The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY, 27. 1915. NEW ZEALAND'S IMPORT TRADE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 February 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY, 27. 1915. NEW ZEALAND'S IMPORT TRADE.

A monthly abstract of statistics is to hand at the Chronicle office, this week, from the Government Printer. It covers a period of nine months, i'rom January to December, 191-1, and gives some information, that is astonishing, concerning the bulk and value of certain imports of New Zealand. Clothing, for instance, was imported to the value of over one million pounds sterling which fact goes to show that even the high protectionist tariff levied New Zealand in respect to clothing does not prohibit extensive trade with cl'ithiug manufacturers oversea. Uoots, shoos an<j .slippers another branch of industry that carries a goodly degree of protection in this country —also came in extensively from abroad, the total value in the nine months being £'278,4(57. Perhaps the most astonishing item of import was coal, which found its way into New Zealand ; n such quantity that a total of £446.131 in value had to be sent out as payment (figuratively, of course). These Imports were abnormal in consequence of needs occasioned by the strikes of the previous year-end, but that fact does nut account for anything like the total, 'i lie practice of the Union Steam Ship Company, of loading its boats with coal from Newcastle for New Zealand whenever ordinary cargo is scarce, accounts for much of the volume of the imports. This is a helpful procedure for the U. S. S. Co., hut whether New Zealand benefits is open to argument. To begin with, the Newcastle coal is inferior to our product; and secondly, the wages for hewing and railing well might be paid to our own miners and circulated amongst ourselves. An item of high expenditure in another direction is that incurred for manures. Many of these are unobtainable from New Zealand resources, hut there is reason for thinking that if a proper search and subsequent analyses were made some valuable Tnanurial material could be obtained at small cost in New Zealand. Now that the war has shut off from us the wonderfully vast mineral manure resources of Germany, the advisableness of seeking lor mineral manures in British possessions has become greater than ordinary. Nearly threequnrters of a million pounds sterling was spent on importing cotton ; an expenditure quite unavoidable, but whether the nirther sum of a million and a quarter that ma.kes up the two items of apparel and drapery need all have been expended on these good opens up another problem. In the last year or two there has been a diminution in the number of motor cars imported to Now Zealand, and there is in these statistics an inferential proof that motor car construction (or, to be technical, the "assembling" of motor cans) is showing a welcome expansion. The fact we refer to is the importation of chassis to the value of £477,152. To make these ready for the I'Oad a considerable amount of labour would have to be expended, with resulting help to the engineers and other artisans concerned. AN EASIER MONEY MARKET In a note on tendencies of the dominion money market, the New Zealand Trade Review remarks that the tendency continues in the direction of rather easier condition, and there is apparently a- fairly plentiful supply of money available. Funds are coming in from the realisation of our produce, and 'he season promises to eclipse all previous records. For the four months October to January the value of our principal lines of exports compare as follow with last season:— * 1914-15 1913-14 Wool £3.292,107 £1.802,911 Frozen Meat 1,663,922 . 593,841 Butter 1,314,640 1,175,440 Chesse 979,040 943,116 Total £7,249.709 £4.519,808 The increase shown bv these figures

is phenomenal, amounting to 60 per cent, but it must bo remembered that last season was seriously affected by the strike, therefore the returns for the tnII season cannot be expected to maintain nearly such a higli rate of progress. Against this there is svidencc that our imports will not maintain the high level recently established, and very satisfactory margin of export* is Ijound to be shown when the figures are avalable.