INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5678, 28 August 1905, Page 2

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE.

THE COLONY’S MARKETS. STEADIER SERVICES. Tho Minister for Industries and Commerce, Sir Joseph Ward, submitted his annual report to Parliament on Friday. In tho course of his report tho Minister states;—

In these days of keen competition wc cannot afford to neglect any available market, however small, and it should be our policy to encourage and promote stoam services in every possible direction. One must remember that ar.y diversion of tho colony’s produce into new markets is followed by a general appreciation of the whole. Compared with our Australian neighbours wo are at a great disadvantage in the matter of oversea heights on produce. We aro paying in almost every instance from 25 to 50 per cent, more freight, and the reason of it is that their business is competed for by a number of different, steamship lines. As showing what tiie results of competitive over-sea freights are, one has only to note the growth f of the trade from tho United States of America to New Zealand during tho past five years, which is undoubtedly due to the competitive rates of freights ’♦at have prevailed during that period. New York freights have ruled at about 12s 6d per ton for all classes of cargo, while rates on similar goods from London to this colony have ranged from 25s to 60s per ton. This presents a most undesirable condition of affairs, and militates against tho benefits that should- be derived under the preferential tariff. The whole question of tho 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.

Tire steam services to and from westcoast ports of the United Kingdom have developed trade both ways in a most satisfactory manner, and some very largo shipments' of this colony s produce have been made to markets that have hitherto not been available to Now Zealand except by indirect moans. 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 tho contractor’s suppfyrng 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 tho volume of business now being done. Tire contratcors for tins service in response to a representation from me to consider tho question of freight on butter to the west-coast ports of England signified their intention to reduce tho .present rate of freight from 3d per pound to 2d petpound. If, in addition to this reduction in freight, direct sailings to the wust-ooast ports are jirovided, there seems every probability of a very large share of tire export of dairy produce finding its way out of the colony at gvoutcr reduced rates than hitherto prevailed. , Should this reduction m ireight on buttor from tho colony to tho west-coast ports of the united Kingdom become general it will mean a saving of freight on the, colony's.output of butter to the extent of £60,(M)0 per annum, and it means placing this colony on the same footing regardmg freight on butter as is enjoyed by our Australian neighbours. This is as u should bo. 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 Fast, /the principal drawback to progress being the fact that all the steamship lines trading to and from that part of the world do not exend their services bevond Australia, and with this disadvautage we are unable to compete with Australia, and participate in the trade. There are now several lines ot wellequipped steamers running regularly between Australia and Japan, calling Manila and Hongkong, and in my opinion as soon as the present excitement in the East is over and business resumes its normal channels, we must make overtures to one or more of these shipping companies to extend their sex’vioos 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. he 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 year towards the establishment of such a service, nothing of a satisfactory nature has been so far arranged. lam 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 front the United States of America amount in value to £1,523,000, while from Canada and British Columbia our annual imports amount to only £113,000. This discrepancy should not exist, because the manufacturing conditions are 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 cervico to and from Canada, and reasonable freights,, a very large increase of trade both ways could be effected. THE COLONY'S PRODUCE.

The question of the marketing of the produce of the ; colony is ono 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 ho taken in the general interest by which the control and disposition of the colony’s produce in the United Kingdom will be confined to one channel. Under tho 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 tho result that tho New Zealand producer suffers, and through him tho whole colony. This question, and the matter of freight o« produce, as compared with countries whose position is more favourable, will require to bo faced very seriously in tho future, if this colony's -producers are tn get th« best results from their different industri**. NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

The subject of adulteration of .New Zealand butter has had 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 manner. 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 tire Admiralty have ceased purchasing Westport coal for tire supply of tho 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 coai, tho Admiralty has purchased freely for warships oh the Australian station, some largo deliveries at Sydney and Hobart having been effected during tho past year. However, I am happy to state that it is reported on good authority that the Admiralty intends at an early date to resume monthly shipments of coal from Westport to the Far East.