Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1928, Page 2

I'haiu-: between Australia and the United States is expanding rapidly, doth imports and exports are setting new high lec-ords, but the balance in•l i nos heavily towards the United States. Deducting the shipments of go-id from the merchandise totals, it appears, says a New York financial journal, that the excess of trade stood 13G,400,000 dollars in favour of the United Stales in 192.V26 and £183.020,000 iii 1920-27. Australia is buying more than 25 |>er cent f her imported goods from America. These to the extent of 70 per cent, are manufactures. Automobiles and machinery enter heavily into the list. The automobile trade in particular shows striking gains. The number of Tinted States chassis imported by Australia for 1920-27 wore approximately 70.000 valued at 37.991.08.1 dollars; the number of bodies was 11.120 valued at 0.309.705 dollars. Qf the total increased Australian imports .amounting to 05,( 00,009 dollars, nearly 20,000,000 dollars originated in the United States. These figures .stand in contrast with Australian shipments to the United States. Export* from the Commonwealth to America decreased about 7.000.000 dollars. The principal feature in this decrease was Wool, which totalled 30.380.000 dollars in 1925-20 and only 20.105.000 dollars alst year. Hides and skins, the- other item making up the hulk < f Australian purchases by the' United States, showed a slight increase. ■ How long a Irado so onc-siclcd can show indefinite expansion is a matter that is puzzling more than one far-sighted American shipper. It. is not, to he expected under present circuinstances that the trade between the* countries will approach anything resembling a balance, hut the outstanding fact is that trade sooner or later assumes an exchange of commodity basis, which does not now exist in this case To the impartial observer, concludes the article, it would seem that it is very much to the interest of the United States to increase its Australian purchases, in order to make it easier for the ]>ciple of Australia, to deal reeiproc-a 11y with America. Tn addresses made by prominent Australians visiting or passing through the United States atteiilion has been called to this phase, auTl it- would seem with good reason.