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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.

The number of ships and tonnage do not seem to have so largely increased, considering our exports and other page 19 trade; but, of course, that may be partially accounted for by the fact that the steamers are larger, and make more rapid voyages. The shipping in 1864 was the following:—
Vessels Entered Inwards.
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
Cleared Outwards.
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
page 20
In 1884 the number of ships entered inwards was 852 vessels, of 529,188 tons, made up as follows:—
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
The shipping outwards consisted of 872 vessels, of 534.2-42 tons. viz.:—
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.

The countries with which New Zealand is doing trade appear from the following figures, which show the total value of the imports in 1864 and 1884 respectively:—
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.