THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1907. OVERSEA TRADE WITH THE WEST OF ENGLAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8381, 15 March 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1907. OVERSEA TRADE WITH THE WEST OF ENGLAND.

; I The Government have taken ar, important step in engaging the services of Mr Kelly, late editor of the New Zealand Times, to repdrt upon the prospects of New Zealand trade with the West of England. Mr Kelly has gone to England for this purpose, and he is sure to make a very thorough inquiry on the spot in all the large ports of the West,,and in. the griat centres of population in the South-West, the Midlands and the North. When he has done this he Will doubtless compare notes with the High Commissioner, the Hon. MiReeves, and the result will be a complete, accurate anl interesting report. We anticipate that it will be favourable to the establishment of a line of steamers carrying Ne\v Zealand produce to all the large ports of the West, and thus giving to the pro-, vincial centres of population a regular supply of oar produce. The late Mr Secldon, who had up-to-date knowledge of most parts of Britain, and who was a shrewd business man, was, as most of our readers are aware, much inclined to the project of a line of) steamers to the Western ports, and he also favoured the idea of the colony entering upon retail trade by opening shops. In the course of the investigations which were made a few years ago some rather important evidence was given against the shop proposal, which was ultimately abandoned. We think . it would have . been a mistake* to'have opened & number of retail shops in all the

larger British towns, for the expense would have been too great, and the risks of mismanagement and consequent financial disaster very considerable. But perhaps this was not exactly Mr Seddon's idea. Had the principle been accepted he would probably have applied it very captiously. In all likelihood he would have commenced by opening experimentally large wholesale and retail Government stores in a few provincial cities and towns. In our view, this step would have been, and would still be amply justified by all the circumstances and by the experience of some successful British retail traders in New Zealand produce. We know that in every part of Britain our produce is popular; we know that people will readily give a penny and even twopence a pound more for Mow Zealand than for River Plate and Argentine mutton; we know that our butter will also in most places command a higher price than its chief foreign competitor—the Danish. But the people have been so much deceived that comparatively few provincial people now ask for our produce. It has been customary to palm off on the public of Britain all kinds of American and other foreign produce as New Zealand. So the public have lo3t confidence in the British retailers. In our belief they would come in crowds to New Zealand Government stores. Whether v Mr Kelly recommends the stores experiment or not we are strongly inclined to the opinion that the Government should try it. This could be done in a few towns at small expense—say in Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manches(ter and' Liverpool. Six months working would be sufficient to decide the matter one way or the other. But the stores should be located in the best positions for business, and be placed under the management of men who have bean successful in the. same line of business. In every case care should be taken to start with all the conditions of success. We hope and believe that the outcome of Mr Kelly's inquiry will be a very large extension of our trade with the Home Land.