EXPORT DRIVE BY BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25380, 31 December 1947, Page 6

EXPORT DRIVE BY BRITAIN

“PROBLEMS FACED WITH COURAGE”

TRADE COMMISSIONER RETURNS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 30. An insight on problems confronting Britain’s export drive was given by the senior trade commissioner in New Zealand (Mr R. Boulter) at a press conference this morning. Mr Boulter returned in the Rimutaxa after nearly a year away, during most of which time he was at the Geneva trade conference as an adviser to the United Kingdom delegation. Mr Boulter said it took Britain some months to recover from the misfortunes of last winter, the most severe for generations, but the rate of progress was so fast that by October Britain was exporting 20 per cent, more in volume tnan she was in 1938. “I doubt whether it is generally appreciated what Britain nas done to overcome her difficulties,” said Mr Boulter, who found the British facing their problems with courage, ready to accept even greater austerity than in the war, and realising the importance of the export drive. New Zealand could not escape the reactions of the present state of affairs, and there was an insistent demand for her produce, he continued. The efforts she made were cordially appreciated in Britain. Britain would do her best to supply New Zealand’s essential requirements, which otherwise would have to be imported from hard currency countries. “It is impossible to solve Britain’s balance difficulties in hard currency countries by exporting to the sterling area,” he said. “There may be cases in which hard currency nations compete with New Zealand for goods in short supply, yet this should be only a short-term problem. “It is difficult to appreciate the difference between pre-war trade and trade now. The markets of foreign countries are hard to determine, and many of these countries have their own troubles. The required increase in exports cannot be left entirely in the hands of the manufacturers who supplied exports before the war, but others formerly manufacturing "for the home markets must be brought in. “Until the outline of the picture is clear it is impossible to say what goods New Zealand can obtain freely from Britain, but New Zealand can help by giving early notice of her requirements.”

He did not think the decisions of the Geneva conference would have much effect on the export drive immediately, as the proposals were long-term. He said British manufacturers were genuinely interested in New Zealand trade proposals.