THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1905. OUR OVERSEA TRADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13386, 12 September 1905, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1905. OUR OVERSEA TRADE.

The Report of the Department of Industries and Commerce is this year if anything a. more elaborate document than usual, and is embellished with full-page reproductions of photographs taken of the New Zealand Courts at the Indian and Colonial and tho Liverpool Products Exhibitions. The report expresses the hope, which its compiler must know is a. vain one, that the contractors for the subsidised steam connection with South Africa will continue the service after the expiry of the present contract next month. It has for some time past been understood that the Federal-Houlder proprietary has no intention of sending its steamers to Africa after the conclusion of the contract, but that instead it proposes to ran a direct service from New Zealand to West of England ports, It is also rumoured that an Australian line is- prepared to take up the African service if sufficient inducement offers. It is problematical, however, if such a service will prove profitable, the prospects of its doing so for many years to como being, indeed, somewhat shadowy. All things considered, the effort of the Government to develop trade with Africa has been a rather costly experiment, notwithstanding the fact that..since the inception of the subsidised service the New Zealand produce shipped to Africa is estimated to have been worth £1,381,631, while the Federal-Houlder line has disbursed the sum of £85,028 69 3d within the colony for port dues and the miscellaneous charge's which are heaped oii the • ship-owner at our numerous and expensive ports of call. We fear .that the chances of South Africa' proving . a permanent '■ and profitable market for New' Zealand products are not bright. At present

the .country is suffering'frpm a severe depression, -and, ■ although it ljiust import largely such items as meat and daily produce for some time to come, the, better, facilities enjoyed by Australia' and the Argentine for. catering foi the requirements of the South African; market all tend to make it moredifficult for Now Zealand to get a footing with its superior but higher priced goodi The expenses of the colony's South African Agency for the past year ran into £1445, and among them appears tho.item ofv" £720 for travelling experisos arid allowances an amount, which certainly 'suggests unusual activity. on the part of Mr J. Graham Gow, particularly, as he enjoyed free travel on' the Natal railways. ./The Minister, in his report, devotes some attention to the exceedingly important question of freights to Engiaiftl, and allows it to be inferred that the Department is in some' way for the reduction in. freights on dairy produce which was ■recently .arranged with the shipping companies. As we have already pointed out, the' Department had'practically nothing to do with securing tho reduction, the credit of it really belonging to the National Dairy Association. Nor is the report correct in its comparison of tho New York-New Zealand freights and those obtaining from Great Britain to New Zealand. It states that "New York freights have ruled at about 12s (3d per ton for all classes of cargo, while sipilar goods from London to this colony .have ranged from 255. to 60s per ton." The quantity of goods brought from America to New Zealand at 12s Gel per ton has not been very large, and the reduction in the freight was brought about by a combination of four ; New York firms, which, acting in the dual capacity of merchants and shippers, were able by chartering their own steamers partially to recoup themselves of the losses made on freights by their profits in buying and selling. But tho freightcutting whicili ensued through the competition of the United States and Australian Company with the Tyser and Federal-Houjdcr lines is coming to and end, and latest advices from America show a material advance, bringing the rates more nearly on a level with those prevailing from British ports.' During the period when exceptionally low freights prevailed from New York, which meant in some cases an actual loss to the ship-owners; there was a considerable activity in the American trade. Importers naturally wanted to take advantage of the low freights that were offering, and that is one reason why our trade with Canada for the past year appeal's so small alongside that with the United States. We cordially sympathise with tho desire of the Minister to see trade fostered with Canada, rather than with the United States, but in the absence of a dircct shipping service with Canada, and in the present absence also of the trade to warrant the establishment. of a service, we do not see that much can be done. Had New Zealand displayed a little more activity over the Vancouver service a diversion of the route of the mail steamers to this colony might have been secured when tho last contract was entered into, and we hope that it may yet be arranged before long to include a New Zealand port. It is also a matter for regret that this colony is not included in the route taken by steamers trading between Commonwealth ports and the Far East. As was the case with the South African trade, we are late in getting into the field. Enterprising Australian firms liavo done a good .deal of business witlr Japan during the war, and it was not long ago that a New Zealand steamer sold to the East was promptly filled up with produce which found a ready market in Japan. Tho Minister contemplates making overtures to one or more of the present lines trading to Japan to call at New Zealand ports, and if these should produce a favourable issue the colony should benefit very materially by being brought into touch with Eastern markets. It is satisfactory to note that the Department realises the necessity not only of finding new markets for our produce, but of supervising more closely the actual marketing of our exports. The frequent handling of produce for export is anything but conducive to the interests of the producer or of the colony. Some interesting details are given in the report of the New Zealand displays at the Exhibitions to which wo have referred, and tho Department is to be congratulated on the Mway it arranged the exhibits, securing apparently a very much better advertisement for New Zear land than any other colony was able to obtain. For thir success the Produce Commissioner (Mr H. C. Cameron) was largely responsible, and every credit ia due to him for his efforts.

