TRADE WITH ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19156, 23 October 1925, Page 11

TRADE WITH ISLANDS.

ACTIVITY OF AMERICANS.

IMPORTS FROM UNITED STATES. [from our own correspondent.] SUVA, Oct. 10. To most of the inhabitants of Fiji and the neighbouring groups, it is a matter for wonder that Australia and New Zealand do not take more active steps to retain or secure an increase of the trade of the Islands. With the recent improvements in the means of transit the United States is securing a greater hold on the Island trade than has been possible in previous years. For a long time American merchants have been largely dependent upon casual sailing vessels for freight to the Islands. Now, largely owing to the increasing trade of the Vacuum Oil Company, regular steamers voyage via Panama to Fiji and other island groups from New York. Then the French are extending their Island service by calling monthly at Fiji, and already a trade in Sici shell, running into 60 to 80 tons monthly, has been secured. The Clan liners also are now regular callers at Fiji and are taking away to London and German ports a great deal of copra which formerly went via Sydney. The American merchants are slowly but surely establishing themselves in the Island market. This result was largely furthered by the copra trade during the war being diverted into American bottoms and being sold in American ports. In this way a connection was established which is not going to be allowed to go. The recent diversion of the Oceanic steamers to Fiji has also been a factor in improving trade relations between the lUnited States and the Islands. More passengers now travel by the Oceanic than by the other boats between here and Sydney. In 1924 it was estimated that America took about Z5 per cent, of the export trade while it supplied about 21 per cent, of the volume of imports into the Islands. It is reasonable to state that this proportion has considerably altered to the benefit of America during this year. The shipments of general goods and motor-cars from the United States, both from New York, San Francisco, and from Vancouver are steadily increasing. All this time 110 special effort, apparently, is being made by either Britain or the Dominions to secure .a larger share of the Island harvest, which is each year becoming more important and valuable. Britain is helping the outside competitors bv steadily refusing assistance financially to her Pacific colonies. The refusal by the Colonial Office to allow Fiji to float a loan of £1,000,000 is regarded as -a suicidal policy, which will before long become apparent to the people in Downiar Street. It is useless for British merchants to expect a share of the trade of the Islands unless they are prepared to give better terms to Island traders, such as is done by American and Canadian manufacturers. The main exports from the Islands consist of copra, sugar, bananas, rubber, chrome ore, cocoa,nut oil, phosphates, vanilla, cacao, pearl shell and other tropical produce, and all these are readily purchased by the American merchants, the market being, as a rule, favourable. In 1922 exports to the United States totalled 41,874 tons, accounting for about one-third of the total. Over 25,000 tons of copra was consigned to San Francisco. Other lines consisted of 12,905 of chrome ore, 1278 tons cocoanut oil, etc.