TRADE WITH SWEDEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 92, 11 January 1908, Page 6

TRADE WITH SWEDEN.

CHIEF CONSUL INTERVIEWED. ' (Bt 'TELEGRAPH—rSPECIAI* ■> CORRESPONDENT.) - \ Auckland, January 10. ..The Chief Consul for' Sweden in Australasia.(Count Morner), who is due in Wellington to-night from Auckland, gave an interesting outline of trade ./.conditions as between his country and' Australia and New Zealand ,to an interviewer yesterday. "Ho stated that ! one of tho roasons why he was sent here'was that the trado relations botween Australasia and Sweden' are -quite' astonishing," far groater in importance than most peoplo suppose., Statistics did no.t show this, becauso hithorto'the trado had been indirect'through London or Hamburg. Actual export figures were consequently not"'sliown in the returns: Tor example; : Sweden' was buying a million pounds' worth of wool per year, most of which' came from Australia; • whereas the 'statistics only "accounted .for'somo thousands .of pounds'''worth. Now," however, Sweden has opoiie'd a; direct Hrie of steamers from -Gothenburg■ to. Sydney;' Every' six'week's'a 7300-t6n"steamer iva's "'going'from'-"one'of the ports,, named Vto •; the,. .other. ' 'Tho second ■steamer in'the now service was now expected in Sydney.'. ißy this, lino reloading : would. be .upnee'essary,'and Swedish produce would be cheaper here, and 'Australasian' produce cheaper'in Swoden. Count .Morner- went on to 'say tliat' tlio-Swedish' exports to Sydney were' so big that when * the first of tho steamers referred to left 20,000 tons 'of freight were offered. OiV 'tlio return trip, however, it was-found-Hardly'possible to get a load'.for: the vessel.,.,. His object now was to work for a direct'export trado from Australia'and Now Zealand to Sweden for tho ■benefit of, all .three countries. He mentioned that by tho new lino,.a limited number of passengers can be taken to England at a cost of only £20.: • _ Count - Morner - arrived, in .Wellington last anight, and is staying' at the Grand Hotel.