Trade with the Cape.

Manawatu Herald, 11 June 1903, Page 2

Trade with the Cape.

“ I was talking to a South African visitor on my journey from Wellington in the train," said Sir Joseph*Ward to your correspondent, “ and he expressed himself in very satisfactory terms of the results that had so far been secured by the subsidising of steamers from New Zealand to South Africa. He instanced to me large business transactions which he had personally been able to carry out with farmers through the steamship connections. Under the conditions previously existing be could not have done that with such beneficial results. He quoted as an instance, 56,000 sacks of Canterbury grain, and also a large quantity of. dairy produce which he had thus been able to ship direct. “ He also informed me," continued Sir Joseph, “of a large quantity; of New Zealand timber be was shipping to South Africa. This he would never have attempted to do but for the facilities afforded by the subsidised line of steamers to that country. In addition he bad secured a considerable quantity of meat for the same market. Probably under other circumstances the bulk of these products would have been brought from the Argentine, My firm opinion is that the first twajve months workiqg of the subsidised line will show ample justification for the subsidy. I am a strong believer in opening up new markets for our products, and I think we can find a good market in South Africa, Up to the present time the regular subsidised steamers that have left New Zealand for South African ports have gone away for the most part full, and besides there is now an extra steamer being put on to take overflow produce from here. The steamer Essex goes to “seven ports in New Zealand for cargo, which I understand is offering in ample quantities. The contract with the shipping company is for three years, and my own personal opinion is that its continuance is justified in the interests of our producers. We now get to South Africa a quality of meat which we could find no market for in England. South Africa must for year* depend on outside markets, and thus New Zealand producers will benefit. I am informed that the dairy products of this colony are well thought of in South Africa, and.from reports I have seen I have no reason to doubt that we should get a very considerable portion of that trade by means of the subsidised line. I think it is good policy to subsidise steamers to develop our trade particularly in the direction of finding fresh markets. There will necessarily at times be congestian of the London markets, and if we have other markets for our products it must of course prove of the utmost benefit to the producers,”—N.2, Times.