THE DOMINION'S EXPORTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9091, 18 May 1908, Page 5

THE DOMINION'S EXPORTS.

BIG FALLING OFF FOR LAST QUARTER. The New Zealand "Trade Review," in the issue just to hand, publishes some interesting figures relating to the exports of- the dominion for the ; ; quarter ended' 31st March. It is I shown that the figures compare as follows with previous corresponding periods:— .■; 'March > ;'..'.-..- ' ■""-" TotaL 7/"■ • : ' }: '": ■ 'Quarter '-•■■'■ £"; ■' '■■•' i-" 1908- 6,331,927 1907 8,534,714 i : 1906 7,097,732 ',' 1905; 6,486,350 . The total exhibits a falling-off of £2,201,000 from that of ithe March . quarter of 1907. Wool alone shows a decrease: of some £1,594,000, or nearly 34 per cent. There is, however, a shortage equal to fully 13 per cent, in the weight of shipments for the quarter, leaving nearly 21 per cent, to be accounted for by fall iii. prices. Falling-off is seen also in; frozen meat, butter, kauri gum and ,hemp. A year ending with 31st March is not a good period for pur-V poses of comparison, as it comprises the halves of two seasons, and any measure of lateness or earliness in the gathering and shipping of the season's products militates against a , true comparison. The best year for this purpose is one closing with September 30th, when the season is completely over. The exports of woo! for the six" months ended on the 31st the expired portion of the current season, compare with the same'period of previous seasons as follows: Six months ended Weight. Value, 31st March, lbs. £ 1908 119,490,256 4,254.384 1907 125,544,981 5,620,676 1906 113,082;585 4,741,590 1905 115;827,210' 4,255,679 The number of sheep in New Zealand has bedn continuously on the increase during these years, but the ' exports of the respective half-years show marked irregularity, for reasons given above. As compared with the first half of the 1906-7 season the, latest'six months show a shortage of weight equal to nearly 5 per cent., Y while in value the difference is over ;24..per cent. We do not know of any reason to anticipate a smaller total clip thanthat of last and .therefore look to see a comparative increase in the shipments of the"•;.' latter half of the year.-—"Post."