COMMERCE IN MAIZE GRAIN 523 



500. Reduction in Freight Rates.— The Natal Government CHAP, 

 approached the Union-Castle Mail S.S. Co., Ltd., on the XH " 

 subject of reduced ocean freight rates. This resulted in their 

 agreeing (as representing the " Conference Lines") to convey 

 the traffic from Durban to London at a rate of 10s. per 

 ton of 2,240 lbs., and they shortly afterwards extended the 

 rate to include all South African ports as well as the con- 

 tinental ports of Antwerp and Hamburg. In July, 1909, the 

 rate was raised to lis. 6d. to cover the sorting at the port of 

 discharge, as it had been found to the advantage of the trade 

 to have this expense included in the freight rather than pay- 

 able by the consignee. This low freight brought South 

 African farmers and merchants into touch with the world's 

 markets, and Canada, Mexico, Australia, London, Liverpool, 

 Glasgow, Antwerp, and Hamburg have since become her 

 customers. 



The early experiences with maize export have been the 

 same as those met with in most beginnings, and it was soon 

 evident that methods would have to be greatly improved and 

 abuses corrected. In April, 1907, Natal granted the traffic a 

 rebate on the " South African Produce " railway rate. 



In July, 1907, the Natal, Portuguese and Central South 

 African Railway systems came to an arrangement whereby the 

 coastward rate on maize for export would be considerably 

 reduced. The rate per ton from Pretoria and Volksrust was 

 fixed in both cases at 13s. 4c!.; coupled with this, there was, 

 also, a reduction in ocean freight, so that "it is now ap- 

 parently possible to forward a bag of mealies from Pretoria 

 via Delagoa Bay to London for something like 2S. 6d." A 



In November or early December of the same year, ac- 

 cording to a Renter telegram to the daily press, quoted by 

 the Natal Agricultural Journal? negotiations were concluded 

 between the Central South African Railways and the Cape 

 Colony and Portuguese Railway Administrations, whereby the 

 maximum rate for the conveyance of maize for export by any 

 route, from any station in the Transvaal or Orange River 

 Colony, was reduced to I OS. per 2,000 lbs., i.e. is. per muid. 



l N.A.jf., Vol. X, No. 8, p. 833, Aug., 1907. 



a Vol. X, No. 12, Dec, 1907, p. 1468: see also Transvaal Agricultural 



Journal, Vol. V, p. 339. J an -. '9° 8 - 



