TRADE WITH SOUTH AMERICA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1483, 4 July 1912, Page 4

TRADE WITH SOUTH AMERICA.

DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.

At the meeting of tho council of tho .Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday a letter was received from tho New Zealand llomney Marsh Sheep Breeders' Association, asking for the. Chamber's' co-operation in approaching tho steamship companies trading between New Zealand and South America on tho subject of a reduced rate for tho shipment of stud stock to South American ports, and pointing out that a very big business could be done with Patagonia and JJonto Video if suitable arrangements could b« mado with tho shipping companies, but at present the prohibitive charges for tho carriage of stock made tho trade impossible.

A reply was made to tho request by tho president (Mr. A. E. Mabin), in tliocourso of his remarks on the letter. Ho stated that the port of Patagonia was Pimta Arenas, in the Straits of Magellan, and if a' vessel weut through the Straits it meant ss. per cent, extra in insurance, not only on the cargo, but on tho vessel as well, and that would frequently mean ss. per cent, on JC250.000. There had been a good deal of trouble in the Straits of Magellan at one time and another—the New Zealand Shipping Company could tell some slnr'"* -hrvf that locality, and did not think they would consider tho association's proposition for a moment. In regard to Monte Video, tho trouble there was that a shipping company had (o pay lightering: charges when they accepted goods for Monte 'Video, and that increased the freight rate naturally. The secretary (Mr. H. D. Vickery) was instructed to send "a diplomatic reply."