The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 62
Trade
Trade.
Having given a short statement of the productions of New Zealand, it will be interesting to see how the trade of New Zealand and the other Australasian colonies is distributed, and for that purpose I have compiled the following from the Statistics of New Zealand for 1890:—
Imports and Exports.
The total declared values of the imports in 1890 amounted to 6,260,525l., being a decrease on the total values in 1889 of 48,338l.
Groups of Principal Articles Imported. | 1888. | 1889. | 1890. | Imported from the United Kingdom Id 1890. |
---|---|---|---|---|
£ | £ | £ | £ | |
Apparel and slops | 236,707 | 330,304 | 319,235 | 312,671 |
Boots and shoes | 145,742 | 117,907 | 127,371 | 116,706 |
Cotton piece-goods | 266,646 | 330,534 | 312,935 | 308,993 |
Drapery | 508,558 | 360,226 | 315,169 | 309,380 |
Haberdashery | 80,376 | 74,513 | 88,945 | 63,987 |
Hosiery | 55,617 | 57,992 | 68,807 | 68,232 |
Hats and cans | 37,459 | 53,854 | 48,927 | 45,606 |
Linen manufactures | 23,464 | 44,914 | 42,605 | 41,754 |
Millinery | 31,749 | 22,336 | 21,384 | 21,005 |
Silks | 32,694 | 75,248 | 76,807 | 74,908 |
Woollen piece-goods and blankets | 91,001 | 125,622 | 150,555 | 147,777 |
Totals | 1,510,013 | 1,593,450 | 1,572,740 | 1,511,019page 17 |
Agricultural implements | 11,922 | 7,740 | 9,602 | 7,895 |
Cutlery | 13,502 | 17,883 | 16,786 | 16,137 |
Hardware and ironmongery | 140,572 | 149,207 | 165,158 | 134,764 |
Iron rails and railwaybolts, &c. | 13,943 | 14,016 | 40,700 | 36,646 |
Iron, other—pig, wrought, wire, &c. | 248,948 | 380,897 | 330,727 | 319,350 |
Machinery | 164,462 | 190,676 | 195,467 | 137,532 |
Nails | 24,256 | 24,182 | 27,408 | 21,488 |
Railway plant | 23,926 | 13,161 | 12,131 | 10,106 |
Sewing-machines | 10,281 | 24,981 | 23,531 | 2,098 |
Steel and steel rails | 18,214 | 40,086 | 50,989 | 50,029 |
Tools, artificers' | 27,758 | 38,972 | 42,930 | 34,092 |
Totals | 697,784 | 901,801 | 915,429 | 770,137 |
Sugar | 350,637 | 398,527 | 383,610 | 18,354 |
Tea | 186,217 | 137,925 | 154,057 | 1,595 |
Totals | 536,854 | 536,452 | 537,667 | 19,949 |
Beer | 47,852 | 54,323 | 54,164 | 52,015 |
Spirits | 154,594 | 182,740 | 144,914 | 118,250 |
Tobacco | 106,246 | 105,402 | 103,064 | 24,596 |
Wine | 42,407 | 47,214 | 50,435 | 29,403 |
Totals | 351,099 | 389,679 | 352,577 | 224,264 |
Paper | 94,614 | 107,885 | 111,896 | 94,066 |
Printed books | 94,423 | 110,874 | 105,344 | 69,953 |
Stationery | 58,543 | 66,219 | 66,793 | 58,564 |
Totals | 247,580 | 284,978 | 284,033 | 222,583 |
Bags and sacks | 152,140 | 178,727 | 59,892 | 2,083 |
Coals | 98,431 | 114,053 | 102,166 | 4,629 |
Fancy goods | 64,806 | 69,448 | 59,745 | 49,554 |
Fruits (including fresh, preserved, bottled, dried) | 113,311 | 83,317 | 108,610 | 34,114 |
Oils | 121,159 | 121,232 | 111,720 | 43,332 |
Other imports (excluding specie) | 1,536,873 | *1,707,446 | 1,824,316 | 1,335,802 |
Totals (excluding specie") | 5,430,050 | *5,980,583 | 5,928,895 | 4,217,466 |
Specie imported | 511,850 | 328,280 | 331,630 | 3,804 |
Total imports | 5,941,900 | *6,308,863 | 6,260,525 | 4,221,270 |
There was an increase in 1890 in the value of the imports from the United Kingdom to the extent of 83,193l., or nearly at the rate of page 18 2 per cent. The increase in the value of imports from Germany amounted to 31,3392.—a comparatively small amount, but very large having regard to the value of imports in 1889, which amounted to only 18,9642. The increase in 1890 was thus at the rate of 165 per cent.—another evidence of the enterprise of the German merchants, which has been very noticeable in recent years. The principal increases in imports from other countries were in those from Belgium, the United States, and the Fiji and Pacific islands.
