INTERVIEW WITH MR. HENRY REYNOLDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 204, 28 August 1902, Page 2

INTERVIEW WITH MR. HENRY REYNOLDS.

THE OAPE MARKET

ARGENTINE COMPETITION WITH

AUSTRALASIA.

Mr Henry Reynolds, of the Waikato, who has been in the Argentine for the past two years, where he has started several butter factories, and who arrived in Auckland by the s.s. Wakanui, as stated yesterday, was interviewed by a "Star" representative as to the Argentine competition with Australasian produce, and the condition of the market at the Cape. The object of Mr Eeynolds' visit to New Zealand is set out in the following par., which appeared in the Buenos Ayres "Standard" of July 1: —

"Mr Henry Reynolds, of Progreso and La Tandilera Fabricas de Manteca, leaves to-day by Rippingham Grange for Capetown, en route for Australia and New Zealand, with the object of visiting the chief dairying factories in the colonies, so that the Fabricas under his control in Argentina may be brought up to the very latest date with regard to machinery and scientific manufacture. As climate and other conditions are more or less alike under the Southern Cross Mr Reynolds considers that the interests of suppliers will be better served by adopting latest colonial methods than by consulting the Continental or North American schools of dairying. Mr Reynolds also has an estate in New Zealand to which he will pay a very flying visit The Australian and New Zealand Governments have demonstrated their spirit of progress and appreciation of the enormous importance of the dairy export industry with regard to the country's prosperity by special railway rates, free and three day's gratuitous freezing prior to shipment, technical information and the engagement of the finest experts to be secured. The development of dairying from the time the first separator towards being an exact science is proceeding with a remarkable rapidity with which it is absolutely necessary for all concerned to keep step. As Mr Reynolds was the pioneer of the dairy industry and has always kept In touch with his colonial friends, he is sure of 'a hearty welcome and every facility for acquiring the very latest, which might not be accorded to a stranger who would represent their greatest competitor in the English winter markets. But Mr Reynolds is himself one of the largest suppliers to New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, his friends well know that his stake in that country is too large to willingly, injure, and by that he is backing his own sentiments, which are "Plenty of room at the top for everyone."

In the course of his chat •with onr representative Mr Reynolds was ask^ cd. the copdition of the Cape market when he was in Capetown last month. "When I was there," replied Mr Reynolds, "the market was almost "bare of provisions. Frozen meat was exceptionally scarce, and there is fn unlimited demand for this and for general produce. This demand seems likely to continue for several years. I sampled some Auckland brand butter at the Cape, and found it excellent. It gave perfect satisfaction to the merchants there, and they are ready to take any quantity of the same class. I saw some other New Zealand butter there, which cost 1/4 landed, and which readily sold at 1/8. As showing the difficulty in raising stock at the Cape, I may mention that one farmer took over 400 young- heifers from Australia, most of which were dead through disease at the end of six or eight weeks." "What are the principal industries connected witlh the Argentine?" was then asked.

"Maize, wheat and linseed-growing1, and sheep and cattle raising-. At present the Argentine grows 7000 or 8000 tons of maize a year. Nearly all this was formerly sent to Liverpool, but owingl to "the drought in Australia it is being- diverted to the Commonwealth. The wheat gTowth for export, is 800,000 to .% million tons. Nearly all this is grown by Jewish and Italian immigrants, who crop the land two or three times, paying a small percentage of the crop to the owner of the soil. A large amount of linseed, totalling three or four hundred thousand tons, is exported annually. A large amount of live stock used to be sent from the Argentine to England, but this was nrobibvted a couple of years Srgo, owing to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. Freezing is therefore being undertaken, but before they can compete with New Zealand in the frozen mutton market it will be necessary to bre>ed their carcases down, the sheep at present bred being grown for live weight, being about half again as la-rge as they should be for the London market. There are now three large freezing factories exporting. They are kept fully employed to their utmost capacity for the whole time, freezing mutton and beef. Another large company has just been formed with a capital of £250,000, and a Buenos Ayres firm has an order for £100,000 worth of machinery. The export of frozen beef is being carried on in connection with the frozen mutton, and large quantities are being frozen. The fortnightly mail steamers are taking chilled 'beef to London, this taking the place of a portion of the chilled beef shipped from tihe United States. It is anticipated that before long this .trade will be very largely developed." "Is the Argentine developing ita trade with the Cape?" was asked Mr Reynolds. "Yes. TB.e Argentine Consul at the Cape lately made a trip to Buenos Ayres and arranged with the Government to run a monthly steamer to the Cape with frozen meat and produce. Houlder Bros, have also decideS to run a monthly steamer between the Argentine an<d the Cape, so that there will be a fortnightly service between the two countries, and if New Zealand wishes to get a fair share of the trade it will be necessary to hurry matters up in connection with the subsidised service from New Zealand to Capetown."