H.—44.

The activities of the New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner in Brussels have been largely responsible for increased quantities of New Zealand apples being admitted into the Netherlands and Germany, which latter country during 1936 took apples to the value of £17,096, as against none at all in 1935. In the case of casein, crayfish, honey, butter, milk-powder, and meats the Trade Commissioner has been successful in expanding our Continental market. The increasing trade in New Zealand grass and clover seeds is gratifying, and it may be stated that a definite interest is now being evinced by the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden. The difficulties of developing New Zealand business with the Continent owing to the various restrictions imposed by Continental authorities, lack of direct shipping, and consequent transhipment with its attendant drawbacks, have received, and are receiving, the very close attention of the New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner in Brussels. It is hoped that as the result of recent trade discussions and personal contact many of the present difficulties will be overcome and that trade expansion of direct benefit to New Zealand will thereby be facilitated. Trade with the East. The total trade with undermentioned Eastern countries for each of the calendar years 1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936 is shown in the table hereunder.

Total Trade with Eastern Countries.

11l considering these figures one is struck with the marked increases in exports to Japan (£1,122,342), India (£64,870), China (£25,136), Hong Kong (£10,927), British Malaya (£7,612) over the corresponding figures for 1933. Increased exports to India are accounted for by tallow £89,751 (£30,994), butter £15,743 (£11,664), and wool £5,614 (£1,390) ; figures in parentheses relating to 1935 export values. Imports from this source decreased by £16,500. In the case of China, wool to the value of £18,081 was exported in 1936, whereas no wool was exported to that country in 1935. Similarly, tallow valued at £2,136 was exported in 1936. In the case of butter the exports increased from £5,230 in 1935 to £7,988 in 1936. Total imports from China are stated at an unduly high figure, due to the importation of a collection of antiques, the imports under this heading being £27,570. Imports of walnuts increased from £12,019 in 1935 to £24,354 in 1936. Of the exports to Hong Kong, that of butter shows an increase of £9,396 to £13,480, while there have been increases in the importation of electric lamps and boots and shoes from that source. Increased imports of tea amounting to £112,859, which bring the total imports of tea from Ceylon to £723,355 for 1936, account for the increase in imports from that country. Increased imports of motor-spirit from the Dutch East Indies amounting to £384,376 brought the total to £1,008,227 in 1936. Sugar imports fell by £178,498 to £402,386.

3—H. 44.

17

j-VLUi i mac vjuii njaaivni — 1933. | 1934, 1935. 1936. Export to — £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) Dutch East Indies .. .. 5,496 2,548 2,235 1,894 British Malaya .. .. .. 22,929 49,727 63,771 71,383 Burma .. .. .. .. 743 208 618 946 Ceylon .. .. .. .. 2,670 393 1,528 1,401 Hong Kong .. .. .. 15,143 16,238 11,249 22,176 India .. .. .. .. 34,326 65,161 60,956 125,826 China .. .. .. .. 54,564 19,099 7,718 32,854 Japan .. .. .. .. 354,4-62 856,014 432,495 1,554,837 Philippine Islands .. .. .. 413 2,493 3,945 5,983 Totals .. .. ... 490,746 1,011,881 584,515 1,817,300 Imports from — Dutch East Indies .. .. 998,224 1,381,974- 1,437,379 1,722,802 British Malaya .. .. .. 63,181 64,826 81,457 97,246 Burma .. .. .. .. 17,239 11,622 9,679 11,361 Ceylon .. .. .. .. 551,388 585,689 633,594 750,982 Hong Kong .. .. .. 6,299 9,681 10,356 17,695 India .. .. .. .. 576,915 667,552 571,627 554,102 Japan .. .. .. .. 675,571 ' 836,595 1,100,150 1,328,199 China .. .. .. .. 72,785 98,454 97,244 151,299 Philippine Islands .. .. 7,033 13,268 10,837 14,824 Totals .. .. .. 2,968,635 3,669,661 3,952,333 4,648,510