N.Z. TRADE REVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 195, 7 November 1927, Page 12

N.Z. TRADE REVIEW

NINE MONTHS’ FIGURES BRIGHTER OUTLOOK _J* (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, Saturday. rp h E trade outlook as revealed X by the figures covering the nine months ended September 30 appears brighter than was the case at the same time last year, the excess of exports over imports showing a greater trade balance than for the first nine months of 1926. The exports from January 1 to September this year totalled A!37,91.6,688, and imports reached £33,684,039, leaving an excess of exports of £4,232,649. For the corresponding period of last year the exports totalled £37,346,920, and the imports £ 37,404,365, an excess of imports of £57,448. It is notable that the principal increases in exports were recorded in certain lines of primary produce, although other sections of production suffered a decline. Butter, of which £6,506,593 was exported this year, as against £5,997,303 for the same period last ye,ar, went up substantially, while frozen lamb went from £5,529,382 to £5,331,915, and wool, which had reached £10,544,711 last year, came to £11,344,515. Sheep skins went up from £1,360,930 to £1,366,020, while hides, calf skins, barley, oats, hops, grass and clover seeds also showed increases. DECLINE OF CHEESE EXPORTS Of those commodities that declined in export figures cheese was the most outstanding, the figure - receding from £4,636,960 last year to £3,988,334 for the nine months just ended. Frozen mutton dropped from £1,903,013 to £1,800,894 and rabbit skins, which contribute substantially to the export figures of the Dominion, fell away from £615,538 to £437,371. Coal exports declined from £221,583 to £191,860; kauri gum fell from £267,756 to £220,338; timber went back from £349,506 to £322,956; and potatoes from £132,634 to £6,430. Apples and onions exports also declined fairly substantially. The total imports to New Zealand for the nine months reviewed totalled £33,684,039, which represents a drop of £3,720,329. One of the most substantial declines is in the importation of motor vehicles, the number of vehicles having dropped from 17,375 to 9,153, and the values from £2,792,77,8 to £1,425,523. Tyres, tubes and covers increased from £769,290 to £824,534, and other parts fell from £278,460 to £213,954. Some of the other recessions in import figures reveal a gratifying decline in certain lines which have been coming into the country in the face of strenuous objection from those interested in the Dominion. A few of these are outlined, the figure for last year being given in parenthesis:— Motor spirit, £1,474,341 (£1,692,392): benzine, £53,863 (£104,603); gasolene, £14,621 (£105,036); wheat. £200.157, -513,318); flour, £177,684 (£290,784; sugar, j£°95,224 (£715,147); ready-made clothing, ~1>627,H6 (£1,802,733); cotton piece goods, £jk*Bl,4BS (£1,623,683); timber, £567,525 (£094,6/9). The mam increases are recorded in drapery, silks, satins arid velvets, electrical machinery and equipment, and tools for engineers. PREFERENCE FOR BRITISH GOODS The direction of the country’s trade shows that of the total exports of £37,916,658, British countries accounted for £33,303,987, a percentage of 57.9, which compares with 86,8 for the corresponding period of last year. The share of the United Kingdom was £29,149,071, equal to <6.9 per cent, of the total, as compared with the 1926 percentage of 77.7 Other export customers of importance during the period were: Australia 7.4, United btates Canada 2.5, Germany 2.4, Prance 2.2. Of the imports of £33,684.039, British countries supplied £23,314.023, equal to 69.0 per cent, of the total, which coincides with the percentage for the first nine months of 1926. The share of the United ir°r £16,296,634 represented 48.4 £ei cent, of the total, an increase of 2 1 R?T 5L ent - °'; e r th ® Percentage of last year. Othei countries from which the Dominion StaTes considerable supplies are: United fvtrice o 7 S ’A“ stl ; a ,i la s ’ 9 ’ Canada. 5.9, f 7 Ceylon 2.0, Germany Uf Dutch East Indies 1.6, Japan 1 3 Belgium 1.0, Switzerland 0.9, Italy 0.6. ’