The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1884. TRADE WITH INDIA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1281, 23 December 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1884. TRADE WITH INDIA.

One by one the magnificent ideas of Sir Julius Vogel have proved but the empty coinings of his brain. His South Sea Islands scheme has vanished into air, and nothing is heard of it now. What was in this South Sea Islands business to secure so much attention from such practical men as Sir Juljus seduced into supporting it we fail to understand. The term “ South Sea Islands ” is a misnomer. The islands are all to the north of this colony, and their inhabitants are not a very commercial race of people. The climate is warm, and the clothing they wear is of the scantiest character. There is not a market for either our grain, cheese, wool, woollen goods, or anything else, and what the advantage of opening up trade with the place would be is what only Sir Julius Vogel and those whom be has mesmerised can understand. Another fad of the illustrious Sir Julius was the trade with India. He made a great deal of this during the late election time, and did not hesitate to insinuate that this had been neglected through the incapacity of the late Government. As soon as he found himself installed in office he set about developing the Indian trade. He sent a telegram to the Governor of Bombay making enquiries on the subject, and the reply has just been published. The reply, of course, is unsatisfactory, and we all regret it. The Governor of Bombay appears to have made most elaborate inquiries, and has communicated the result to Sir Julius Vogel. He obtained information from the Chamber of Commerce and the Trades Association to the effect that as mutton was sold in Bombay for 3£d, and at a much cheaper rate in other places, there would be no market for disposing of frozen meat in India. Furthermore it was stated that as the natives will only eat meat killed by one of their own caste, the consumption would be limited to the European population. As regards woollen goods, the reply was that if New Zealand can produce a suitable article at as low a price as similar articles can be got from Europe a market would be found there. Everything depended on the price. We take no pleasure in finding this bubble burst, nor do we desire to underrate the efforts put forth by Sir Julius Vogel in reference to the extension of trade. What we desire to point out is that Sir Julius Vogel when he reappeared in New Zealand a few months ago spoke with such an air of authority and a self-sufficiency peculiarly bis own of these matters that many thought he knew all about them and that he was right. The communications just received, however, prove that be was quite ignorant of what he was talking about, and that he is not so safe a guide as many people believed him to be.' Anyone could have told him that the European market was undoubtedly the best for frozen meat, and that trade in woollen fabrics depended on our being able to compete with the productions o£ Europe. But Sir Julius Vogel did not know this, or if he did he no doubt believed it was a secret no other man in the colony possessed, and that he would not be found out. The cat is out of the bag now ; and it is to be hoped that when Sir Julius promulgates new ideas again the people will examine them before they receive them as gospel truth on the ipse dixit of even so great a statesman. And now we think it would be far better if Sir Julius Vogel would attend to our domestic affairs and not bother his brains with a foreign policy for this colony. We import into this colony yearly between £4,000,000 and £5,000,000 vrorth of goods which might very well be made here, and amongst these there is very nearly £1,000,000 worth of woollen goods. In owr opinion it would be much better if the Government tried to keep these millions in the colony than waste ’ money and energy on such a wild goose chase as the Indian market. But, if Sir Julius Vogel desires to extend trade, there are other countries which appear to us to be far saperior to India. The cheapest labor in the world is found in that country ; it isjalso extremely productive, and consequently it is not likely we shall be able to do much in its markets. Our direct steamers now call at Buenos Ayres on their way to England, and there is consequently no difficulty in opening up a trade with that port. To be sure we cannot expect a market for frozen meat there, for it is a meatexporting country, but there are other commodities which may possibly be disposed of there. For instance, cheese, eggs and butter fetch yery high prices there, and something might be done in them, Timber is also largely imported there, and we have any quantity of it in this colony. In 1873 38,000,000 feet of timber came from Canada to Buenos Ayres, and the total imports were nearly £12,000,000. This port is on the high real to England, it is the era. porium of an immense country, and i[ appears to be more likely to prove a

profitable market tbaa either the South Sea Islands or India. At any rate we have the advantage of having the steamers already running to the place—it will not be necessary to subsidise a lino as has been done in the South Sea trade. But in our opinion it would be tar better to devise means by which we might produce what we want in our own colony. This would give employment and keep the money in New Zealand, and this can only be done by protecting our young industries until they are so developed that they can compete with foreign importationa.