The Auckland Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1931. OVERSEA MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 81, 7 April 1931, Page 6

The Auckland Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1931. OVERSEA MARKETS.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that toe can do.

We publish to-day a lively letter from Canada about the way in which Australia is getting the better of New Zealand in the Canadian butter market. New Zealand, says our correspondent, taught Canadians to appreciate good butter, but now it is the Australian who- is reaping the benefit of this pioneer work. According to our correspondent, the New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Canada is being out-distanced by his Australian rivals, but it would be quite unjust to blame only Mr. Collins for what has happened. Mr. Collins is the instrument of his Government, and the plain truth seems to be that the Australian Government was quicker than our own >in sizing up the situation in Canada and taking the necessary steps for the protection of Australian interests. While Mr. Forbes returned from the Imperial Conference by Suez, an Australian Minister went to Canada and arranged a temporary treaty. The retaliatory action that New Zealand took last •year when Canada put up the duty on butter seems to have had no effect, and apparently no great progress has been made towards the trade agreement with Canada to which New Zealand is looking forward.

Our correspondent's letter is a pendant to yesterday's announcement by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company that New Zealand has displaced Australia as Canada's second best customer. The value of Canadian exports to New Zealand is given as £3,680,000, in return for which Canada took £2,500,000 of our goods. This difference. between Canadian exports and imports is remarkable enough, but it looks as if the current year may produce a more startling result. It was towards the end of 1930 that the Canadian knife fell on our butter. In the first two months of 1931 we sent Canada only £70,000 worth of goods, and bought from Canada over £350,000 worth. The present arrangement is excellent for Canada, but what about New Zealand ?

The President of .the New Zealand Labour Party told the party conference yesterday that the gradual development of our local market was necessary in order to lessen the need to sell in London, "where ,a disastrous fall in prices may be ordained ,by manufacturers and speculators." But this country must always look to oversea markets for the sale of the bulk of its primary, products. As things are now, England is our only great market, because it is the only one in which we are welcomed. For an indefinite time to come it will be New Zealand's principal market, but that need not prevent the New Zealand Government and New Zealand business men from trying to develop others.