TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1922. TRADE WITH MANCHESTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1922, Page 4

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1922. TRADE WITH MANCHESTER.

It is somewhat of a coincidence that at the time when Taranaki has succeeded in obtaining a direct steamer service between Britain and New Plymouth, Manchester is striving hard to induce New Zealand exporters of primary produce to use the facilities which Manchester can offer as a distributing centre for meat and dairy produce. It would seem that a measure of success has already been gained in the desired direction, and that several steamers from Australia and New Zealand have made arrangements to use the port of. Manchester, by means of its canal, as a first or second place of call in the Homeland. The question of direct, service is one, the benefits of which are fully appreciated in Taranaki; hence it may be considered that due consideration will be given to the claim put forward by Manchester for a fair share of the Dominion’s trade. In the last week of April of the current year, a number of business men and leading politicians from Australia and New Zealand, at the invitation of Manchester Consignments, Ltd., paid a -visit of inspection to see what advantages Manchester could offer as a port of direct shipment over London. During the war it was deemed desirable to utilise the port of Manchester and its docks to a much larger extent than previously, leaving the business people of the city impressed with the desirability of doing all in their power to so improve the facilities that, when peace came, the trade would grow and not diminish. Most of the goods they sought to attract came from Australia and New Zealand —such as wool, frozen meat, hides, tallow, fruit and dairy produce. Heretofore these goods had to be obtained from London, the port of shipment, and only slowly and expensively found their way to the city which is practically the centre of industrial activities in the North of England. That was exactly Taranaki’s experience before the harbor at Moturoa was made fit for overseas vessels to be berthed there. Manchester business people have done more than provide adequate port facilities and docks; they have formed a company, known as Manchester Consignments, Ltd., whose object it is to assist direct trading by taking up the documents of reliable shippers in Australia and New Zealand, and making advances upon cargoes destined for the Manchester Ship Canal, thereby guaranteeing the necessary financial support. What the visitors saw impressed them very favorably, but naturally the central point on which they had to be convinced was whether, if produce was sent to Manchester direct, could the producers be satisfactorily asthat a sufficient demand existed to justify the venture? It is claimed those guarantees were forthcoming, and that through the warehouses and stores all the wool, foodstuffs and othgr produce that can be consigned to Manchester can be handled adequately and passed on rapidly. As the city is only 43 miles from Bradford, it is easy to see that, with low transhipment costs. Manchester offers great facilities for direct shipments of wool, even if only as a sampling centre. As regards foodstuffs, it may be said that within easy transport distance of Manchester, not more than two hours by rail, lies the densest population in the world —over ten million people, all of whom need the foodstuffs the Dominions cah offer. Direct shipment would therefore cheapen the prices to the consumers, besides creating an increased demand; and possibly better returns for the . producers. Manchester is the natural port for an area of population of seven and a-half millions of people. Among the serioits drawbacks to shipping all the Dominion’s exports to ' London is the congestion, whereby favorable markets are missed; another is the delay in unloading cargoes, with the attendant, risk of deterioration. The question is whether the policy of concentrating exports at the main centre of Britain is one that should be cod-

tinued, when advantages such as are offered at Manchester are clamoring to be utilised. To slavishly follow a custom because it has the impress of former generations, hardly suits the altered conditions of to-day. Of course the question of return cargoes has to be considered, but in that mat-i ter the, balance of advantage cer-1 tainly seems to rest with Manches- i ter. ’ The producers of the Do- i minion will do well to examine > this matter carefully and fully, ; and it may he they will come to the conclusion that it is wise not to put all their eggs into one basket; also, that it may be ad-i vantageous to create competition by diverting a certain proportion of their exports to other ports than London, with the almost certain assurance that New Zealand products will be sold as such, on their merits, and in that way leading to a greater demand, than is possible under the existing system.