RECIPROCITY WITH UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8180, 13 August 1906, Page 2

RECIPROCITY WITH UNITED STATES.

FUTURE MARKET FOR OUR WOOL AND FLAX. INTERVIEW WITH MR CLAPHAM. Last night a Daii.v Nuws representative, in the course of an interesting chat with Mr G. Spencer Chipliam, who returned from, the States about three weeks ago, after a stay extending over two years, mentioned Sir Joseph Ward's proposal for a reciprocal agreement between the Colony and the United States, covering certain defined natural products. Mr Chpham said lie had not heard of any definite proposal made by the Premier, but when informed that Sir Joseph's idea was- that the States should afford preferential treatment to our flax and wool, we to reciprocate by admitting on like conditions American salmon and some other natural American products which we can't or don't produce, he at once admitted the wisdom of such an arrangement, viewed from the standpoint of either country. Talking first regarding wool, Mr Clapham pointed out that America produces, in the aggregate, but an infinitesimal quantity. The tariff is prohibitive, amounting to from 70 per cent, on tho raw article to as much as 175 per cent, on manufactured woollen goods. In the manufacture of high grade woollen goods, America, says Mr Clapham, is far behind even New Zealand. The shortage of wool has given rise to the manufacture of cloths in which cotton is the most prominent ingredient. Shoddies and llannelettes consequently take the place, with the average American, of woolen garments with New Zealanders. It should not bo imagined, however, that Americans are averse to woollen goods. On the contrary they are particularly partial to them, and New Zealand rugs, blankets and tweeds was one of the many great attractions at the St. Louis Fair. Over the rugs especially the people went simply wild, but naturally tho huge 175 per cent, tariff put business, except with tho wealthy classes, right, out of the question. In connection with our tweeds, however, Mr Clapham says that the manager of the leading tailoring establishment in Portland informed him that New Zoaland tweeds would be accepted quite as readily as Scotch or English, which are the principal tweed fabrics imported. There is not the slightest doubt, that if America had plenty of wool, the people would use a thousand times more of ii than they are using at present! This may be the more readily understood and appreciated when it is pointed out that in the winter time tho temperature over almost the whole continent, with the exception of a fringe along the Gulf Stream, on the West Coast and California, goes from 40 degrees to 20 degrees below zero. Wool to the American people would bo a wonderful boon. It is further i n t ei .. esting tq hear that the people of the States realise the fact themselves. One of the planks of tho Democratic platform, Mr Clapham points out, is the reduction of the tariff, and it is now a popular subject. President Roosevelt's fight with the combines would seem to be working in that direction. Since the President was returned for a second term, ho has astonished the corporations (of which the Senators were the tools), and delighted the common pcoplo by his attitude towards the trusts. "No one who has not been in America," says Mr Clapham, "can up. preciato Roosevelt's task when he undertook to correct the trusts and cor porations for defying the laws of the country." America has plenty of good legislation, says Mr Clapham—the Sonilte always satisfied the people by mnking go >d laws, but the corporations violated any law they wished. They bought the Senato and then defied the people. Even President McKinley good mm though he was, daren't break away from them, so struck a middle course. President Roosevelt, on the other hand, is darin? to a degree, and tho effect of his efforts will be that the people are going to bo considered before tho trusts Whilo manufacturers have to be considered hundreds of thousands of people would rejoice to see reductions made on the necessaries of life, one of the first of which, were the tariff reduced, would he believed, be wool. '

Speaking of flax, Mr Clapham said there had been a wonderful increase in the use of New Zealand flax, in the last few years, He had a talk with the president of the Portland Cordage Company, one of the largest works in the west, and was informed that New Zealaud flax was taking the place of sicul. New Zealand (lax and Manila wero mixed, and the company were now using three times as much Now Zealand flax as they did three years years ago. Our flax was becoming wel. known, and tho company mentioned above had a splendid exhibit of it at the Portland Fair. He had no doubt that a reduction of tho tariff would open up 'a much wider market for the flax in America,

Speaking generally, however, Mr Clupham believes that the tune is coming when there will be trade reciprocity between the Colony and i] lo Western Stales. He points to the wonderful development that has taken place in that territory witluu very recent years -a development in which «ew Zealand must be interested A few years ago the "West was looked iipm as a wild country—it was practically unkno ivh, or us littlo was known about it as the average Xow Zealander knows of the Kawhia country. Today it was rapidly becoming the most progressive portion of America. All its rivers simply teemed with salmon, while fruits of every conceivable description nourished along the whole coast, from California to Seattle. Those people, as they increase, must in the course of yery few years looked around them for trade outlets, of which the Whether I\ew Zealand and the States arrange a modified reciprocal treaty "oh- or not, ,„ u r Clapham's opinion, some sucli arrangement as Sir Joseph Ward has outlined will assuredly come as soon as the West commences to assert itself.