NEW ZEALAND'S INDUSTRIES

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21024, 28 November 1933, Page 12

NEW ZEALAND'S INDUSTRIES

DIFFICULTIES OF TRADE WITH ENGLAND

MANUFACTURERS ADDRESSED BY HON. R. MASTERS

(PJSES3 ASSDCUTIOK TBWSOBAJf.) DUNEDIN, November 27. At the annual meeting of the Dunedin Manufacturers' Association, the Hon. R. Masters (Minister for-' Industries and Commerce) gave the principal address. After surveying the conditions of primary and secondary industries in the Dominion, he dealt at length with the trade position between Great Britain and New Zealand in regard to primary and secondary industries.

It was a matter of sincere regret, he said, to find that there were certain individuals who were trying to pit one industry against another in this country. There was room to develop primary and secondary industries wtih a view to helping each other as much as possible, because after all they were interdependent on each other. During his recent visit to London one thing that impressed itself on him was this. In the first weeks of the conference one noticed the international spirt which existed, and the desire to bring about international goodwill, but as the conference progressed and dealt with matters of detail, one was struck with the change that came over the gathering. As soon as the industries of one country were affected, the international spirit gradually dropped out, and it was realised that there was a feeling of nationalism, rather than internationalism, in the conference. It became evident that there was a policy in the different countries in the direction of developing on lines almost of extreme nationalism, certainly of self sufficiency, and trying to make themselves self-supporting in all industries, secondary and primary. In other words, they were developing a policy of living within themselves, a policy of frozen isolation. New Zealand's Products.

New Zealand was mainly a primary producing country, dependent on the world's parity for a return for its products. Where would New Zealand land if all countries became self sufficient and self contained. It seemed to him that the time had come when they must give attention to the development of secondary industries, with a view to increasing them, and to the utilisation of those primary products. How far to go in that direction depended largely on the policy of other countries. Almost every country had some; form of protection —quotas, quantitative restrictions, or even prohibition of certain goods. This policy carried to a successful conclusion would not be to the advantage of this Dominion. There was not a country in Europe to-day that had not some form of quota or restrictive tariff, which would make things more difficult in the future. Duty on British Goods. He had been asked when he had decided to come to Dunedin if he would give his views about "the attitude of the British Government concerning the agitation which was taking place for the abolition of all duties coming in from the United Kingdom. The object of this was the securing of further access to the Hom6 Country of New Zealand butter and cheese, and other products. In view of the campaign going on in England, and knowing everything that was going on in New Zealand, they had, while in London, made every enquiry, both from the British farmers and the British Cabinet about their attitude, and he could say without hesitation that the only concern in Great Britain about quotas was to obtain higher prices for her farming community. Britain had developed the agricultural side of her industries to a greater extent than most persons imagined, and he could assure them that there was plenty of scope lor development in British agriculture. It was quite apparent that the policy of the British Government was to develop her agricultural industry, and there was plenty of scope for development. There was general satisfaction throughout Great Britain with New Zealand for the manner in which she treated Britain with regard to goods coming to this country. No Dominion had been more generous in its treatment of British trade than New Zealand. Of the total imports into New Zealand for the year ended on March 31, valued at £22,770,000, half had come from Britain. Of the remainder £5,324,000 had come from other British countries. He had no doubt that the amount of Britain's exports to the Dominion could be increased as the result of the 25 per cent, preference. British Manufactures. Enlarging upon this point the Minister stated that wireless gets purchased from Great Britain in 1931 were valued at only £6300, and the sum of £120,000 was paid for foreign sets. When it was asked why British goods were not admitted free, the reply was that more than £11,000,000 came from Britain, and more than £5,000,000 from other British countries; that there was a great deal that she could not supply if its entry were made free, and that there was a large proportion of trade which she could get if she made herself efficient.

If a quota must come, and Great Britain no doubt had a duty to her farmers, it should be imposed first on the foreigner. (Applause.) If that was not sufficient to meet the desires or necessities of the farmers of Great Britain, then let Great Britain say to the Dominion: "We want to have negotiations with you, in order to come fo an equitable arrangement in respect to a quota from the dominions." So far as was humanly possible, it would be his pleasure and duty to develop industries which would benefit the country.