l6 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION A. 



land commerce have not been well served. Competing routes, 

 because much longer, have at least been responsible for a v^^aste 

 of time, fuel, wages and depreciation of rolling stock, all caused 

 by drawing the traffic from its natural course. 



It seems to me that a more rational scheme might be agreed 

 upon. The Portuguese Administration, acknowledging the great 

 benefits resulting from the through international traffic passing 

 through this port, might allow the Union a participation in such 

 benefits whenever they exceeded a stipulated percentage over and 

 above the net revenue of the Harbour and Railways of Lourengo 

 Marcjues, providing that no preferential rates were to be estab- 

 lished in favour of any of the rival ports. Such an agreement 

 might take the form of a bonus granted to the Union, or be 

 secured by means of a pool between all South African port^, 

 after mutual definition of the zones of influence or that radius 

 of trade interests which should naturally fall to everv port in 

 this Sub-Continent. If such an arrangement could be reached, I 

 feel sure it would conduce to the abiding prosperity of both coast 

 and hinterland, and raise the importance of the Harbour of 

 Lourengo ]\Iarques as a factor of wealth and development in 

 regard to its natural and extensive zone of influence. 



