The sun., 1919-02-18
Canada's January Imports,
Exports and Foreign Bal
ance Eclipse Records.
NEwsPRINT BIG FACTOR
Opposition in Quebec, Last
Wet Province, to Going
Bone Dry May 1.
sp>cfar n..nnfch 10 TIE srN.

OF Canadas large gain In foreign TRADE
during the war years would like to see
an early settlement OF the long standing
controversy between the newsprint
manufacturers and the publishers The
pulp and paper industry stands out as
one that has already become a big rae
tor IN the country's exports, ana rev
offer the same opportunities for expan-
sion.
But capital will not turn freely to new
enterprises In this direction until free
market conditions in newsprtnt are re-
stored, or until there Is some definite IN
dication that the industry Will not De
subjected to political pressure at ot-
tawa as in the last two years IL Is
significant fact that one OF the most
prominent authorities In the trade esu
mates that the new capacity to De aooeo
to Canada's newsprint output TINS year
will be but one fifty ton day machine'
For the established companies the
slight increase in production during the
war period is In many respects an 40
vantage rather than otherwise. Inc
possibility of the overproduction that
every industry breads virtually mas oeen
removed. Not only is there an expaho-
ing demand from your country Tor news
print. but, now that shipping Is more
easily obtainable. the large export trade
that Canada held in Australia Ne"
zealand and South Africa Is being re-
stored Added to that Is growing
business with South America, where the
chief selling agency OF the larger pro
ducers in Canada is presently enlargnS
its connections.
New Promotions Delayed.
Tho advantage Of the established COM
NAMES, however, operates as olsao-
vantage for the country's trade as
whole. The possibilities OF present ex-
ports being enlarged to any extent, even
II capital saw It's way 70 emoarh iilI'n re-
diatelv on new promotions, would De
! limited for a couple OF years to come:
There are those who, taking sides
| rather with the manufacturers nor with
| Inc publishers In their dispute. believe
| that the interests of the latter would
have been better served in the long run
, had they left the market for newspriht
\ to the play OF the law OF supply and DE-
mand when the situation became acute
| In the autumn of 1916. Indications were
| numerous that an unrestricted market
for paper would have been followed by
| now promotions on a large scale. ana IL
| tho publishers paid heavily for their
! supplies for year or two more III,
\ creased production would have assured
them Of a sharp drop by the end OF that
time and a low average OF prices over
a term OF fve to ten years: AS !. nap
pened. manufacturers and capitalists
with plans for new mills in hand dropped
| then, the moment economic laws were
,nterfered with under political pressure
| at ottawa and Washington.
| Higher prices are a large FACTOR IN
| tho large growth OF Canadas exports
Of both paper and pulp in the last few
years, but, even so, the growth is I'M
| pressive. In the fiscal year endins
| March 81, 1918. total exports OF paper
and pulp were valued at Sl,s34'Sb4.
Returns recently Issued show total OF
s7o.ss1.l92 for the calendar year 1918.
In 1917 the total was s42,797,os2 and in
l1el6 $3s,443.29e. Close TO per cent. OF
the country's total exports in 1918, swol-
len as they were by munitions and other
supplies, fell under the head OF paper
and pulp
American Capital Expected.
| Cheap wood and cheap power are. OF
course, the outstanding advantages In
favor Of the industry IN Canada, and
both are to he had in abundance. Not
improbably the next few years will he
marked by the appearance OF large
amount OF American capital for the fur
Their financing OF the industry Your own
wood supplies are being depleted. and
manufacturing costs will tend more and
more in favor OF the mill situated in
Canada. There is reason therefore in
the we'll authenticated report that the
international Paper Company. which
owns large timber areas in the Three
Rivers district, Is again considering the
advisability OF establishing a large mill
there
A conference between the Wheat Ex.
port Company. on the one hand. and
, Canadian millers and the Canada Food
Board. on the other. held at Ottawa the
other day, brought out the fact thai
there are $4,000 tons OF -four at sea
, board points waiting TO be shipped
|, | abroad This explains in consdera biz
part the withdrawal of the export com
pany as a buyer OF Canadian -four, nc
= purchases having been made since De
I cember II last. and the closing down o.
; all the large Canadian -four mills.
2 Shortage of ocean space is responsible
, for the delay in shipments, but the sltua
: ton is improving and the millers wer,
Informed that the export company viii
be in a position TO resume buying on .
moderate scale within week or so
, This will start up operations on a par
CAPACITY scale for the milling Industry
, II was also decided at the conference t.
= remove restrictions on the prices o
; bran and shorts The sequel was
. sharp advance Of s1.75 in the price OF al
mill feed, accompanying which was
reduction OF Is cents a barrel In tn,
Z price OF Government standard flour.
: Good January Trade Reports.
e The Canadian trade return for Jan
9 uary discloses rather Unexpectedly tn,
e largest volume of foreign trade ever re
s ported by Canada in the first month o
= the calendar year. Total export
amounted TO $116,35S.3s7, total imports
to s73.74s.397 and tho balance OF trad
= in favor of Canada to s42,6oS, $50, al
new high records.
e In explanation OF the large figures
$ when some decrease might have heel
: expected because of the new condition.
n created by the armistice last November
. a number Of reasons may be advanced
. Goth rail and ocean transportation suf
q fered from much less congestion thar
year ago,
Then there is the fact that large stock
Of goods were being stored for the &C
count of the Allies prior TO the signinj
OF the armistlce. These are now beinI
shipped out and the effect OF war tim
Z purchases quite evidently will be fac
tor in Canadian exports for some month