The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-11-14
Hon. Mel Nielsen Trade Com
missioner For Commonwealth
On Way To Sydney
HOPES TO SEE TWENTY KNOT
LINERS ON HONOLULU RUN
Will Urge Authorities To Grant
Big Subsidy To Shipping
Company

Bound on an important commercial
mission to Australia that will affect
Hawaii greatly, Hon. Mel Nielsen,
Australian trade commissioner to Am
erica, was through passenger on the
Ventura yesterday from San Francisco
to Sydney Mr.. Nielsen maintains an
Office of the Australian government at
4l9 Market Street, San Francisco. His
present object is the establishment Of
line Of twenty knot liners between
/ the Commonwealth and the Coast, and
he has every hope of success.
~ have already laid the matter per.
sOnally before the premier Mr. Hughes,
and by letter before the department of
posts where it properly belongs" he
stated yesterday morning, on board the
| Ventura. - shall Pndeavor to have
the Australian government back up a
proposition to put 2O-knot liners on
the Oceanic Steamship Co.'s line be
tween sydney and Australia.
Many Ideas In Head
eff they will not do that. then | will
endeavOr to have some other company
so subsidized, and failing that will at
tempt to have the government see to
the organization of a new company es-
pecially for that purpose. My object
is to decrease time between Australia
and London. This plan will take four
days off the elapsed time for mails be
, tween the two points.
"Of course | do not intend to ask the
government to build or operate these
vessels entirely on it's own account, but
to give a generous subsidy. | believe
the people of Australia will derive
benefits from such a line that will give
full returns for every penny spent in
this manner
Mr.. Nielsen has been five years in
this country organizing trade between
the GoHmpmOnTealth and the United
Trade Increase Enormous
"In this time,' he said Yesterday.
"this trade has increased-wel, say
it has increased enormously. That is
the only word that will express it,
During the last fiscal year Australia
purchased from the United States $74,-
100000 worth of goods and sold in re
turn $65, 100000 worth. This does not
include war stores. All war stores for
Australian troops bought in America
go out of New York to France
cit may however, include some war
trade. That is, Australia is probably
purchasing some non.war supplies from
America at present that is formerly
purchased in cOuntries-particula
Germany-that are now closed to it.
1t has also sold goods to America under
the same condition. For instance | re-
Gently negotiated the sale of eight
carloads of zinc concentrates to Amcr.
can purchasers. This was formerly an
exclusive German trade.
~ am sure great deal of this in.
creased trade will continue between
the two countries after the war is over
but it chiefly depends upon the Amer
can manufacturers, At present we are
purchasing material from America, not
because we require that kind of ma,
tcrial, but because it is the best we
can get. After the war America will
have to sell us exactly what we want or
nothing.
Japanese Bid For Trade
" American manufacturers are prone
to turn out their goods for strictly do
nestle sale. If we do not take it in
that form We are sometimes looked up
on as Over-consrrvative. That attitude
will have to be changed if the trade is
to continue in these proportions after
the war
"Japan is making a bold bid for
Australian trade. The japanese are
willing to make exactly what we want
and they will take the trade away if
they can. | am doing my best to stim
ulate commercial understa nding be
tween America and Australia. send
a weekly circular from my office to all
firms and manufacturers in
the United States and Canada"
Mr.. Nielsen stated that Just prior
to leaving San Francisco he was in
formed unofficially that Australia had
the embargo on exports to
cover Uhpat IN Amprica