SPECIAL INTERVIEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12546, 13 April 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

SPECIAL INTERVIEWS.

NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSIONS AT HOME.

INCREASING DEMAND FOR OUR

PRODUCTS.

SOME REMARKS ON EMIGRATION.

Mr. C. C. McMillan', a familiar figure in local commercial circles, having recently returned from a voyage round the world, extending over a period of 12 months, several of which were spent in the Old Country, a llkkald reporter called upon, him at his office in Shortland-street yesterday, and obtained his views upon various matt ere of current interest. En passant we may remark that Mr. McMillan, who was accompanied by- his wife, chose tlio Canadian route Florae. Whilst at San Francisco Mr. and Mrs. McMillan had tke good fortune to witness a public demonstration tendered to Mr. Roosevelt, the President of the United States. "Republicans and Democrats," says Mr. Mc- | Millan, " united to welcome the head of the great Republic, and the ovation thairesulted was such as I have never seen equalled anywhere else." After an interesting journey up the coast, Mr. and Mrs. McMillan crossed over to Vancouver Island, and, after a short stay in this progressive colony, the seat of the Government of British Columbia, returned to the mainland. Vancouver they found to be one of the most advanced and prosperous towns in Canada. After visiting a number of towns, they put up at Banff, one of the most picturesque places on the Rocky Mountains, and from there passed on to Winnipeg, the centre of a vast wheat-grow-ing district. Travelling through Minnesota they took note of the rapid growth of many townships, and were later duly impressed by the magnificence of the Niagara Falls. Some little time was spent in Toronto, and a further stay was made at Montreal, the capital of the Dominion. The last few days in Canada were spent in Quebec, with its huge French population. A" pleasant voyage was made across the Atlantic , to Liverpool, and a tour through England afforded keen enjoyment. Then followed a holiday at the Riviera, and a journey by steamer to Port Said. Two months were profitably spent in the ancient land of the Pharaohs, and the excursionists' then returned their trip round the world, journeying by steamer from Port. Said to Colombo, from whence they crossed over into India and visited in turn all the more important towns and places of interest, subsequently catching a steamer for Australia, and thence to Auckland. In reply to a question as, to whether New Zealand agricultural products were in much demand at Home, Mr. McMillan said, " Wherever our butter is know® it is in considerable demand, but there are large centres—towns with a population anywhere between 60,000 and 100.000— tho Danish article seems to have crowded it right, out. Take Oxford as an example. I stared for some time in this famous home of learning, where one meets visitors from every European country, and from America, and cosmopolitanism seems to; be in the very air. It seems a likely place to furnish a good market for New Zealand products. andi«(>j£as the butter served at the dining table was nose too good, I asked the landlady to procure New Zealand butter for us. Sne endeavoured to do so, but without success. There was not a pound of New Zealand butter ,to be had in tha whole of Oxford. As a set-off to this Danish butter was being sold everywhere. »V'e had exactly,: the same experience ill Bath. 1 certainly think steps should be taken to remedy this state of things. Quite a common reply to get from a grocer when asked if lie/keeps New Zealand butter is, 4 I know nothing" about any New Zealand brands, but I can recommend our Danish butter.' By pushing our butter in the big inland English towns, especially those frequented by foreigners, our exports would he materially increased. The fault probably lies to some extent with the people who have control of the market for New Zealand butter. Anyhow the matter is one which ought to be taken in hand by the Government."

"New Zealand mutton is in steady demand at Home, is it not. 9 "

"A large, quantity of our mutton is consumed in England, and the demand would be all the keener if the people could -always be sure of obtaining the genuine • article. At present they have no guarantee when purchasing Canterbury mutton that they are not really receiving an Argentine article. In several instances which have come under my notice persons have purchased New Zealand mutton, and have liked it well enough to go to their butchers for further supplies of it, only to receive a distinctly inferior class of meat. There are many colonial butchers at Home who sell Argentine, Australian, and New Zealand mutton; On the Argentine meat they make a larger profit, and I make perfectly certain that a large quantity of so-called prime Canterbury mutton finds its way into the English market from the Argentine." " Supposing that Mr. Seddon's suggestion regarding the opening of shops for the sale of New Zealand mutton were carried into effect, would not this prevent such tricks of trade as you allude to and at the same time greatly popularise our products!" " Undoubtedly. I think Mr. Seddon's proposal an excellent one, and most opportune. Until people at- Home can go to shops where they can be -absolutely certain of receiving ; New Zealand mutton when they ask for it, I don't see how we can expect to get anything like the market we should have. There is undoubtedly a prejudice against frozen mutton, owing to the inferior quality of much of it, but those who have purchased meat sent out from this colony have been so pleased with it that they have got into the habit of using it constantly. The present market is controlled by rings, who simply sell for the profits to be obtained. ' What is wanted is the establishment of such a system that a housewife when ordering New Zealand jnutton can be sure of not having r. poorer article from the Argentine 01; somewhere else, palmed off upon her." i "How has the stand taken by the colony | in regard to the preferential tariff been received at Home?''

"Opinions seem to be divided. Freetraders point to the fact that no reduction has been made in the duties 011 British goods, and the preference to British articles as against -German is so small as to amount' to very little. A reduction of the duties on British goods would unquestionably he tho means of strengthening Mr. Chamberlain's hands, but nothing short of that is likely to carry weight with the Opposition. The question is one, however, which bristles with difficulties, and I do not care to make any dogmatic statement with respect to it. The interests of men who have built up large industries here, and have much capital at stake, have to be safeguarded. Mr. Chamberlain is working very hard, and his policy is gaining fresh adherents every day. Apropos of this, an American whom I met .on my travels said to me: 'This policy of Chamberlain's is against American interests, but unless something of,the kind is put into practice England must decline.. Nothing can save her but some such system as that Mr. Chamberlain is advocating.' And that appears to be a conviction which is gaining ground in all directions." " What are the prospects of an increase in emigration?" " I should say that unless strong inducements are ■ offered to intending emigrants only a very small proportion of them will come here. . Canada understands this question better than we do. When ' passing through Canada I had ample opportunities of noticing the evidences of extraordinary activity there. Thousands of settlers were arriving daily; They were men who have been given a very cheap passage; and were each supplied with 120 acres of land free, on con-