The Press. WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1907. COMMERCIAL AGENTS IN THE COLONIES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12852, 10 July 1907, Page 6

The Press. WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1907. COMMERCIAL AGENTS IN THE COLONIES.

It is announced this morning that Sir Joeoph Ward hae rccoivod a cablo message from the President of tho Botird of Trade, stating that his (Sir Joeoph Ward's) suggestions ea to the appointmont by the British Government of commercial agonte in the colonies havo been approved by tho Imperial Govornment and Parliament, and are now Doing carried out. To be quite frank. we were under tho impression that thu idea had already been taken up an.' acted upon by tho Homo Government some timo before Sir Joseph Ward made the suggestion during tho Imperial Conference. It will bo ro mombered that Mr Jeffray came out to the colonies a year or so ago for tho purpose of making enquiries into trade and oommerco on behalf of tho Board of Trade. It was stated at the timo that part of his mission was to recommend tho appointment of competent persons in each capital, for the purpose of sending trado rejiorts to tho British Government, something on tho lines of tTie American Consular reports, and if we are not mistaken, it was after wards announced that Mr S. Carrol!, the capable and painstaking secretary of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce, had been appointed in that capacity. Possibly it is now intended to carry out tho work on more comprehensive lines. There ie certainly room for anyerpansion of tho idea, and if capable 'fpb are selected the result ought to be beneficial, both to New Zealand and tho Motherland. It has reflected no credit in tho pnet on the Home authorities concerned, that l>oth tho American and the French Govern inente have been bettor posted up in the conditions and requirements of tho colonic* by means of tho official reports of their Consuls than tho Ens lish Government. It has been eta ted, and we have no doubt with perfect truth, thet English merchants have been in tho habit of referring to American Consular reports when they vished for information regarding the

British colonies. Out labour laws and KCK'ial renditions have been carefully investigated nnd in ado the subject of official reports by French and American observers spnt out for the purpose, and although it is true that wo are shortly to bo favoured with the visit of a British Commissioner, sent out with the same object in view, his Britannic Majesty's Government line been beninl tho most energetic foreign rivals of Great Britain in this us in other respects. We shall await with interest the appointment of the commercial a Rents re for rod to. Obviously a great deal will depend upon the selection made. r f they aro to bo sent out from Home they should bo young men. not steeped in office routine, but possessing not onh a sound education in tho theory of commerce but also actual business experience-. We shall also scan with interoit the instructions issued to thorn. Ar»» they to concern themselves wholly with tho imports into tho colony, or ar? they to give equally closo attention to its exports? In other words, aro they to como out for tho purpose of advising British merchants regarding the best methods of pushing British goods in this market, or aro they at tho same timo to look after the interests both of the British consumer and the colonial producer by bringing under the notico of tho former information regarding our loading articles of produce and export? These are points on which wo aro sure the public would like to be informed. For our part, while wo welcome the appointment of commercial ageute by tho British Government, which, in our opinion, is a step which ought to have been taken long ago, we hold that it is equally tho duty of the New Zealand Government to have its commercial agents in England for the purpose of pushing New Zealand interests. Wo know tliat there is Mr Cameron, tho Produce Commissioner, ns he is called, and wo believe that ho does useful work. But his operations aro necessarily limited. What is wanted is a system under which New Zealand frozen meat, buttor, cheese, and other products would bo made known and actively pushed, especially in districts whoro they aro little used. Attractive exhibits should bo made at local shows and exhibitions, and, more important still, the managers of large stores should bo visited by good business agents appointed for the purpose, who should bring the merits of New Zealand goods under their notioo, tell them whore they oan be obtained, and get them to take an interest in their disposal. Wo want, in short, to do in England what the Canadian Government has lately been doing in New Zealand, with the help of its energetic and tactful representative, Mr Burns.