The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1889.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4531, 4 May 1889, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1889.

Mn Mills, having once begnn a campaign m favour of tho renewal of tbe San Francisco mail subsidy, is not the man to abandon the contest as long as there remains the smallest possible hope of ultimate success. He professes to regard the San Francisco service as of the highest commercial importance to this colony, but the figures are altogether against him. In tbe course of debate last session the following statistics were referred to: — In twelve months the total amount of cargo carried by the San Francisco boats wiis I inward) loo7> tons, and ")(J9 tons. Iv the same period the direct steamers carried u'mvnrdl 00,75S tons, and (outward i oß,^j-1 tons. The passenger traffic tells a somewhat similar story. In the course of twelve months the San Francisco steamers carried (inward*) o9t> passengers, and loutwardl 710, ora total of 1112. The direct steamers carried (inward) m the same period -llb'f* passengers, and IStil, or a total of 0000 passengers. Amongst the inward passengers were 77-t Government immigrants, but without reckoning them, there were ob~>'J passengers, or -11-17 more passengers than were carried by the San Francisco line. But, m estimating the relative value of the two services to the colony, there is no good reason why Government immigrants should be deducted. Ou the contrary, the number of passengers of that class is a very forcible reminder of the value of the direct steamers for immigration purposes, whereas immigration to any large extent by the San Francisco ronte is out of the question. A very few wellto do immigrants might come that way, and the balance of the passengers by the San Francisco steamers are and always will be tourists with v slight sprinkling of commercial ageuts. We do not undervalue the tourist tratlic, and we agree with Mr Mills that there will be a very large expansion of it iv the next few years ; but it does not follow from that admission that logically we ought to be m favour of bolstering up the San Francisco service out .^f New Zealand taxation. The question is not whether rapid communication between the colony and England shall be maintained, but, whether a certain line of steamers ulial' be subsidised when two other lines by the direct route give equal advantages to passengers, and are at the same time of the greatest possible benefit to the colony m carrying cargo inwards and outwards. Now Zealand's wool, wheat, and frozen meat, arc not borne by the San Francisco steamers, aa.l without, the assistance of the direct steamers tbe frozen meat trade would not as yet have boon developed m the extraordinary wanner that it has. As for the wool, the result of the recent Presidential election ban practically closed the American market for some years to come. There remains the wheat to be con&iclered, and certainly none of New Zealand's yield is carried m the S.iu Francisco steamers. But it is well worth noting that the Zealandia on her lar.t voyage had amongst her cargo 12,12.j sucks of American wheat (averaging three bushels to the sack) for the Sydney market. What will the New Zealand farmers say to that ? New South Wales ia their best wheat customer, and from New Zealand farmera tbe Union Shipping Company receive a very large amount of support. Yet we find tho malinger of that company moving heaven and earth to secure the continuance of a subsidy to the San Francisco ateamers, which, experience bliowb, can render substantial aid to American wheat growers by enabling them to cut m and bear the New South Wales market to thu detriment of the New Zealand producer. It weems to ua that JMr Mills aaks a great deal too much. Tljc San I'Yaueisco Htcamerfi may to Home extent feed the Union Company's steamera with passeDgera, but if the former stopped running tomorrow, their passenger trade would be transferred to tho direct steamers and the local company would Buffer no detriment. However that might be, there is something of greater importance tb.in tho Union Company's interests to be considered. Jt is an admirable service, but New Zealand cannot aitord to iiasist it indirectly by subsidising another service which does direct damage to the agricultural community. Tin; ollicial return of New Zealand.) imports and exports for the past quarter has been made up, but has not yet been gazetted, unless it appeared m the last Qiarltc, which has not yet come to hand. Tho figures, however, have been placed at tho disposal of the Wellington papers, acd tho following extract from the Niw /Zealand Time*, of the lat instunt, will prove of interest to our readei-B us showing the remarkable extent of (ho quarter's trade operations; — " New Zealand's exports during the lirst quarter of lB.Sil amounted to the enormous and unprecedented value of £:?,■! J 7, 7*! I. This m not even approached by any previous quarter since the foundation of the Colony, and is by far tbe largest quarter's exports j that ever yet loft these shores. The importu during tho same period amuiiuted to ,mly Ul ,721,088, au againut l;l,;,')t),l)b';: for tho March quarter of lSiiS, although tins first is usually the beat quarter of tho calendar year iv respect of imports, mainly on Hceoiint of Hit. uvusou'h importation of

drapery, etc. Thus the quarter's exports were aa nearly as possible donble the imports ia value. For the year ended 31st March the imports were only £5,908,226", an exceptionally low total, while the exports were £8,201,609, the latter being the largest ever recorded m New Zealand for one year, and exceeding the imports by nearly ili- millions sterling. But if the current calendar year should maintain throughout the rate of export which obtained during its first quarter, the total exports will amount to a value of nearly fourteen millions sterling, or nearly double the average of former years. This is probably too much to expect. There are many reasons (which would occupy too tunch space to enumerate, but which will readily suggest themselves"! why the later months of the year should fall somewhat short of the earlier ones. Still, if anytaing at all approaching the opening months' results should be maintained toward the year's close, the advance on previous years will be marvellous indeed. Meanwhile we have the 6olid fact to go upon that during the past quarter New Zealand exported produce to the value of very nearly "Ji- millions sterling, or at the annual rate of nearly It millions, as against a previous average of under S millions. To be quite exact the past quarter's exports are at tho rate of £13,670,930 per annum. Here we really have something like ' leaps and bounds.' And fortunately they are the solid outcome of genuine improvement." [Since this article was put m type wi"> received the short telegraphic abstract relating to the quarter's imports and exports, which were gazetted last night.]