21

H.—l7

Honey. —This article 1 import mostly from California, packed in barrels, 50 lb. tins, 10's, s's, and 3's. I can handle approximately 50,000 lb. per month. If you would kindly communicate with some of the leading exporters of the above lines and have them airange to quote me a c.i.f. price in bond, I can assure you, prices and quality beingequal, I could give them the business. 1 feel quite satisfied that after you have interviewed the leading people in Canada you will be convinced that the Canadians, on the whole, would much prefer dealing with New Zealand and other British colonies than to import from other countries such as the United States, South America, &c. Victoria, 8.C., 23rd November, 1906. Bearing on our previous week's conversation, I would further say, if any hope exists of shipping facilities for the handling of dressed meats between the two countries I beg of you to keep me advised, and I would also take it as a favour if you would then put me in touch with the right people in your country who would do the right thing in handling any orders placed. At the present, my firm would handle some 10,000 carcases of frozen mutton during the months of November to April, and, with proper care and attention in shipping nothing but a first-class article, such consumption would be constantly on the increase. I might mention that, owing to the want of sufficient refrigeration-space on the Australian steamers, J. T. Brown, of Sydney, has been compelled to refuse an order from my firm for 2,500 carcases. Vancouver, 8.C., 15th November, 1906. Referring to our recent, conversation, I am of opinion that if we had a refrigerator-service between New Zealand ports and' Vancouver it would greatly facilitate the interchange of products between the two colonies. As you are aware, there are now some 4,000 to 5,000 carcases of frozen mutton being shipped from Sydney to Vancouver in cool-chamber, which will be continued for four or five months. It "is my opinion that this market would take about 3,000 carcases New Zealand mutton per month during the winter season, and about 800 to 1,000 boxes butter (56 lb.) in the same time, and I dare say there are other perishable products, such as eggs, frozen poultry, game, &c, that might be shipped here during our bare season. And then there would be apples and other perishable products which could be shipped from here during your bare season. I made several shipments of apples last year to Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, and Christchurch, both in October and November, via Sydney, and a shipment to Dunedin in October, via San Francisco. The October shipments from here were in cool-chamber, and arrived in very good condition. The November steamer had no cool-chambers, and the apples were shipped on deck, but arrived in bad order, and I met with a considerable loss. 1 had some 700 boxes of butter last year shipped from Wellington and Auckland via San Francisco- -in cool-chamber to Frisco, and from there as ordinary cargo. It arrived in good condition, as the waters are cold in winter north of Frisco. Shipping to or from New Zealand via Sydney or San Francisco adds 30 to 40 per cent, to the freight and insurance charges. If we had a direct service I have no doubt but the trade would increase gradually every year. Of course there are other firms here who would probably import and export to New Zealand in much larger quantities than I. p.S.—I have just ordered 500 boxes butter from New Zealand to be shipped via San Francisco, and would order 2,000 carcases of mutton if there was cold-storage from Frisco to Vancouver. Butter carries all right in winter, but I would not care to risk frozen mutton from Frisco here. Vancouver, 8.C., 7th November, 1906. -We have made careful inquiries into the question of hydraulic lime here. The cost of this, according to a New Zealand firm's quotation, may be brought down as low us £2 per ton f.o.b. Grahamstown. For the sake of brevity we will reckon this f.o.b. Wellington. The freight to Vancouver would be 15s. per ton, which would bring the price up to £2 15s. per ton of 2,0001b. or $13-38. The duty is 12£ cents per 1001b., or $2*50 per ton, which makes $1558; wharfage, 50 cents per ton, $1608; and insurance and other charges would bring the cost up to, say, $16-15 per ton landed here. A barrel of 3851b. Vancouver Portland cement sells here at $2 - 35, or at per 2,0001b. $1220, so that you will at once see that the margin is too great for the possibility of business. We have reckoned the cost of the New Zealand product as low as we can, and taking into consideration superior quality, although the local product gives every satisfaction and is generally used, we do not think it possible to compete. Another point to be taken into consideration is the fact that the local product is stocked here, and buyers have no difficulty in getting it. The local product competes even in Seattle with the usual quality they buy, although there, is so good a local demand that the manufacturers have not had to look for an outlet. If we had to stock we should have to add more on to the price for storage. Vancouver, 8.C., Ist November, 1906. With regard to the various lines of trade that might with advantage be pushed between Vancouver and its adjacent territory, the following points are worthy of the consideration of New Zealand merchants: — Firstly, in taking into consideration what territory is adjacent to Vancouver, it must be borne in mind that the whole population of British Columbia is spread over a vast territory and is yet only about 500,000. The towns of Calgary and Edmonton are also really tributary to Vancouver," and taking these towns in conjunction with British Columbia the population to be catered for through this port amounts to 1,000,000 souls. This number would include the farmers and