The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1902. TRADE IN FARM AND DAIRY PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 24 February 1902, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1902. TRADE IN FARM AND DAIRY PRODUCE.

On mora than one occasion have we pointed out the desirableness of steps being taken to foster the trade of this district in farm and dairy produce. There is no doabt whatever but that Taranaki is capable of producing a vsst quantity of farm produce in addition to butter, cheese, and bacoa, in the shape of fruit, oats, barley, potatoes, eggs, and fodder, i.e., straw aDd grass and oaten hay. The reason this is sot done is because there is practically no market, or the expense of reaching the markets available is too srent. From our contemporary, the Timaru fferald, we notice that " Mr F. W. Aplin, who some years ago was a candidate for the Timaru seat in the House cf Representatives, and who has been for the laßt tea years or so in Queensland, has recently returned to South Canterbury. J In the course of a chat with * Timaru Herald representative about Queenslaud, Mr Aplin expressed surprise that New Zealand sends so little of her produce to Queensland. In North Qae«nsland ports, especially, he believes s good market ought to be found for oats, bran, apples, and cased potatoes, carried over by sailing vessels of

, moderate carrying capacity, so as not to overdb the markets. Oats are'generally dear at the northern perts; almost the enly apples he saw were Californian; and bacon is very dear." It appears to us that no port in New Zealand is so favourably situated as New Plymouth to open up such a trade as this. One has only to look at the map to see that New Plymouth is at least a day nearer Queensland than any other port in this colony, and owing to the ease with which vessels can enter asd leaye the port in all states of the tide and weather and get their offing, without the delay of beating through the Straits, it would probably average two or thr»e days nearer. If a few of our leading business people were to combine and charter two or three vessels, of the olass indicated by Mr Aplin, a trial could be made. There is little doubt but tbat these vessels could get a considerable quantity of hardwood timber for railway sleepets and bridges for back freight, The whole of the articles mentioned by Mr Aplin could be produced in very large quantities on our dairy farms without in any way interfering with the dairy industry, and farmers would soon turn their attention to thsm il the meais of export was provided.