TRADE WITH WEST AFRICA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 3

TRADE WITH WEST AFRICA.

POSSIBILITIES FOR NEW ZEALAND. The possibility of a comprehensive j post war import trade being established in New Zoaland with the British colonies on the West Coast of Africa was discussed at Auckland laet week by a Sierra Loone business man, Mr A. C. Smart, who is now on a visit to New Zealand. Mr Smart considers that New Zealand should pay the greatest attention to the importing of raw material direct for manufacture in the Dominion. "West Africa offers gigantic possibilities for trado in raw material," said Mr Smart. "It is only in recent years that British business men and the British Government have realised tho importance of the colonies. The resources of West Africa are only just being discovered. The four chief products of Western Africa are palm oil, palm kernels, cocoa, and ground nuts." So far as New Zealand was concerned the first two were not of primary importance; their use to a largo extent- was for maufacturing glycerine, high explosive, soap, candles, etc., and to a lesser extent in the manufacture of margarine of low quality. Palm kernels wore used in making oil cake for ' cattle. Before tho war these materials were largely in the hands of. German commorce. Vast quantities were exported annually to Hamburg and other Continental ports, and only a small quantity went to England. On the outbreak of war numerous German properties were seized along tho coast, and the importance of the trade was recognised. Early in 1916. when products were becoming essential for munition production, competition in the buying of enemy properties was tremendous, and some fantastic prices were paid for places with oven a small storing capacity. Those commodities were in such urgent demand townrds the end of 1916 that cocoa, of which the Gold Coast colony alone exported over £ .j. 500.000 worth annually, was practically shut out from shipping space by the British Government. Undoubtedly, said Mr Smart, cocoa is a product which Now Zealand should obtain direct from its source. The prices existing for cocoa at present show that the entrepot, system was ccGting the New Zealand consumer an exorbitant sum. Even in pre-war times the price paid to native growers was £8 a ton, and in 1917 and 1918 producers were receiving as much as £21 and £22 a ton. Thiij price would have increased further but for tho fact that the British Government fixed the maximum price at £26 per ton in London and Liverpool. Mr Smart maintains that the process of manufacturing cocoa from the raw product could bo very easily dealt with in the Dominion. Prices are high, he said and are likely to remain high, and in future it would pay the country to manufacture it here.