The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1899. NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE FOR AUSTRALIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9713, 10 April 1899, Page 2

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1899. NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE FOR AUSTRALIA.

A firm of Now South Wales merchants, Messrs Ritchey and Pollock^ Al* ul present interesting thcnteelves in a proposal to establish v central depot for the exhibition of New Zealand products nnd manufactures in the Cily i>f Hydlicy, with rf view to ntlvpHUlng and increasing UiO triulo tit Hits colony, antf &W, no doubt, with Uie oh.jeftt Air \,k>msvlves doxng buhsne?s; T\ft!t "New Zealand ih d&tiufr) to pla^r a much more imporlaul part than she lias liiijiprfo d'oiie. 1.1 the. Btfjiptym'g of <pr<Sdn're % Australia thero cMi 'he M tiuubt. Whether that wfH Iftft done without federating wttYi ihfc o't-hcr'coloiries.is a question yet to be decided, but of this wo are confident that a, Vory much larger hide Ih lo bo done. Of c6urse, % the YAmalVvo will have. 'to lie tftfcprttoj Sfjw Zealand. New Soihth WAKk, notwithstanding its com(l^atively large population and almost limiting oXtent of country, can never liopo to compete in the raising of produce with the superior soil, certain seasons, and abundant harvest*^f "Raw Zealand. ''The ttftcerVoii'nJr Of the Austral:.'a'i> ReSAiV^ and tho terrible droughts, AtMtCa it more obvious every year that it is from tho neighbouring colonies that the bulk of New South Wales supplies must be drawn. It is largely to New 7ealand Wiat Australia must look for these provisions, and if Now Zealanders will act collectively and energetically os her merchants do individually, Ihtire will ho little doubt about tllP Outcome, and her trade, both ill product) and mannftiotwrofJ) will Me fcttflbidbrably increa«cd. Messrs llilche.y and Pdllock, wliOj by Ule \vay, ard prepared 't6 deposit nny sum uj) to JCiodO As a guarantee of their bona fidos, propose to equip in the City of Sydney a 'commercial museum r.nd depot for samples of New Zealand manufacture l ) ftnd products only. They »!s& 'nndortako to establish a general New Zealand' agency, dealing exclusively with produce and manufactures forwarded to them from this colony. It is their intention to take central premises, and equip tliDnl as it hind of lriinintnro exhibition, displaying to the best advantages Biiiiililes at All kinds df New Zealand Manufactures and products. Tho exliibitidn will at all limes lio open to the general publiC) in addition to tho tiadftj And tho firm expects it Will crciito a demand on retailers to keep New Zealand goods. It is intended to employ an adequate staff of outside canvassers lo force the business,antl Messrs Hitchoy and Pollock point out that, should New Zealand business mon favour them with th.cii confidence, it will bo necessary for them to forward their exhibition samples, from which indent orders will be taken. They express the opinion that the customary method of the indent agent, of having Mb Samples packed away in a dusky dt dusty storeroom or office, cannot advertise the wares in the way ill which they p'ropdsc to dd. Their premises would ho a pernlanont museum or exhibition of New Zealand products, which would not he distributed for trade purposes, but only indented from. The firm havo collected front recent and reliable dovornment sources statistics which, can speak for themselves, and which can hardly fail to be of interest to the commercial community. Out of n total of ,£624,208 worth of flour imported into New South Wales, in 1897, the United States and Canada sent that commodity to the value of ,£485,54-o, while New Zealand's contribution, in epito of the {/real difference in 'distance and freights, was only worth i' 80,897. .America and Canada sent wheat valued at .£180,840, this colony's quota being but .£6273. The value of American timber imported into New South Wales in 1897 was £117,133, as against New Zealand's X77.48V In the matter of dried and preserved fish of a total value of hrought into Now* South Wales, Now Zealand, with her plentiful supplies, only contributed ,£103£., as compared with America's £45,337 and England's .£56,380. Notwithstanding tho fact that Now Zealand woollen goods are equal, if not superior, to anything in tho market, this colony's contribution of blaukotß to New South Wales was valued at a paltry X 723, the total worth of importations being £35,465. New Zealand flax is noted all over the world, but New South Wales only received from us .£3311. worth of cordage and rope, though tho total imports realised ,£51,243. There aro many other articles grown .and manufactured in this nolony, of which but small supplies reach New South Wales, such, for instance, as maize, hay and chaff, fruit, hops, jams and jellies, loather, bonedust, bacon and l'iims, prescivcd meats, pickles and sauces, potatoes, and tallow. The follow ing official figures of tho value of imports of New South Wales from America mid New Zealand respectively in the years 1894 and 1897 (the latest figures at present available) speak for themselves. Tho import trade with America increased about 250 per cent, while that with New Zealand only advanced about! 30 per cent: — 1894. 1897. Increase. £. £. £. America .. 542,427 1,887,877 1,345,430 N. Zealand 484,4-50 029,323 144,973

The above figures arc convincing proof ILat trade between this colony and New South Wales in tho produce and nmnuJacluios enumerated, besides others of less importance, can bo very considerably augmented. All that is required is that the matter should bo brought prominently before New Zealand produceis and manufacturers, and (ho efforts of Messrs Ritchey and Pollock to further trade between the two colonies should meet with success. In this connection, Hie enterprising New South Wales firm is communicating with the New Zealand Oovernment and the Chambers of Commerce throughout this colony, inviting their co-operation. The matter was Irought before the local Chamber at its meeting on Friday night, and referred (o tho president and secretary lo report 10 a futuro meeting. The question is worthy of the careful consideration of 011 interested in tho welfare of this colony.