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.