THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1913. DIRECT SHIPMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15481, 12 December 1913, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1913. DIRECT SHIPMENTS.

The strike brings home to New Zealand a weakness in its shipping arrangements, which calls for an early remedy. When the strikers were beaten in New Zealand they shifted their ground to the Sydnoy wharves. Much was expected from the Sydney boycott on New Zealand shipping, but as a matter of fact its effect on the trade and industry of New Zealand is infinitesimal compared with the stoppage of our overseas trade by which the waterside workers were to bring the country to its knees. New Zealand has not felt any great loss in the temporary suspension of her direct trade with Australia; it is only when Sydney is considers as a transhipping port that the inconvenience of the boycott is actually experienced. The effect of this must be to force our importers to devise ways and means of putting an end to our dependence on Sydney or any other port as tho medium through ' which we receive certain of our oversea supplies. As the interruption occurred in November it has been particularly unfortunate in delaying goods that were specially arranged to arrive in good time for the Christmas traded One class of goods noticeably affected by the delay is the new season's Mediterranean dried fruits. These always come via Sydney, and the stoppage of supplies brings us face to face with the humiliating fact that there is not a single line of steamers that can bring goods all the way from the Mediterranean to New Zealand in one bottom. Ceylon tea is hung up in Sydney; Japanese furniture, fancy goods, and silks will bo too late for the Christmas trade, because no shipping arrangements have been made for bringing such goods to New Zealand direct. As an instance of the reliance we have been accustomed to place on Sydney as a transhipping port it may be mentioned that many cases of goods from Europe and from England, including machinery intended for tho Auckland Exhibition, have been brought by that route, and are now on the Sydney wharves.

New Zealand merchants and importers are not likely to willingly tolerate a repetition of this experience. The transhipment system was necessary when the New Zealand trade was inconsiderable, but the Dominion's imports are now largo enough and important enough to demand direct shipping communication with all the largo producing centres. As regards the United Kingdom— principal outside source of supply, as well as our best market—we have a splendid service on a very satisfactory time-table. Liverpool, Hull and Bristol are all making efforts to secure a share of our trade, so that wo can depend on ample shipping facilities being provided in the future. Our only grievance in . this connection is in the matter of differential freight in favour of the Continent against England, a matter which is now under tho consideration of the Imperial Trade Commission. With the Continent we have no direct connection, although a heavy trade is annually passing both ways, principally via Sydney. In this connection it may bo noted that the future promises a complete revolution in our export trade with Europe if the advantages of a direct service aro available. During recent years thq \ flocks of Germany have decreased from 19,000,000 to 5,000,000, and the meat famine is so intense that the people are clamouring for the admission of frozen meat free of duty. It is not too much to hope that in the near future our mutton may. be welcomed in Germany and other Continental countries duty free. Such an opportunity; may

soon occur, ' but without direct steamers New Zealand would be unable to embrace it. With the Pacific seaboard of the American Continent we have a subsidised line of steamers and a rapidly developing trade. But when we look to our connections with the East Coast of America there is less ground for satisfaction. The enterprising Canadians have subsidised a line of steamers to bring their wares to New Zealand, and there are regular steamers bringing goods from New York, but with existing facilities we can only get New Zealand products to the magnificent markets offering in Philadelphia, New York and Montreal, by shipping via London. A direct service via Panama has been discussed, but if New Zealand waits until the Panama Canal is finished the trade which is just opening up in the United States will be captured by Australia and the Argentine.

India is the only other distant country in direct communication with New Zealand, if we except occasional steamers from Japan. What New Zealand needs to relieve her importers from the dependence on Sydney, which has dislocated our Christmas trade, is a regular line from Japan, calling at Hongkong and other ports. Such a service could bring direct the innumerable linos now filtering through Sydney, and could tako to Japan a good back freight in flax, wool and moat. The matter is of sufficient importance to warrant the early attention of the Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand. Every effort should be made to induce one or other of the companies now interested in the New Zealand trade to fill the gap, and if this fails negotiations might be opened with the Japanese line at present trading to Australia with a view to. their including New Zealand in their itinerary at least once in three months.