In another column this morning wo publish an article written for Potcntia by M. Paul Deschanol on "Far East Problems A (tor. Peace." M. Desehanel, who is president of tho French Pnrliorriontfiry Committee on Foreign and Colonial Affairs, was President of tho Chamber of Deputies during the important diplomatic period referred to in tho first part of his article. Ho is at tho present moment 0110 of the most important figutcs in tho' French Parliament. Ho was born .at Brussels during; tho exile of his father, Emilo Deschanol. Ho was in turn secretary to .Tides Simon, President of tlio Council, sub-prefect of Dreux, secre-tary-general for Seino-ot-Marne, sub-prefect of Brest and of Mcaux. Ho wrote in tho Journal lies Dobats, tho Temps, and the principal reviews. Elected deputy for Eureet-Loiv in 1085, lie mado himself famous by eloquent', speeches, notably on cconomio and social questions, foreign policy and foreign affairs. Ho was Vice-president of tlio Chamber from 1896 to 1898 and President from 1898 to lt)02. In 1869 he was elected a member of tiie French Academy. Ho has contributed powerfully as an active propagandist to tho development of social questions, of. tho principle of associations, and of mutual and provident , institutions, A.sentence in tho High Commissioner's wqekly report of the London market reads: —" Tho Knikoura's shipment of chillctl beef is unsatisfactory."- It is to, bo hoped that this does not refer to tho 500 quarters of beef put on board tho Tokomaru in Port Chalmers in 'July last' to bo convoyed to London in a chillcd condition as an experiment. No announcement was made that tho left a few days before tho Tokomaru, was taking chilled beef. No doubt the Christchureh Meat Company will recoivo intimation hv cable in tho coureo of a day or two if tho High Commissioner's cablo refers to tho Tokomaru experiment, and until definito information is available wo shall- continuo to hope for better things for • tho Tokomaru • shipment.

In all, nine tenders ivorc received by the . Otagtf :Dock Trust for construction of tho now dock at Port Chalmers, the amounts of tho tenders ranging from £53,000 to £86,256. The lowest '.tender —namely, £53,000,—was from a Sydney firm, and was informal, having noithor deposit, schedule, nor names of sureties. Tho trust considered yesterday in committco a report of a special committee which recommended that tho tender of Messrs Luttrcll and Scott, of Ohristehurch, of £58,719, be accepted, and, after a long discussion, enrried a motion to adopt tho report,' though it is understood that a local tender, which was for somo £2000 less than that of the Christchurch firm, had its claims strongly urged by two or three Fort Chalmers members of tho trust, who objected to tho total cost under tho committee's recommendation. It is stated that, the trust is to provide the cement and tho engine and pumps in, connection with tho new dock, at a cost in all of £16,300, and this amount will have to be added to the £58,719 of tho successfultender, which will make, tho cost of the dock £75,000, which is within £1000. of .the engineer's estimate. Tho timo originally allowed for completing tho dock was two and a-half years, and it is anticipated. thai with i completion in 16 months instead tho saving in expenses during'the 'W months will bo considerable, and make the cost of tho work well below tho estimate. From the Uhion Company's point of, view construction in 16 months means practically tho saving of k season. ■: Messrs Luttrell and Scott are the firm that erected tho largo drill hall at Christchurch in something like 25 days. Construction of tho new deck 'will presumably start immediately tho dredgo has been placed at tho disposal of the contractors.

