H.—44.

Imports. As previously mentioned, imports aggregated £43,025,914 during the year ended 31st December, 1930, as compared with £48,797,977 in the preceding year. The table which follows shows the principal items imported during the two years.

It will be observed that decreases occurred in the values of the various items imported, with very few exceptions. The number of motor-vehicles imported decreased from 29,156 in 1929 to 17,278 in 1930, a reduction of 11,878. The value of this item declined by £1,829,939 —from £4,278,720 in 1929 to £2,448,781 in 1930. Petrol and kerosene decreased by £84,551, although 5,025,130 more gallons were imported. Other important decreases worthy of note are tea (£227,278), whisky (£101,255), cigarettes (£180,453), apparel (£229,708), boots and shoes (£137,402), cotton piece-goods (£129,267), silk piece-goods (£191,307), woollen piece-goods (£120,393), and tires for motor-vehicles (£353,140). The table which follows classifies the values of importations into New Zealand during the last four years according to the countries of origin.

Value of New Zealand's Imports according to Country of Origin, 1927-30.

4

1930. 1929. Item. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. £ £ Wheat .. .. .. Centals 168,088 77,235 152,695 77,555 Sugar .. .. .. Cwt. 1,772,885 757,027 1,447,221 766,979 Tea .. .. .. Lb. 10,141,031 708,095 12,060,840 935,373 Whiskv Gal. 432,809 457,015 510,756 558,270 Cigarettes .. .. Lb. 874,487 395,285 1,178,786 575,738 Tobacco.. .. .. „ 3,919,857 734,406 3,531,168 751,331 Apparel .. 2,893,782 .. 3,123,490 Boots and shoes .. .. Doz. pr. 247,964 928,685 267,706 1,066,087 Carpets and linoleum .. .. 578,718 .. 650,389 Drapery n.e.i .. 363,634 .. 452,022 Cotton piece-goods .. .. 1,817,552 .. 1,946,819 Silk piece-goods .. .. .. 1,020,721 .. 1,212,028 Woollen piece-goods .. .. 622,256 .. 742,649 Petrol and kerosene .. Gal. 74,621,778 2,264,754 69,596,648 2,349,305 Coal .. .. .. Tons 157,943 200,419 215,656 276,671 Hardware n.e.i. .. .. .. 863,056 .. 903,720 Electrical equipment .. .. 2,183,324 .. 2,012,498 Timber .. .. .. .. 917,335 .. 790,183 Motor-vehicles .. ..No. 17,278 2,448,781 29,156 4,278,720 Tires for motor-vehicles .. .. 809,701 .. 1,162,841 Other imports .. .. .. 21,984,133 .. 24,165,309 Total imports .. .. 43,025,914 .. 48,797,977

I I 1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. British Possessions, Protectorates, &c. £ £ £ £ United Kingdom .. .. .. 21,464,114 21,289,275 22,565,436 20,329,807 India and Ceylon .. .. .. 1,614,877 1,643,030 1,690,504 1,342,194 South African Union .. .. 122,597 104,043 100,988 91,942 Canada .. .. .. .. 2,739,826 3,258,828 4,792,820 3,802,545 Australia .. .. .. .. 3,869,246 3,499,151 3,258,727 3,308,947 Fiji .. .. .. .. 424,785 571,728 174,894 200,877 All other British countries .. .. 482,116 444,134 511,600 510,809 30,717,561 30,810,189 33,094,969 29,587,121 Foreign Countries and Possessions — United States of America .. .. 8,079,467 8,204,197 9,319,926 7,571,460 France .. .. .. .. 891,277 820,592 727.388 608,076 Germany .. .. .. .. 837,777 898,901 940,863 975,618 Dutch Bast Indies 882,590 999,524 1,152,705 811,372 Japan .. .. .. .. 591,963 576,495 625,714 565,237 All other foreign countries .. .. 2,782,311 2,576,368 2,936,412 2,907,030 14,065,385 14,076,077 15,703,008 13,438,793 Totals, all countries .. .. 44,782,946 44,886,266 48,797,977 43,025,914