OUR EXPORT TRADE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 861, 8 April 1903, Page 2

OUR EXPORT TRADE.

SPLENDID INCREASE

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, last night. The statistics of tho exports of dairy produce and meat for the year ended March 31 are just to hand from the Government Statistician. They show, as has been foreshadowed irnin time to time by Ministers in recent addresses in different parts of the country, that the exports in these departments are increasing by leaps and bounds. The exports of lamb for the month of March constituted a record for the colony, the value of carcases sent out of the colony amounting to £255,378, as against £142,932 for the corresponding month of 1902.

The same comparison is shown in almost every department of dairy and meal exports. Buttor last month was 27,230 cwt, valued at £128,580, as against 26,025 cwt, valued at £118,117; cheese, 12,040 cwt, valued at £30,722, as against 10,778 cwt, valued at £22,360 ; beef, 15,657 cwt, valued at £21,120, as against 18,289 cwt, valued at £20,996 ; mutton carcases, 169,415 cwt, valued at £201,762, as against 101,188 cwt, valued at £105,460 ; mutton, legs and pieces 10,416 cwt, valued at £11.945, as against 8491 cwt, valued at £9119. In the aggregate the dairy produce export for tne month of March shows an increase of £18,825 over March last year, and the meat export figures show an increase of £211,698, or about 75 per cent. The total exports from our dairies and pastures in March, 1902, were £418,984. Last month they were £649,507.

The figures for the last nine years show great development in exports. Since 1895 exports have increased as follows : Butter from £263,244 to £1,269,676 ; cheese from £160,383 to £175,903, beef from £33,554 to £323,711, mutton from £991,165 to £1,466,000, mutton (legs and pieces) from £56,992 (in 1900) to £108,781, lamb from £259,816 to £1,048,115. Butter and cheese exported in 1888 was worth £197,170. In the year just ended it was worth £1.445,579. The meat exported in 1388 was valued at £628,800. Last year its value wa3 £2,946,607. The total exports for the year ended March 31st- wereßutter, 263,137 cwt, value £1,269,675; cheese, 74,393 cwt, £175,903; beef, 251.640, £323.711; mutton (carcases', 1,252,803, £1,466.000 ; mutton (legs and pieces!, 93,209, £108.781; lamb, 667,472, £1,047,115.