TRADE PROSPECTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2672, 30 November 1909, Page 5

TRADE PROSPECTS.

ADDRESS BY THE AIJNISTER OF AGRICULTURE.

pv.it Press Association.!

< CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 29. During the course of his speech at Mackenzie on Saturday evening, the Alibis ter of Agriculture, referring to the' farmers’ outlook, said: "General prospects lor the world’s trade are good, and as this country is affected by the success or the reverse of trade prospects in older countries, all may look forward with a. reasonable degree, of assurance to increased prosperity' here. The position of iron, the output of gold and the bountiful wheat harvest, with firm prices, usually indicate a period of . trade prosperity, and the position of iron/ gold, and wheat at the !prosent moment is satisfactory. It js held by competent authorities that the increase in the world’s output of gold indicates 'a continuance of trade stability, and it has been pointed out in vindication of that opinion what has occurred jn the past, when, the output of gold did not increase. In 1887 the world’s output of gold was £20,900,000. and last year it amounted to £86,000,000. South Africa since 1904 has moro than doubled its output of gold, which now stands at £32,000,000 per annum. The United States in 1890 produced 32,000,000 dollars’ worth of gold, and last year she reached 96,000,000 dollars’ worth. ..According to recent papers I read that the accumulation of gold in the banks was never greater. It has increased in the past six months, from £450,000,000 to £501,000,000. Now', speaking moreimmediately of our own country, we promise to have a most bountiful harvest. If all goes well it should be a record one. . 1/rices for the majority of our products are satisfactory, prices for butter, cheese, wheat ami wool especially, so, whilst hemp is improving, and our frozen meat still stands at a considerable advance over the prices obtained not so long ago. The increased price of wool, and also the increase, iu the output, based on the price of Ala.y of last year, .should equal fully £3,000,000 to the .settlers of this country. There has been an increase of 22,000,0001 b for the year ending Alarcli 31st, 1909, oyer that of the previous year, and this season promises to mark a still greater increase. Speaking of increases, I might mention parenthentically that' our exports • for the first Seven months of this year show an increase in value of more than £2,000.000 over the' corresponding period of last your. The difference between imports ad exports marks sound commercial and financial progress. As regards wool, at any rate, everything points to a continuance of the present satisfactory conditions. The total of the world’s flocks at the end of 1908 was 382.854.528, as against 522,564,135 m 1893, and during the same period the world’s wool-using population had increased from 522,836,225 in 1895, to 610,391,508 in 'I9OB. _ Flocks are decreasing, while risers of wool are increasing. It might be interesting to note where the decreases in flocks come in. Germany has decreased her flocks from 25.000,000 to 7,000,000, and France from 32,000,000 to 17,000,000. 1 might point out that decreases in flocks have occurred in those countries to which we have no access' for oui frozen meat, so that does not ease us. In that respect another interesting thing to note is the change that has taken place in. tile populations of comparatively new countries and the effects on production and consumption of their products. The United States has not, for a considerable period increased her output of wool, while her exports or wheat and cattle have enormously diminished, due, undoubtedly, to the fact of the great, increaso in her home consumption. ."With .her population numbering some 58,000,000 .souls, she has now reached the point of absorbing much of what she produces. On. ‘tile other hand;the' Argentine, with her vast- amount "of undeveloped country,'. is more than taking the position formerly occupied by the United States ii/-exporting products to the markets of the world.”