His Honor Mr Justico Williams and .Messrs V. Ij. Simpson and C. S. Reeves gayo their award yesterday in respect to the claim under which Henry Skey sought to recover from tho corporation compensation to tho extent of £2100 for land at Leith Valley injuriously affectcd by (he taking of land required for tho corporation waterworks extension scheme, £15C0 of this amount being claimed for loss of water power, £100 for loss of fishing, area, and £500 for loss of amenities. The claim first .canio beforo tho court on November 16, 19M, and was adjourned subsequently for argument before his Honor alono on tho question of claimant's riparian rights, as to which matter his Honor gavo judgment (as published) on August 1. Tho final award, given yesterday, was that tho sum of £550 should bo paid to the claimant in full satisfaction of all demands. His Honor said thcro would bo no casts to bo paid by either side, and the assessors' fees would bo fixed at four guineas a day for two days, and these, of course, would bo paid l>y tho parties. Mr Sim appeared for tho claimant and Mr Solomon and Mr W. C. MacGrcgor for tho corporation. Tclephono subscribers at TVoodhaugh and North-East Valley aro now connected by metallic circuit, and threo gangs of workmen aro busily engaged installing tho system at St. Clair, Anderson's Bay, and Cavcrsham. : One of tho highest 'standard annunciators has been fitted up in tho Tclephono Exchange, and when tho metallio circuits aro all completed, Dunedin may fairly claim to have one of tho most modern and efficient tclephono systems extant.

In consequenco of' the depredations of shags in our trout streams, the Otago Acclimatisation Society recently offered a bonus of 3a per head for thoir destruction, with tho result that feveral residents near trout streams have made several successful raids upon shag rookeries. In one week recently tho society paid £7 in bonuses for black shags that had been shot in tho vicinity of Otago trout streams.

A few years ago Californian quail were very numerous on Otago Peninsula, and thero being no necessity for rabbit-poison-ing it was generally supposed that this pretty littlo game bird had becomo firmly established there. They are now reported to havo become extremely 6carce, their disappearance being attributed to the depredations of stoats and weasels. As instancing the ravages of these vermin, a Woodsido farmer had 40 fowls killed by them in one night recently. A telephone bureau was opened at Allanton last Saturday under tho ohargo of Mr A. Roxburgh. Bureaus will also be opened shortly at Kailiilui,. Islay Downs, Morale, Merton, and Ida Valley. Tho University of New Zealand has cabled congratulations to tho new University of Sheffield, whieh was recently opened by the King. Tho university is an expansion of tho Sheffield University .College, which had itself grown out of an amalgamation of the old Firth Collego with other institutions. Tho university as constituted has a splendid pile of buildings, and is said to possess tho most modern equipment in tho world. Tho principal is Dr Vv. M. Hieks, a Launceston man by birth,, who was a scholar and Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. He is a. distinguished physicist.

Loo Sun was arrested on Saturday at Lawrenco by tho polico for having in his possession 23 tins of opium. Ho was brought beforo Mr Cruieltshank, S.M., at Lawrence yesterday, and, being represented by Mr A. 0. Hanlon, pleaded guilty to tho offence, and was fined £15 and costs. Tho opium would bo worth about £46, and confiscation would follow tho conviction.

A man named Charles Harrison was arrested yesterday by Dotcctivo Hunt for the alleged theft of £3 6s, tho property of his employer, Joseph Fielding, of Napier.

