TRADE WITH SOUTH AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9090, 26 June 1888, Page 3

TRADE WITH SOUTH AMERICA.

TO THE EDITOR,

Sir,—ln view of the fact that foreign capital has been blindly excluded from New Zealand by heavy and unsatisfactory taxation on European holdings, and by the restriction of transactions m native lands, it; behoves those of our merchants and others who would bring about a flow of capital into the country to cast about for markets and customers external to New Zealand. Business people are in a quandary at present, partly because many people here who have been used to buy everything, whether really necessary or not, on credit, cannot afford now to pay cash, and partly because unless trade can be revived those who can now pay their way will not be able to do so eventually. In this state of things it has occurred to me that we are neglecting an important market for much of our produce, namely, the coast of South America nearest to ourselves. A trade was recently opened up between New Zealand and Brazil (on the other coast), but why disregard the advantages of direct communication with Chili and Peru, which are much nearer ? A good many old colonists will recollect a time when Valparaiso used to send us most of our lighting oil, also flour and other things. Why not return the compliment now ? They would take our dairy produce, jams, potted fish, canned meats, fruit, such as apples, &c, and many other things (perhaps kauri gum and kauri timber), and a direct steam service would be more profitable, in a few years after being started, than the services now trading with the Pacific Islands. Should not our Chamber of Commerce take up the question ? Possibly Mr. McLaughlin, who lately visited South America, might supply valuable information as to tie feasibility and prospects of the traffic.—l am, &c, Excelsior. Auckland, June 25, 1888.