Untitled

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10219, 13 December 1893, Page 4

The Premier is reported to be favourably disposed towards the proposal that a representative of this Colony should bo sent to the Reciprocity Conference which is to sit in Canada next month. While keen competition continues to be the rule in business matters, nations and communities must copy the methods of private commercial firms, and employ every legitimate means of pushing the sale of their products in the very best markets. This national rivalry, while it is necessary to the maintenance and expansion of a people’s commerce, tends towards the extinction of individual competition by its recognition of the principle that the control of trade and interchange is a State concern. Victoria has made a very practical application of this principle. The Government of^the sister Colony has decided to despatch its dairy expert, Mr D. Wilson, on a special mission to the southern portions of the great continent of Asia, for the purpose of opening up a market for Victorian produce. Mr Wilson's duties aro to visit Ceylon, India, British Burmab, Straits Settlements, Java, China and Japan, and to report to his Government on the openings that may be found to exist for Colonial wines, tinned meat, fruit and butter. More than half the population of the globe is concentrated in the countries which Mr Wilson is to visit, and as there are large and increasing Colonies of Europeans in the various trading centres, who carry their dietetic tastes with them, and whose habits are largely imitated by the large populations around them, it follows that there is a brisk demand for many articles that these Colonies ; produce in abundance, and of the best quality, England and the United States have at present possession of; these markets, and tho object of the \ Victorian Government is to secure' some of tho trade for its producers. | To that end a Government commer-1 cial traveller accompanies Mr Wilson, 1 carrying samples of produce likely j to be in demand, and he is em-1 powered to establish trading relations j between Victorian producers and the 1 mercantile houses of Colombo, Bom-1 bay, Calcutta, Rangoon, Singapore, I Batavia,- Yokohama, Canton, Shang- j hai, Hong Kong and other places. 'There doubtless, room to hope, j

from the nearness of these markets to Australasia, that our produce could successfully compete with that of England and America. The drawback in the case of New Zealand is the absence of direct steam communication with these countries. The Victorian Government is sending a representative to the Canadian Conference, being satisfied that even in the distant Dominion there is an opening for Australasian produce. Clearly it will not do for New Zealand to remain inactive while such vigorous means are being employed by other Colonies to extend their commerce by opening up new and profitable markets. If our policy of land settlement is to he a success, commercial development must progress with it hand in hand, and the best counteraction to the low prices ruling in our principal market is to find fresh avenues for trade and thus relieve the congestion caused by increased production !