Tho monthly meeting of tho Duncdin Athcnaium Oommittco was held, last night and attended by Messrs Watson (in tho chair), Angus, Marshall, Bradley, Burnett, Graham, .Tames, and Burton. An apology for non-attcndauco was reoeived from Mr Whettcr. It was reported that 71 volumes had been added to tho library eiiico last meeting, making tho total number of accessions since the beginning of the year, 1073. Thirty new members had joined tho institution during tho month, and-26 old members had terminated their subscriptions. Tho following presentations had been received ;—l'orryV Trado Directory for Great Britain and Ireland for 1905, and a copy of tlio minutes of tho cvidcnco given beforo the Royal Commission on land tenure, land settlement, and other matters affecting tho Crown lands of tho colony. Accounts amounting to £166 3s lid wcro passed for payment, and a quantity of routine business was transacted. *

Interesting remarks on potato blight and tomato diseases wero made by Mr T. W. Kirk, F.L.S., at the Philosophical Society's njeeting, says tho Wellington Post. The remarks wero illustrated by. a series cf lantern slides, and by reference to some of tho numerous exhibits. Tho loss to tho colony in a singlo year from theso blights alono ho considered to bo underestimated at £153,000. Bordeaux mixture, properly applied, ho said, v.'as an infallible preventive, would eavo tho entire crop in tho earlier stages, and in ono instance whero ho had sprayed a field in which the diseaso had gained such a hold that in another 24 hours he would not have touched it, ho found that 70 per cent, had been, saved, whilo the crops all around wero ab-olutelj-lost. Tho application of tho mixture had also tho effect of. increasing tho} yield. It was specially necessary that tlio under side of tho leaves, which the fungus particularly affected, should fco sprayed. Sovon shillings an acre should bo t'.ie outfido ccst of spraying, and if thoro wero infected fields closo at hand, a second application would probably bo necessary when tho blossoms appeared. This was not a large insuranco to pay on a crop worth, at a low estimate, £15 per acre. Somo farmers who had sprayed reported that'tho application was useless.. No doubt it was—when thoy delayed it till the foliage was "na black as your hat."

A telegraphio olio® match ; between Oamaru and Naseby, which was commenced on tho 2nd inst., was resumed on Saturday ovoning. Direct communication, with Naseby was attempted, but proved unsatisfactory, owing to tho bad weather, and. after, some delay, it was found necessary to arrango for n opefator at Duncdm. ns on the first night. As a conscqucnce. none of tho games were brouglu 10 a conclusion. When play ceascd O&maru resigned at Board 2 and agreed to jraw at Board 1. A draw had also been agreed to at Board 4, at which there was no play on the second night. The other three games aro to bo submitted to Mr D. Forsyth, of Dunedin, for adjudication, and as Naseby holds some advjntago at Boards 3 slid 5 and Oamaru at Board 6, it is expected that tho match will be won by Naseby Tho results of the match (Eays the Oamaru Mail) shows\that Naseby possesses some strong chess players.

Discussing the Electoral Bill, Mr G. jowlds, M.H.R., remarked (says the Lyttelton' Times) that there was one proposal which he did not consider very democratic. It was that a defeated candidate should poll 25 per cent., instead of 10 per cent., of tho votes given for the man returned, in order to savo his deposit from forfeiture. His feeling was that it was * mistake to place impediments in the way of candidates. The proper way of dealing with the matter o£ candidates was by Mr M'Nab s Absolute Majority Bill, and there wasa'strong feeling ih tho House in favour of passing the bill this year. If the Government would agree to -let the House decide, the members would embody Mr M'Nab's bill in the one that has : been introduced. The Government favoured a second ballot,. but tlio Houso would not have tliat at any jirico. _ When tho Government realised this fact, it might give Mv M'Nab's bill a trial. There was no difficulty for the voter under Mr MINabV scheme, and tho counting would bo simple' after five minutes' instruction.

