The Press. TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1915 Trade Within the Empire.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15174, 12 January 1915, Page 6

The Press. TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1915 Trade Within the Empire.

There is a good deal that is stimulating and suggestive in the interview which Mr F. M. B. Fisher, the late Minister for Customs, accorded to one of our representatives yesterday. There is a general desire in New Zealand for closer trade relations with Australia. slid it is most unfortunate that political complications first in the Commonwealth and now in the Dominion have hitherto prevented 'the ratification of the agreement arrived at Jast year between Mr F. M. B. Fisher and Mr Tudor, the Commonwealth, Minister for Customs. We cordially agree with the view that any suck agreements between at\y two portions of the Empire should be so framed as to include any other portion willing to make reciprocal sir-

rangenients. As a ease in point wo admit South African wines at v lower rate than Australian, mid the point is that Australia should be put on the sanio footing as-South Africa, provided the Commonwealth is willing to extend to us the same concessions as aro made by the Union.

,The most important point of tho 'interview, however, is that in which Mr Fisher urges that active steps should be taken to'seen re that the trade which formerly went to Germauy should in future bo kept within the Empire. It may bo that in some few instances this ■cannot be done, because the articles cannot bo. produced in any British possession; in that case every effort should be made to get .what, is rccjuiml from our Allies. The prosperity of the German Empire ha«s to a very largo extent been built up by British help, and that means that we have assisted our arch-enemy lo provide tho huge army and the ever-expanding fleet, with which he fondly hoped to briiig about our downfall. '•Never again" must be our motto and -our vow in

this and other matters in which our relations with Germany are concerned. I'lr Fisher apparently piiis his faith very -largely to tariffs as a means of keeping trade on K»und Imperial lines, -and urges that a conference of Customs Ministers should be held, without, wajting for the conclusion of the war. ,Wo havo given our reasons for

Ministers i« impracticable until after the coiwiiiiion of the war. and the Home Government, apparently shares in the same view. It might not be f-o difficult U» secure a conference such as Mr Fisher .suggest*, although we doubt ■whether even his proposal is practicable when the attention oi the Empire is necessarily concentrated on the tremendous task of prosecutiin; the v.ar with ending it as soon as possible. Ncveitholc-st-. w« are fully in accord with the view that we ought not to sit with folded hands and do nothing until the war -~ over. \\' c should like to see our Chamber.-, of Commerce tak-

ing .1 far mow vigorous part than they have hitherto done in making known to the public the goods we have hitherto purchased from Germany, and in helping to divert the trade formerly carried on with aliens to those of our own kith and kin. The Government might also take active .stej>s in the same direction. Their time and energies have

been fully occupied in the recruiting, training, and despatch'of the Expeditionary Force, but a .stage has now been reached when the commercial ' problem ought to receive their most careful attention. U must be Wne in mind that the battle with Germany wo have to fight is twofold, and we have to take care that when we hare beaten our enemy by force of nrms wo do not allow him to recover at. our cxpojuo tho ground he has lost in the. .struggle for commercial superiority.