OUR FOREIGN TRADE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 112, 2 August 1927, Page 13

OUR FOREIGN TRADE

GERMANY'BUYING LESS MORE AMERCIAN IMPORTS WELLINGTON, Monday. Germany is buying- less than hith- ! erto from New Zealand, although the i other side of our trade ledger shows ' that so far as imports to the Dominion are concerned, trade with Germany \ continues to flourish. The Government statistician. Mr. Malcolm Fraser, points out that goods of German origin which came here last year were valued at £673,472 an advance of £172,997 over the 1925 figure, due to all-round increases. Exports to Germany dropped considerably, from £1.614.090 in 1925 to £364,629 in 1926. Wool, which is the predominating item, fell by £1,107,226. while butter exports, valued at £117,858 in 1925, do not appear at all on the 1926 records. So far as the United States is concerned, imports into New Zealand are soaring. During the war period New Zealand’s trade with the United States attained considerable dimensions, the peak year being 1920, when the total trade between the two countries amounted to over £18,000,000. Although the years 1921 and 1922 witnessed a substantial drop, as a result of the post-war trade depression, considerable progress was made in subsequent years. In point of fact, the 1926 imports—£lo,ooo,so7 — are second in magnitude only to the record total of 1920 (£11.100,259). and represent an increase of £1,115,242 over the previous year’s figures. The greatest increase is apparent in motor vehicles, motor spirit, hardware and ironmongery, telephones and accesS sories, sundry metal, manufactures, timber, dried and fresh fruits. Exports to the States during 1926 amounted to £3,818,232, a drop of over half a milion compared with 1925, the result of declines in sheepskins, wool, and kauri gum. Trade with Australia is also considerable, the figures for 1920 being: Imports. £4,025,200. and exports. £3,054,433. Imports were £624,293 less than in 1925, the items most prominent in bringing about the reduction being timber, wheat, sugar and tobacco. Flour, on the other hand, advanced by nearly £300,000.

A gratifying feature from the point of view of reciprocity of trade is the increase of £552,320 in the exports to Australia, notwithstanding the recession in imports noted above. Over half the increase occurred in butter, while substantial advances were recorded in potatoes and gold.