THE COLONIST. Published Every Mornings. Monday, March 28, 1910. NEW ZEALAND TRADE WITHMEXICO.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12753, 28 March 1910, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Every Mornings. Monday, March 28, 1910. NEW ZEALAND TRADE WITHMEXICO.

Mr/David B. Russemv a native of Aucklandi who is now visiting New Zealand 'after -an absence of twenty seven years in Mexico, v.-1-.etc- he is a prosperous rancher, is profoundly impressed by the possibilities of trade between that country and New Zealand. In -al least ono direction, he told a northern •.-interviewer, Mexico extends an open hand across the Pacific. "We have pretty well everything in' the world ■■ l that a nation i could desire," lie said,-" v.-Ilii the exception of fuel, coal and smelting :coke7 but 'in these necessary accessor,- --• iesf-of manufacture and transit we^are I sjidly a-hungered, and it "was. with the remembrance of New Zealand's almost inexhaustible measures of the commodity that I returned to Auckland as an envoy, you might say, from the coal and coke starving people of wealthy Mexico. It is a land that at the present time contains nearly 15,000,000 of well nigh the best governed inhabitants of any nation on earth, and a people who under the*-able and benevolent rule of President Porfirio Diaz, are forging ahead in the arts and industries in a manner that reads like a fairy tale,, and they. are crying out for coal." There has just been opened in Mexico a line of raijway connecting Gandalagaroj described as -the Chicago of Mexico, with the port of Manzanillo, about 270 miles distant, on the Pacific coast. This . connects all this •railroad - system of Mexico ; with a port on. which the Mexican Government has already spent over 10,000,---000' dollars, and intends to spend as much more. The Japanese have started a line of steamers touching at Manzanillo, Honolulu,- Japan, and China. About six hours from Manzanilloj right on the railway line, there is : a "'.huge iron property and machinery for milling iron, aaid this plant, is at present practically shut down' owing to the inability to obtain oo'ke. The owners had been using charcoal all these years, but this . is getting scarce and top dear. The owners of this, place are personal •friends of Mr Russell's, and asked him" to make inquiries for supplies of coke in Japan. This he did, offering Japan in' exchange for coke, if a, line of steamers was put on, pig iron, which Japan urgently requires. He saw the manager of the Togo Kaisa Kaisan about it, and found that the Japanese coal was not really a coking coal, and therefore not what is wanted in Mexico. There is a huge field for New Zealand enterprise in this direction, Mr Russell considers, by .making a coal and coke depot at Manzanillo. The railroad there is the tail end of the national lines of Mexico, and the whole -system; could be supplied with coal,' as well as Harriman's system, a tremendous lino from Guayinas, Magathan, "Tepio, to KuadalajaH, and thence to Mexico city, connecting with the pan-American line. Both of these systems would have- to use the coal and coke if it were senfy for there is none in the country, except what is obtained from an insignificant mine in the northwest, and 'not only is coal required for the railways, and coke for foundries, but the smelters of Mexico generally require enormous supplies of coke^ which at present has to be ob%ined r frontthe, United States at immeiiß© expense. " Thera would be no transhipment from New Zealand, except from the ship at Manzanillo to the trucks, for the railways throughout the coufltry are of one gauge. "I do assure you," said Mr Russell, "that if New Zealand could only take this matter up it would be a very big tuing, and tho concessions you could get would be very We I are paying fii Mexico, at this very ' tihie from : 18 to -20 Mexican dollars por ton foT^coai^ |Tucli will prove to you bow starved- we are in tlu'o mat- j ter." : .'"■■■. ..■■.. :