TRADE WITH HAWAII

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1921, Page 1

TRADE WITH HAWAII

\K\V AiAii K KT EUI; MtODI Cl

WELLINGTON, July I

For sonif considerable time eflorts have been made by Honolulu and New /calami merchants to secure regular allotments of space in the refrigerators of the vessels engaged in the New Zeu-land-Yancouver mail service, with a view to working up a trade in the New Zealand meat, butter etc., with Hawaii. The diiliriilly experienced was that this refrigerated space has alwavs been rc(|iiiicd for the conveyance of refrigerated goods to Vancouver, and it has only occasionally been availabo tor cargo to Hawaii. The Department of Industries and Commerce lias done everything possible to develop this trade, and the Union

Steamship Company is now carrying to Honolulu by the steamers Niagara and Maktira. till the refrigerated cargo that, is offering. The demand for New Zeaand meat has eased off in Western Canada, as it usually does at this season (midsummer) in that country, and it is anticipated that no difficulty will he experienced in catering for the maximum space requirements of the Hawaiian trade until next October, when the Canadian demand for our meat revives.

There is a. United States Navy and Army garrison in Hawaii, and it is anticipated that New Zealand meat will be supplied to thes ( , forces by the. contractors, if regular supplies can lie assured. The Union Steam Ship Company hopes to he aid,, to provide space for meat to fill litis contract up to 160 tons monthly, all the year round. The civil population of Hawaii is about 26.000. and should provide n considerable market for New Zealand products. The tourist traffic, to Hawaii from Canada and the United States lias grown to enormous dimensions. and the numerous large tourist, hot els throughout the islands are purchasers of vast quantities of high-class food products. Those factors make th Hawaiian market of greater important',, than the comparatively strinll number of the fixed population would suggestand. with the certainty of cargo space being available regularly for both refrigerated and general cargo, a. favourable opportunity now exists for New Zealand exporters to exploit this market.

Tn addition to refrigerated meal: Hawaii ran take apples, onions, and potatoes (in the off-sonson of tho American crop), butter, cheese, eggs, smoked and fresh flsh. dried and condensed mil If, canned meats, grass-seed, woollen suitings, blankets, rugs, hoisery, etc. Tho United States emergency tariff will, however, have a modifying influence on the trade between New Zealand and Honolulu, and prospective exporters must take ibis into consideration. Tt, is understood that fruit and some agricultural and pastoral products arc to ho subject to duty.