INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 2

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE.

THE COLONY’S MARKETS. STEAMER SERVICES. Tlie Minister for Industries and Commerce, Sir Joseph Ward, submitted his annual report to Parliament on the 25th ult, In the course of his report the Minister states : In these days of keen competition we cannot afford to neglect any available market, however small, and it should be our policy to encourage and promote steam services in every possible, direction. One must remember that any diversion of the colony’s produce into new markets is followed by a general appreciation of the, whole. Compared tv'ith oiir Australian, neighbours,' we are at a great disadvantage in the matter of oversea freights on produce. We are paying in , almost every instance from 25 to 50 per cent, more freight, and the reason of it is that, their biisiness is competed for by a number of different steamship lines. As showing what the results of competitive over-sea freights are, one has only’ to note the growth of the trade from the United States of America to New Zealand during the past five years, which is . undoubtedly due to . the competitive rates of freights that have prevailed during that period. Now York freights have ruled at about 12s Gd per ton for all classes of-cargo, while rates on similar ‘goods from London to this colony have ranged, from 25s to GOs per ton. This presents', a most undesirable condition of affairs, and militates against the benefits that should be_ derived under the preferential tariff. The - whole question of the rates of freight ruling from New Zealand.to London on. wool, frozen? meats, and dairy produce is of , the utmost importance to the colony. WEST ENGLAND TRADE. - The steam services to and from westcoast ports of the United Kingdom have developed trade both ways in a most satisfactory manner, and some . very large shipments of this colony’s produce have been made to markets that have hitherto not been available to. New Zealand, except by indirect means. As far as one can judge, the. time, is not far off when the trade promoted by this steam service will assume such dimensions as will warrant the contractors supplying a direct, service, and not, as at present, via South Africa. Should that possibility become an' accomplished fact, I , look forward with confidence to a still greater increase in the volume of business now being done. The contratcors for this service in response to a representation from me to consider the question oi freight on butter, to the west-coast ports of England signified their inten- ' tion to reduce the present rate of freight from §d per pound to |d per pound. If, in addition to this reduction in freight, direct sailings to the west-coast ports are provided, there seems every probability of a very large share of the export of dairy produce finding its Way out- of the polony at greater reduced rates s than hitherto prevailed. Should this reduction, in freight on butter from the colony to the west-coast ports of the United Kingdom become general it vyill mean a saving of freight on the colony’s output. of. butter to the extent of £60,000 per annum, and it means placing this colony on the 'same footing regarding freight on butter as is enjoyed by our Australian neighbours. This is as it should be, as there is no valid reason why this colony should pay any higher rates of freight on produce than those obtaining in Australia. ' TRADE WITH THE; EAST. I am again forced to draw attention to the slowness of the development of our trade with the Far East, the principal, drawback to progress being the ,fact that ail the steamship lines 'trading to and from that part of the world do not exend their services beyond Australia, and with this disadvantage we are unable to compete with Australia, and participate in' the trade. There are now several lines of wellequipped steamers running regularly between Australia and Japan, calling at Manila and Hongkong, and in my opinion as soon as the present excitement in the East is over and business rer sumes its normal channels, we must make overtures to one or more of these shipping companies to- extend their services to this colony. Once we have a line of steamers connecting with the markets of Japan, China, and Manila, I am convinced we shall find a satisfactory outlet for a portion of almost everything this colony produces.' CANADIAN TRAFFIC. I had hoped to be able, in making this report, to make a satisfactory announcement of the establishment' of a steam cargo service to and from the western ports of Canada, but, although both Canada and New Zealand have expressed their willingness to contribute £IO,OOO per annum each for one vear towards the establishment of such a service; nothing of a satisfactory nature ha© been so, far arranged. 1 am of opinion that some vigorous policy should be adopted with the object of promoting

trade and interchange with Canada. At the present time our annual imports from the United States of America amount in value to £1,528,000, while from Canada and British Columbia our annual imports amount to only £113,000. This discrepancy should not exist, because tlie manufacturing conditions ace much the same in both countries, .but the United States of America has the advantage of direct steam service to this colony from both its eastern and western coasts. I have no hesitation in stating that with a direct steam cargo ceivice to and from Canada, and reasonable freights, a very large increase of trade both ways, could he effected. THE COLONY'S PRODUCE, The question of the marketing of the produce of the colony is one that requires earnest consideration. The prosperity of the colony is so directly bound up in the. successful realisation of its produce, that to meet and successfully’ contend against the - competition of more favoured countries steps will be required to be taken in the general interest by . which the control and disposir tion of- the colony’s produce in the United Kingdom will be confined to one channel. Under the present conditions, the disposal of this colony’s produce is in too many hands. This induces competition of which the British buyer takes advantage, with the result that the New Zealand producer suffers, and through him the whole colony 7. This question, and the matter of freight on produce, as compared with countries whose position is more favourable, will require to be faced very seriously in the future, if this colony’s producers are to get the best results from their different industries. i NEW ZEALAND BUTTER. The subject of adulteration of New Zealand butter has bad consideration, and representations have been made to the Imperial Government to introduce legislation with the object of protecting New Zealand butter from being manipulated in this improper man*ner, To these representations, which were made through the High Commissioner for the colony, a favourable reply has been received. The subject is further referred to in the Produce Commissioner’s report. WESTPORT COAL. During the past year I regret to state that the Admiralty have ceased pui*v chasing Westport coal for. the supply of the navy on the China station, the principal reason being the large accumulation of coal at Hongkong in view of possible complications in the Rus-sian-Japanese war... However,, recognising the superiority of New Zealand coal, the Admiralty has purchased freely for warships on the Australian station, some large 'deliveries at Sydney and Hobart having been .effected during the past year. However, I am happy to state that it is reported Oil good authority that the Admiralty intend© at an early date to resume monthly shipments of coal from Westport to the Far East.