844 Imports of Agricultural Produce in 1909. [jan., 



Wool. — As regards wool the importation was larger than 

 in any previous year, being 803,433,000 lb. as against 

 719,045,000 lb. in 1908. The bulk of the supply came, as 

 usual, from our own Colonies and Possessions, viz., Australia 

 (312,710,000 lb.), New Zealand (176,457,000 lb.), South Africa 

 (115,901,000 lb.), and India (56,225,000 lb.). The average 

 value was maintained at g^d. per lb. as against g\d. in 1908, 

 and iojd. in the two previous years. 



The re-exports of foreign wool were also the largest yet 

 recorded, amounting to 390,107,000 lb. as against 325,451,000 

 lb. in 1908, so that the balance of foreign wool remaining foi 

 manufacture in this country, viz., 413,326,000 lb., though 

 greater than in 1908 (393,594,000 lb.) was less than in the 

 previous year (446,564,000 lb.). 



Some indication of the range of prices may be gathered 

 from the average declared value of the different articles, but 

 only to an approximate extent, as an increased importation 

 of a cheaper quality of any article depresses the average value, 

 although no real change in price may have taken place. An 

 example of this occurs in the case of beef, where the drop in 

 the average value of 35. per cwt. is due to the importation 

 of a larger quantity of comparatively low-priced beef from 

 Argentina and a smaller quantity of higher-priced beef from 

 the United States. With this reservation it may be said 

 that cattle, pork, bacon, hams, eggs, wheat, flour, oats, and 

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

 articles are as follows : — 



Description. 



1906. 



1907. 



1908. 



1909. 







£ 



s. 



d. 



£ 



s. 



d. 



£ 



s. 



d. 



£ 



s. d, 



Cattle 



Head 



17 



6 



10 



17 



3 



5 



17 



1 



11 



17 



6 5 



Sheep 





1 



10 



4 



1 



11 



11 



I 



11 





1 



11 10 



Beef, fresh... 



Cwt. 





15 



5 



1 



16 



3 



I 



16 



7 



1 



13 6 



Mutton, fresh 



> 1 





17 



5 



1 



17 



11 



I 



17 



1 



1 



12 11 



Pork, fresh ... 



> 5 



2 



5 



11 



2 



7 



2 



2 



6 



6 



2 



7 10 



Bacon 



j ? 



2 



12 



6 



2 



15 



4 



2 



10 



11 



2 



19 8 



Hams 



5> 



2 



13 



7 



2 



17 



3 



2 



10 



4 



2 



15 2 



Butter 



J> 



5 



8 



2 



5 



6 



6 



5 



14 



4 



5 



10 4 



Cheese 



>J 



2 



17 



8 



2 



18 



3 



2 



18 



0 



2 



17 2 



Eggs ... Great hundred 



0 



7 



6i 



0 



7 



81 





7 



iof 





8 2 



Wool , 



Lb. 



0 



0 





0 



0 



io| 







9* 





9i 



Wheat 



Cwt. 



0 



7 



0 



0 



7 



8 





8 



4i 





9 3^ 



flour ... 





0 



9 



7 



0 



10 



1 





10 



11 





11 6£ 



Barley 



> > 



0 



5 



8 



0 



6 



8 





6 



9\ 





6 7I 



Oats 



> > 



0 



5 



11 



0 



6 



5 





5 



10 





6 ik 



Maize 



5> 



0 



4 



11 



0 



5 



6 





6 



T 3 

 A 4 





6 2 