Country. | 1889. | 1890. | Increase. |
---|---|---|---|
£ | £ | £ | |
United Kingdom | 4,138,077 | 4,221,270 | 83,193 |
Germany | 18,964 | 50,303 | 31,339 |
United States | 342,536 | 355,395 | 12,859 |
Pacific Islands | 26,213 | 38,235 | 12,022 |
Fiji and Norfolk Island | 127,131 | 138,274 | 11,143 |
Belgium | 2,420 | 5,714 | 3,294 |
Canada and New Brunswick | 3,132 | 4,100 | 968 |
West Indies | 83 | 83 Decrease. | |
India and Ceylon | 204,373 | 132,847 | 71,526 |
Hongkong and China | 111,621 | 59,421 | 52,200 |
Mauritius | 129,943 | 91,520 | 38,423 |
Australia and Tasmania | 1,107,132 | 1,087,593 | 19,539 |
Java | 44,026 | 36,120 | 7,906 |
Philippine Islands | 19,239 | 12,478 | 6,761 |
Japan | 8,297 | 5,708 | 2,589 |
France | 7,231 | 5,851 | 1,380 |
Other European countries | 6,978 | 6,149 | 829 |
Asia Minor | 1,110 | 382 | 728 |
Singapore | 7,922 | 7,384 | 538 |
Cape Colony | 77 | 1 | 76 |
Brazil | 5 | .. | 5 |
The value of all the exports in 1890 was 9,811,7202l., against 9,341,8642l. in 1889, an increase of 469,8562l. The exports in 1889 were of greater value than those in 1888 by 1,571,940l. The value of exports in 1890 was thus greater than that in 1888 by 2,041,796l., an increase for the two years at the rate of over 26 per cent. The value of New Zealand produce exported in 1890 amounted to 9,428,761l., being at the rate of 15l. 3s. 5d. per head of population. In 1889 the value of home produce exported was 9,044,607l.
The total value of the external trade in 1890 was 16,072,2452., equivalent to 25l. 17s. 9d. per head of the population, excluding Maoris.
page 19The trade with the United Kingdom amounted to 11,622,620l., being an increase of 896,627l. on that in 1889. This trade comprised 72.3 per cent, of the total trade in 1890, against 68.6 per cent, in 1889.
The trade with the Australian colonies and Tasmania in 1890 amounted to 2,721,841l., against 3,252,803l. in 1889, a decrease of 530,962l., which was chiefly caused by a contraction in the value of exports from New Zealand to those colonies to the extent of 511,423l. The trade with New South Wales amounted to 1,261,561l., of which the exports thereto amounted in value to 885,737l., which included New Zealand produce to the extent of 770,679l., or to more than double the value of all the imports from New South Wales, which amounted in 1890 to 375,824l. The trade with Victoria amounted to 1,157,585l., a decrease on the amount in 1889 of 201,852l. The exports thereto amounted to 567,727l, in value; of these, the value of New Zealand produce was 440,569l., including gold of the value of 290,674l.
Exports from New Zealand to | New Zealand Produce. | Total Export. |
---|---|---|
£ | £ | |
New South Wales, 1890 | 770,670 | 885,737 |
Victoria, 1890 | 410,569 | 567,727 |
Exports to New Zealand from | Home Produce. | Total Export to New Zealand. |
---|---|---|
£ | £ | |
New South Wales, 1890 | 142,071 | 294,113 |
Victoria, 1889 | 147,998 | 356,212 |
Of the 142,071l. exported from New South Wales, 86,453l. was the value of the coal sent. Of the 147,998l. exported from Victoria, 110,000l. consisted of gold coin minted in Melbourne.
page 20The trade with Fiji made again an advance in the year. In 1888 it was 149,839l.; in 1889, 170,181l.; and in 1890, 184,684l. The trade with the other Pacific Islands and Norfolk Island increased from 127,727l. to 135,592l.
Year. | Imports from | Exports to | Total Trade. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlantic Ports. | Pacific Ports. | Atlantic Ports. | Pacific Ports. | ||
£ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
1881 | 302,138 | 41,507 | 116,629 | 239,158 | 699,432 |
1882 | 398,153 | 65,340 | 126,583 | 308,101 | 898,177 |
1883 | 357,871 | 61,379 | 158,426 | 272,563 | 850,239 |
1884 | 300,185 | 48,372 | 183,939 | 30,430 | 562,926 |
1885 | 366,873 | 34,659 | 130,053 | 274,825 | 806,410 |
1886 | 304,571 | 32,751 | 166,926 | 80,474 | 584,722 |
1887 | 263,377 | 35,359 | 241,388 | 168,092 | 708,216 |
1888 | 285,864 | 37,205 | 204,302 | 119,414 | 646,785 |
1889 | 307,156 | 35,280 | 242,778 | 98,584 | 683,798 |
1890 | 321,047 | 34,348 | 364,332 | 218,802 | 938,529 |
Of the exports to the United States in 1890 the value of New Zealand products amounted to 478,594l., the principal items being the following: Kauri-gum, 262,213l.; Phormium, 138,416/l.; gold, 63,681l.; sheepskins, 5040l.; and sausage-skins, 4756l. No wool was exported thither in 1890.
