THE CHANCES WE MISS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 874, 21 July 1910, Page 6

THE CHANCES WE MISS.

9 , MARKETS IN AMERICA, MR. F. G. BOLTON'S IMPRESSIONS. Mr. P. G. Bolton, a member of the Wellington Harbour Board, has been to America, and has travelled with eyes ami cars open. lie returned to. Wellington yesterilay, and in the courso of. half-an-hour's conversation gavo a Dominion representative an interesting resume of his impressions. Canada's Open Arms. "Canada is a wondorful place," said Mr. Bolton. "Though 1 saw nothing of it, I. had the great good fortune to travel from Honolulu to Sydney with Mr. W. A. Beddoe, the new Canadian Trade Commissioner for Now Zealand, who supplied ine with much information. Canada has a population of 8,000,000 people, and the total increasing at the rate of 250,000 per annum. Here is a natural market lor Now- Zealand, and I believe we can help to feed those millions ii we look smart about it. There .is a big market for our hides and frozen dairy produce in the eastern portion of Canada,- but the market for our frozen meat, strange to say, is in the west. I am assured that Canada cannot, and does not, produce sufficient for her own consumption. Her herds are not increasing,- whilst her population is jumping up every year. To me it seems that the hitherto insuperable difficulties in tho way of fostering a trade in chilled lieef can now be. overcome. Let me explain. Australia and New Zealand have experienced difficulties owing to their distance from London, while the Argentine can reach London or. Europe in three weeks. Now a service from New Zealand or Australia would only take about the same time, and the market is therewaiting! The development of tho chilled beef tr.ado to Canada would be doubly beneficial, as it would mean another market capable of wonderful development, and its exploitation would have tho elfoct of steadying beef prices on the somewhat jumpy London market. Inasmuch as Australia may see'this chance, it behoves New Zealand to be up and doing. Tho trade would call for steamers, not so large a 6 thoso of the ShawSavill; or New Zealand Shipping Company, but built on the same lines. High Living antl High wages. "Tho standard of'living comfort is unquestionably high in America, and with the exception of cotton goods and boots which are cheap, the cost of commodities, is also very high. But compensating for this the wages and salaries axe astonishingly good, ■ and leave a fair margin above the high cost of living. I'or instance, I.'was speaking to the enginedriver of a freight train at Los Angeles, who informed me that he was getting 150 dollars (J230) a month, which was tho lowest wages any of the drivers got (all being paid on the mileage rate). Drivers- of tho passenger trains—tho limited expresses—were paid as much as ,£6OO and ,£7OO a year. Honolulu to-day is said to be; oveirun with Japanese. "I have heard it said," remarked Mr. Bolton, "that jn the event of war between the United States, and Japan there are enough Japanese in Honolulu to capture the place. I had a conversation with officers connected with immigration in Honolulu, and learned that there had been serious talk regarding the 'JapancsCinvasion,' and the.peo-ple-of Honolulu much regretted that they had not followed earlier in tho footstpps of Australia and New Zealand in keeping their country 'white.' In .California the feeling against the is very bitter.' The labour unions are doing their utmost to control the trouble, and it may be said that possibly the.v are going .too far. They have a most elaborate system of surveillance. If,, for instane?. a professional man employs a Japanese servant, a representative of tho trades union interviews him, and endeavours by intimidation to induce him to discharge tho servant, otherwise he is threatened with boycott. Wellington-San Francisco Service, "The development of the WellingtonSan Francisco service ! consider a matter of vital importance," said Mr. Bolton. "The service via Rarotonga and Tahiti is the shortest route to America; and it, haß the advantage that' the steamer has no prior American port to call at as was the case in the old routo via Honolulu. Tahiti is a French port, and therefore the service would not be hampered by the restrictive American shipping laws. A better class of steamer is undoubtedly wanted, more particularly between Tahiti and 'Frisco, where th<l old-timer Mariposa still runs: If a service of well-appointed steamers were arranged there would be a yearly influx of American tourists to this country. They are prepared to pay anything for comfort in travelling, and will not move without it, especially for a three weeks' ocean trip. Advertise! Advertise! "This leads me to. remark that New Zealand is being utterly neglected for the lack of some comprehensive scheme of advertising this country in America. I could find no books, . literature, .or scenic photographs of this country on the steamers, trains, or on tho railway stations.' Other • countries—Canada,' Mexico, yes—but of New Zealand hot a sign; , There waa no literature of any kind on the Mariposa, and the purser gladly welcomed a copy of the Year Book which I presented to the ship, as he was often questioned about New Zealand, by passengers who were booked through. Thero was no literature about the Dominion, and certainly iio recent copy of the Year Book on the Manuka' on tho Vancouver service—nothing to indicate the steamer's registration country, save a few photos in .the smoke-room. I found people interested in ■ New everywhere ;I went., but could see no. evidence of that- interest being i fostered." King Coal and His Rival. It, is learned that tho trains throughout the 'west are now run with oil fuel, not coal,..there having been enormous discoveries of oil in recent years. But electricity is also a motive power which' is making wonderful strides. In New York State electric railways have been installed with great success. On the other hand, oil is being used as-a motive power for a largo number of coastal steamers,' and has-been installed in ,the Sierra, which vessel formerly traded to Sydney, and is now running between San Francisco and Honolulu. Oil is also used very extensively in manufactories in California, the smoke nuisance being thereby minimised. 'It is believed incompetent authorities, Mr. Bolton was informed, that although oil is at present superseding coal on the railroads electricity will in its turn supersede oil. But as regards steamers, it is believed that oil will eventually completely supersede coal- as a motive power. The saving is tremendous. Old Marine Friends. The Spreckles lino of steamers may again rim to Australia, and in such an event the company will cq'u-ip'their boat's so that they may bum oil fuel in the same manner as the Sierra. Tho company have no fear about the reliability of' the service .if again established on those lines. "My personal experience of the Sierra," said -Mr. Bolton, "was that she kept absolutely perfect time, and that the travelling was most comfortable.". The Sonoma and Ventura, also formerly running in the Australian and New Zealand service, are at present lying in San Francisco Harbour.