The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1903. TRADE FOR THE BREAKWATER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 185, 7 August 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1903. TRADE FOR THE BREAKWATER.

Amosqst other more or lees incorrect statements made by Messrs Maxwell atid McLean when oppo.iog the extension of the breakwater, was one to the effect that even if facilities were pro "ided for direct steamers there was no trade. This statement wa3 evidently made by them by taking the trade no« done at the breakwater, but every thinking person must see that this u not a fair way of looking at the matter, ind no one knows better than the two gentlemen in question that if facilities are provided the trade will follow. M> McLean himself, in miking excuses for formerly supporting the extension cf he breakwater, said his stock used to go to Auckland in those days, but now they go the other way. This prove? that if the faciliti?s are provided foi dealing with the trade of Taranaki a the breakwater superior to that provided at other ports the trade will follow. In O'her words if there are facilitie for direct shipment to and from Australia and Great Britain all the exports and imports from the area within its influence will be dealt with th re. In ■•ddition, the increase of facilities and reduction of coab will undoubtedly increase the volume of trade. Messrs Maxwell and McLean wilfully shut their eyes to this, and we propose to s;ive a few facts and figures showing the volume of trade now being cbne to show that if this trade could be done here the inducements offered to steam ers to call here would be very considerable, and much greater than at some othir ports where a large shipping business is done. Naturally it is very difficult to get accurate information on a subject like this, but we propose to take the figures given by the Railway Department as a fair indication of the trade of the district, and as they do not show the trade which enters or leaves the district by road they under, instead of over estimate the trade. Dealing with imporis of merchandise we find that Patea despatches by rail 1295 tons 7 cwfc, Waitara 2319 tons 6cwt, and New Plymouth 12,003t0ng Bcwb from New Plymouth, and 14,709 tons 12cwt from the breakwater, a considerable portion of the former being probably included in the, latter. Merchandise received at Patea by rail is 1410 tons 3 cwfc, Waitara 902 tons Bcwt, New Ply mouth, including the breakwater, 25,060 tons 9cwt, Most of this is probably for export. Naturally the chief exports from Taranaki are she?p, cattle, wooland dairy produce. Our rfeadera are sufficiently familiar with the exports of butter and chefsa, sa we do not propose to recapitulate them, but the number of sheep, cattle ,and bales of wool sent away from the various stations between Nsw Plymouth and Wanganui is somewhat surprising, and indicates that if direct shipping was provided at the breakwater and proper killing and freezing facilities provided, a very large trad a would be done. Wai ara, in ou r opinion, is standing seriously i*i its own in opposkg direct steamers Cjeiiiij; to t|,.> breakwater, bevaus ■ with its len "id freezing works and proviso. for wool dumping it would be the df-pot for the big trade which must grow up, at;d will otherwise be met by thr irec ion of we.it freezing wo.-ksatid wool dumping pla«;t at the breakwater.' In <k«>ing with the matter we have taken all thfl stations north of Wanga ■ nui, because we have no mesns of knowing what proportion cf Wanganui trade comes from south of that town, but consider it reasonable to suppose 1 hat direct steamers, regularly trading atj the breakwater, with a direct line of railway to the ship's aide, would command the trade of at least 100 mile'. In any case we give the figures, aad | are quite williog to leave our readers to j draw tiioir ownconclusions, reminding] them tint no account is taken of the I U'-enui, Moksu rmd Kawhia di«tr;Vs, | which m'iy he expacfeed to contribute a j considerable quantity of trade. Tbo foi-' lowing table shows the quantity of sheep, cattle and wool sent away from

the various stations along the line: Station Bbeep Cattle Wo>l Kai Iwi ... 13,360 808 2011 Waitotara ... 26,249 359 1541 Wnverley ... 29,818 821 1472 Patei ... 41,792 734 3 Haweca ... 07,125 7173 2183 Normmby ... 11,016 247 290 Eltham ... 6173 680 4')6 Stratford ... 14,410 1025 1835 Taiki ... 1688 59 lr'l Tnglewood ... 478 380 401 Waitara ... 1261 152 81 New rlymonth 213 284 101 Totals 213,6',6 12,222 10,705 Of the above totals no less than 104,336 sheep and 4508 cattle were railed right through to Wellington. Of the wo J 3826 bales were sent to Patea for shipment, 2485 to Waitara, and 145 to New Plymouth. Even allowing that only 75 percent, of this trad* found its outlet at the breakwater, which, with ditect steamers, could, w think, be fairly claimed, and taking into consideration the enormous extent of Tarauaki country still undeveloped, the statement that there is no trade it clearly abaud, and those who can stand cilmly by and soe this trade drive* away to Wellington, owing to tbe ab sanca of direct sterners, are clearl) standing in their own light, and not acting in the interest cf Taranaki.