520 MAIZE 



CHAP, and for which increased production seems limited to her own 

 territory. 



498. Early Attempts at an Export Maize Trade from South 

 Africa.— According to Mr. John Moon of Manderston, a 

 consignment of Natal maize was shipped from Durban to 

 London by Mr. T. P. O'Meara, M.L.A., somewhere about the 

 years 1 886-7, but the attempt to establish an export trade 

 failed because the surplus available was not sufficient to 

 establish and maintain a steady supply, and the export trade 

 ceased practically when it began. Another attempt appears 

 to have been made about 1890. Mr. Moon writes under date 

 16 November, 1910: "Some twenty years ago mealies were 

 very low in price and we could only get about 4s. 6d. to 5s. 

 per muid. A New Leeds farmer then decided to try the 

 English market, and we as members each sent so many muids, 

 making in all, as far as my memory goes, 1,000 bags ; to our 

 disappointment, after all expenses were paid, we were only 

 left 4s. 9cl. per muid. I think that ship freight was then 10s. 

 3d. per ton." 



In the Natal Agricultural fournal for 23 February, 1906, 

 we find the following : — 



" Mealies for England. — In a letter from Mr. A. R. Rennie, 

 of Messrs. Rennie & Sons, shippers, to Dr. Gubbins, M.L.A., 

 published in the daily papers, some interesting facts are given 

 with regard to shipments of mealies to London last year. The 

 average price obtained was from 24s. 6d. to 24s. 9d. per quarter 

 of 480 lbs. This works out at 10s. 2-Jd. per muid, and 

 the sacks fetched 2\A. The price may therefore be calculated at 

 1 os. 6d. per muid for mealies in London. Mr. Rennie says 

 the mealies were not first-class. Reference to our exchanges 

 shows the top price for mealies in London in the beginning 

 of last month to have been 25s. per quarter. July, August and 

 September are the months in London, according to Mr. Rennie, 

 when the market is pretty bare. These facts are useful in 

 showing that in the event of big crops there is no need for 

 practically throwing away a large portion. Merchants should 

 be able to buy at from 7s. to 8s. at the Point and be able to 

 pay freight and shipping charges and come out with a little 

 to the good. The price of mealies has been rising in England 

 for some years. The reasons are various ; one of them is the 

 favour into which this cereal has risen with Scotch and Irish 

 whisky makers." 



