The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929. ANGLO-GERMAN TRADE.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929. ANGLO-GERMAN TRADE.

Fno.u a table published showing the more important goods which Germany buys from Great Britain, it is seen iliac British exports to Germany consist almost entirely of raw materials and semi-mamiaetured products There was a gratifying increase in coal, due to further recovery from the effects of the troubles of 1926 and to hotter selling organisation and policy. There lias also been a rise in the value of woollen fabrics but not in quantity, and the same can he said of leather, chemical and pharmaceutical products, but iron sheets and wire have risen Intli in quantity and value. With the exception of woollen fabrics all textiles, which form the chief British export to Germany, have decreased. Detailed statistics of German exports to the United Kingdom show that the increase in the German total is more

than accounted, for by the big rise in wheat and oats, >v;n.ch Germany was able to sell owing to her good harvest. Other increases worth noting are those in vegetable oils and fats, calf and cattle, hides, woollen, yarns and textile machinery. Among the decreases attention may be drawn to the continued falling off in sugar, ot which Germany sent only about 2,C00 ( metric tons to the United Kingdom last year, as against 842,324 tons in 1913, and 52,308 tons as recently as 1926. There were decreases in all branches of iron products, particularly sheets and wires, although it is probable that some of this trade is being :aken from Germany ,by manufacturers in Belgium. There has also been or the past three years a steady define in British imports of German pottery and porcelain, the quantities icing 16,688 metric tons, 14,894 metic tons, and 10,8i2 metric tons, respectively. . The report states that there has been progress in co-operation •ictwoen certain industries in tiic two countries,, and further that British manufacturers of card wire have arrived at an understanding with . trie represntative German syndicate not to interfere in each other’s home markets, and a similar agreement was •oncluded between the cement producers of the same, countries. British tube manufacturers have joined the international convention of which tins Bermans were already members, and there have been a number of participations and arrangements between British and German gramophone and film ompanies, the most important being that in respect of talking films, to which France and the United States are also parties. Discussing German industrial conditions, the report states that the effect on industry of the general and financial conditions in Germany has act made itself felt as much as might have been expected, at least not as far as production was concerned. It is true that many of the industries for which production figures are available showed a falling tendency during 1928 hut it was hardly /more titan could bo accounted for by seasonal influences or labour troubles, and in most cases a revival was noticeable in the first quarter of this year. THun the daily production of coal (including coke and briquettes) fell from 523,000 metric tons in the first quarter of 1928 to 499,000 tons in the last quarter, but rose again to 522,000 tons in tue first quarter of 1929. On the whole the iron and steel industries may he said to have overcome successfully a. critical period, and the situat on wan considered sufficiently favourable for an increase in the price of pig iron to he made in May, 1929. hi the first four months of this year there was a larger production of ingot steel and of semiproducts; rolled goods were a little less, but in April they were considerably higher than in the same month of 1928. The engineering industry had a better year than in 1927. its output representing a value of Mks. 4 000,004,000. The improvement was duo to large deliveries £br lelectrie power equipment and to good export orders. This industry, like a number of others in Germany, also benefited considerably through deliveries on reparations account. The manufacturers of machine tools and textile lmiehinorv were

aide to make good the decline on the

home market by improved sales abroad. In spite of the long strike of three months at the end of the year the shipping yards were better employed than during 1927 as 299.117 tons were completed, which represents an increase of 38,060 tons. The motor-ve-hicle industry lias expanded to a remarkable degree, the value of its production having risen from Mks. 908,(iOO.i/Ol) in 1927 to about Mks. 1,050,000,009 in 1028. The German textile industry shared in the depression which afflicted this branch throughout Europe although the export of finished goods showed an increase of Mks. 121,000,000 on tlie year and amounted to Mks. 1,(300,090,0-20. The leather industry was also less well occupied than in 192/, but some branches were able to find compensation in export business.