THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING Luceo Non Uro SATURDAY, 7th OCTOBER, 1905. THE SOUTH AFRICAN SERVOCE.

Southland Times, Issue 19681, 7 October 1905, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING Luceo Non Uro SATURDAY, 7th OCTOBER, 1905. THE SOUTH AFRICAN SERVOCE.

The discontinuance of this service has necessarily attracted some attention, and has given occasion for not a little, political recrimination. The criticism to which leading members of the Opposition have subjected it has been distorted with a view to bringing those members into disfavour as opponents of the interests of small farmers and of the efforts of the Government to open new markets for the products of the colony. That is obviously an instance of'grossly unfair tactics. No one is opposed to the opening up of fresh markets or the provision of the widest possible opportunities and facilities for the small producing farmers. But all efforts of that kind should be conducted on businesslike lines, and persistence in them can only bo justified by tlje attainment of a certain measure Ql success. We published the other d(ty the exact figures of the South African trade, and they showed that the volume of business for the 12 months, for which a subsidy of £30,000 over find above freights and charges, was paid, did not exceed a full cargo for one bottom. In round figures, the total quantity of produce shipped to South Africa was 8000 tons, so that the subsidy paid to the Federal Steamship Company was equivalent to no less than .£3 JOs per ton •; in gddition to which, all the goods carried were subject to freight rates and charges- Can it be maintained these figures hold out. any inducement to the taxpayers of the colony to contiiine jUc subsidy ? It may be said that the markets of South Africa, which appear to be largely the preserve of certain huge organisations that command the finances of Cfipe Colony and the neighbouring British will not willing^ 7 °Pen the door to Zealand (ipppi’ts, and that the resistance of powerful local interests must be overcome by continued effort. That may be so, but the country is not fhfU'hy called upon to continue t.o pay' heavily for a trade the future of which is more than problematicfll. According tq the figures for Just year, the South ,African trade would not assume dimensions of an.V jinportunce for very many years' to coiiiij. Another objection to the continuation of the subsidy' is that the service for which the New Zealand taxpayers were paying played into the hands of Australian traders. From New Zealand the South African steamships went to Australian ports and were there available for use by Australian competitors with New Zealand to further their own interests. To subsidise a service for the benefit of trade rivals is not profitable business, and that objection can be advanced fairly' against the South African service.

One of the advantages claimed for tho service was that, besides opening up communication with South African ports, it brought New Zealand into touch with the West Coast of England, thus relieving the colony from a position of entire dependence upon the London market. This claim was n sound one, for there can be no douht that the great cities of the West Coast .or England hold out vast possibilities of jtrade to this agricultural colony pf ours. The merchants of Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff and other centres of population are keen to trade with us, and the demand that exists is of the very' nature that the colony is able to supply from its natural resources. The necessity of reaching these markets through London has considerably' hampered our trade in the past, and to deal with them direct holds out every promise of an increasing volume and profit. But as regards these, our merchants and producers are iioiv independent of the South African line, sjnee the same steamship proprietary has announced a direct service from New Zealand to the West of England ports that will bring the colony into touch with them by the most direct route. This service, properly j availed of, should inaugurate a much more valuable trade than that of South’ Airita; und we venture to hope that its sucgaßS will be assured by the cargo offering for the first ship., the Devon, to sail yionth. With this service available, the attractions of the South African service are much reduced, and though the Government has been asked by certain persons closely interested to .continue the subsidy, Parliament will have to receive assurances of support much greater than that accorded in the past before it will invita the Government to reverse its decision to idiscontinue the vote or approve any proposals that tuny be max e with a view to its .continuance. The cuties

of the service have no desire in any way. to. balk the efforts of the Government to open up new markets, or to block any avenue of trade that holds out reasonable prospects to tho small farmer, but they have on undoubted right to insist that the business principle of obtaining fair value for jnoney spent shall be observed.