DIRECT TRADE WITH MANCHESTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13032, 24 November 1905, Page 6

DIRECT TRADE WITH MANCHESTER.

. - ■' ' ' LECTURE IN THE CHAMBER OF COM' MERGE. Mr. ■ James McCoxechy, who is visiting New Zealand as a special representative of ■, the Manchester Ship Canal Company, d*-,. - live-red a lecture in the Chamber of Commerce Hall yesterday afternoon on "Direct Trad© Between New Zealand and Manchester." The president of the chamber (Mr. A. B. Boberton) occupied the chair, and there was a small attendance. Mr. McCoueehy said that the Manchester Ship Canal had been constructed after great ■'.■■:■ difficulties had been surmounted. Manches-" tcr had long desired water communication ' ' with the, sea, but. adverse factious had cropped up at every corner and at every v turn. One ;., hundred.' and seventy-two thousand pounds had ! been spent :by the provisional committee before the Act of Parliament which sanctioned the '■■construction- of tlie canal was- obtained, and the total cost'; to" ■ ■■.-■■■ the • promoters and : the opponents ': of ' the scheme was estimated at £500,000. Within a radius of '12 miles ' of Manchester - was • a population of two millions and a-half,'and that city was now the nearest port to i a population of ten ; millions of people,-.most . of whom were well-paid workmen,: who : were fond of good food. ' This great centre was ;. an ideaL market ; , for 'the produce oE' New Zealand, and was the natural port for. : the,, export of a manufactures to this and other parts of the world. v Manchester was the largest market for butter, and 177 neighbouring i towns were represented on the Provision Exchange in that Manchester was the best port on the west!coast of England to which Now Zealand's meat, cheese, and butter could be sent.' Last year • there was a turnover of 'about 4,000,000 tons ~ in the port of Manchester, and this large volume of cargo found its way there, nob out of sentiment, but entirely on account tif the monetary savings and the superior methods of handling and despatch, "It would therefore' be clearly seen: that it would pay the producers of this country handsomely to send a', large portion of their produce to i Manchester as an economic centre for sale, and distribution. Hitherto Now Zealand had had no opportunity of participating in the trade in and around Manchester to the extent that'her resources should entitle her, , because there had been no direct communication. But; ho was informed that the Pederal-Houlder-Shird Sine of steamers whs ■| about to ; establish a service from New Zealand direct to Manchester, taking cargo at the same rates as were current to London.. With this connecting link' the produce of New Zealand would have an opportunity of getting into the ; North of ' England markets on as favourable terms as the produce of Canada and other parts of America. Mr. ' MeConechy showed and explained a number of plans of the canal, and quoted statistics as to the difference in the cost of landing cargo in Manchester and in other port: of England. Mr. B. Kent said that be saw no reason why New Zealanders should centralise all , ; their shipments in London, when thew were other largo centres in the United Kingdom which would take supplies ana would perhaps be able to handle shipment* ; cheaper than the agents in London. . On the motion of Mr. S. J Nathan a ; hearty rote, of thanks was accorded to Mr. I MoOoneohy for. hia iatweetiDa leota«r