The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1910. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14236, 30 June 1910, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1910. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

Hopes are entertained that a valuable amount of trade will be established between New Zealand and Canada, and already something lias been done In that direction by the inauguration of a direct steam service. Recent news from New York suggests that the possibility of adding some direct trade with the eastern States should not be overlooked. Several cable messages havs been received during the last few months regarding a shortage of meat on that side of the country, and quite recently news has come to hand of si profitable speculation in a small impor« tation of Australian frozen beef and mutton. We understand that this meat reached New York via England,' in which caso transit charges must have been larger than would be the case with 1 direct shipments. There appears to be an opportunity here, then, for lessen* jng the risk of gluts of frozen lamb in the London market, and even though the net returns for shipments of meatj to the United States should be no better than for those to London, the diver« sion of some part of tho export Ut America should tend to improve the market in London. It may b» said that the great meat-dealers of the) States would not allow Australia or. New Zealand exporters to get a foot" ing in the States; that with their command of large supplies of meat in Argentina they hold an impregnable position. That remark would be a good argument against any hasty speculation in the business, and perhaps, is only to be met by one counter argument —that New Zealand could supply a certain class or classes of meat of better quality than can be got from Argentina. It is believed on Verygood grounds that this is the case; and that being so, it may ho safely assumed that the wealthy cities of the Eastern States would be ready to buy it at rates profitable to the suppliers, no matter how cheap inferior meats were offered by tho home competitor. • Thcvo does not appear to bo very much among the products of New Zealand that Eastern Canada requires, and it would help the steamers on their return trips if they could carry some freight to be dropped at United States ports on th» way to Canada. Tho direct delivery of New Zealand wool to tho home ports of American buyers is an example of what might be dona in that way. Ths> greater part of the kauri gum that is shipped from Auckland, wo understand, and a great deal of the phormium fibre shipped anywhere, finds its way to tlia United States, and with steamers passing United States ports they might as well go direct instead of a roundabout route. Probably, besides wool, not a little of the bye products of the freesing works is finally delivered to. Aaw>

ffaan consumers. New Zealand imports American manufactures to a large total every year, and it would surely be possible to pay for more of them in kind than is done .at present. American firms are sending agent-s to exploit the Xew Zealand market. New Zealand should return the compliment; but with us there is too little of the spirit of co-operation that would be necessary for the purpose in the case of this small community. It may he worth while to consider whether New Zealand cannot reap sdnie trade advantage from the new goldfield in British Columbia, if it proves to be as big ft thing as the rush to it advertises.