GERMANY WORKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 262, 5 November 1928, Page 10

GERMANY WORKING.

NATION AT HIGH PRESSURE.

BID FOR WORLD'S TRADE.

NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSION.

"There is not the slightest doubt that the Germans are well back in their . stride commercially and they are manu- , facturing for all they are worth. . Things appeared to be very prosperous [ in that country, but the people would . not have visitors or tourists believe it ■ so and they do their best to prevent that impression from getting abroad." ' These remarks were made by Mr. W. A. Taaffe, of Auckland, who, with his wife and daughter, returned from a twelve months' tour of the world by the Aorangi last evening. Mr. Taaffe left New Zealand last year to . represent the Dominion at the International Ophthalmic Conference in Cologne, Germany. He also represented New Zealand at the conferenct of the Institute of Ophthalmic Opticians in Edinburgh. Going Home, Mr. Taaffe and his family travelled through Ceylon, India, Egypt, Palestine and the South of France. In India they proceeded up to the Himalayas to the foot of Mount Everest. Coming out, the New Zealanders "did" the United States and Canada. Continuing his talk on Germany, Mr. Taaffe said the Germans were manufacturing optical goods as fast as they could. "But there is no mistaking the fact that although Britain is not manufacturing the same quantity, she is turning out a much better quality," he added. "It was a recognised fact that on the scientific side the profession in Germany was now at a very hi° , h standard, but there were several outstanding professors in England also and there were some particularly good ideas to be picked up in America. Fostering of Athletics. Mr. Taaffe said there was a strong tendency in Germany to develop the athletic side of the nation's character. There was evidences of endeavours being made to build up a strong, virile, browned athletic race of people, who were all working hard. There was not the slightest sign of poverty in the country and unemployment was unknown. when he was there. "You can rest assured that Germany is out to recover lost trade and to build up other

phases of it. The whole nation is putting its shoulder to the wheel respect," he said. Contrast In Britain. In Britain there were evidences of a tendency in the opposite direction. The old methods of pre-war trading were creeping back in many instances, and through that means the Old Country was losing trade. Mr. Taaffe gave concrete instances in connection with his own particular line of business. He said Germany was producing optical goods in the ratio of 100 to 1 as compared with England. From America, New Zealand procured from 60 to TO per cent of optical goods required. If England continued to the methods he outlined, what, he asked, would happen to England's trade with Germany and America competing for the world's markets ? "To give you another instance of what is happening in England as far as trade is concerned," Mr. Taaffe remarked, "in almost every case when mv wife went shopping in London and else"where she was shown goods from foreign countries. There were hats from various Eastern European countries and wearing apparel from overseas. Trade was declared by shopkeepers to be not good, and there were evidences of muclf unemployment."