NEW ZEALAND AND CANADA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13700, 17 March 1908, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND AND CANADA.

TRADE EXPANSION. 16 KAURI TIMBER CONSERVATION. s- Mk. J. S. Lap.kk, Commissioner for the D< l. minion of Canada, is at preset! in Auckland, staying at the Gran ie Hotel. Mr. Larke, when Been by >1 representative of the Herald yesterdaj talked interestingly on the subject of trad between New Zealand and Canada, and o I other matters of equal importance. 1 Mr. Larke, when asked why Canada \va not competing with New Zealand in the 01 ,] Country's butler market at the present time ii pointed out that Canada's speciality wa cheese rather than butter. Canada exportei to England more than one-half of the dices d imported into that country. 0 In reply to a question Mr. Larke gavi t- some information of special interest to Nev Zealantlers regarding the matter of timbe conservation. He remarked that when In was in this country some 13 or 14 years ag< .1 he had pointed out the advisability of put ting a limit on the export of kauri, and tin fact that New Zealand was now getting con 3 earned about the kauri reserves indicatec 1 he was right. "In the interests of tin people of the Dominion it, would have beer belter to have prohibited its export alto gether," continued Mr. Larke. " The kauri f is a slow-growing tree, and it takes a long ■ time to reproduce these forests. Take British Columbia. That is a virgin ■country with a practically inexhaustible timber sup- - ply, and yet the Government has already b opened a Forestry Department. They are taking steps to preserve their forests, and in some instances they have initiated measures with a view to afforestation. You have a lot of country here that might, be put to that use. Where you have rough country unsuited for agriculture it is better to devote it to tree plantations." " What are the methods adopted in Canada for afforestation?" " They are just beginning to shape a policy there to that end. They have started afforestation in Eastern Canada, and lands devoted to the purpose are free from taxation. The Government is seeking by this method to encourage farmers to plant a portion of their lands with timber. In some parts very valuable trees, such as walnut, have been planted, and they will be a splendid asset later en. The Department gives all possible information regarding the growing of timbers to the settlers, and they are making it part, of their agricultural course., An annual convention in the interests of the preservation of the forests is also held, which can bo attended by anybody who wants to. The conventions are usually attended by experts from the United States, because that country is even more concerned in the question of tree conservation than Canada. These conferences do considerable practical good, and they are bearing their fruit already." "How is it that Canadian trade has not increased fa New Zealand as much as was hoped?" " Within the last five years there lias been an enormous expanse of the home trade in Canada through the increase of immigration. There are 250,000 immigrants, all of them with money, coming in in a year. These people arrive almost barehanded, needing houses, furniture, and tools. This creates a very large market, and the consequence is that the factories have been strained to meet, the home demands, and many firms have been compelled to withdraw from the export trade. Canada has also the highest paid labour in the world. But a change is coming over this position,of affairs. The panic in the United States has sent many people into Canada looking for work; the factories are being more fully manned in consequence, and now they are looking New Zealandwards for orders." "Does New Zealand do the trade with Canada that it might?" .• "There are four articles of produce that Canada is needing at the present time. On the west coast there is a market for frozen mutton and butter that New Zealand can supply, and fruit and vegetables, among other things. You have no means of sending the frozen mutton and butter there, although you have a preferential duty on them, because there is no cold storage upon the direct shipping to Vancouver. Then the other two articles are the wool and flax that are consumed on the east side of Canada. To ship them they have first to be sent up to Vancouver and then 3000 miles by rail. A part of this distance is derailed because the lines running eastward are strained to meet the transport of the products of Western Canada to the ocean. The consequence is that the railways do not care very muoh for through freight. If wo had steamers running to the eastern ports of Canada then wool and flax could be carried close to the factories that, use them, and would make a direct trade that would certainly be in the interests of the New Zealand producer and j Canadian steamers."