The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Personal Volume
II. Trade and Shipping
II. Trade and Shipping.
The trade of the colony has undergone many changes in twenty years. The character of the shipping has been entirely altered. Up to 1864 our goods were brought to us from England mainly in wooden ships, and these took our produce from the colony to other countries. It is true that there were steamers running between Melbourne and the colony, and occasionally from Sydney, but these were small compared with the steamers now performing the passage. After 1864 iron ships began to be numerons. But now we have direct steam communication with England, two services of most magnificent vessels, comprising the following,: "Ionic," 4,753 tons; "Coptic," 4,367 tons; "Doric," 4,744 tons; "Tainui," 5,200 tons; and "Arawa," 5,200 tons, belonging to the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company: and the "Rimutaka," 4,474 tons; "Ruapehu," 4,163 tons; "Kaikoura," 4,474 tons; "Tongariro," 4,163 tons; and "Aorangi," 4,163 tons, belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company. There is a fine mail service to America by the San Francisco route; the steamers leave the colony once every month and arrive once a month, calling on their way at Honolulu.
From | Vessels. | Tons. |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 148 | 102,679 |
New South Wales | 408 | 140,485 |
Victoria | 254 | 112,143 |
South Australia | 53 | 13,396 |
Tasmania | 136 | 22,758 |
Mauritius | 7 | 1,708 |
Cape of Good Hope | 6 | 1,867 |
Norfolk Island | 2 | 100 |
Vancouver's Island | 1 | 847 |
India | 2 | 2,003 |
Hongkong | 1 | 354 |
Prince Edward Island | 1 | 173 |
South Sea Islands | 31 | 2,637 |
United States | 35 | 13,098 |
South America | 10 | 3,177 |
New Caledonia | 1 | 258 |
France | 3 | 1,416 |
Germany | 1 | 575 |
Sweden | 3 | 1,506 |
Southern Whale Fishery | 14 | 4,845 |
Totals | 1,117 | 426,004 |
Countries to which cleared. | Vessels. | Tons. |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 25 | 18,323 |
New South Wales | 514 | 165,522 |
Victoria | 154 | 62,034 |
South Australia | 18 | 4,155 |
Tasmania | 118 | 21,208 |
Queensland | 3 | 598 |
Norfolk Island | 1 | 50 |
Point de Galle | 2 | 2,407 |
India | 37 | 35,948 |
Mauritius | 1 | 215 |
Prince Edward Island | 1 | 336 |
Hongkong | 3 | 1,789 |
Shanghai | 2 | 1,870 |
France | 1 | 406 |
United States | 27 | 10,011 |
South America | 48 | 32,582 |
China | 15 | 7,711 |
Java | 2 | 1,020 |
Guam | 66 | 36,229 |
Manilla | 1 | 591 |
Batavia | 2 | 1,864 |
Chincha Islands | 1 | 213 |
Japan | 1 | 692 |
South Sea Islands | 37 | 24,291 |
Southern Whale Fishery | 9 | 3,208 |
Totals | 1,089 | 433,253 |
Vessels. | Tons. | |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 134 | 167,626 |
Australia | 535 | 286,432 |
Pacific Islands | 103 | 41,259 |
United States | 23 | 10,935 |
Mauritius | 26 | 8,535 |
Java | 11 | 6,659 |
India | 2 | 1,708 |
China | 2 | 1,311 |
Japan | 2 | 591 |
Singapore | 1 | 237 |
Cape Colony | 1 | 696 |
Whale Fisheries | 10 | 3,199 |
Countries to which cleared. | Vessels. | Tons. |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 136 | 171,862 |
Australia | 500 | 263,403 |
Pacific Islands | 100 | 40,777 |
United States | 9 | 4,086 |
Cape Colony | 3 | 1,438 |
Hongkong | 2 | 662 |
India | 1 | 651 |
Germany | 1 | 977 |
Guam | 2 | 128 |
Mauritius | 1 | 241 |
Whale Fisheries | 16 | 2,304 |
One thing these tables show is that our English ships had, after landing their goods, to go to Australia, "to Guam," to South America, or elsewhere, seeking freight; now our exports are so near our imports that we can send our vessels away loaded and not in ballast.
In 1864 the imports amounted to £7,000,655; in 1884 to £7,663,888.
In 1864 the exports amounted to £3,401,667; and in 1884, £7,091,667.
It may be well to give a table showing the exports and imports during the last twenty years, and earlier (see table in Appendix No. 1).
It will be observed that the imports have not increased so largely as might have been expected; but this can easily be explained: First, local manufactures have wonderfully increased; and, second, the price of commodities imported page 21 has fallen. For £1 we obtain now in clothing what must have cost us £1 10s. in 1864; and other goods have similiarly fallen in value.
The increase of our imports and exports will be seen by a diagram (see Appendix No. 3), which has been prepared by Mr. W. N. Blair, Assistant-Engineer-in-Chief of the colony. One observation may be made on the diagram. The imports show a great variation, jumping up to high figures after the discovery of gold and after the beginning of our railway-making in 1870. Our exports have gradually, almost uniformly, increased since 1854, showing few jumps if the value of gold is excluded.
I intend further on to speak of the development of the manufacturing industries. Bearing on this question, it is interesting to note how the population has increased, especially about the larger centres, since 1864. This, of itself, is sufficient to show the development of manufacturing enterprise. Of the maps (see Appendix No. 4, A and B). A shows the present location of the population, whilst that in 1864 is shown on map B. The maps also show the density of the population, exclusive of Maoris, in 1881.
1864. | 1884. | |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | £3,259,174 | £4,934,493 |
Australia and Tasmania | 3,429,809 | 1,635,762 |
United States | 109,222 | 348,557 |
Mauritius | 05,758 | 257,670 |
China and Japan | 607 | 138,892 |
India | 433 | 73,467 |
Philippine Islands, &c. | 144,005 | |
Pacific Islands | 15,136 | 100,181 |
Europe (excepting United Kingdom) | 22,055 | 26,024 |
Africa | 8,957 | 324 |
Canada | 1,311 | 750 |
British Columbia | 3,891 | |
South America | 77,820 | |
Southern Whale Fisheries | 1,482 | 3,763 |
Other countries | 5,000 |
This table points out that for a considerable time after the gold rush we depended in no small degree on Australian merchants. Now we import directly, and only get from page 22 Australia her own products, and small quantities of British merchandise.