A PROMISING MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1045, 7 February 1911, Page 8

A PROMISING MARKET.

IN SOUTH AFRICA, OPENING FOR NEW ZEALAND PRODUCTS. INTERVIEW WITH MR. S. O'NEILL. Prospects of trado expansion aro opened by tho visit to Wellington of llr. Stanley O'Neill, -who represents the Standard Cold -Storago Company of Johannesburg. His object is to arrange, oil behalf of his firm, for the transmission of regular supplies of New Zealand produce, principally butter and meat, to South Africa. Upon tho possibilities of trado between this country and South ,Africa; Mr. O'Neill spoke interestingly when interviewed yesterday by a Domintox reporter, and as he has travelled extensively throughout tho liniou and Rhodesia ho was able, in addition, to speak informatively about the country and its nHairs in general. Questioned as to tho prosperity of his country, Mr. O'Neill stated that throughout South Africa trado was 'flourishing, and good progress being made. Population was increasing rapidly. British immigrants formed a largo majority of thoso who were entering tho country, although, as has been tho caso for many years, thero is a considerable annual "immigration of Jews.

A Neglected Market. In South Africa, . according to Mr. O'Neill, thero exists a promising market for New Zealand mutton, beef, butter, and other products. At the present time largo quantities of Australian meat, butter, and Hour aro consumed in the countries of tho South African Union, and thero is also a considerable annual importation of Argentine meat and flour, but it is a rarity to seo any kind of New Zealand produce on tho South African markets. "Tho best market we offer, so far as this country is concerned," said Mr. O'Neill, "is for meat, both mutton and beef. Stock iu South Africa aro afflicted at present by serious diseases of various kinds, which thero is no present prospect of eradicating. War is .being waged against these diseases under the direction of well-equipped Govern--•went Departments, but it will bo a long time btforo South Africa is ablo to raise the stock required for internal consumption." A Devastating Plague. "Tho wholo of Natal," Mr. O'Neill continued, "ns well as parts of tho Northern- Transvaal mid portions of lihodesia, were at the proscnt time in quarantine. No stock was allowod to leavo tho infected areas, so that great sources of supply ivero, entirely cut off. Except in a low isolated cases, where special measures were boing taken, all calves boru within . tho next eighteen months,-iu the infected areas, were to be destroyed. Tho. disease creating the gratcst hnvoc among the (locks and herds was tho dreaded rinderpest, also known as "East Coast fever." Tho only portions of tho South African Union which were little troubled by tho devastating plaguo of stock disease,.Mr. O'Neill remarked, wero tho Orango River Colony and. tho southern portions of Capo Colony. From this depiction of local supplies, he continued, it followed that South Africa offered a splendid market for New Zealand meat. A Temporary Opening. A market also existed for butter, although this opening would eventually disappear. The diseases and pesU that cut down tho snnplv of stock for consumption also affected, tho . local,"supply-,-,of dairy produce, but, in : spito of all disabilities, tho dairy industry in South Africa was making headway. New Zealand machinery was bsing usod-in .many of tho factories, and the output was steadily increasing. It would bo some time, however, before home demands could bo met, and meantime thero existed in South African markets (i valuable opening for New Zealand dairy produce. There wero no immediato prospects, Mr. O'Neill stated, of a return trade of any magnitude from South • Africa. Wine produced iu that country already commanded a ready sale in New Zealand, and fruit was another - possible Item of export, as were tanning bark, tea, sugar, colTce, and tobacco. While admitting that he could see no groat likelihood of any bulky export trado lrom South Africa to this country, Mr. O'Neill said ho saw no reason why a direct lino of steamers between tho two countries should not bo established. In his opinion, tho prospect of a steady export of New Zealand produce would justify sheep-ownors in meeting tho experiment.' Tha Political Outlook. Turning frojn questions of trade to the political situation in South Africa, Mr. O'Neill attributed tho success of the party led by General Botha mainly to a wave of national spirit in the Dutch population. Tho incentive to this movement, Mr. O'Neill opined,' was supplied whon Sir Percy Fitzgerald deffated General Botha for his seat at Pretoria, which had been looked upon as a Dutch stronghold. This happening excited tho Dutoh residents and stirred up national prejudices that had been temporarily lulled. The result was seen just afterwards in the election of tho Provincial Councils, when, in tho words of Mr. O'Neill, "Britishers got a very poor hearing." . Tho success of General Botha, ho continued, was undoubtedly due, in tho main, to a solid voto by his compatriots.

Discredited Magnates. . In a measure, howovcr, General Botha's siicctfs was assisted by dissatisfaction on the part of British residents with the regime of tho mining magnates. "It is now generally accopted- in South Africa," said Mr. O'Noill, "that the mining magnates are intent only on securing their "own interests without regard for the interests of anybody else. It is also recognised that they engineered the lato war for their own ends. This was proved by their importation of Chineso to work tho mines, although great numbers of whites were nt tho timo starving and out of work in Johannesburg." Boers and .Britons, Mr. ; O'Neill replied to another- question, were now everywhere-living together on tolerably friendly terms. Porfect amity would, probably never • reien until tho present generation ■ had died out, and a now generation of Boers had grown up, who would bo better educated and have more polish than those of the present day. There is already; Mr. O'Neill states, a considerable amount of ' intermarriage between the two races, and in all likelihood it will increase os the .years, go by.