JAPAN-NEW ZEALAND TRADE

Evening Star, Issue 20634, 6 November 1930, Page 6

JAPAN-NEW ZEALAND TRADE

MONTHLY SERVICE STARTED Belonging to the Osaka Shosukaisha Line, ships are now trading between tiio Orient and New Zealand, and the first vessel to reach this country arrived at Wellington on Sunday last. This was the Brisbane Maru, which came from Yokohama, Otaru, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, _ Noji, Hongkong, and Manila via Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. The ship completed the trip from Yokohama to Wellington in thirty-eight days, decreasing the time of previous service by twenty-two days. Previously .the steamers only came as far as Australia, where New Zealand cargo had to be transhipped, and the total number of days the cargo was on the trip was sixty. In previous years merchants in Dunedin were unable to land walnut meat until about Christmas, but with the new service the walnut meat on the Brisbane Maru was placed on the local market to-day. New motor ships are employed in the service now;, and each is capable of attaining a speed of sixteen knots, which accounts for the saving in time. Speaking on the inauguration of the new service to a ‘ Star ’ reporter this morning Mr M. Fukuda, representing a Japanese firm, said he was pleased to see the trade opened, as it would benefit New Zealand imports. Wool, and eventually butter, meat, and agricultural products, would be exported to Japan. There was a big demand for wool in Japan, and something like .‘IOO,OOO bales were imported annually, the bulk coming from Australia, Crossbred wool was now wanted in bis country, and as New Zealand was noted for its cross-bred article, there was every probability 7 of its being bought from the dominion. The taste tor lamb and mutton in Japan was being cultivated, but there was a difficulty to contend with when the frozen meat arrived in the Orient. There was no freezing accommodation on the wharf there, but if the trade in frozen meat increased the accommodation would soon be established. Ho hoped and believed there would be a big increase in the trade between Japan and New 7 Zealand now tha,t the service was running.