502 Imports of Agricultural Produce in 1902. 



269,000,000 lb., compared with 334,000,000 lb. from Australia, 

 where the drought has seriously decreased the flocks in many 

 districts. Notwithstanding the smaller quantity imported, the 

 re-exports amounted to 284,000,000 lb., and the net quantity of 

 foreign wool retained in this country in 1902 was 354,000,000 lb., 

 as compared with 394,000,000 lb. in 1901. The greater portion 

 of these re-exports goes to the Continent, but about 55,000,000 lb. 

 were sent to the United States. The average value of imported 

 wool stood at the same figure, viz., yhd. per lb., as in the pre- 

 ceding year. 



The imports of poultry and game exceeded in value those of 

 any previous year. This trade is now chiefly in the hands of 

 Russia, Belgium, France, and the United States ; from the first- 

 named country the receipts were valued at £218,500 and from 

 Belgium at £281,000. 



Table III. 



Imports of Horses, Poultry, and Miscellaneous Animal 

 Products, 



Description. 



Quantities. 



Value. 



1901. 



1902. 



1901. 



1902. 









£ 



£ 



Horses ... ... No. 



40,856 



32,686 



1,095,683 



835>737 



Poultry and Game £ 







980,757 



10,59,060 



Lard ... ... cwt. 



1,966,256 



1,650,830 



4,037,689 



4,118.990 



Tallow and Stearine ,, 



1.785,319 



1,782,098 



2,333,246 



2,708,687 



Wool, Sheep, Lambs lb. 



686,956,308 



637,521,986 



21,504,577 



19,936,449 



I Sheepskins.undressedNo. 



15,109,399 



16,301,695 



1,472,672 



1,611,066 



I Hides ... ... cwt. 



757,175 



661,350 



1,782,779 



i,595»378 



The imports of wheat and wheat flour expressed as grain 

 amounted to 107,979,000 cwt., a larger quantity than in any 

 previous year, although the ■ amount of wheat grain, apart from 

 flour, did not equal the receipts in 1895, when 81,750,000 cwt. 

 were recorded. The United States sent more than one-half of 

 the total supply, and both in this case and in that of Canada 

 — our next largest contributor — the quantity received repre- 

 sented the maximum yet credited to either country. The three 

 British Possessions of India, Canada, and Australasia, taken 

 together, supplied in 1902 more wheat, viz., 22,688,000 cwt, than 



