WHY NOT BID FOR IT?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1042, 3 February 1911, Page 6

WHY NOT BID FOR IT?

THE NEW HEBRIDES TRADE. ' JTHE DOMINION'S' DORMANCY. , (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) V Auckland, February 2. Mr. D. H. Kerr, an Island, trader, who is-a't present on a- visit to Auckland, had some interesting- remarks to make to a ' Star" representative this morning relative'to the possibilities of trade between New Zealand and the Now Hebrides Group, -and incidentally to the bearing this question, has upon tho proposed removal of tho headquarters of tho High Commissioner of tho Western Pacific. The New Hebrides, Mr. Kerr points out, are,; only some 1300 odd miles distant from! New Zealand, and aro considerably closer to Auckland. than to Sydney, yet Australian ports do a.remarkable trade with the islands, whilo New Zealand hns no business connection with them at all. Tho.Federa'l Government pays the Burns': Philp Company an annual subsidy of .818,000 .per year, to keep up a. regular communication with the Hebrides, Solonion',.j Ellis, ,-Marshall, and. other groups, wliiltj the French Government also , , subeidisis the Messageries-Maritime Line to maintain-.a frequent service. The result ia. that the -Hebrides trade is entirely in tho':harids,of- Sydney merchants. ."Here in. New Zealand you have ibeen watching with a vigilant eye the move- ) ment wuich is. afoot to have the headquarters of tho High. Commissioner, of the 'Western Pacific removed to Sydney," said. Mr. Kerr, "but you overlook; the point that Australia has a trump card to play, in tho' fact that .her trade. relations with the islands concerned and the means of communication provided bring her into much closer touch with, them than New Zealand can possibly claim to be. Auckland, so long as:it remains unconnected with the Hebrides, .can scarcely hope to prove its case should the headquarters -of the High Commissioner be removed from Fiji. Personally, with an intimate, knowledge of the two countries, and as an old' Aucklarider, I can say that New Zealand unquestionably has opportunities -to■'offer which New South Wales does not possess. The Dominion Government should certainly' make an effort to establish, trade relations with the Hebrides, and there is no doubt that subsidised service-between.Auckland and.Vila would speedily lie worked up to a; success. ' Copra- i≤ exported in enormous quantities, arid the' fruit trade only wants developing.' The French population; which is increasing at a greater rate than the British, also-exports'big shipments of cof-fee.,-The trado\ from Sydney to the islands is likewise considerable, as~ may 'be gauged from the fact that the owners of one ; vessel'-recently sailing for Vila , were' fined for. overloading. . Now would be an opportune time .for New Zealand_' to make a'bid for the Hebrides trade, since the settlers are.not altogether -satisfied with existing arrangements with Australia,, and* are at present organising a. deputation "to visit Federal Ministers in Melbourne, and endeavour to gain improved conditions. As Auckland is considerably closer .to' Santo and other islands in the group, it is, in my opinion, a mistake for the Jjcw Zealand Government not to make some effort to capture for this country the. extensive ,trade which I am sure would bo immediately, built up." Mr. 'Kerr is a member of the firm • Kerr Bros.; owners of a "number of trading vessels. ' UTie firm' recently lost' one of its'boats,' the Countess of ;Eanfurly, ( which- .was wrecked, arid Mr. Kerr is now visiting New Zealand with a view to. purchasing, if possible, a vessel'to take her place. . . ... , , .." '■'~'■