The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-04-02
April I'd.
FRIDAY
QUARTERLY EXPORTS CONSIDERED.

We referred yesterday to the very I'M
portant statistics of exports furnished by |
the Collector General of Customs for the |
last March quarter, but they deserve
more attention than our space then per-
mitted. 1t will be seen from reference
to these figures that of a total export value
for the past quarter of s., 1857 ,045 81,
sugar represents s., 236, 545 70, leaving
$I20, 499 70 for all other domestic eX-
ports but as molasses should properly
be written off with sugar when classify
ing exports, it being result of the sugar
industry, that small total may be re-
duced by 81 SOP 10.
In round figures, the Kingdom ex-
ported $4,000 in various products in
the first three months of the present
year, plus sugar and molasses. OF this
total, rice represented $40, 421 70, al
though it showed a decrease of 723, $50
pounds compared with the correspond
ing period of 1885. The increased home
consumption, consequent upon the intro
duction of japanese immigrants, as well
as the shortage in the crop last season,
will account for this. There is no reason
why the production of rice should not be
GEEE - 5cEpO tfft Itsot tf1ttU TIE Off6FffIOtTS
rent asked for available rice land has
decided tendency to check production
There may be such thing as squeezing
a willing tenant too tight, as Irish land
lords have discovered after giving the
last turn to their rent screw.
The export of coffee is exceedingly
small, and the outlook at present is not
assuring owing to the blight which is dis
astrously prevalent. A remedy does not
appear to suggest itself to any of those
engaged in the cultivation of the coffee
plant. This is regretable because the
quality of the coffee bean raised on these
Islands has uniformly been of superior
quality. Nevertheless, there were {, 1854
pounds OF coffee exported last quarter in
excess of the export for the CORE
spending period of 1885.
Bananas form very important item
of domestic export, and under proper or
ganization as to marketing at points east
ward of San Francisco, as far as the
Missouri river at all events, the quantity
of this king of fruit shipped abroad
might easily be quadrupled. AS it is,
San Francisco is the only consuming
market reached, and when the domestic
fruits of California come into competition
bananas do not fetch paying prices All
this could be obviated were the shipment
and marketing of bananas organized in
the interest of Hawaiian producers. The
banana export for the past March quar-
ter showed an increase of 1906 lunches
on total of Is, 4O2 punches
Goat skins still figure as an export.
1t would be infinitely better for
the country if the goats were all
dead. Forest culture and forest con-
servancy are impossible while these use
less creatures are allowed to roam at
large and destroy young trees and
shrubs The injury goats have done to
the material interests of the country is !
incalculable. The Legislature should |
make provision for their destruction by !
wholesale.
Tallow export figured last quarter at |
So, 877 43; there was no export of this |
commodity in the March period of last |
year. Hides show an increase of LIZA |
pieces on the quarter. Wool increased |
l ,541 pounds on a total export Of $3.50.
The wool output OF the country is GER
tainly small, compared with the extent |
of natural pasture; but cattle raising APP |
pears to have the preference Sheep !
need more careful handling than cattle /
Wool was lower in price last year than
it had been quoted for the preceding
twenty years. This should not dis
courage Hawaiian wool growers, how
ever, for the depression in the value of
that staple was universal. The prOduc-
ton OF wool Is steadily increasing, and
under favorable conditions as to rent,
taxes and labor, few industries pay bet
ter than sheep farming even at present
prices.
Betel leaves, to the value OF $517 30,
ind ava worth $73 20, were likewise ex-
,orted The list OF exports is not long t