TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 247, 14 December 1900, Page 4

TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA.

• Ddbing a meeting to considsr the question of c.psning trade with South Africa, and iudaoiog the Government. to subsidise a line of steamers, Mr. 3&% Mills sai 1 the company he represented (;he Union fcteam Sfrp Company) had been watching the matter carefully for some dime past—first with a dtsire to uke it up as a legitimate expansion of business, and secondly as a means of visiting this colony, in which they are so largely interested. They had, however, to approach the subj »ct with caution. It must not be forgotten that the voyage from New Zeiiand to tbo Cape aac bick occupied from tvo to tbrao weeks longer t4an from Melbourne, and to that extent freights must Deaessarily hi higher, nniess thay were fcy the Government. Another point was that if the company uudero ok tht trade—which they ware anxious to do and had serious intentions of 'doing—they would be further haaracjpptd by the higher hbctur rat?s ruling in this colony. The cost of manning a moderately siz?d vessel from this colony would exctcd that of a home vessel by some £2OOO a year. The extra distance, high co : t of coal here, tr the detour to get it in Australia, and the higher wages wtre all sedjas drawback s. • Another considerst : oa was that exports in the pass had be»n controlled mainly by Melbourne buyers. If the trade continued, however, it be more in the hands of the New Zealand buyers, and would be more distributed. It would ba some years iefbre South Africa could be selfsupporting, and it was only right that they should endeavour to make as' much as possible during the time when the market was open to them. — Truth,