TRADE WITH PANAMA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17712, 25 August 1919, Page 8

TRADE WITH PANAMA

A* USEFUL INQUIRY.

(Feom Oub Own Correspond knt.) LONDON. June 30. Whilo tho Hon. W. H. Triggs was in the Panama zone he mad© somo inquiries as to whether there was any demand there for New Zealand meat, butter, cheese, and •frtrit. _As a consequence of his inquiries \he received, on his arrival in England, the following letter from the General Manager of the Commiesary 'General at Panama:— "An article recently published in the Panama Star and Herald stated that you had made inquiry as to tho possibility of trade between New Zealand and tho Isthmus, particularly as regards mutton, lamb, butter, and cheese. You may bo interreted to know that tho present monthly consumption on the items mentioned by the Panama .Railroad Commissary runs approrimatoly ns follows:— Mutton, 210 carcases; lamb. 80 carcases, butter, 36.O00!b; oheesoj 15,0001b. If prices aro nrado sufficiently attractive we can buy in considerable quantities; thorefore, I shall be grateful if you will furnish quotations and information as to what transportation arrangements can bo made to snpplv us regularly whatever amounts of tho products afore-mentioned are desired. I believo you will also be. interested in learning that wa arc in a position to furnish frozen beef in large quantities and should wo purchase from New Zealand any of tho < supplies referred to herein, it is my opinion that it would be mutually advantageous if arrangements could bo made to fill with tlr'a frozen beef eucli storage space as might bo avn.ilo.blo on tho steamer. ' Present prices nro as follow • Forcquarters, .101b; hindquarters, ,131b (phis 25 per cent.). The Commissary General is a. huge department etoro similar to the Civil Service Stores from which tho employees on tho Council Zone aro supplied at reasonable prices by tho United States Governwient with everything thoy require—clothing, furniture, and particularly food. The difficulties hitherto felt with'regard to sending frozen meat to Panama wero that tho frigerated ppace occupied by the moat would be vacant for tho remainder of the voyage to Great Britain. As Mr Jackson points out, this spaeo oculd be utilised bv loading at Panama for carriage to England, Mr Tri.<rgs suggests thr.t tho proposal is wall worthy of consideration on tho part of those who aro intercstrd in Now Zealand. Although the quantities of meat required for the Pnriaimi Zo::o itself nro comparatively email, yot the zono Hself is a great distributing rentre of information, and" the introduction of our .products there would lx> a. useful .•'tlvprtisornoiit and perhaps lead to the development of trade with other po-t-i of tho American continent. Mr Trigg'i fmnd .ihat tho exoollont nuahty of Neiv Zealand butf-or in particulnr was woll known In Panama and a strong dreive -was expressed that it could bo obtained man wicM*,