MR NASH VISITS GLASGOW

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22016, 13 February 1937, Page 21

MR NASH VISITS GLASGOW

! ss. X. Policy Explained To Business Men BECIPKOCAL TRADE WITH SCOTLAND ,n!"l! OCR OWN' CUHHESPOKDEN'T.) - v , LONDON, January 16. hy .The promise that if New Zealand were given an expanding market for Its produce in the United Kingdom the proceeds of the sale of those products would be spent in the United Kingdom was given by Mr W. Nash, New Zealand Minister for Finance, in addresses in Glasgow. Speaking of the relationship between Glasgow and New Zealand, he emphasised the many shipbuilding contracts which came from New Zealand companies to the Clyde, mentioning that two companies alone had had 20 vessels built since 1929. Mr Nash, who made a two days' pergonal iivestigation into the marketing of New Zealand products there, said that during the last 10 years the trade between New Zealand and the Clyde bad been doubled. Mr Nash said that there was an apparent increase each succeeding year fa the trade between Scotland and fjew Zealand. Last year a record was created. There was something more than that, however. In the last 10 years many vessels had been built on the Clyde for the New Zealand trade. He questioned if they could find any other area of the world of the size of New Zealand which had done more in that respect. If they considered that position they would find that Glasgow was more closely and primarily related to New Zealand than any other part of the world coujd be. More goods ought to go direct to Glasgow. There was much to be said for that. During the last 10 years that trade had doubled, and last year 35 ships from New Zealand put into the Clyde. That had broken all records. The trade in general between Glasgow and New Zealand had improved, and the New Zealand Government hoped that that Improvement would continue to increase. Emigration of Craftsmen The opportunities awaiting competent craftsmen in the building trades in New Zealand were mentioned by Mr Hash at a press interview in Glasgow. Good, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians, if they cared to take the risk of paying their own fares to New Zealand, would find many good jobs. He emphasised, however, that there was no general shortage of labour, and he could not advise anyone to go there who was not a competent craftsman. In addition to the Government's housing programme, building activities were greater than for many years, and craftsmen were required. To ordinary people who had no craft inside | the building industry he would say, "Don't go." . Mr Nash praised the efficiency of the Glasgow Corporation meat market, and said he had been astounded at the splendid organisation. The facilities for the handling of the meat were better than he had seen anywhere, either in Britain or in New Zealand. He also commented on the enterprise of the corporation in housing, and said he had made close enquiries into the housing position, because the New Zealand i-4 Government 'was working out an ex--1 tended programme. : The evidence he ■■lad had in -Glasgow was that* tbe*lay-> cut, the construction, the specification, end the plans were as good as anything he had previously seen. Tress Comment, The "Glasgow Herald" remarks: *'Since it assumed office 13 months ago the New Zealand Labour Government lias carried through economic experiments which challenge comparison with Mr Roosevelt's New Deal. It did not waste time on class war, with which Mr Nash and his Prime Minister, Mr Savage, have little sympathy. * "As yet, it is too. soon to predict how this experiment in planned economy, which is designed to protect the farmer from the fluctuations of the market and give him and his employees an assured income, is likely to succeed in practice. There are difficulties in the way. One is the effort b/ing made by Britain to restore prosperity in her own agricultural industry. Another is the reluctance of this country to enter into bilateral agreements with individual Dominions. A third is the promise of the New Zealand Government to set up secondary industries as a means of absorbing surplus labour at home. But there is no reason to believe that Mr Nash is not alive to these considerations, and as little to " Relieve that Scotland does not offer a fair field for the reciprocity he has outlined." London Chamber of Commerce On his return to London, Mr Nash was the guest of New Zealand banks and stock firms whose head offices . are in London. On the next day he addressed the London Chamber ox Commerce and explained the objectives of the New Zealand Government. The Minister was asked, after his address, whether he would indicate the views or feeling of the New Zealand Government on the "menace of Japanese competition," and whether, in view of the exchange rates of Australia and New Zealand being on the - same parity and the short distance between the two countries, Australia would not have a distinct advantage over Great Britain in trading with , New Zealand. Mr Nash replied that even were New Zealand to find it practicable to alter its exchange rate, the disparity would tiot be removed, for Australia would still have a 25 per cent, advantage over Great Britain. There were two ways in which the difficulty might be overcome: (1) by New Zealand-Australian negotiations for a simultaneous reuuetion of the exchange rate, and (2) by putting on a discriminatory tariff figainst Australia. The Government was reluctant to do the latter. If there were a chance of negotiating for a simultaneous reduction in the rate, New Zealand could be relied upon to take every possible opportunity for discussion. As for Japanese competition, if the policy he was suggesting to the United Kingdom Government was adopted, the Dominion would be using nearly all her available credits in buying British goods. The proceeds of the sale of New Zealand goods in Britain u< Would not be available for buying Japanese goods. The adoption of tne policy by the United Kingdom would also mean that the Dominion would lio less trade with Australia.