EXPANDED EXPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 193, 17 August 1939, Page 12

EXPANDED EXPORTS.

DOMINION'S POSITION.

CONTENTION OF FARMERS

The possibility of a • considerable expansion in the export trade of the Dominion was (llscupwecl at the monthly meeting of the Auckland provincial executive of the Farmers' Union yesterday. It was pointed out that New Zealand'* exports of tinned milk are only about equal to those of Japan and Norway, where*# the Dominion, with its specialised dairy production and its advantages of climate and soil, should be able to lead the world in this trade. The difficulty lay in, the high local cost of tinning, it was stated. This applied not only to milk, but to many other products. Th I* could .be overcome, it was contended, by exporting condensed milk, butter, fruit., and cheap grade meats In bulk and 'having them tinned for the retail trade in countries where cheap labour was available.

There was no reasoti why the- cheap labour of other countries should not be utilised In thi« way, since It was not in! direct competition with New Zealand labour. Apart from this, the effect would be to raise the wages of that cheap labour to some extent, by providing more work for it, while thef'; cheaper goods produced would find ''41 market in arena where prices are at I present too high to permit an increase | in consumption. I

It was decided to pursue the matter further with the Department of Industrie* and Commerce, with * view to •aploelag Vk» peiriEilirt—; ■