THE SOUTH AFRICAN MARKET.

Evening Star, Issue 11675, 6 February 1902, Page 8

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MARKET.

CAN IT BE CAPTURED?

[Spkeal to tot Star.]

WELLINGTON. February 5. At the invitation of the president of the Chambers of Commerce Conference, Mr J. B MacEwan addressed the Conference today on the question of new markets. Mr MacEwan said that as the result of careful development England hud. become our best market for dairy produce, which was the line about which he felt himself most competent to speak. We had a strong hold on the British markets, and were catering strongly for their requirements. It was only a question of time when our produce would be second to none in the eyes of the Home consumer. At certain times of the year, however, it was necessary to provide ourselves with subsidiary markets. In the pant Australia had to some extent drawn from us for outside order?, and quite recently, owing to the drought, and notwithstanding the tariff impost, orders had come to us from Australia. But our market at the present time was the South African. Owing to the lack of steamship facilities the producers of New Zealand were deprived of what he (the spea-karl believed to be a first-class chance of doing business. They could not, however, expect the steamship companies to bike una.ded the risks incidental to the opening up of a new market of this kind. He hop?d .that this Conference of representative men would strengthen the Government's hands in their expressed desire to ensure a. direct service with South Africa. New Zealand, by reason of its geographical position, would always require to make larger and stronger efforts to keep up with her outside competitors than any other country in the world. Me thought the arrangement which Canada had made with the shipping companies, by which a subsidy was paid up to a certain " minimum earning point." was a good one. Be UTged that, instead of lagging behind in the exploration of new markets, New Zealand ought to make it her business to be amongst the first. If the right steps had been" taken New Zealand would have been leading instead of following into the South African market at the present time. Mr C. R. Beattie (secretory of the Darrv Union), who was also present bv 'request, pointed oat that there was limited scope for the exportation of tinned butter and cheese to India, China, and Japan for the use of the European inhabitants, who at present drew their supplies from Europe. Demands for supplies kept coming to New Zealand from Africa, but in the existing condition of shipping the people at this end were powerless. He advocated the exportation of pork and green (uncured) bacon into the Home and African markets. He also urged that the Chambers of Commerce and the Agricultural Department should co-operate with a view to impressing the importance of this trade, upon farmers, and of giving them information a* to the btst means to be taken to promote the industry. Mr John Duncan airecd that some permanent effort should be made to capture the South African market. It seemed to him that the proposals in the Government advertisement calling for tenders were acting in the wrong direction. As he read the advertisements, the tenders called for vessels to discharge entirely in South Africa. Tho-e vessels would have thereafter to find their way back to New Zealand without any chance of doing a hack trade. A great burden would thus have to be assumed by tue colony in supporting an expensive line, or the terms of the advertisement would have to be altered. Three years ago an attemot was made by the shipping companies to establish direct lines, and a- deputation representing the New Zealand and Shaw, Savill Shipping Companies at that time waited on the Premier and offered to fintar into a monthly service calling at Fremarrtle and three ports in South Africa, under fixed conditions as to the discharge of cargo., What was asked was that these vessels should be subsidised to the extent of £750 per ship— 4 hat was to say. a service could have been obtained for £9.000 a year. Mr Seddon, however, was under the impression that the service could be jor for a lower figure, arjd refused to eufciain the offrr. The shipping companies Yteu- not to be jut on one side. They deciqu' to try to run the service without the snhfiiy. and it w;ta only when they had sent o-.v or two vessels, and experienced the diftk-iby of operating without Government autliori;;.- in the matter of discbarge, that I hey (iiswvcred that a subsidy of £750 would have been absolutely inadequate- But wirii an earnest <'esire to better the requiieivj-ws of the colony, the companies decir'k'd- -provided they could get sufficient encoura.'/oment —to Jim a vessel every six weeks. The kind of encouragement they got was thai contracts were arranged for the supply of grain outside the existing lines of steamers, so that it came practically to the position that they had to depend on Mr MacEwan for cargo. It was found impossible to carry en the service, so he felt quite satisfied, from past experience, in saying thai any attempt to work on the lines laid down by the Government in their advertisement must c..d

in failure. The only practic;tltle plan was to ship the produce at regular intervals in the direct liners going to England. He w;.s not saying that the vessel." would undertake it, as London consignees generally oh jected to their produce going via the Cape, but if it could be arranged the Government could be of enormous assistance in getting the difficulties of discharge removed. A regular market could then be obtained, greatly to tie advantage of the producers here. (Applause.)