FALL IN EXPORTS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1926, Page 1

FALL IN EXPORTS

'imports declining.

WELLINGTON, Aug. 4

The returns of imports and exports for the first six months of 1926, published in tho “Monthly Abstract- of Statistics,” issued by the Government ’Census and Statistics Office, indicate the expected decrease of exports, and show what appears to be the beginning of tho expected decrease of imports. The exports of the six months (Janu-ary-June) totalled £29,472,834 as compared with £38,398,259 for the corresponding six months last year, and the imports totalled £24,716,580 as compared with £25,015,285. While the fall in exports is heavy, the fall in imports is slight, but if the quarters be taken separately, the June quarter imports show a, fall of £2,668,964 (£11,023,808' in the Juno quarter as against £13,692,772 in the March quarter), while they also show a fall of £68,154 compared with the June quarter of 1925. For the six months the value of motor vehicles imported shows a , decline from £2,264,650 to £2,188,181, although tho numbers increased from 11,924 to 13,499.

The decrease in*exports for the halfyear is £8,925,425, and this decrease is a’.most entirely the cause of a big shrinkage in' the excess of exports over imports, which excess declined from £13,382,974 in the first half of 1925 to £4.756,254. Tlie principal fall in export value is shown by wool, which dropped fr0m'£15,009,471 to £9.299,920 ■although the. quantity shipped was greater by 24,503 bales. Theso figures for six months enable figures to be shown as for the twelve months ended .June 30th. Exports for that period amounted to £46,336,847, and imports to £52,157,702, the excess of imports over exports being thus £5,820,855, as compared with an excess of exports over imports of £6,551,491 for the year ended June 30tli, 1925. Thus the turnover is over twelve millions for the twelve njonths. 44,700 more bales of wool were shipped than in 1924-25, but the return was £6,047,679 less. Butter brought £2,747,505 less. _____