H,— 44.

Exports to all British countries during 1931 declined by £8,200,160, while exports to foreign countries declined by £1,587,504. In 1931 exports to British countries represented 93-0 per cent, of total exports, as compared with 90-9 per cent, in 1930, while exports to foreign countries represented 7-0 per cent, in 1931 in com parison with 9-1 per cent, in 1930. The percentages of total exports shipped to each of the principal countries trading with the Dominion during the past four calendar years are, shown in the following table : —

The most important feature in connection with the foregoing table is the exceptionally high proportion of our total export trade which was conducted with the United Kingdom in 1931, the percentage rising from 80-17 per cent, in the previous year to 88-02 per cent. The proportion of our exports which Canada took fell from 5'65 per cent, in 1930 to 0-73 per cent, in 1931, this being due mainly to the restrictions placed on the importation of our butter into that country, this commodity previously being our largest single item of export thither.

Imports. As stated earlier in this review, imports for 1931 aggregated £24,812,958, as compared with £43,025,914 for 1930. The table which follows shows the quantities and values of the principal items imported during those two years.

Decreases in values of importations of the various items during 1931 as compared with 1930 were recorded in all cases.

3

1928. 1929. 1930. | 1931. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. United Kingdom .. .. .. 72-09 73-69 80-17 88-02 United States .. .. .. 7-58 6-57 4-71 2-62 Australia .. .. .. .. 6-05 4-21 3-45 3-33 Canada .. .. .. .. 4-39 6-03 5-65 0-73 France .. .. .. .. 3-20 3-18 1-15 1-19 Germany .. .. .. .. 2-30 2-20 0-89 0-88 Belgium .. .. . . . . 0-54 0-45 0-44 0-42 Japan .. .. .. .. 1-17 0-77 0-35 0-76

1931. 1930. Item. — 1 —: — — ' — Quantity. I Value. Quantity. Value. I £ £ Wheat .. .. .. .. Centals 113,008 33,508 168,082 77,253 Sugar .. .. .. .. Cwt. 1,587,470 574,810 1,772,885 758,263 Tea .. .. .. ..lb. 12,115,273 650,550 10,178,238 710,400 Whisky.. .. .. .. Gal. 255,499 259,328 432.809 457,015 Cigarettes .. .. ..lb. 525,074 187,755 874,487 395,285 Tobacco .. .. „ 3,095,519 474,849 3,919,989 734,406 Apparel.. .. .. .. .. .. 1,679,202 .. 2,897,344 Boots and shoes .. .. .. Doz. prs. 152,555 445,579 247,964 928,685 Carpets and floor-coverings.. .. .. .. 237,831 .. 578,812 Drapery, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 296,216 .. 501,519 Cotton piece-goods .. .. .. .. 1,161,164 .. 1,872,613 Silk piece-goods .. .. .. .. .. 610,388 .. 1,020,721 Woollen piece-goods .. .. .. .. 401,513 .. 622,256 Petrol and kerosene .. .. Gal. 65,545,249 1,377,840 74,621,738 2,264,754 Coal .. .. .. .. Tons 179,060 194,137 157,943 200,419 Hardware .. .. .. .. .. 386,106 .. 867,507 Electrical equipment .. .. .. .. 1,308,877 .. 2,180,656 Timber .. .. .. .. .. .. 222,576 .. 917,513 Motor-vehicles .. .. ..No. 4,014 578,039 17,363 2,478,140 Motor-tires .. .. .. .. .. 518,922 .. 809,763 Other imports .. .. .. .. .. 13,213,768 .. 21,752,590 Total imports .. .. .. .. 24,812,958 .. 40,025,914