OUR EXPORT TRADE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10398, 23 July 1901, Page 3

OUR EXPORT TRADE.

VISIT TO WANGANUI OF THE GOVERNMENT TRADE COMMISSIONER. The Government Trade Commissioner (Mr J. Graham Gow), arrived in Wanganui yesterday in connection with the special business of his department. Mr Gow was at 'one time a representative of Messrs Turnbull and Co., and when severing his connection with that firm his place was taken by Mr .8. S; Griffiths, our respected fellow-townsman. Till quite recently Mr Gow was with the firth of Rattray and Co.', of Dunedin, and is -well known all over the colony, with which he is thoroughly familiar. He has been appointed by the Government As »bw' Zealand's "Ambas-

sador of Commerce," a position - for which his past experience eminently fits Trim, and is touring the colony with the object of satisfying himßelf as to what commodities the different portions of the colony can export to the best advantage, and then to find if possible new markets for these articles. He has already toured a £ood portion of the South. Island. Last week he was at Auckland, and is at present visiting this coast. Not only is Mr Gow acquiring all the information he can as to the resources of the country, but he' is collecting samples of its products and gathering up the fullest particulars 'as to quantity, best time of year, for shipment, and all other matters that may be useful to foreign buyers, and secure their confidence in" New Zealand produce. Araonffßt the exportable goods that he expects to find a ready market for are — Frozen meat, butter, cheese, 'wool, woollen manufactured goods, boots and shoes, produce of all descriptions, canned fruits and fruit p'.ilp, soap, candles, condensed milk, flax, rope and twine, timber, hams nnd- bacon, stud stock, etc., etc. After visiting other parts of the colony, Sir Gow will take his departure for South Africa — probably in about six weeks time from now. One strong point in Mr Gow's favour when directing 1 ' the .attention of Capetown merchants, say, to the advantages they would "derive from doing business with New Zealand, will be the system of , Government grading, now applied to so* many of the productg we can export. It will bo his place to .assure them— convince them, we should perhaps say — that they are perfectly safe to order cur goods by brand or grade. Fortunately Mr Gow can press this consideration with full confidence. Mr Gow will be at the Chamber of Commerce room, Wickateed Place, on Thursday morning from 9 to 12, and goes to Palmerston by the mid-day train to attend the Dairy Conference opening there on that day. He will be pleased to sea as many of the producers and exporters as possible.- There are many other varieties of produce besides, those we have indicated, for which new ahd profitable markets may "be opened by Mr Gow in the course of his travels. To put him in a favorable position for finding fresh outlets it is essential that the fullest information should be'furnished by the producers. Mr Gow's long residence in the colony, his incessant travelling over it in -a mercantile connection, has of course enabled him to acquire a wide and acenrato knowledge- of colonial trade. Still, there are details even in the process of exchange, especially in regard to our larger staple products, known thoroughly only to experts, and as Mr Gow will practically represent these experts in the places he .visits it^is to their interest,to nrovide him with all 'the necessary knowledge We ,need not enumerate the articles Mr Gow ran over to us during»a brief interview, but will iiidicato his wishes in his own words — "Anybody who has anything to export I wilL be glad to see. • It will bo my business to find new markets or better markets -for all sorts of New Zealand produce." > This.mornins; Mr Gow, xtfho has already Tdsited Ifcotorua. aiicl its wonderland, left for Pipiriki in order to he able the better to speak of the beauties of the New Zealand Rhine, and thus encourage the influx of tourists to New Zealand. He will return to-morrow afternoon.