Some hundreds of unclaimed articles from the Dead Letter OfHco were submitted to auction by Mr W. F. Short t at Wellington on Friday. Many queer lois were included in the-list submitted. The cheapest and most varied assortment comprised "one box goitre cure, 0110 box frutex, false teeth, 0110 box mustard plasters, ono menthol plaster, ono packet dental rubbers,, ono tin tcolli powder, two tins ointment ' and the whole lot went for half a crown. A lmgle was sold for Bs. Ten Maori kits brought 235, but seven Maori Testaments went for 6s. Umbrellas and walking-sticks realised [air sums, and silk blouse lengths also fetched their value. One article disposed of was a bicycle, and queries woro mado as to how that eould be posted. It turned out that the article was sold on behalf of another client;'

In view o£ tho gloomy outlook for the potato crop, a resident of the Wado has (says tho Auckland Star) been giving special attention to potato culture. After some jears of application, hcjhas, he believes, succeeded in producing a potato that will prove to bo second to none in the market. He has named it the "Star of New Zealand," and tho tubers are now being propagated in Scotland with a. view to their being exhibited at one ot tho Royal Horticultural Society's shows next season.

Chatting with a Lyttelton Times reporter on Sunday evening, Mr G. Fowlds, M.H.R., said that thero was a growing feeling in tho colony in favour of an increase of a penny in the land tax. ■ Even land,-onrncrs would bejiefit under this extra tax. Out of tho 150,000 landowners in New Zealand 92,925 had less than £500 worth of unimproved value, and they would pay less by tho putting on of a penny tax lhan they ■would gain by the remission of Customs dues and a reduction in railway freights. Tho penny tax would bring in £300,000, and he proposed that this sum should be remitted in customs dues, making an average of mors than £2 per family, without the profits which wholesale dealers and retailers put. on the duty. Altogether, it meant closo 011 £3 remission per .family: Moreover, 1 tlio extra tax was tho only way of solving the question of big. estates. Ifc would havo a tendency to compel people to cut up largo areas, unless they could be put to tho Tjesfc use.

Speaking at the dinner in connection with the Employers' Association Federation meeting in Wellington recently, the Premier was reported to have expressed his satisfaction at finding that a conference had been arranged between the Employers' Association and tho Trades and Labour Council here. This (says the Christchurch Press) was a- mistake. What has actually been done is that the Industrial Association —not tho Employers' Association—has, 011 the initiative of its president, arranged a conference on the subject of the popularisation of onr local industries. A joint committee of the Industrial Association and the Trades and Labour Council has met several times on the subject.

As tho day was breaking' over peaceful Jittlo Albury on Thursday morning last (states a Timam paper) a man from tho township was preparing for the avocations of tho day when, without warning, tho stillness nestling over the valley .was broken by the sharp reports of firearms, and bullets l*gan to whistle round him. The man instantly dropped on his knees, not with tho intention of stopping lead by orisons, but to crawl sideways anc! upwards to the top of a slight eminence, on reaching which ho found a party of men indulging in target praetica supremely unconscious of the carrying power of ilieir weapons and the deathdealing missiles that wcro plugging into tho valley below. On seeing tho extreme agitation of tho man who had been leaning against tho door of death, the party evidently took the possibilities of accidents into consideration, and tho firing ceased. The settler afterwards discovered that the men in question 'tiro members of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Societj', who ■wore getting into form preparatory to hunting tho deer off their present run into pastures new.

