TRADE WITH ISLANDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19443, 31 October 1925, Page 21 (Supplement)

TRADE WITH ISLANDS

ACTIVITY OF AMERICANS. IMPORTS FROM UNITED STATE*. SUVA, Oct. 10. To most of the inhabitants of Fiji and the neighbouring groups, it is a matter for wonder that Australia and New Zealand do not take more active steps to retain or secure an increase of the trade of the Islands. With the recent improvements in the means 01 transit the United States is securing a greater hold on the Island trade than has been possible in previous years. For a long time American merchants have been largely dependent upon casual sailing vessels for freight to the Islands. Now, largely owing to the increasing trade of the Vacuum Oil Com pany, regular steamers voyage via Panama to FijV and other island groups from New York. Then the French are extending their Island service by cabling monthly at Fiji, and already a trade in Sici shells, running into 60 Io 80 tons monthly, has been secured. The Clan liners also are now regular callers at Fiji and are taking away to London and German ports a great deal of copra which formerly went via {Sydney.

The American merchants are slowly but surely establishing themselves m the Island market. This result was largely furthered by the copra trade during the war being diverted into American bottoms and being sold in American ports. In this way a connection was established which is not going to be allowed to go. The recent diversion of the Oceanic steamers to Fiji has also been a factor in improving trade relations between the United States and the Islands, More passengers now travel by the Oceanic than by the other boats between here and Sydney.

In 1924 it was estimated that America took about 35 nnr cent, of the i export trade while it supplied about -1 per cent, of the volume of imports into the Islands. It is rcasonutde state that .this proportion has considerably altered to the benefit of America during this year. The shipments of general goods and motor-cars frex the United . {States, both from New York, San Frau- j cisco, and from Vancouver are j steadily increasing. All this time no i special effort, apparently, is being made I by either Britain or the Dominions to ' secure a larger share of the Island ha: - | vest, which is each year becoming moie I important and valuable. Britain is helping the outside compu-1 titors by steadily refusing assistance i financially to her Pacific colonies. Tnc . refusal by the Colonial Office to allow Fiji to float a loan of £.1,000,000 is regarded as a suicidal policy, which will ' before long become apparent to thepeople in Downinc Street. It is useless for British merchants to expect share of the trade of the Islands unless they are prepared to give better terms to Island traders, such as is done by American and Canadian manufacturers.

The main export from the Island.consist of copra, sugar, bananas, rubber, chrome ore, cocoanut oil. phosphates, vanilla, cacao, pearl shell and other tropical produce, and 21' these are readily purchased by the American mmchants, the market being, as a rule, favourable. In 1923 exports to the United States totalled 41,874 tons, a<. counting for about one-third of the total. Over 25,000 tons of copra was consigned to San Francisco. Other lines consisted of 12.905 of chrome orc, 1278 tons of cocoa nut oil, etc.