H.—44.

It will be readily understood that manufactured goods form the bulk of the imports from the United Kingdom. Many types of cotton, silk, and woollen cloths and goods are imported. In general these items show substantially reduced figures for 1938 when compared with the previous' year's figures. Motor-vehicle imports have dropped £70,109, or 2 per cent., when compared with the 1937 figures. Increased imports of note over 1937 are shown for iron and steel bar, bolt, and rod; iron and steel manufactures ; rails, wheels, and plant; toilet preparations ; motor-vehicle tires ; ordnance stores; miscellaneous electrical apparatus ; and miscellaneous industrial machinery. The principal items of export to the United Kingdom for the years 1937 and 1938 are shown in Table ¥11 hereunder : —

Table VII.—Principal Exports to the United Kingdom.

Of greatest interest is the fall in the return for wool exported, although a greater quantity was sent abroad. Also, a comparison of the figures for hides and skins and tallow clearly shows the substantial decrease in the prices obtained. Increased returns of note are shown for beef and mutton, cheese, apples, and sausage-casings. TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA. Table VIII hereunder shows the continued growth of New Zealand import and export trade with Australia. Exports to Australia during 1938 were £367,875, or 20-2 per cent., greater than for 1937, while for the same periods imports from Australia rose by £561,047, or 8-5 per cent.

Table VIII. —Total Trade with Australia.

Australia absorbed 3-76 per cent, of our total exports during 1938, as compared with 2-74 per cent, during 1937. Imports of Australian origin during 1938 made up 12-91 per cent, of our total imports, a considerable improvement on the 1937 figure of 11-74 per cent. New Zealand is continuing to take further advantage of the increasing industrial activity in Australia, which enables this country to obtain essential supplies close at hand and to avoid unnecessarily large freight bills from distant countries. Imports comprise a fairly wide range, of which the following show decided increases (1937 figures are shown in parentheses) : Oranges, £219,471 (£157,197) ; wheat, £766,310 (£426,850) ; tobacco, £144,441 (£105,031) ; silk, £73,602 (£59,219) ; iron and steel bar, bolt, and rod, £483,704 (£381,663) ; sawn timber, £244,731 (£171,872) ; cigarette-papers, £101,241 (£75,412) ; books, papers, and music, £138,745 (£95,108) ; canncd fruits, £143,227 (£121,829).

6

1937. 1938. Commodity. ' 1 Quantity. ' Value. Quantity. i Value. £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) Chilled beef .. .. .. Owt. 306,351 534,778 350,606 668,160 Frozen beef .. .. .. „ 531,160 689,680 541,684 866,436 Mutton, frozen .. .. „ 870,173 1,635,857 1,018,275 '2,035,797 Lamb, frozen .. .. .. ,, 2,768,650 9,376,133 2,614,521 9,123,464 Pork, frozen .. .. .. „ 599,402 1,733,575 519,801 1,720,656 Cheese .. .. .. „ 1,644,241 5,361,490 1,608,437 5,926,973 Butter .. .. .. „ 2,903,005 16,563,016 2,526,981 15,979,086 Apples .. .. ..lb. 28,889,350 362,937 39,167,460 489,093 Wool, raw, sheeps' and lambs' .. „ 149,590,128 9,995,537 171,171,272 7,831,383 Tallow .. .. .. Tons 16,868 410,433 22,139 375,625 Hides and skins — Ox and cow .. ..No. 113,464 124,930 126,4-26 92,244 Sheep and lamb, woolled .. „ 804,631 285,963 623,315 145,154 Other than woolled .. .. „ 2,639,549 391,115 4,553,257 422,979 Sausage-casings .. ..lb. 1,139,364 172,605 1,637,887 289,105

Yew ended 81et December, I [ SST I "ttT £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) 1933 .. .. 3,969,403 1,393,311 2,576,092 1,182,781 1934 .. .. 5,120,640 1,882,516 3,238,124 1,356,608 1935 .. .. 5,739,209 1,781,811 3,957,398 2,175,487 1936 .. .. 6,784,788 1,843,475 4,941,313 3,097,838 1937 .. .. 8,419,788 1,824,183 6,595,605 4,771,422 1938 .. .. 9,348,710 2,192,058 7,156,652 4,964,594