H. —44.

Cook Islands. The principal exports from the Lower Group of the Cook Islands are oranges, bananas, tomatoes, and copra ; from the Northern Group, copra and pearl-shell; and from Niue, copra and bananas, Tonga. The table given hereunder shows the values of New Zealand's exports to and imports from Tonga in each of the past five calendar years : —

The value of our export trade with the Kingdom of Tonga showed a steady decline from 1931 to 1934, but in 1935 it showed the substantial rise of over 47 per cent, over the previous year. Imports still continue to show a steady tendency to increase, and the figure for 1935 (£15,200) is in marked contrast to that of 1931, when the amount of our imports from Tonga was only £625. This increase is due to our larger purchases of bananas, our principal item of import from Tonga. In 1935 this item was valued at £14,079. The values of the principal commodities exported to Tonga from New Zealand in 1935 were as follows: Tinned meats, £8,122 ; meats, all classes, other than tinned, £224 ; sugar, £1,761 ; provisions, £865 ; timber, £1,340 ; miscellaneous hardware and ironmongery, cordage, and rope, £251 ; butter, £790. Trade with Europe. The following table shows, according to the New Zealand statistical records, the value of our export and import trade with principal European countries for each of the past three calendar years : —

The most important features of the above table are that exports to eight of the countries listed showed a decline from the figures of the previous year, and in the case of three countries only did the

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Year ended 31st Deceember, Exports to Tonga. Imports from Tonga. £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) 1931 .. .. •• 29,926 625 1932 27,266 9,412 1933 .. .. •■ ■■ 19,407 8,331 1934 .. .. •• 12,948 13,282 1935 .. .. .. .. 19,104 15,200

1933. 1934. 1935. Exports to — £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) Germany •• •• 376,886 944,310 165,304 F ranoe 738,176 1,228,699 484,610 Belgium-Luxemburg Union .. .. 330,284 612,646 647,212 Ita ly .. 97,330 205,673 21,092 Netherlands .. •• •• •• 64,827 165,074 79,615 Switzerland .. .. •• •• 1,219 699 2,892 Sweden 33,984 117,529 47,142 Norway 2,908 4,098 569 Poland .. ■■ 28,463 133,234 103,321 Czechoslovakia .. .. •• 23 1,986 12,969 Denmark .. . ■ • • • • 9,404 22,092 12,395 Other countries . . •• 10,878 28,713 48,049 Totals .. .. .. •• 1,694,382 3,464,753 1,625,170 Imports from — £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) Germany .. •• •• 378,753 386,116 469,854 France .. .. •• •• 198,639 192,653 180,424 Belgium-Luxemburg Union . . . ■ 138,620 109,712 204,744 Italy .. 115,888 183,948 190,592 Netherlands .. .. ' .. •• 93,437 111,690 150,330 Switzerland 87,987 73,029 74,801 Sweden .. ■■ •• •• 199,562 194,652 278,249 Norway •• 36,903 46,495 59,586 Poland 4,997 10,419 3,377 Czechoslovakia .. •• •• 42,439 • 58,668 102,784 Denmark .. .. 9,855 15,393 15,144 Russia -■ • • 125,644 56,732 121,905 Other countries .. •• •• 86,287 132,825 134,268 Totals .. .. •• 1,519,011 1,542,352 1,986,058