GROWING TRADE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 21 November 1923, Page 4

GROWING TRADE

JitAfSJcftU' » BiV WEST -COAST AND CANTERBURY (By Telegraph—Special to The Mail). CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Mr P. R. Glume, organiser of the Canterbury Progress League, gave a comprehensive report- of his recent visit to tiie West Coast to the Railway Committee of'the Progress League with regard to trade. He .said that the prospects were of the brightest. The freight 1 rates were most attractive to the West ■ Coasters and the hope was expressed generally that any revision would not mean a rise in price. Trade from -Westland to Canterbury was well established, for in addition to-regular supplies of coal and timber, there were other growing exports. There was A demand for insulated : .waggbnSj for instance, for the transport of cheese and butter for the dairying industry which was making giant strides, new cheese factories having been established at botli Hokitika and Reefton. With regard to matters of freight, and the improvement of the railway service between Canterbury and Westland the only opposition received was from the * Greymoufch Harbour Board, which was naturally an interested body and was suffering now by the competition of the railways. There was no doubt that the completion of the railway had opened a new area of prosperity for Westland and the town of Greymouth Would reap many benefits. Readjustments obviously would be necessary but iii the long run trade would benefit enormously. Some of the retailers complained that Christchurch had become the shopping centre and there had been a little unemployment, but this would be righted in time. With regard to) wholesale trade'Canterbury commercial travellers were more than holding their .own and it was estimated that 50 per-cent, of the trade was being done with Canterbury hoiiseS< .