The China Sea is apparently studded with dangers in the nature of drifting mines. The steamer Linan, which arrived at Shanghai recently from Ohi-fu, reported:—At 6.30 p.m. 011 Thursday, July 20, in lat. 38deg Bmin N., long. 120dcg 30min E., With Howki bearing S. 62 E. (true), dist. E miles, sighted a floating contact mine. This menace to navigation, was almost awash, very rusty, and covered with marine growth. It was oircul&r in shape,' with a'flat top, and measured about 3ft, in diameter. The ship was brought round into position, and having on board a Hotchkiss quick-firing gun, very kindly supplied to ns by tho Chinese Customs authorities, a heavy firo was soon concentrated on this memento left to the merchant service by

the Russo-Japanese war. It is surprising how difficult a mine is to strike at 200 or 300 yards, and there being a slightnortherly swell running at tho time, our amateur gunners, although several times coming very close, to a hit, after firing 30 rounds had to abandon their prey owing to darkness setting in. I regret to say that for steamers bound to the Gulf of Pcchili this - hideous danger is still in ' existence. .

More State school teachers have applied to tako part, in the horticultural class at Burnley, Melbourne (states the Argus) than the department can accommodate. Eighty is the maximum that can bo accommodated, and the director of education (Mr Tate) is now engaged in making a selection of tho applicants. The object of tho classes is to give teachers a theoretical'acquaintance with agriculture and Nature-study, in order fhat tho experimental "open-air geography" which now forms a portion of tho-work in country schools may be more efficiently performed. On each morning during tho week, three lectures will be, delivered, and the afternoon will be devoted to work out of doors. •• . "■

•A -public meeting will.l)OtMd..m.t!!o Town Hall oil Wednesday, 20th. inst,, at 4 ji.m., to consider " means of forwiuyling tho objeots of tho international, exhibition to bo he'd in Christchurch., His. Worship ' the- Mayor will preside, and Ifr.'G.S. 1 Munro, exhibition commissioner; will also bo present.

A meeting of ratepayer, in tho city of Dunedin will bo held in tho Town-Hall on Thursday, 21st inst., at 8 p.m., to consider a proposal to borrow £50,000 for tho purpose of making additions and alterations to tho oit-y gas 1 works. .

Tenders aro invited for the lease or purchase of a dairy farm at Sandymount. . Tho Otago Dock Trust invites tenders for th® supply, of cement. ,

Tho third terin at the Otago Boys' and Girls' Higli Schools will commence on Tuesday, 19tli inst. Tenders are invited for the purchase of the business of tho late Mr A.-J. Graham, Bath street.

A lecture will bo delivered by Dr Stephenson at a meeting of tlio Frocbel Club on Thursday evening next.. ' : Notice is given that the partnership hitherto existing between Charles Coombs, Win. Millie, and Marion H. Coombs, known as the Dunedin Pork and Poultry Company, has been dissolved by mutual consent. . .. . A lecture on sulphur compounds will- ba delivered by Dr Black in the Chemistry Lec-. ture Eoom, University, on Friday, 15th inst... • A bazaar in aid of the funds of the Caversham Brass Band will bo held in the CaverBham Hall on the 26th. inst. find'following nights. .Particulars regarding competitions to be held will bo found in another column'. ~ A Bare Opportunity.—Mollisons- (Limited) have purchased at a big discount all the ICatapoi Woollen Company's samples, which comprise boys', youths', and men's clothing,— Advt

Seo the display of spring. and summer goods at Dallas and Watt's, CO and 62 George street, Dunedin.—Advt.

Pending the erection upon their old site of new and specially-planned dental rooms, .the Messrs Myers now occupy temporary premises a few doors lower down in the Octagon. I —Advt. It is a \vis9 plan to have your watches, clocks, jewellery, and silverware repaired, by Messrs G. and T. Young, 83 Princes street. While their charges ara very reasonable, their repair work is characterised by thoroughness and neatness.—Advt.

Don't bother with quack remedies. Loasby's "Wahoo is a scientific cure for indigestion and ail similar troubles.—Advt.

Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, for coughs and. colds, never fails.. Is Gd.—Advt. Who is Peter Dick?— The most reliable Watchmaker and Jeweller, oppose Coffeo Palace, Moray p'.ace, Dunedin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt. •