Papua-New Guinea
p. 31 · Read in the full issue
Trade
Less In Volume But Enormously More In Nominal Value
ALTHOUGH, at first glance, it 1 would appear from the trade figures (given in terms of
New Guinea, in the same year 1950-51) imported goods worth 6,186,669; and Papua, £4 : 642,988.
Owing to inflation, and the normous increases in the nominal alue of goods, it is impossible to ompare the trade of the Tern aries, when it is stated in terms of loney, with similar trade in other ears. For example, the total trade f the two Territories, in and out, ras about £18,000,000 in 1951, com pared with about £5,000,000 in 1938- ; yet the two Territories are not reducing now as much as before he war.
It is interesting to note that, rtiile the two Territories combined xported goods worth £7,375,906, heir importations cost £10,829,657 -an adverse difference of just inder £3i millions.
Furthermore, a large proportion f the money received from the sale if copra, gold' and rubber did not emain in the Territories.
That unknown amount, plus the 3J millions referred to as the osten ible difference between imports and ixports, gives the measure of the mge sums that are being poured nto the Territories by the Aus
value) that the combined Territory of Papua-New Guinea has made a remarkable recovery from war-time destruction, an analysis shows that in two of the three main products— copra, gold and rubber—produc tion is well behind post-war figures.
Only in rubber has there been an increase over pre-war production.
The following were the chief ex ports of Papua and New Guinea in the year ended June 30. 1951. The production figures of 1938-39 are given for purposes of comparison:
tralian Government, for administra tion, and by the companies which are searching for oil.
The secretary to the Samoan Government, Mr. J. B. Wright, re turned by air on November 14 from Noumea where he attended a session of the South Pacific Com mission as representative of the New Zealand Government,
New Guinea Quantity Value £ Quantity 1938-39 topra 64,301 tons 3.200.715 73.345 tons told 87.593 oz 1.356.962 237.705 oz Silver 88.639 13,834 — tocoa beans .. . 317 tons 92,181 235 tons )es. coconut 939 „ 218,166 1.590 ., toffee 32 .. 8.110 38 ., Shell 909 ., 127.913 176 „ timber 24,332 1,718,916 s. ft.
’Otal
5.436.617 Lubber Papua 1,952 tons 802,177 1,290 tons topra 11.181 644.532 9.357 „ )es. coconut 591 .. 105,509 1,580 „ Shell 231 .. 44,797 137 lides, skins 6.440 (£105) ’imber 1,153 (£119) toffee 9 249 111 ..
Manganese .. . 20 tons 2.075 — told 248 oz 3.715 64,622 oz ilver 90 — 'latinum .. .. . 81 U oz (£51) •earls — 1.200 (£15)
’Otal
1.939.289