James Aberdour Elmslie, 23 September 1891.

Lancing, Sussex

23 September 1891

My dear Chris

Your letter of 3 August came here yesterday.
Glad to know you and Alec are keeping in such good health and doing good

business. My previous letters will tell you what has been done about your

shipments.

 

Balchins writes me – they are about to ship you certain gratuities of wines

abd spirits by this week’s steamer.

 

According to your wishes I am going to town this afternoon and will arrange to

meet the account and also a shipment of 25 cases from Ross Bros of Leith

which they say you wanted them to send. When you have ascertained the

tastes of your clients had you not better adhere to one or two brands, not

roam about in so many?

 

As I said in a former letter I think my meeting the bills for your shipments in

this way will be better than depositing money at the bankers for your use. I

am in no particular hurry for your remittance so long as you send them on as

convenient to you and allow a interest for the same when you remit. I wish

you to have a chance of getting a fair balance at command at your bankers at

same time make them secure. I don’t see my way to making any ????

in other ways than what I have from my investments and cash at

???? which is not much at the present ???? ebb of interest.

 

I want to consult with the elder Balchin about buying for you and will add

something to this letter after seeing him, and for the present they had better go

on in the same way until we hear how your business progresses. Buying in

larger quantities would effect a saving no doubt but then you don’t want large

quantities and possibility after a time the Croydon business may adopt

???? ???? anything occur to ???? of your population to other more

regions. The expenses of the shipment and freight to say nothing of your

heavy duties, must make your goods very costly by the time they reach the

consuming public, but when there is plenty of gold turning up consumers wont

think twice about the price. The point is for you to get the cash down as you

sell.

 

How is the Croydon Queen No 2 getting on? I have not seen or received but

one newspaper since I came home. Tasman was here for a day. He came to

???? ???? to his doings for you. What I said previously as to his financial position I learnt from Jessie. The company he is secretary for is chiefly interested in

???? ???? and so is he personally. They were very shakey just now and

will probably be worse so before better. His wife is very extravagant and silly

and spends more money than he can afford I am afraid.

 

If you got Colonial Wines for sale I should think the strong sweet Albury Wines

that could be sold from the cask would be the most suitable and you ought to

get them cheap from the vineyards. The duty would be less in cask and they

are strong enough to keep. As at present sold they are all too dear for much

consumption.

 

We send the weekly edition of the Times but living here it can be too late for

posting the same day. I hope you get them all.

 

Mater and | are going to Bedford on the 24*“ The field I hold On the Kimbolton

Road is to be offered for sale on the 23″‘ but I put a reserve on it – hope it

will fetch a good price.

 

Your uncle Robert and his wife have been here for a week or more. He is a

good fellow but an awful bore. We go up with him today.

 

Let me hear from you frequently. Will add a sheet after seeing Balchin.

 

Your affectionate Father,

 

Jas A Elmsie

 

 

I note what you say about your opening a chamber of commerce – a most

useful institution to discuss business affairs and keep up a kindly feeling

amongst the trading community. I hope you will take a prominent part to get

into the way of speaking in public, not with the view of becoming a member of

the Assembly. Q9, Keep yourself respectable.

 

I doubt if the payment of members will be long continued. The Colonies are all

in the way of spending too much, and must begin to retrench soon, stop

payment of members, and cut down the salaries of ministers to start with – as

Atkinson did in New Zealand, and dismiss half the so-called civil sen/ants and

devote the spare money, if any, on works that will reproduce a bit, not on

extravagant and costly buildings and other things that can wait such as they

have done in Victoria.

 

Investors are getting very sick of Colonial loans although they care about the

best investments going just now so long as the credit is sustained by loyalty to

the Crown and kingdom. But there is the rat; Some newspapers are

constantly saying the union can’t last long and then repudiation will follow. I

don’t believe this myself.

 

 

You stick to your business that the carpet-baggers have another innings while

the three hundred pounds a year is in force if you succeed in the ???? little

money and the payment of numbers is stopped. You might then offer your

sen/ices and find yourself in decent company.

 

If I get tired doing nothing I may find my way out next season now you have a

railway to travel by.

 

 

24″‘

Mr Balchin senior is not in town today but as they are not shipping to you this

week I will see him next, or before the J???? ????

 

The talk in the city today is that money will be very dear within the next two or

three months – even 10% is spoken of. This may only be surmise, but the

feeling is uneasy.

 

I have nothing more to say on your business matters at present – so goodbye.

 

Your affectionate Father

 

Jas A Elmslie.