WEST OF ENGLAND TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 847, 20 June 1910, Page 3

WEST OF ENGLAND TRADE.

» ■ THE DIRECT STEAMER SERVICE. I A LIVERPOOL FIRM'S VIEW. | [To the Editor.] Sir—We are desirous of calling your attention and that of your readers to the practical strangulation which is taking place of New Zealand's direct trade with the West Coast ports of this .country. The tonnage offering by tho Federal-Houldcr-Shire Lino' is totally inadequate, even when not interfered with, but when, as in the recent instance of tho Morayshire, Messrs. Boulders sent her to load frozen meat in Monto Video, tho position becomes.much moro serious. ■ Wo venture to say that every West Coast boat this season has had her space allotted five or six weeks before her date of sailing, and even then the requirements of buyoTS in this market have not been half satisfied. Instead of a steamer a month steps should bo taken to inaugurate at once a three-weekly service, and in another 12 months a fortnightly one. There is going to bo a rapid increase in the development of tho dairy produce business with Liverpool houses, and direct shipments of cheese to that port will assume considerable dimensions. Should this be so, what is going to happen when wo have now not even half tho space at present requisite for frozen meat, when this extra demand has to bo met? It is 17 years since my firm first began to preach decentralisation from London as being in the truest interests of NewZealand, and although the development has been slower than wo anticipated it has. at any rate, been consistent. The American Meat Trust, comprising firms of Swifts, Morris, Armour, etc., years ago showed their views of tho matter by opening branches in all parts of tho United Kingdom, and shinpingtheir goods to as many points as possible, and thei-o is no question but that their policy has been successful. . Up to recent times the chief article m connection with the frozen meat trade of interest to the North of England was New Zealand lambs, but now that tho Argentine meat houses aro concentrating their energies so exclusively. on the development of the-chill-Ed beef. business, wo anticipate seeing a very much increased demand in tho North of England for New Zealand beef and probably some of tho secondary grades of mutton, and .nothing would help to bring this about than an immediate extension of shipping facilities. . For 40 years past Liverpool has been the cheese, importing contro of this country, but her interests were entirely wrapped up with the United States and Canada, and it was for this reason that London had to turn her attention to the colonies, as. she could not get a footing in the other .markets. Now, however, that the United States has entirely ceased to export cheese, and. Canada seems to have no means of increasing her output tho attention' .of Liverpool wholesale firms is becoming directed to the colonial article, and we are anxious to bring this development. home to jour readers. Wo invite correspondence with any of your readers in connection, with this business.—l am, etc.,

AV. J. M'KERROW, Managing, director M'Karrow Bros., Ltd. Liverpool, May 4.