Sydney’s Island Trade.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1921, Page 3

Sydney’s Island Trade.

COMMERCIAL MEN ANXIOUS. SYDNEY, Aug. 2. Considerable attention is being devoted by the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, which is now in the midst of its • nnunl sessions, to the safeguarding of Ibe Island trade. Mr William Reed, me of the delegates, declared that the loss of the Island trade was a seriotm matter to Sydney, and concerned every one of them. A deputation from the Island Trade Sectional Committee- of the Chamber had interviewed the Sydney Harbour Trust Commissioners on four occasions, and had asked for the removal of the war-time restrictions placed upon the handling of copra, hut they had been unsuccessful. The copra was not allowed to be taken into the sheds in the, process of discharge, and there was, consequently, no protection tgainst the rain, while it had to be removed forthwith from tlu* wharves. They desired permission to put the copra in the sheds during discharging and unloading. The copra was going to other countries, and Sydney was losing the trade. Copra was the Island currency. They had no money there. 'They sent the copra to pay for the goods which were sent to the Islands. In one shipment from Sydney to the Islands there had been £SOOO worth of goods which had been paid for with copra. It had been proved that copra fires in the past had been due to incendiarism, the act of enemy agents. Mr C. Boxshall, a member of the Samurai Chamber of Commerce, Papua remarked that there were Island interests to he considered as well as those o Sydney. Were they justified in «iskinj. the Islands to send goods Jialf-wa; round the world again to the place o manufacture, in order to allow the peo pie of Sydney to collect dues and ex change the goods for goods of tliei ownf The president, Mr J. Maitlaiu Paxton, stated that it was quite tru that the regulations of the Sydney Hat hour Trust had practically driven tit copra trade out ol Sydney. What wa happening was causing serious disqttie in certain official quarters, and the o.a ter was under review there.