CO129-528-1 Trade statistic returns- extent of trade passing through Hong Kong 29-12-1930 - 13-1-1931 — Page 24

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6A

Extent of Trade from one part of China to another

passing through Hong Kong.

"actailed

Lises

In the month of September, 1930 the total imports

into Hong Kong, excluding treasure, were approximately $57,000,000, of which approximately $16,000,000 were

from China. The total exports were $39,000,000 of which

$19,000,000 were to China. The total trade from one

part of China to another passing through Hong Kong could, therefore, not exceed $18,000,000, the amount of the

imports.

On pages XVIII and XIX of the Returns, however, a

summary is given of the principal articles imported from

and exported to China. By examining this class by class

and taking whichever figures, imports or exports, are less

it is possible to limit further the maximum amount of

such trade. The total on this basis amounts to less than

$11,000,000. Included in this, however, are two large

figures for classes of very wide extent, including a large

variety of goods, that is, foodstuffs and provisions,

$3,900,000 and piece-goods and textiles, $2,400,000. I

have, therefore, examined these classes, item by item, and

adopting the same method as before, it appears that the

580,000 maximum in each case would only be a little over $5000.

As regards foodstuffs, the great bulk of the trade is

accounted for by three items sugar and molasses, over

$3,000,000 imported almost wholly from the Netherlands

East Indies and exported mainly to China; wheat flour,

over $1,000,000, imported from the United States and Canada

and