SOUTH AFRICAN SERVICE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1548, 1 September 1905, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICAN SERVICE.

INTERESTING FIGURES. The Acting-Socretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, in his report to the Minister, states that the subsidised stoam service to South Africa has been satisfactorily, carried out during the year. The shipments for the year ending Maroh 81,1905, were as follows :—B4BO carcases lamb, 26,969 oaroases mutton, 142 oases frozen sundries, 28,731 boxes butter, 3303 orates poultry, 135 crates frozen rabbits, 93 oases frozen fish, 16 cases baoon, 461 boxes boned beef, 614 cases cheese, 932 oases preserved meats, 100 oaroases frozen pork, 23,204 sacks bran, 51,243 saoks oats, 79 saoks oatmeal, 60 casks tallow, 1905 cases potatoes, 500 sacks potatoes, 818 saoks peas, 28 sacks grass seed, 78 sacks oooksfoot, 692 sacks barley, 20 saoks rye, 2 sacks beans, 32 cases preserved milk, 6 bales hemp, 40 oases nails, 1228 superficial feet timber, 54 pieces timber, 965 live sheep, 21 rams, and a quantity of general merchandise.

The volume of business with South Africa has not reached the figures of the preceding year, but notwithstanding the adverse influences at work a considerable extent of trade has been carried on with undoubted benefit to the producers and traders of the oolony. Attention is drawn to the fact that since the inception of the subsidised steam ser* vice to South Afrioa, the Bteamers of the Now Zealand and African Steamship Company have oarried from the colony produce to the value of £1,801,631 to markets whioh were previously not directly available to the colony, and that during the same period the Bteamship company referred to has disbursed tbe sum of £85,028 at different ports within the colony for port dues, pilotage, light dues, labor, stevedoring, cargo charges, and ship’s stores. Mr Gow, the trade commissioner in South Africa, reports that there are signs of commercial improvement there. He states that cold storage, whioh at one time promised to be an El Dorado, and into whioh many New Zealanders were anxious to put their money, is in by no means a flourishing condition. Many of the best plants are lying idlo. As to the improvement in the country, the commissioner writes :— 11 During my first journey in this country one might go for many miles along tbe railway and not see a beast. Now tbe uplands seem to be well stocked with cattle. In the matter of mutton, however, things are different, Sheep do not, for some reason, seem to do well in many parts. I would urge upon New Zealanders tbe importance of keeping to the beat quality in aii classes of exports, and to be satisfied with a fair margin of profit. In this way they may find a good and constant market. The general aspect of thiDgs is Baid to be improving slowly, though in many part? there is an exoess of white labor, aud frequent meetings of the unemployed. Although 18 months ago there was said to be little Kaffir labor available for tbe mines, every month reports a large inorease on the Rand. Things ore kept merry by the constant and serious riots of the Chinese. It is hoped that matters will soon assume more of the normal form, and that all parts will share in the prosperity whioh all need.”