,771,636 799,356 3,677,965 653,033