A.—4,

8

Total Trade of the Colony with Different Countries. Total Value of the Imports and Exports of the Colony of Fiji from and to each Country in the Year 1919.

The imports are classified as from country of shipment, not from country of origin, and it is certain that re-exports from Australia and New Zealand are largely of British manufacture. You will notice from the above statement that the total trade of the colony in 1919 amounted to £2,931,376, imports being £1,060,314 and exports £1,871,062. The New Zealand portion, of this trade amounted to £1,034,236, while the imports and exports to all other countries amounted to £1,897,140. New Zealand sold to Fiji in that year goods to the value of £151,662, and purchased from Fiji goods to the value of £882,574. The greater proportion of these purchases consisted of raw sugar. It is-a remarkable fact that New Zealand last year purchased from Fiji about one-half of her total exports, and sold to Fiji under one-seventh of her imported requirements. On the other hand, Australia in the same year sold to Fiji goods valued at £536,974 (one-half of her total imported requirements), and purchased from Fiji goods to the value of £110,444, or about one-seventeenth of her total exports. It is unfortunate that such a one-sided state of affairs exists, and one naturally looks for reasons. In the first place, Australia, having tropical territory of her own, and being in more direct touch with tropical countries and islands, has naturally laid herself out to cater for this trade, and her merchants carry large and varied stocks to suit tropical requirements. Also, they push the business with more energy and determination than the merchants of New Zealand, and, if the evidence laid before us is true, they are satisfied with smaller profits. Australia sends over to Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa six commercial travellers to each one from New Zealand. As far as re-export in cotton goods of all descriptions is concerned, there is no

Total for each Country. Total Trade of the Colony. Imports. Exports. United Kingdom British possessions— Canada Hong Kong India New South Wales New Zealand Queensland Straits Settlements. . Tasmania Victoria Other British £ 151,626 £ 76,346 £ 227,972 9,925 7.248 53,616 503.547 151.662 829 924 626 31.972 502 170,477 2,262 96.615 ■882,574 23 180,402 9,510 53,616 600,162 1,034.236 852 924 626 4-5,778 8,290 13.806 7,788 Total, British possessions 760,851 1,173,545 1,934,396 Foreign countries— Denmark France Hawaii Italy Japan Norway Samoa Sweden Tonga .. . . United States Other foreign 20 658 2,428 26 25,082 21 539 443 183 100,173 340 292 11,788 20 658 2,720 26 36,870 21 8,241 443 12,173 684,240 5,672 7,702 11,990 584,067 5,332 Total, foreign countries 129,913 621,171 751,084 TotalsUnited Kingdom British possessions Foreign countries Parcels-post 151,626 760.851 129,913 17,924 76,346 1.1.73,545 621,171 227,972 1,934,396 751,084" 17,924 Total trade 1,060,314 1.871,062 2,931,376