TRADE WITH CANADA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 112, 5 October 1914, Page 4

TRADE WITH CANADA.

The visit of the Canadian Trade Commissioner to Taranaki must be productive of mutual benefit. Mr Beddoe has certainly been a long time in making our acquaintance, but his visit nevertheless was very welcome. He could hardly have come at a time when the feeling of tho community was more favorable to the great Dominion he represented. Trade between the two Dominions is really only commencing. Six years ago our exports to Canada amounted to only £11,000; last year they stood at £622,089. Canada, in 1910, sold us goods to the value oi £200,818; last year the value had increased to £465,118. -The development, of trade has been brought about by the improved means of communication and the operation of the preferential tariffs. Canada subsidises a monthly lino of steamers from Montreal to New Zealand ports, and the trade is increasing, so that it is difficult to secure cargo space unless booked weeks ahead. Very soon b'he service will have to be made bi-monthly, and the improved facilities will develop and foster trade with the eastern part of Canada still more. On the Pacific side there is the Vancouver service, subsidised by both Governments. Practically all of the produoe Canada takes from us goes by this route. Mr Beddoe, quite naturally, is not satisfied with the amount of trade we are doing with his country, and suggests that we might, with advantage to ourselves and the Empire, transfer to Canada a proportion of the £680,000 worth of business we now do with Germany. Unfortunately, in the past many of the articles we obtained from Germany could not he got from England, let alone Canada; but since the present criminal and devastating war was commenced by tho German war-lords there has been a pronounced effort made by Home manufacturers to produce the goods for tho supply of which we have in the past had to rely upon Germany. Even Australia is working to the same end, manufacturing chloroform and other medical necessaries that hitherto camo mainly from Germany. If Canada can do likewise and supply us with the goods we want, there is no question but that she will get a good share of our trade; certainly she will be given preference over Germany, whose goods will bo anathema to British colonists for many a long year to come. By her action in wantonly provoking war with* practically the rest of tile world, she not only loses—has lost, indeed—her present transmarine trade, but she has laid the foundations for the greatest boycott the world has known. Not a member of any of the nations at present in arms against her is likely to place an order with a German house if n& can possibly help it. Future generations may forget this greatest of international crimes on the part of Germany; thp present generation certainly will not. This aspect of the situation could never have entered the minds of the German autocrats when they declared war against six nations in five days. But returning to Canadian trade, Mr Beddoe tells us that we should fill the Montreal boats with our produce after they have unloaded their cargoes here, instead of allowing them to leave for London or Australia. No doubt this would be an advantage, but the outward service is very slow, taking three months to reach New Zealand from Montreal via Australian ports. With the Panama Canal open, the servico could be considerably accelerated, and it should be well worth the while of the Government to subsidise the return trip. Canada has tremendous timber resources, and there is no reason why she should not establish a profitable connection with New Zealand. Everything being equal, New | Zoalandcrs would prefer buying timber from Canada to buyipg from the States. I The latter are improving the shining hour by "getting in" wherever Germany was intrenched before. No one can blame them for that. It is business. But, as Mr Beddoe said, they arc not doing anything to settle tho war. Canada, like tho rest of the Empire, is. We must first help thoso who are helping us. Canada is a wonderful country, with a great future before it. Its people are as enterprising as they are patriotic, and mean in the near futuro to figure more largely than ever in the trade of the world, and particularly in that of the British Empire. They will succeed as they deserve to. If they continue pushing their interests as they have been lately, New Zealand is likely to prove not the least fruitful field.