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Port Elizabeth as a Commercial Centre
by W.R. FRYER, A.C.I.S.
Secretary,
P.E. Chamber of Commerce.

PORT ELIZABETH in the eyes of the commercial world has always been regarded in high esteem because of the solidity of its business due to the solid foundations laid by its business pioneers.

The successors to those pioneers have built on those foundations a structure of which one may be justly proud, and consequently Port Elizabeth as a commercial centre not only retains its position but is enhancing it daily.

To the outsider or to the person casually glancing at a map of South Africa, Port Elizabeth would appear to serve only its own immediate area, but to the observant traveller in the Rhodesias and Belgian Congo, as well as in the Union there would appear ample evidence of this City's trade ramifications and interests.

The facts of Port Elizabeth's trade would appear to be lost sight of in the complexity of business, yet it is a fact that the value of imports through this port is so consistent that it occupies second place of the Union Ports and first in the importation of goods in transit for the Rhodesias and Belgian Congo. The same position is maintained as far as exports are concerned excluding gold and diamonds.

The figures for 1929-the latest available for a complete year-are as follows:-

Imports .. £19,007,739 24%
Exports .. £7,049,461 20.3%
In transit Trade to the
Rhodesias and Bengian
Congo .. .. .. .. .. 70.5%

The type of imports received here is mostly of the valuable textiles or raw materials-of the latter considerable quantities are received for conversion into manufactured articles in one or other of its factories-and it is interesting to record that the mail steamers every week discharge at least 40 per cent. of their cargo for distribution at Port Elizabeth. That is an interesting point and will prove to all the share of the City's Commerce in the development of and assistance to the Union.

Reference has just been made above to factories-and in passing perhaps a brief word about our industrial development from the commercial side will not be out of place. In some quarters surprise has been expressed that large oversea concerns should establish themselves here. Why? There is no need for such surprise because apart from such valuable assets as abundance of water, power and suitable land which are supplied by the Municipality at cheap and attractive rates, Port Elizabeth is "the" distribution centre for the whole Union. It is ideally situated, geographically, for the distribution of all types of goods to all parts, without incurring additional expense to the consumer through double railage. Further, it has the most equable climate of any place in the Union and therefore industrial fatigue which is one of the serious troubles of the industrialists is not experienced.

So far little has been said of the export trade of the port but it is worthy of emphasis that Port Elizabeth had held for generations the proud position of being the premier port of the Union-the term produce here refers to the Wool, Mohair, Hides and Skins-and has now assumed the position of the biggest wool port in the quantity exported. It has held for a considerable time the premier position as far as value is concerned thereby proving the high quality and type of wool handled. In fact, more oversea firms are represented here for the purchase of produce than at any other centre in the Union.

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