IMPORTATION OF LUXURIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 May 1917, Page 7

IMPORTATION OF LUXURIES.

Presumably the lack of ships will place an embargo on New Zealand's importations during the current year (says the Lyttelton Times). If so the effect may bo beneficial in curbing some of the luxurious habits which have been contracted during the period of our war prosperity. Many of our readers nmy not realise the variety and extent of our national enterprise. If not it would be as well for them to run their eyes down this little list:— 1915. 1918. Increase. £ £ £ Apparel 931,179 1,224,220 293,041 Motor

vehicles 012,855 803,031 190,178 Whisky • 207,222 510,715 249,493 Other spirits 107,708 185,398 77,083 Tobacco 921,972 373,142 51,170 Cigarettes 189,023 318,095 129,972 Drapery 235,762 311,538 75,744 Hosiery 211,902 387,096 165,134 Chinaware 94,080 158,904 64,884 Glassware 181,873 215,544 33,071 Cycles and motor cycles 60,431 125,093 04,602 Pianos 81,559 97,847 . 10,288 As an indication of the extent to which the increase in curtain imports represented quantity njs well as value, it may be mentioned that the number of motor vehicles imported in 1916 was 6174, as against 3598 in 1915; that 998,594 gallons of whisky came into the country in 1916, as compared with 674,723 in the preceding year; and that the cigarettes imported in 1916 totalled 979,5151b, as compared with 577,8891b. in 1915. The conclusion is irresistible that tlhe New Zealand public has ample room for the practice of economy in the curtailment of its purchases of commo. dities that to a large extent represent luxuries.