The trade with India decreased from 217,346l. in 1889, to 137,389l. in 1890—at the rate of 37 per cent. The value of imports fell from 204,373l. to 132,847l., and that of exports thereto from 12,973l. to 4542l. These exports in 1890 consisted mainly of three items, viz. horses, of the value of 3050l.; cheese, 538l.; and preserved meats, 631l.; leaving only 499l. for distribution among minor items.
Ceylon and Burmah are included in the term India, but the imports from Ceylon increased from 10,227l. in 1889 to 19,264l. in 1890.
Colony. | Total Value of | Excess of | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Imports. | Exports. | Imports over Exports. | Exports over Imports. | |
£ | £ | £ | £ | |
New Zealand | 6,260,525 | 9,811,720 | .. | 3,551,195 |
Queensland | 5,066,700 | 8,554,512 | .. | 3,487,812 |
New South Wales | 22,615,004 | 22,045,937 | 569,067 | .. |
Victoria | 22,954,015 | 13,266,222 | 9,687,793 | .. |
South Australia | 8,262,673 | 8,827,378 | .. | 564,705 |
Western Australia | 874,447 | 671,813 | 202,634 | .. |
Tasmania | 1,897,512 | 1,486,992 | 410,520 | .. |
Totals | 67,930,876 | 64,664,574 | 3,266,302 | .. |
Colony. | Home Produce exported. | Per Head of Population. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
£ | £ | s. | d. | |
New Zealand | 9,428,761 | 15 | 3 | 9 |
Queensland | 8,412,244 | 20 | 5 | 8 |
New South Wales | 17,232,725 | 15 | 12 | 8 |
Victoria | 10,291,821 | 9 | 4 | 0 |
South Australia | 4,410,062 | 14 | 3 | 2 |
Western Australia | 659,661 | 14 | 12 | 5 |
Tasmania | 1,430,806 | 9 | 19 | 1 |
Colony. | Imports from the United Kingdom. | Exports to the United Kingdom. | Total Trade with the United Kingdom. |
---|---|---|---|
£ | £ | £ | |
New Zealand | 4,221,270 | 7,401,350 | 11,622,620 |
Queensland | 2,120,071 | 2,365,673 | 4,485,744 |
New South Wales | 8,628,007 | 6,623,431 | 15,251,438 |
Victoria | 9,607,193 | 6,850,014 | 16,457,207 |
South Australia | 2,483,416 | 4,296,647 | 6,780,063 |
Western Australia | 415,149 | 335,162 | 750,311 |
Tasmania | 680,760 | 323,239 | 1,003,999 |
The following statement shows the relative importance of the Australasian Colonies as markets for the productions of the United Kingdom:—
page 22£ | ||
---|---|---|
British India and Ceylon | 34,562,616 | |
United States | 32,068,128 | |
Australasia— | £ | |
Queensland | 2,128,216 | |
New South Wales | 7,334, 666 | |
Victoria | 7,101,348 | |
South Australia | 2,040,559 | |
Western Australia | 464,209 | |
Tasmania | 609,344 | |
New Zealand | 3,314,482 | |
Fiji | 13,180 | |
23,006,004 | ||
Germany | 19,293,626 | |
France | 16,567,927 | |
Holland | 10,121,160 | |
China and Hongkong | 9,138,429 | |
Cape of Good Hope and Natal | 9,128,164 | |
Argentine Republic | 8,416,112 | |
Italy | 7,757,862 | |
Belgium | 7,638,712 | |
Brazil | 7,458,628 | |
Canada | 6,827,023 | |
Turkey | 6,772,061 | |
Russia | 5,751,601 | |
Spain | 4,999,705 | |
Japan | 4,081,793 | |
Egypt | 3,381,830 | |
Chili | 3,130,072 | |
Sweden | 3,061,976 |
The exports of home produce to other countries did not in any case amount to 3,000,000l.
The amounts given as the value of exports of home produce from the United Kingdom to the several Australasian colonies differ widely from the values given of all imports into the colonies from the United Kingdom, because the latter include more than British products, and the twelve months for arrival into the colonies of those exports would not correspond with the twelve months during which they were exported; the time of transit must be allowed for.
The Australian colonies as a whole, with a population under 4,000,000, thus takes third place in importance as consumers of British produce, the exports thereto being about two-thirds of the value of the similar exports to British India, with its 285,000,000 inhabitants-
The principal productions of these colonies will, for a lengthened period, consist of those arising from pastoral, agricultural, and mining pursuits. The immense areas of land capable of improvement and more beneficial occupation, and the large mineral resources only partially developed, forbid any expectation for a very considerable time of such an increase in manufacturing industries as would enable colonial to page 23 supersede English products to any very material extent. The consumption per head of the population may be somewhat less in the future as the proportion of adults decreases owing to lessened immigration and increase by births; but the relatively high rates of wages, and the absence of causes for any extensive pauperism, will make the proportionate consumption of products for a long time high. The rapid growth of the Australasian population may thus be expected to largely increase the demand for British products, and the future of the trade between the United Kingdom and the Australasian colonies will probably be such as to make them by a long way the principal markets for those products, and very important factors in the progress of the Imperial commonwealth.
London: Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Limited, Stamford Street and Charing Cross.