GERMANY'S LOST TRADE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2269, 1 October 1914, Page 5

GERMANY'S LOST TRADE

HER BUSINESS WITH AUSTRALIA* The figures of Mr. H. G. Knibbs, Commonwealth Statistician, relating to the trade of Australia with various over. , sea countries, show that Germany has : ! lost a customer, owing to the war, worth to her last year £4,596,834 for" articles directly imjrorted. On the other v hand, Australia has been deprived of an outlet for goods which last year brought her in £6,873,441. On t'ne figures Australia seems to have had the wovst of the deal, but in fact, says the "Age," sho is far from being'in. that position. She has still the markets of the world at her call, and will find but little diffi- - oulty in placing her exports, formerly seut to Germany, elsewhpre. Germany, on the contrary, has been sent to Coy- • entry as far as trade is concemcd, and even if she could secure new markets I to make up for the loss of the £4,696,384 she has been obtaining from Australia each year, she has not the vessels to carry her goods to them. Aus- ~ tralia has imported from Germany most ' oxtensively apparel and machinery—reST>ective'y to £1,702,145 in value and £1,735,447 in valuo. There is no reason why she should not manufacture .all these imports for herself, and thus become her own customer. Her big exports to Germany comprised hides and skins, wool and other animal substances, mainly unmanufactured (£5,140,225) and • metals and ores (£1,168,877). Tho fol- • lo.wing are further details of trado: — Article. Imports. —r * ' jJ* £ Foodstuffs (animal origin) 12,071 225,930 Foodstuffs (vegetable origin 49,7(59 160,547 Beverages (non-alcvholic) 12,646 — Spirits and alcoholic liquors 171,055 378 Tobacco 17,208 — Live apimals i SiO 268 . i iVn'mia\ substances' 9,530 5,140,115 Voretable substances .... 37,347 47,181 Apparel .•••■ 1,702,145 3,187 [ Oil?, fata,' and waxes 12,305 43,061 Paints and varnishes ... 21.852 — Stones and minerals 32,465 — Specie — Metals (manufactured) .... 7,245 1,168,877 Metals (partly manufac- • tared) 295.227 783Machinery 1,735,447 5,718 Ihdiarubber and leather 347,550 6,736: Wood, and wicker work... 65,849 16,518 ' Earthenware, china, eac. '458,007 — Paper and stationery 266,453 — Jewellery and timepieces, and fancy ffoods 250,846 86,903 Optical, surgical and scientific instruments 114,318 — Drug's, chemicals, and V ; . fertilisers 266,811 . 4,605 Miscellaneous 1,142,555 10,900 Totals 4,950,834 6,873,4<