H.—s

10

REPORT ON IMPORTS AND EXPORTS IN 1884. The following statement in tabular form shows the value of articles imported in 1884 which the colony ought to produce in abundance, not only for its own consumption, but also for export; the articles and their value, together with the markets, are also given. It will be seen that, after the United Kingdom, our best customer is New South Wales, who took just half what the MotherCountry did, and more than five times in value of our produce than any other country. She has proved a most valuable market for our draught horses, oats, bran, butter, cheese, and potatoes, and to a less extent wheat; these seven articles brought us £280,000 in that market alone. The South Sea Islands, including Piji and New Caledonia, took £35,000 worth of our produce, and it may reasonably be supposed that, now there is a regular mail service, these figures will be largely increased. One thing that cannot fail to strike even a casual observer is the large sum (£25,000) we paid to Tasmania for fresh fruit; our jams and jellies cost us £10,552 ; the greater portion of these two amounts should be kept in the country; we can grow nearly all the kinds of fruit we want, and ought to do so at a price to compete with the imported article; similarly we should not have to import marmalade, as oranges can be obtained very easily from Sydney, and it is to be hoped we shall supply ourselves with this fruit in a few years. No doubt our jam bill will be reduced considerably this year, as several factories are hard at work at the present time. W. de G. Reeves, Wellington, 18th December, 1885. Officer in charge, Agricultural Department.

Value of Alimentary Products, &c., Imported from, and Exported to, the undermentioned Countries, and the Principal Articles, 1884.

Countries. ! Imports Principal Articles. Exports. Principal Articles. Jnited Kingdom 255,891 Seeds (grass and clover), candles, linseed and olive oil, preserved fish, preserved milk Fresh fruit, stud horses, cattle, sheep 901,026 Wheat, meat (frozen and preserved), flour, grass seed, butte) and cheese, beans and peas. Oats, polatoes, butter, bran and sharps, wheat, cheeso, bacon and hams, malt. Oats, seeds (grass and clover) butter and cheese, barley. Oats, barley, malt. Bacon, biscuits, butter and cheese. preserved meat, potatoes, sail beef, cattle, horses, sheep. Oats, butter and cheese, bran and sharps, potatoes. Wheat, butter and cheese. Salt beef, wheat, sheep, oats, barley. Horses, oats, chaff. Oats, flour, bran and sharps. Horses, bacon and hams, grass seed. Potatoes, flour. Cheese. Tew South Wales 24,590 455,123 fctoria 42,599 Flour, fresh fruit, stud sheep, confectionery, candles, chaff Flour, jams Fresh fruit 82,187 iouth Australia I'iji, South Sea Islands, and Whale Fisheries 4,257 13,934 42,789 35,009 Jueensland .. 23,887 !ape Colony .. 'asmania 32,608 Fresh fruit, jams, stud sheep .. 12,669 12,250 iengal fauritius Jnited States 34|127 Preserved fish, fruit, hops, grass and clover seeds 4,163 3,424 3,192 Jrazil Vest Australia longkong, China rermany, Holland, France, and Belguim 12 1,051 464 Fruit, preserved fish Seeds (grass and clover), preserved fruit, starch 1,359 225 Totals 1,577,528 409,533