EMPIRE TIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 11

EMPIRE TIES.

"A SECOND ENGLAND. ,, TRADE COMMISSIONER WELCOMED. A short address touching matters concerning commercial ties between the Home Country and the Empire was given. yesterday afternoon by Mr. A. Edgecombe, British Trade Commissoner, who' is travelling on H.M.s. Hood on her cruise of the world. The commissioner was entertained by representatives of t.ie Chamber of Commerce and Industrial Association at afternoon tea in the Pacific Club. Mr. J. W. Collins, Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, and Mr. P. Verschaffelt, Public Service Commissioner, were also present. The portion of his department in which he was actively working was particularly interested in the development of com-, mercial ties between the Home Country and the Empire, said Mr. Edgtcombe. "I have found New Zealand the' most enjoyable of all the places I have Visited! It is far 'more like England than' any other place I have seen," he said. Here he found the people had the same ideals, outlook, and religion as in the Old Land. People would say, "No, I have never been Home," and he thought that no expression could give a clearer idea of the sentimental ties binding the two countries. That England should be "home , ? to those born and brought up in this far away Dominion spoke for itself. New Zealanders had the same commercial honesty, and the same general desire for world peace as had people in England. They also had the same desires to get on with their own business without interfering with the other fellow, the same commercial enterprise in matters agricultural, pastoral, and industrial. Since coming to Uew Zealand Mr. Cdgecombe had, he said, investigated the 'commercial possibilities" of Mt. Cook, rt'aitomo Caves, and other places. [Laughter.) The speaker agreed with .he spirit of New Zealand in advancing igricultural and pastoral interests beore industrial interests, and he was >leased to learn that over 90 per cent )f our exports were represented by the :ow and the sheep. Development hs.d >een well balanced. It was pleasing tc md a second little England tucked awaj I own here in the Southern Hemisphere md it was well worth coming 25,00f niles to see. Mr. Edgccombe had onlj wo points to refer to in. the way oi riticism, and those were that New Zea and needed greater population and mor< onsistent and comprehensive Press pub icity in the Old Land. An occasiona eference to a horrid murder wae of n< leneflt to New Zealand. The commis ioner thonght that the connection be ween England and New Zealand wa! loser than between any other two coun ries in the world. (Applause.) The need for drastic amendment in thi )ominion's preferential duties in thi ireetron of giving greater encourage icnt to British manufactures was advo ated by Messrs. A. A. Martin (chair nan) and J. A. C. Allum, presiden ■f the Industrial Association.