The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1888.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 157, 4 July 1888, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1888.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the -wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

The failure of the San Francisco mail service as a means of developing the trade of the colony is a charge that is constantly reiterated by the opponents of the service. We are told, over and over again, that the United

States shuts out our products, and that the line has no claim upon the colony on commercial grounds. From the import and export returns for last year, it would appear that this stronghold of the champions of a monopoly for the Direct Service may be effectively assailed. In 1887, the total imports from the United States were £298,736, and the exports for the same period were £409,-180, leaving a balance in our favour of £110,744. In the absence of details showing the proportion of gold (which is often sent to San Francisco to pay for wheat cargoes shipped to England), we cannot analyse the figures so fully as we would wish, but the large total is in itself significant of an important commercial exchange. These returns, however, show not only that a trade favourable to New Zealand has been established, but that this trade is increasing. The value of our exports to America last year was £162,080 greater than in the year preceding. It is true that our exports to America consist chiefly of kauri gum, but this is no argument against the value of the trade. On the contrary, there can be little doubt that American competition in the gum markets has been the means of raising the price of that product to the extent of hundreds of thousands of pounds during the last few years. The value of this export to America is now nearly double the amount shipped to all the world besides. How far the gum trade has been fostered by rapid and reliable mail communication must, of course, remain a matter of pure conjecture, but we should be ignoring established commercial principles if we did not assume that better means of communication, a free and regular interchange, leading to a wider and more accurate knowledge of our products and requirements, has exercised a very important influence on the trade. Apart from kauri gum, the returns show that there is an increased export of sheep pelts, sheep casings, hides, and other products, and if the tariff changes foreshadowed in President Cleveland's programme are given effect to, the splendid markets of the Republic will be thrown open to our wool-growers. With regard to the imports from the United States, the returns for last year show that we are becoming more selfsupporting. They were £36,586 less than in 1886. We have no doubt that such items as honey, canned fruits, etc., will ultimately disappearaltogether from the tables of New Zealand imports. It would be discreditable to the settlers of this country if they did not do so. But there ought, under proper conditions, to be a growing trade between this colony and California in fresh fruits, falling, as our respective seasons do, at two wholly different periods of the year. If we admit, however, that the trade which will be directly served by steamer carriage may continue small, the large commercial interests disclosed in the figures aboVe quoted are still entitled to consideration in our mail arrangements, more especially ■when this can be done without cost to the colony. The advocates of the direct service argue that if the San Francisco service were discontinued the whole of our English mails would be sent by the direct route. This assumption is manifestly wide of the mark. Even now, the Suez services are used to a small extent at a loss to the colony, and the commercial public will never rest content with a slow mail delivery. If the San Francisco service were discontinued, there would at once be a largely increased use of the Suez services at great loss to the colony^ while no commercial advantage whatever would be gained, and the largo trading interests with America, represented by the import and export returns, totalling upwards of

in 1887, would be put to such inconveniences as must in the long run end in loss to the colonjr. While on this subject of New Zealand trade, it is gratifying to find that import and export returns for 1887 have generally assumed a healthier tone. The total exports to all countries, as compared with 1886, have increased, while the imports have diminished, thus showing that the colony is living more within its means, and incurring fewer obligations to foreign capitalists. The total value of imports into New Zealand for the year 1886 amounted to £6,759,013. The imports for 1887 were £6,245,515, representing a difference in the two years of £553,498. The total value of all exports for 1887 was £6,866,169, the total value for 1886 £6,672,791, showing an increase of exports for 1887 over 1886 of £192,358.