ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Issue 311, 31 December 1900, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[Si (From Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, November 16. } J COMMERCIAL AMBASSADORS. According to the " Financial Times," Ihe New Zealand Government "has decided to despatch to this country an Ambassador of Commerce with a viewto a greater development of the colony's export trade." The "Times" continues "He will be given practically a free hand to visit other countries and press foward arrangements by which it is hoped to greatly increase the shipments of the products of. New Zealand. This is an excellent step, and if the proper man is secured it ought to pay well." I sincerely hope this is not true. 1 have had 'some little experience of " Produce Experts" with " free hands" avlio have been sent Home by Colonial Governments, and for the most part the only tangible results of their tours have been pretty big bills for the colonies to foot, and reams of reports of very questionable value. Ten or twelve years ago the visit of a really ' first-class commercial man, with, a wide range of accurate commercial knowledge,' might have been productive of good results, but to-day there is, I think, nothing to be gained by spending the money. All your leading exports have reached a stage of development at which Governmental expenditure, made with a view to forcing their growth, is not calculated to produce beneficial results. The cost of your alleged proposed " Commercial Ambassador's" trip would be very considerable, and my own view is that the money would be very much better spent in the colony in the direction ot increasing the facilities of. producers in getting their goods to the ports ot shipme.pt. By reducing railway freight, and port charges to the lowest possible figure, the Government will be doing far better work for the colony than by sending a highly-salaried official Homo to trot round seeking tor " new markets." The cheaper you can put your butter, cheese, meat, etc., on board the ships in your own ports the cheaper you can afford to sell here or anywhere"else, and cheapness combined Avith good quality is the dominant factor in creating new markets, and enlarging established ones. Xhe man who gives best value for money gets the trade all the world over.