THE FRENCH CONSOL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12427, 16 February 1901, Page 2

THE FRENCH CONSOL.

$ A VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH. The Count de Court®, French Consul in New Zealand, arrived in Christchurch yesterday morning, and in the evening was interviewed by a representative of this journal, with regard to several questions of public -interest. The Count has been three years in (he colony. He says that he is greatly , interested in its legislative experiments, and is charmed with its scenery and general appearance. After having spent- some time touring in the North Island, he is on his wav to Dunedin and the southern lakes, but will remain in this city for a few days. He savs that Christchurch is very pretty. When he* first proposed to come here, he was told that he would see a city which greatly resembled towns in Europe, and he has found that this is the case.

It is a pity, he thinks, that- the colony is not better known in Europe. Even in England many people, often among the educated classes, seem to have no idea of its extent, or the progress it- has made, many of them thinking that it is part of Australia-. Only the other day, he received a letter addressed "New Zealand, Australia.” Last year, he saw several of his countrymen in New Zealand. Among thc-m were two professors from the Paris University, who came to see the country and, study its legislative experiments. The latter they found exceptionally interesting, and the labour laws have been the subject of many enquiries, several Prenehmen coming to the colony to study them and report on the subject. An interesting hook in this connection, said the Count, lias been written by M. Siegfried, who seems to have caught the spirit of recent legislation in the colony, and has written some articles on it in a political review. As far as tlie Count can see, the colony is prosperous in all parts, and he thinks that Ihe prosperity is likely to .continue. In reply to a question, the Count said thatit was hard to say exactly what amount of trade was done between France and New Zealand, as a great-deal of it came through London. In his reports to the French Government, however, he had indicated how trade relations could he improved, making special,reference to the use of New Zealand wool. He thinks that a larger (trade could also he done with:the French'settlements in the Pacific. A scheme for running steamers between New Caledonia and Auckland had been mooted, and an experiment by one firm in Noumea, which had sent a shipment of produce from the island, and had received one in return, had been successful, the manager looking forward to the time when .he would’be able to send another shipment. In the opinion of the French Consul, New Caledonia is in-need of good stock for breeding pWposes, and would be glad to get cattle from this colony. Good coffee is also being grown now in New Caledonia. Samples .sent ’ t-o experts in France have been declared not inferior to coffee front some of the great- coffee-grow-ing countries. The Consul thinks that possibly some firms in New Zealand might find it advantageous to . procure coffee from the island.

In one' of his reports, the Count expressed surprise at the fact that large quantities of wool were bought in Australia by French buyers, who- do not seem to take much notice of New Zealand, This he attributes to the fact that the-Australian market is- nearer, and is well known, and he thinks it is a pity that there is not a direct steam, service between New Zealand and the outer world. The reporter asked if there was any possibility of New Zealand meat- being imported into France, bm the Count replied. that trade in that direction was practically impossible, as in France-there was a Customs regulation prohibiting the importation of

any carcases without both (lie head and the lungs. In any ease, the idea of importing colonial meat, he thought, would not probably be very, popular in -France,his'the farm-, ers there-say that -the priccs'they receive are too low now, and they would be afraid that a further' reduction would .lake place if frozen meat were "imported. 'Results this 1 , Hie people in European countries seem still to have a wrong impression with regard to the quality of frozen meat. “My own impression,” said l the Count, “is that it is very good. I really do not see why, in place.? like Indo-China, where fresh mutton, is scarce, these colonies should not try to get a market.” ‘

In reply to another question, the Count said that there was mo -animosity . among Frenchmen towards (he British. Tim ordinary Frenchman had the same feeling towards Britain that- an average reasonable Britisher had towards Prance.' “You must not,” said the Count, “form an idea, of the relationship between the two nations from what you read, in certain newspapers on both sides. The two countries have many interests ’in common, such as in connection with trade, and there does not seem to be any good to be obtained by their being on any terms but good ones. On the death of the-Queen, the French nation showed its sympathy with the British, and my own condolences, which were published in tlie Press here, may be considered, not as a mere official expression of condolences, but as an indication of the genera! feeling among Frenchmen’. ”■ ’■ In conclusion, the Count said that in New Zealand, both lie and the Countess de Cour-ts-had received the- utmost, kindness and courtesy, and their- stay here had been an exceedingly pleasant one. He repeated that the- colony was not- known ‘in Europe as- it ought to be, and he hoped that in time this would he remedied by larger numbers of people visiting these parts. So far as he himself was concerned, when questioned in France about- New Zealand-, he would undoubtedly praise it very highly.