MARKETS FOR OUR PRODUCE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1988, 19 February 1914, Page 4

MARKETS FOR OUR PRODUCE.

It may be taken as a flattering evidence of the increasing importance of our Wade relations with the Mother Country that there should bo so much activity shown of late by leading' port authorities of the United Kingdom to attract the attention of New Zealand exporters to the advantages offered by their respective ports. Much fa&s been said and written concerning the benefits to be derived from shipping through the Port of Bristol, ana recently a representative of the Port of Hull visited _ the Dominion with a view to making us acquainted with the opportunities going to waste through failure to recognise the facilities provided by the authorities at Hull. _ Now we have with us the accredited agent of the greatest port in tho world—-the Port of London--a summary of whose very interesting and informative address to the Chamber of Commerce will be found in another _ column. Most people, probably, will he inclined to the view that the representative of tub Port of London Authority (Mr. Es-thj,) makes out a very convincing case for his port. His reply to the- criticism directed at the methods of the great institution he speaks for, supported as it is by such an array of facts and figures, i is certainly -very effective. Despite what has been stated to the contrary there is. little doub* we think that_ when -the actual cost and the facilities for placing our goods on the market are taken- into account, in conjunction with tho incontrovertible fact that London is after all the buying centre which affords the surest market, and the widest raiigo of competition, the average exporter will not be easily tempted to transfer his allegiance from London to any other port; But while this may be the case, and while it must give very general satisfaction to learn from Mr. .Estill of nil that the Port of London Authority is doing proposes to do to increase the facilities for handling and storing colonial produce, it is not displeasing also t-0 feel that the stimulus of healthy competition has

been nt woi'k in assisting to bring about these results, and that its cffcet may lie expected tp continue, Without the increased activity that lias been displayed by certain of the port authorities of Britain the New Zealand producer and exporter might have found it? less easy to persuade those who control the handling of shipping and cargo at the- Port of London of the necessity for expeditiously remedying such shortcomings as may .exist, and which are Sow in affair way to being put right. The visit of Mr. Estilii wo have no doubt will do good. It will not only servo- to remove doubts which have grown up in the -minds of many as to the treatment accorded our perishable products at the London docks and stores, and iii transit to Smithfield Market, bu-t it is in itself a tangible evidence of the anxiety of the Port of London Authority to win the full confidence of shippers from the Dominion, _ While such anxiety exists there is every reason to expect that the special needs of the New Zealand trade will be reasonably catered for.'