52 2 MAIZE 



CHAP ments and losses connected with the starting of new industries, 

 • will admit that the successful establishment of the export trade 

 in maize is due in no small measure to the prompt assistance 

 given to the infant industry by the several Governments. 



To the Hon. Mr. W. A. Deane, Minister for Agriculture of 

 the Colony of Natal, is said to be due the credit for definitely 

 starting the export trade. Where so many officials were 

 necessarily concerned it seems almost invidious to mention 

 names, but there are some which stand out conspicuously, 

 viz. : The Right Honourable General Louis Botha, Transvaal 

 Minister for Agriculture ; Sir T. R. Price, General Manager of 

 the Central South African Railways ; the General Manager 

 of the Natal Government Railways; Mr. W. J. Palmer, 

 Director of Agriculture, Orange Free State ; Mr. F. B. Smith, 

 Director of Agriculture, Transvaal ; and Captain Rainnie, Port 

 Captain, Durban. But in the words of Messrs. Wm. Cotts 

 & Co., local exporters of grain, etc. : " Everybody concerned 

 became enthused with the prospects this trade held out, and 

 soon were hard at work to try and make it a success. The 

 railway and harbour officials bent their full energies into their 

 part of the business, and much credit is due to them for the 

 unceasing efforts they put forward to carry things towards a 

 successful issue" {Cotts, i). 



"Saturday, 3 August, 1907, is a historic date in the South 

 African maize export. The Prime Minister and the Minister 

 for Agriculture, of Natal, met at Maritzburg a number of 

 persons interested in the production and handling of maize, 

 to discuss the proposed organization of the export trade. A 

 committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Hayne, H. A. 

 Light, and A. G. May, representing the commercial community, 

 and Messrs. J. G. Colenbrander, John Moon, and Walter 

 Pepworth, representing the farmers, to decide the grades to be 

 adopted." 



Owing to lack of statistics as to supply and demand, 

 Natal over-exported in the latter part of 1908, and it became 

 necessary to import again. A case was reported in which 

 a cargo of maize, which left Durban and was sold in Hamburg 

 at 1 2s. 6d. per muid, was re-purchased, while still on the water, 

 by the dealer who had originally sold it, for 17s. 6d. per 

 muid. 



