ISLAND TRADE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 254, 21 July 1920, Page 8

ISLAND TRADE

AN INTERESTING SURVEY

VAST PRODUCTION POSSIBLE NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSIBILITIES The report of the Commission appointed to inquire into the conditions of trade between New Zealand and tile Pacific Islands was presented to Parliament yesterday. The commission, which consisted .irf Messrs. G. Elliot, W. R Pearson, and T. Wilson, visited Fiji, Tonga, "Western Samoa, and the Cook Islands with the Parliamentary part)- ill February and March last. The report is_ a lengthy and detailed document, containing much information that is likely to be of value to business people in the Dominion. It deals with production as well as trade, and indicates that tlie commissioners believe the trade between New Zealand and the Islands io bo oablo of very great expansion. Information is (riven regarding Customs tariffs and shipping.. After discussing the production of sugar in Fiji, tho Commission points out that New Zealand last year bought Fijian produce to the value of dC852,574 and pent goods to the value of i£151,6C2 in return. Australia, while buying Fijian produce to the extent of only .£110,444 sold to tho Fijians goods to the value of ■£53G,974 "It is unfortunate that such n one-sided state of affairs exists," says the report, "and one naturally looks for reasons. In the first place, Australia, hnviilg tropical territory of her own, and being in more direct touch: with tropical countries and islands, has naturally laid herself out to cater for this trade, and her merchants carry large and varied stonks to suit tropical requirements. Also, they push tho 'business with more energy and determination than the merchants of New Zealand, and, If the evidence laid before us is true, they are satisfied with smaller profits. Australia semis over to Fiji, Tonga, and Samon six eommercial travellers to eachi one from New Zealand. .As far as reexport in cotton goods of all descriptions is concerned, thero in no rwvson why New Zealand's share of the Fijian business should not be at least equal to that of Australia. We understand that tho freights from Great Britain to New Zealand are no greater than to Sydney, harbour charges in New Zealand are less, the distance between Auckland and Fiji is shorter by one-third, and the freight is slightly cheaper. It Y.'iil bo seen that New Zealand merchants could do much more of the trade in Fiji' than ftiey are doing if they set their minds seriousty to tlio task. A splendid mnrket is at their very doors. Fijian merchants anil traders generally are favourably disposed towards New Zealand; dome of them, indeed; «rs anxious to have a closer trade relationship."

Turning to Tonga, tho commission states Hint New Zealand used bo have first place in tho trail* of uie group. Australia lias now a lead. For every New Zealand commercial traveller who visits Tonga there nruolx Austrnliuus. Tho Governor of Tonga is anxious to have Testored tho regular pre-war steamer connection with Auckland. The ships used' to carry copra, oranges, bananas and tomatoes, and it was considered an ordinary shipment if 22,000 packages of fruit went away on one steamci-. Oranges now rot under the trees and bananas are not grown on the old scale. But tho production of fruit in the group could be restored auicklv if the market ■were made available. Tho people of Tonga have self-government, under British protection,, and they complain thai: certain restrictions aro imposed on Now Zealand goods shipped to Tonga which aro not imposed on goods exported from tho Dominion to Samoa or Ccok Islands. Tongan officials feci that they are being treated as foreigners. Tliev suggest the establishment of a branch of a New /en land hank in the group. An improved shipping connection with Tonga is suggested. "If the Government could arrange for a hotter and more frequent direct service between the Group and say, Samoa, no doubt trade would greatly improve," says the report. "In all probability this service would not ,it first pay its way; but it most certainly would in time, 0.-<]>ecia!ly if ccora. were lifted for transhipment at Auckland. We are aware that it would "bo difficult to arrange with a public company for such a service; it is a question for consideration, therefore, whether it would not bo advisable for the Now Zraland Government to purchase or build a ftcn-mcr or steamers for the trade when a suitable opportunity offers." The report states that the development ot Western Samoa is dependent upon tho solution of (he labour problems. It declares emphatically in favour of the use of imported labour, since the Saniwuis aro not. willing to work as employees. The islands arc capable of enormous development, and it is estimated that RG.OOfI acres of land could bo purchased by white settlers and that, the natives would then possess more land than thej- could handle. But .-ithout labour tho land is useless for European occupation, and the commission does not believe that the settlement of returned soldiers from New Zealand, and on this land, would ha a good proposition. 'Tho plantations can be more cheaply developed, per aero, in large holdings than in, small ones. The tads formerly held by the big German company, the D.TI. and P.G., are being managed bv Now Zealand Government officials, and although the easiest way eut of the difficulty would he to sell them to the highest bidder as soon as possible, it might br> advisable, for many reasons, for the New Zealand Government to hold them and develop them for a fow years." • "There is great room for future development in all classes of tropical products," states the report in reference to Samoa. _ "(>)pra, cocoa, coffee, rubber, kapoc, pineapples, castor-oil, 6eeds, sago, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, cloves, vanilla, arrowroot, sisal, might all be grown with advantage. A most serious drawback' to the rnpid extension of the export trade is tho shortage of labour. If any development does -take olaco it will for n considerable tirne at least bo in coco-nut-growing, provided tho price does not fall considerably. Copra-making seems to suit the native temperament. It is a comparatively easy crop to handle: little labour is required compared -with the growing o£ cocoa, coffee, or rubber, and the palm is not susceptible to diseases. After tho trees, are sufficiently grown cattle can be turned'out on tho native grasse.*. Not only are they a source of income in themselves, but they save manual labour by keeping the plantations clean.- Some of the land is capable of grazincr about two bullocks to three acres. If, however, the price oi copra falls considerably, the Samoan may turn his attention to cocoa, coffee, and rubber growing. Only comparatively small areas would be plnnted in the products mentioned owing to. the amount of labour required ro tend and harvest the crops. If the coconut plantations were permitted to ]>ecome overgrown the rhino-ceros-beetle would hnve shelter to breed and increase, and the fate of tho coconut palm would be sealed."

The creation of a tropical branch of the Department of Agriculture for work in Snmoa and elsewhere is suggested. Samoa crows many varieties of fruit, especially bananas, but a trade with New Tien land cannot bo developed owing to lack of transport. The copra trade has been forced into the hands of the Americans by the refusal of the Union Company to carry copra. The New Zealand Government, says the Commission, should either inako arrangements for a direct Samoan service, or purchase suitableshins for the Island trade.. "There seem ro lie the same shipping trouble in nearly every island we visited.'' adds the Commission, "and unless this matter ia satisfactorily dealt with it is utterly impossible to have trade development, for without a satisfactory service and a certainty that the produce grown will be taken away in a reasonable time, planters, native and European, become disheartened, and consequently trade languishes. Wo arc awaro that the carry, inir out of this recommendation would nffect private enterprise, which is a matter to !>e deplored, but the consetjiicnces are so vital that we are constrained to make it." Tho provision of cold storage at Samoa is suggested. Samoa should lie ablo to flnanco itself from local resources, and the Commission thinks that the expenditure on public services should bo guided by tlio revenue. The report deals in detail with tho trade of the Cook Islands. It suggests

that owing to hnrbour and shipping difficulties the islands, with the exception of Raratonga, had better concentrate on the production of non-perishable articles such as copra, coffee, cocoa, and rubber. The fruit trade with Raratonga requires improved shipping' facilities. The Coin-, rais'rfon does not think that the natives have been oxploited by the traders, and it believes that a Iwtter understanding between the parties is ; possible. Tho Durchase of an auxiliary schooner by tho Government for work among the islands is suggested. The Commission emphasises the need for a greater effort on the part of New- Zealand traders, and makes various minor recommendations.