A NEW OPENING FOR NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3304, 30 April 1885, Page 3

A NEW OPENING FOR NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

(JV. Z. Herald.) The establishment of a line of steamers trading direct between New Zealand and Britain every month affords facilities for extending the trade of the colony that appear to be but little appreciated. A monthly steamer direct to the colony from Britain, and from the colony to Britain, ia no doubt largely conducive to the expansion of trade between the colony and the mother country. This should be encouraged by all means, but while this is being done, we think other openings for trade might fairly be taken advantage of. The direct steamers make Bio Janeiro a midway port of call. This city is the capital of the Empire of Brazil, an empire possessing a territory fully equal to the whole of the Australian Continent. The harbor of Rio Janeiro is one well befitting such a vast and fertile empire as Brazil, and on its shores will be found m the near future a city which will be regarded as a worthy capital of such an extensive empire. The population of the capital of Brazil at present is almost half a million, and though the direct steamers call there every few weeks, no effort has yet been made to open up trade relations with the principal State m South America. Brazil imports largely every year of articles from foreign countries which New Zealand could easily supply. In 1883 the imports of butter to Brazil was to the value of £274,000, of which £262,400 came from Britain, and the balance from the United States. Of the quantity of butter imported from Britain, much of it had doubtless been previously imported from Holland, Denmark or Norway to Britain. It appears to us that with a monthly steamer from. New Zealand to Brazil the butter required by the inhabitants of that country could easily be supplied from New Zealand, which would add somewhat to our export trade. Then, again, m respect to flour. In the year named the Brazilians sent to the United States no less a Bum than £769,000 for this article, which we send to the British markets, and there compete with the produce of the United States, Russia, India, etc. Why not make an effort to secure at least a share of this trade for ourselves 1 In the matter of lard, £77,200 was sent from Brazil to the United States m 1884, for the necessary supplies of this article. Tn this also New Zealand might fairly be expected to divide this trade with the United States. Every facility for opening this trade is at our disposal. The market is considerable, and is rapidly extending ; the means of communication are not only at hand, but subsidised by this Government for a term of years, and it may fairly be concluded that, if Britain can import butter from abroad, and re-import it to Brazil at a profit, there should be a satisfactory margin of profit to our merchants by sending it direct from New Zealand monthly by the direct mail steamers.