TRADE WITH JAPAN.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 28, 2 August 1906, Page 4

TRADE WITH JAPAN.

Mr Donald Grant, vice-president of the Wanganui Agricultural and Pastoral Association, recently returned to New Zealand, after two years sojourn in Japan, during which he made thorough investigation into the question of establishing trade between New Zealand, Japan, and China. He is quite satisfied that a good market for many of tho products of New Zealand is to be found in Japan, provided a direct steamship service could be established. He had a long interview on the matter with the late Premier before he left for Australia, and it was in consequence of that Mr Seddon, when in Sydney, saw the Japanese Consul there with regard to establishing a fortnightly service. Mr Grant proposed that steamers should be of from 4000 to 5000 tons, and shouhl be of sufficient speed toj reach Japan from Auckland in from 18 to 23 days. The subsidy to be paid by Government would be a matter of arrangement, but he considered that in a few years the service would pay for itself without any subsidy. A six-weekly service would be sufficient to start with. The seasons suit very well, since the time when New Zealand has most meat and butter to export corresponds with the Japanese writer. From 18 to 22 days would be sufficient for the trip, longer time allowing for brief stops at some of the South Sea Islands. Probably some amount of trade could be done with these islands. Readiness to support the service was indicated by the fact that Mr Grant has already received a cable message from a very large firm in Japan asking for an agency line. The firm has its head office in Yokohama, and branch offices in Tokio, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagasaki, and in China and Shanghai.