596 Imports of Agricultural Produce. [jan., 



Lard comes almost entirely from the United States 

 (1,690,000 cwts.), but tallow and stearine are received also 

 from Argentine and Australasia. 



As regards wool there was, notwithstanding the substantial 

 increase in price, the heaviest importation of any year since 

 1895. As an illustration of the rise in price at the present 

 time, compared with ten years ago, it may be noted that 

 whereas in 1897 £24,684,000 was paid for 741,000000 lb. of 

 wool, the sum of £32,693,000 was paid in 1907 for 759,000,000 lb. 

 There was, however, no appreciable increase during the past 

 two years in the average declared value, which stood at about 

 10 \d. per lb. in both, as compared with g\d. in 1905, 8|i. in 

 1904, 8^d. in 1903 and y\d. in 1902. The bulk of the supply 

 comes from our own colonies and possessions, viz., Australia 

 (321,471,000 lb.), New Zealand (158,406,000 lb.), South Africa 

 (91,606,000 lb.), India (46,717,000 lb.). 



The re-exports of foreign wool were also larger amounting 

 to 312,673,000 lb. as against 269,135,000 lb. in 1906, but the 

 balance of foreign wool remaining for manufacture in this 

 country was 446,563,000 lb. as compared with 370,208,000 lb. 

 last year and 338,606,000 lb. in the year before. 



Some indication of the range of prices in 1907 as compared 

 with the two preceding years may be gathered from the average 

 declared value of the different articles. Sheep, beef, mutton, 

 pork, bacon, hams, eggs, cheese, wheat, flour, barley, oats and 

 maize all show a rise. The figures for some of the principal 

 articles are as follows : — 



Description. 



1905. 



1906. 



1907. 





£ 



s. 



d. 



£ 



s. 



d. 



£ s. d. 



Cattle ... Head 



17 



2 



1 



17 



6 



10 



17 3 5 



Sheep ,, 



1 



IO 



5 



1 



10 



4 



1 11 11 



Beef, fresh ... ... ... Cwts. 



1 



15 



5 



1 



15 



5 



1 16 3 



Mutton, fresh ... ... ,, 



1 



18 



6 



1 



17 



5 



1 17 11 



Pork, fresh ... ... ... ,, 



2 



6 



0 



2 



5 



11 



272 



Bacon ... ... ... ... ,> 



2 



6 



6 



2 



12 



6 



2 15 4 



Hams ... ... .... 



2 



7 



4 



2 



13 



7 



2 17 3 



Butter ... ... ... „ 



5 



4 



2 



5 



8 



2 



5 6 6 



Cheese ... ... .. 



2 



11 



11 



2 



17 



8 



2 18 3 



Eggs Great hundred 



0 



7 



3 



0 



7 





0 7 H 



Wool Lb. 



0 



0 



9i 



0 



0 





0 0 10J 



Wheat ... Cwts. 



0 



7 



3 



0 



7 



0 



078 



flour ... ... ... ,, 



0 



10 



1 



0 



9 



7 



0 10 1 



Barley... ... ... ... j, 



0 



5 



7 



0 



5 



8 



068 



Oats ,, 



0 



5 



6 



0 



5 



11 



065 



Maize ... ... ... ... 



0 



5 



3 



0 



4 



1 1 



056 



