THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1911. BRITISH TRADE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10458, 24 October 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1911. BRITISH TRADE.

The importance of .maintaining the routes of comimerce between Great Britain and foreign countries, as well as between the overseas Dominions mid the Mother Land, is emphasized when it is remembered to what an extent the United Kingdom i s dependent upon outside sources for its food supply. The "Daily Mail," in a recent issue, said : Apart tfrom the increase in the volume of trade in 1910, two gratifying conclusions may Ibe drawn from the annual statement issued on. Wednesday by the Board of Trade. It is evident from these colossal figures that comimerce within the Empire has grown rapidly in recent years. The export of manufactured goods to British possessions lias increased (by 18 millions between the years 1908-10, while the value of ifood imported from these countries has increased iby 19J .millions. Both as buyers and sellers the Dominions have improved their (position. it may 'surprise some people who still Ibelieve that our manufactures depend on foreign countries to learn that more ithan one-third of our manufactured goods go to British possessions, and represented in 1910 a revenue of £130,638,948. This increase of 18 millions in the purchase' of British manufactures 'by our British possessions is repaid by an increase of 19J millions in foodstuffs from these countries. But we are still very far from the point when the United .Kingdom can (be fed iby its Dominions, for our total food imports is 1910 represented £257,681,588, of which British ipossessions contributed only £71,172,217, or aibout one-quar-ter. These figures carry their obvious lesson and warning. They show more vividly than 'any .political or economic arguments can ishow that we have pledged abroad our means of existence, and are utterly dependent not on barter alone hut on our indisputable power to maintain free comimunication iwith the outside world. This obvious fact ought to temper

( our satisfaction and stimulate our efforts to improve our internal resources and to strengthen our means t of defence.