PRODUCE AND MARKET REPORTS FROM TO DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 10, 13 January 1927, Page 11

PRODUCE AND MARKET REPORTS FROM TO DAY

/ '/"EVENING POST," -13th 'January;. ■ .•'; It is; understood that Fiji is anxious to much improve its trading, relations . with New Zealand. . Abeady the Government of that Crown Colony is in correspondence with the Governmentof this Dominion on the subject, and 'it. has set .up a.committee to", advise on' the question, of . im- 1 pr'ovemeiits. .A- New.-. Zealand committee to co-operate has not yet been set / up. The main question :to be answ'eredir as: it appears to the Suva Chanjber, o£ Commerce,', is what tariff concession can Fiji make .to . New Zealand which will have the efiect.of '^ substantially increasing Fijian purchases of goods from the Dominion? The ' balance of '■;■ trade done by Fiji with New Zealand;, is , 'decidedly against the Dominion at: present.' Omitwhereas. imports by. Fiji from NewZea-' '.land .in' 1935 .were.: valued vat "■' £158,277, whereas imported by Fiji from :New Zealand .were valued '. at ; £117,413.; On other hand, Fiji! exports; to. Australia'were valued; at £29,586/. whilst' imports from; the Commbri'.vealth were valued at /£574,----611. New-Zealand' gives free: entry to' the bulk of Fiji exports; Australia heavily taxes them through the "Customs tariff. So: far as can be ascertained '-■ the motive: actuating , those \in > Fiji" for • giving gi-eater encouragement to imports -~ .-. from New ;Zealand is .to 'retaiir? the free mar-' ket-in the Dominion fov perishable-Fijian, goods, mostly fruit. :A list,;derived from official returns, of some of the articles im..ported' by Fiji:from,, other countries and New.'Zealand, will show/.their. relative positions Yin Fiji's „trade..-.:: :~-\.::--:/r-:\ ■"'■ '-' ■ ',

;'v;^!p6rts./■frqm■^■■'Ausl;^a^;.'^■.•^ill■^.i■nclude■. goods from India and the "East' and some' from .the.United Kingdoin.-/The' movement in Fiji for: ampler imports from New. Zealandis likely to be'helped by,:preferenca being' granted',by the Fiji/Government- on goods from the Bomiiion,:conditional upon; favoured.treatme'nt'by;■ the;produce of Fiji' coming/into, this .country.;-/_■.■;/■!■/.:;.'"/..:;•

r ;TI^mG:.UNp^R^EGT[JIiATiqNS::] Traders and' others' (Ipingl business in ■ New. : Zealand -icomplain; of,: the' !multitudinoiis 'forms- they, are required to fill/in,\and. of red ;tape' generally;' They will\be: interested to ; learn, that the same thing,;, probably ;;worse,;:obtains in the■Union;o£ South .Researches-have been made by the Associated Chambers of Commerce .'of; South Africa 'into this! subject, -with' the', following "results:l-- .-';' ,V.' : ■,; '^Merchants- and other:business/men: are V(squiredr'.^.6'.vtake-?_pu!t-.;OAe^prv'inor«/.p£.'.55 licehbesj comply with/one ■or'-'.-mqreVflf, 12 methods of taxation, and. 45 different' sets ;. of .regulations; submit to.- 31' methods., of ■ in;spection ,by :31. different inspectors; and' they .have/some of 'the .29 different ;f6rms of. statistics/ito fill., in;/al^oj to ;. afford, pther and : various -kirids oft inforjnation to the authorities.-The.'.■ South': African 'Association 1 is'desirous of. knowing ;if ; a-similar state';: of\- affairs exists.-in ..New. Zealand;', Land .has;^written\to. ; the. New •Zealand:' As-;' sboiated' Chambers: of (Commerce to that'

Fiom From New Other Zealand countries £ £ Horses .... — 1,087 Pigs, 711 / 262 Sheep 1,480 718 Bacon and hams 3,366 786 Beei, m bottles — 5,952 / Beer, in wood 403 346 ' Biscuits 74 3.G96 Boots 364 5,962 Butter 2,313 430 Coal 1,857 40,108 Confectioneiy 1,740 3,427 Coffee and chicory 117 2,194 Cordage and x ope 656 7,104 ■Drugs 529 12,310 Fish . 709 14,292 Floui , . — 45,049 Polliid and Sharps' ... 83 40,471 Fruits 1,083 3,747 Giease and tallow 3,062 2,453 i Jams . 80 2,615 Leather ware 50 10,465 Machinery 629 30,918 Meats , 26,248 4JOBO Pickles and sauces 75 1,571 SoaD 1384 4188