NEW TRADE PROSPECTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15133, 25 October 1912, Page 5

NEW TRADE PROSPECTS.

SOME MEXICAN NEEDS. CHEESE, GOAL AND FIRECLAY. Some interesting remarks upon a possible prospective .trade for Auckland were ioade yesterday to a Herald representative by Mr. David B. Russell. Mr. Russell, who is a native of Auckland, but' has. spent about 30 years in various parts: of America, is greatly interested in the .ischeme;;; for connecting Auckland, .the Manukau, and the Waikato ; by; canal, returned yesterday from Wellington, where he saw the Prime Minister and, several members ; of -the Government in reference to' the canal scheme. He found Mr. Massey and. his colleagues I greatly interested in : the ; proposals, and: very ready to give him. all the information he required, so that he could lay it before those whom he intended to approach : with the, business side of -the" scheme. -V ;^..-; J V; Mr. Russell said ! he also interested Mr. Massey with statements regarding a huge trade which could be opened up between Now Zealand and Mexico, and "various, parts of South America. This trade depended partly upon the use of the Panama Canal, because it would provide return freights for the British, European, and ] American vessels which would bring car-1 goes through'the canal to New Zealand, and would be eager for cargoes to carry back. Such vessels would" easily be -satis-,j fied as to cargoes with coal, fire-brick, ; and j cheese, not to mention any other commodities. ->•■:•: v-":' :;; 1 ;. :;;-;t : w: : :; : -v--. The ports of Manzanillo and Salina Cruz were, : he said; •'.;.'.■■ thoroughly; up-to-date. I Tlieyhad been -: built ', t by';; ; English ; ; and j American capital, with the object of pre- ■ paring for the Panama canal trade, '■' arid j Manzanillo would almost certainly; become ! the distributing, centre for the trade from i New Zealand -to : all South ■;: Americancountrjes, ■•;including; Mexico, '■'" Guatemala; j Nicaragua," Honduras, arid Argentina. In these countries ■ New , Zealand; would • find a. ; large 'market for fruit arid other commo- j dities, v but especially for cheese. ' • | ; Mexico, Mr. Russell explained, was re- | markable as a cheese-eating country, but it j produced very little for .itself. : New Zealand produced ~a,great deal, arid ate comparatively little. Cheese was a very favour-1 ite food in Mexico, and was eagerly sought ! after. ):■:, ' '."._. • ";' A great future Jay before the production j of '■: fire-clay in the Waikato district. In j Mexico, Mr. Russell said, the smelting industry was of great importance.': - Huge I smelting works were established there,' be- ! cause there ; was an abundant/supply, of -j fluxesahd of cheap labour. : Five of the ] establishments were \ among the: v largest ' smelting; propositions, in the world;i arid:! although they had ; fluxes arid labour in ! plenty, they lacked ; fire-clay,..; and ; -;' their j coal was poor. New Zealand could supply j both these commodities. 1 One of the smel- • ters consumed a million dollars" 'worth of'.! ; firebricks rind five,, million dollars' 'worth ; of coal- in 1911. The only coal available j locally was ; "riot only small in quantity, but very poor in quality as well, containing nearly 26 per cent, of ash; Yet it! sold at the mines for 20 to > 25s dollars a ] ton. :„ Imported coal i from -/Virginia was ' sold at as much as 35 dollars to 40 dollars ! a ton. Firebricks sold at Mexico city as j high as 125 dollars per thousand:. In New Zealand they sold at £5 per thousand. : ' ' ■;'■' At ; Taupiri, Hnntly, Ngaruawahiai and! elsewhere in the Waikato, Mr. Russell j said, were inexhaustible supplies of both , coal arid fireclay of the best kind ; for I Mexican consumption. They were simply j waiting for someone to start the trade, j and the' developments from* It would be! almost incalculable.