The Daily News MONDAY, MAY 25. OUR TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 131, 25 May 1908, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, MAY 25. OUR TRADE.

The Xew Zealand Trade Review gives an interesting summary of the exports of the Dominion for the quarter which ended on March 31st asl. Put shortly, tin exports for the March quarter for the last few year-, excluding specie, which is not an important item, have been as follow--. 1908 01,330.201 1!H)7 8,531,241 11)011 7.088.535 1905 (i,484^82 The total exports tor the last four years including specie, arc as follows;

1!)08 .-C17.803.812 1007 .. ... .. 19.13-1,1158 19011 10.247,212 1905 15,520.90:; The last quarter s hows. therefore, a falling oil' of over two millions as compared wiih the corresponding quarter of last year. Of ibis -tun wool i- accountable for a million and a-half, or nearlv 34 per cent, of last year's prices. There is, however, a falling-oil' in quantity which i- wurlli notice. The figure- for Hie six months ending March 31-1 are given a- follow-:

tear. lb-. C 1908 .. 119.19t1.251i .. 4.251.384 1907 .. 125.511.981 .. 5.02(1.075 1900 .. 113.082.585 .. 4.741.500 1905 .. 115.827.210 .. 4.255.079 The number of sheep in the country haincreased legularly, but the quantity of wool shorn and the market price both been subject to some variation. The reduction in quantity exported is not very large, and may to some extent be accounted for by the. holding back of clips or portions of clips in consequence of the bad market. If that i ri so it will appear from the returns of the later part of the year. The Review gives au interesting summary of the position of the leading articles of export, which is worth quoting in full. It says: — Wool show* a shortage of 7.275,77U1b., equal to 4.4 per cent., while in value the decrease amounts to U4,41pj,752. or 19.47 per cent. This accounts for within 1:105.595 of the total falling oil'. Frozen meat is less in quantity by 2VI. per cent., with only a fractional decrease in value.

Tallow shows nearly •!</■. per cent, less in weight, with only 12-3 per cent, decrease in value. in butter there is a shortage equal to 12 per cent, in weight, and a fraction more than that in value. Cheese has an increase equal to 73 '/., per cent, in quantity, and fully 70 per cent, in value. In kauri gtiui there is a shortage in quantity equal to W/s l»'r cent,, while the diminution in value is just over i'/u per cent. In hemp there is a shortage in weight equal to nearly It 1 /: per cent., while in value the decrease is over 19 per cent. Tin. expoiis of grain have fallen off to n mere trifle.

When we turn lo the mutter of imports we are met with a curious portion. The imports for the pa.l y»r show a heavy increase. The Mai imports for the hint four years have I n as follows: ]!MW e15.21i1.1..ii 10117 10.322.n1!', liillil I3.LSI.HSIi 1!)I1.-, 13.034.3111 The reason for this enormous increase during the last two years is hard to discover. The Review nays (here is no indication as to the responsibility of -urh a remarkable expansion altachi„._< to anv particular class of goods. It is'suggested that it may Ik' partly due to heavy importations of foreign goods in view' of the preferential sections of the new tariff. The startling fact, however, which attracts attention on the consideration of these figures i„ that hist year there was only a difference ol half n million to the good of the country on the year's trade.