TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11541, 28 November 1900, Page 4

TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA.

While the attempts so far made by the Government to encourage trading relations with South Africa have not been so successful as we would have - wished, we are nevertheless still of opinion that a profitable market for much of our produce is to be found there. So far from this market ceasing with the withdrawal of the great bulk of the Imperial forces, it will certainly improve with the ' re-establishment *of the mining industry and the immense development likely to occur throughout the Transvaal colony. Armies do not make good customers, for it is impossible to follow their movements, as those have discovered who have attempted to send comtorts to our contingents. But well-paid miners, artisans and settlers generally can be reaohed and can buy; not to mention the quantity of fodder of various kinds required by mining companies, carriers and stockowners generally. The Otago exporters are moving in the matter of obtaining Government assistance for a regular steam service; we would suggest that our local Chamber of Commerce might endorse their action, with the view of having either Auckland or Dunedin made the terminal port, and having the four principal ports of the colony called at en route. The service must necessarily be made regular, and some loss must be expected at first, for it requires time and patience to build up any and every trade. But the whole country profits by every new market which is secured. ' However much we may become self-contained, there must for ages be a great surplus of food and fodder which we must sell abroad. From this we derive our national wealth; from this we secure the wherewithal to develop the still latent resources of our islands. However good existing markets may be, it would be folly for us to neglect to increase and extend them. We must remember that we have many and active trade rivals, and that any opportunity which we neglect is taken advantage of by some other country to its future gain and to our future loss. This is a matter which concerns the whole of New Zealand, North and South. That the Government |is likely to grant its assistance is no reason why Auckland should not give an indication of its sympathies and participate as far as possible in a very laudable movement.