TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
715
which gives the total value of the exports of merchandise — exclusive of gold and specie — from New Zealand to the United Kingdom, and of the imports of British and Irish produce and manufactures into New Zealand, in each of the five years 18G5 to 1689 : —
Years
Exports from New Zealand to the United Kingdom
Imports of
British Home Produce
into New Zealand
1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
£
1,186,085 1,713,062 1,210,500 1,474,561 1,554,128
£
1,593,844 2,177,174 1,506,496 1,702,453 1,864,988
The staple article of export from New Zealand to the United Kingdom is wool, the value of which amounted to 1,205,072/. in 1865, and rose to 1,588,318*. in 1867, but sank to 1,344,868/. in 1869. The British imports comprise mainly textile fabrics.
Ship-building and the trade in timber are, next to wool-growing, the chief elements of the industry of New Zealand. Among the mineral productions are gold, copper, iron, and coal.
Large gold-fields were discovered in 1857. According to official returns, the total export of gold from New Zealand between the 1st of April, 1857, and the 31st of March, 1870, was as follows : —
Produce of Gold fields in
Quantity
Value
Oz.
£
Otago .....
2,568,447
10,006,522
Westland (County)
1,355,218
5,327,247
Nelson .....
925,442
3,654,092
Auckland ....
243,497
792,089
Marlborough
34,878
134,314
Southland .... Totals.
27,813
109,954
5,155,295
20,024,218
Mineral stores of immense extent are believed to be in existence not far below the soil in various parts of New Zealand.
