A NEW ZEALANDER IN THE ARGENTINE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2426, 12 September 1900, Page 15

A NEW ZEALANDER IN THE ARGENTINE.

OUR RIVAL IN THE LONDON MARKET.

Mr M. L. Runeiman, a partner in the firm of Messrs Rimciman and Co., financial, stock, and station agents, and general merchants in Buenos Ayres, being on a vi->it to lim father (the Rev. D. W. Eimdmau, of Auckland), was interviewed by a repie=enlative ot the Aiickland Herald.

"Buenos Ayres, as is not generally realised," said Mr Jr'iuieiman, iii i'lisv, er to a question, "ij to-day th^ tenth largest city of Europe and America, having a population ox 750.000. It is one of the most cosmopolitan places in the world. Italians are strongest numerically, English financially. The xailwaj's of the Republic are owned by English companies, and the English aio \ery well represented in the banks and other financial institution?. Of course, Spanish is the official language of the country. Being a pastoral country, the principal exports are grain, frozen meat, wool, hides, skins, etc. The live stock exportation, which was a not inconsiderable item, has been stopped by the appearance of foot-and-mouth disease, some eight months ago, but from last reports I hear the disease is decreasing. The stoppage of this trade means Lo the .Republic a kes of about 3.000,000 gold dollars a year— about £600,000. The export of live sheep in 1899 was something over 500,000, and of cattle about 300,000. Of course, the Eng'ish ports cannot be again opened to live stock from the Republic till a special act be passed by the House of Commons, and we really don't know when the trade will be started again. We fear it will be some time. This, of course, has given a gieat impetus to the frozen meat industry, and before I left Buenos Ayres in May there were three new frozen meat companies spoken of as likely to bo formed." " What would be about the capacity of the freezing works now in operation?" " One of the leading companies, the River Plate Frozen Meat Company, are able to treat per day 180 head of cattle and 3000 sheep, and when I left they spoke of increasing their accommodation so a^ to bo able to treat 500 head of cattle per day. The frozen mutton exported from the Republic in 1899 was 50,000 tons." "Eo^ about the stock of the country?" " There are no reliable statistics as to the number of sheep, cattle, and horses in the Argentine, but I estimate them aj follows : —Sheep, 95.000,000 to 3 00.000,000; cattle about 25,000.000 ; horses, something over 5,000,000. The value of cattle for freezing purposes would be from £6 10s to £7 a head. Since the appearance of tho foot snd-mouth disease, cattle have fallen £1 10s to £?. a head in vplue. Naturally, in such a country for .^tock, wo have la"r(>e places, and in Buenos Ayres our central produce mo vice t for tho storage and sale of wool, grain, hides, and skins, covers under one Toof 12 acie~. It has three floors, thus has 36 seres of flooring, with a storage capacity of 2 4 ,000 metrical tons." "What is your export of wool?" "In 1899, which is the largest export to date, we shipped away 240,000 tons." " There are several New Zeylanders in the Republic, are there not?" " Quite a number. Amongst those who are doing well are Messrs J. O'Connell, D. IJ. Barclay, and W. H. Helmore (of Canterbury), and Mr Thompson (of Hawke's Bay)." " What are t]ie prospects of a young man making- a start in life in the Argentine?" "There is no opening for o working man, owing to the cheap Continental Labour — ■ chiefly Italian. Street labouiers are not paid more than 3s a day. A young fellow arriving in the Argentine without either influence or capital has a very uphill fight to get on. -He is practically useless until'lie has mastered the Spanish language, and then he has great competition. A young man, with a good head and capital to back him, certainly has good prospects in the Argentine if he is prepared jto work hard. The ordinary business hours I are half-past 9 to half-past 5, six days a week ; Saturday being the busiest." [ In the course of further conversation. Mr Runeiman said the balance in favour of immigration last year was 45,000. The national revenue in 1898 was iust under £10,000,000, and in 1899 it exceeded £12,000.000. The customs house receipts for the latter year were about £7,500,000. The rate of current discounts is from 6 to 7 per cent. ; and money lent on first-clas3 mortgage earns from 8 to 9 per cent, on cold, and 9^ to 10^ per cent, on paper — the gold dollar being worth 4s and the paper dollar at present Is lOd. Mr Rurici- ] man, referring to the butter industry, said it was still in its infancy, but it had been proved that the butter shipped to London could hold its own. One of tho leading butter men in Buenos Ayres is Mr Henry Reynolds, well known in Auckland. Mr Runeiman expects lo be returning to Buenos A -eyes in about a month.