N.Z. TRADE WITH CANADA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26124, 29 May 1950, Page 7

N.Z. TRADE WITH CANADA

IMPORTANCE SEEN BY MINISTER

COMPETITION WITH U.S. GOODS (N.Z. Preds Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 7.30'p.m.) OTTAWA, May 26. The Canadian Minister of Trade (Mr C. D. Howe) said to-day that Canada looked to Australia and New Zealand for some of their specialised exports. He said that both countries had beexi valuable markets for Canada.

Mr Howe told the annual meeting of the Canadian Manufacturers’ Association in Toronto that non-dollar countries should be given every encouragement in their efforts to increase their exports to Canada. “If we buy more, we can sell more,” he said. “If we buy less, we will sell less. To a large extent we feel that the soft currency countries, particularly those who fyave devalued their currencies, will compete successfully in this market with goods normally purchased from the United States. We know that as Canada prospers and develops there will be an increasing demand in this country for goods produced both here and abroad.

“Because Britain is one of. our oldest and most important markets we naturally have given our major attention to this market. However, there are several other important countries which are members of the sterling area, and we must guard against grouping them and thinking of them simply as the rest of the sterling area.”

Mr Howe said that the most important of these countries were Australia, New Zealand. India. Pakistan, Ceylon, and the British West Indies. Discussing Canadian'Mrade with the United States. Mr Howe said: “Canada is the United States’ best customer, and as this country develops, as we reach an even higher standard of living, Canadians inevitably will turn to the United States for more and more of their products. It is obvious, however, that we must sell to them on an increasing scale if we are to finance these purchases.”