NEW ZEALAND AND CARDIFF.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 932, 27 September 1910, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND AND CARDIFF.

'■There is good prospect of a very fine l line of steamers opening up /direct trade between'- New "Zealand: and Carcliff," - said a gentleman' than: whom no one is in a better position-to know. Importers of frozen meat and dairy produce at Cardiff have long desired to see the establishment of such , a service, and when some years ago the New Zealand Government decided to ■ establish direct trade between' the Antipouean I, Dominion and West Coast ports it was hoped that Cardiff, or Barry, would be selected as one of. the regular ports of call. From causes which need not be 'gone into here Avonmouth was selected in preference. And by reason of that selection Cardiff importers, desirous of ■direct trade \vith. New Zealand, have felt that 'have been handicapped. Thus, while Cardiff has attained the position of third port in the country for ..tho import of- refrigerated produce, the trade with. New' Zealand has dwin-dled,;-the Argentine iu the main, and Australia in lesser degree,- -getting' the benefit. This-Btate of things, says the South Wales "Daily News," has not commended" itself to either the Cardiff importers, or. , the New Zealand exporters, though it has boon extremely difficult to make a change. -But the difficulty- would-soon be got over if ■ shipowners were assured that a. good prospect oxisted •of regular shipments ; of. back , freight and of a" reasonable volume .of business.- New Zealand export-, ers and .Cardiff importers appear,- at the initial stage, at any rate, to have satisfied .the shipowners- interesting..- themselves ;in. the,project,-for it has- been stated' that, there are "good hopes" of the service ' becoming ■: an accomplished fact. Points strongly in its. favour are .the excellent cold'.- storage accommodatidn'already possessed by the port ; aiid lying within a few miles of a teeming population, • who could be served, with tho - choicest meat New 1 Zealand ; can. furnish in the : pink' of. condition—particularly if the local railway companies provided._ ! ari. adequate., supply ,of| aate refrigerating -wagons. This' would aid :in the development of the' business enormously, and enable- the consumer in'the mining centres to-have his joint in- as ..'godd' condition .as', "when''.itwas shipped.- The New : Zealand; Government,, it-may. be stated, :has .. not been asked,.at' any 'rate as yet, to have anything to do.with; the -project.: : : Jt; is too soon" to say.-, .what = shipping.• firms are con- ' sidering this matter of/Cardiff-New- Zealand direct trade) But there are in it . several firm's owning some-'of.' the finest' -refrigerating . steamers '. afloat,-. Awitli capacity, up. to carcasses. .They can, extend almost indefinitely'., " And at . the j moment they—the colonial' export-, ers . and the '.Cardiff importers—are ; full. :6f hope'that, the project -willy in the not VlryV distant future; 1 fructify/ :ilt may bo • added that 'the greatest .'secrecy in regard to the negotiations has .. been, : and is, being observed.—London. correspondent.-; . V. : ; ■ '