THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 1913. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 31 December 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 1913. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

There is an increasing demand in Ca-

nada and the United States for Australian produce, beef in particular (says the Sydney Morning Herald). As regards the former country, Australian exporters are at a disadvantage, as compared, with New Zealand .exporters, on account of the absence of a reciprocity arrangement, while, as far as both countries are : concerned, New Zealand shippers receive preferential treatment in the allotment of cargo space, in consideration of the mail subsidies paid towards the Vancouver and San Francisco ser-

vices, to which Australia is not a contributor at all. Mr Arthur Kidman, the well known meat exporter, who has just returned to Sydney from a six months' trip to Canada and the United States, stated that he had been tremendously impressed with the trade prospects between Austra-

lja and the whole of North America. Both Canada, and the- United States wanted foodstuffs that Australia could supply, meat and butter being especially required. The meat shortage in America was becoming a matter of very grave concern. The population of the States was growing at the rate of about a million per year, but the flocks and,herds w-ere not creasing. As a 1 matter of fact, they* were, if anything, diminishing. That was because great areas of land that had once been used for pastoral purposes had now been converted into •dairy farms, while there were other factors, such as the killing of calves' to supply the demand for veal. .More people were going in for "ranching" now, but he did .not think they would ever catch up to the local demand, and so, for many years to come the United States would want more and more beef from other countries, and they looked to Australia for shipments, the trouble, as. far as the line from Sydney to San Francisco, via Wellington arid Tahiti, was concerned was that the New Zealand shippers had first call on the space, and the Australian shippers had to take the leavings, if there were any leavings. That was because the New Zealand government paid a subsidy to the) company and Australia did not. Application had at various times been made in Sydney for space in these » ships, but the Company replied that they could do nothing'until they knew what New Zealand's requirements were,; and by the time this information came to hand, oh the eve of the sailing of the ship, it was too late for the Sydney shippers to aoake their, arrangements, and so the ships >ad left with hardly any cargo from Australia, whereas they might have gone out full. He considered that-the San Francisco line should be subsidised by Australia, to ensure a certain amount of space being reserved. As regards the Canadian markets, Mr Kidman said that the need for reciprocity arrangement' between Australia and Canada was becoming more , urgent than ever. New Zealand shippers, on .account of the tariff advantage over .Australia of a-cent per pound on meat and butter when'they enjoyed were able to quote that-much cheapor,. and;- besides- tHis, they: had, an- ; Mother; great advantage: ini>W \ s ;»*' e :• >of space ; on the sail as Australian; shippers;, could. ! only come in, as in the .'case of :the San Francisco stealers, after New /Zealand's requirements had.been satisfied.' .Thus the Australian exporters who had pioneered this trady were under a very serious handicap/ There was a big market for Australian products in Canada, but it, was of little use,attempting to exploit it without first entering into a reciprocity agreement with Canada, and thus getting on the same footing as New Zealand, and, secondly, subsidising a regular steamship service in order to be sure of the provision of space for shipper's requirement.