FRENCH TRADE WITH N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26125, 30 May 1950, Page 4

FRENCH TRADE WITH N.Z.

EXPORT MARKETS SOUGHT MISSION TO NEGOTIATE WITH GOVERNMENT (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. May 29. France is planning to make a strong bid tor New Zealand markets. A mission of nine French Government and industry representatives—one of the largest foreign missions ever to visit the Dominion—will arrive at Auckland on Friday to begin negotiations with the Government. The aim of the mission is to secure a reduction of France's trade deficit with New Zealand. At present the Dominion imports only about one-tenth of what she exports to France. “We are hopeful of some success." said the commercial attache to the French Legation (Mr L. Guillou) today when discussing the mission's visit. Wool comprised almost all New Zealand's exports to France and New Zealand in turn took some textiles, wine and spirits, fertiliser and small merchandise.

Mr Guillou said France now wanted to interest New Zealand in her heavy earth-moving machinery, chemicals, iron and’steel, machine tools and rail and hydro-electric equipment. Another possibility was that New Zealand might take French cars. Already talks were proceeding between New Zealand motor firms and French car manufacturers.

The mission will be led by Mr J. de Sailly, Minister Plenipotentiary in charge of economic relations between France and the British Commonwealth. It will be in New Zealand until June 13.

MISSION FROM KOREA

INCREASED TRADE SOUGHT (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. May 29. With the object of developing trade between Korea and New Zealand, a Korean trade mission, comprising 14 leading businessmen, arrived in Auckland by air to-day. The party, which has already travelled 16.000 miles and visited 15 countries in South-east 1 Asia, is accompanied by an American J official of the Economic Co-operation Administration 'Mr Mackenzie Stevens), who is director of the trade and ! finance division of the organisation in Seoul, Korea. He is acting in an advisory capacity to the partv. Most of the members of tne mission are graduates of American universities and speak fluent English. The chairman, Mr Chungsoo Oh. said that the purpose of the mission was to explore the import and export possibilities between Korea. Australia. New Zealand, and the countries or South-east Asia. “I am aware.” s-id Mr Oh. “that in the past there has been little trade between my country and New Zealand. It is our hope that w?. as a group of businessmen addressing ourselves to the businessmen of New Zealand, may be able to discover n?.v opportunities which will be to our mutual benefit. I know that sach relations would help considerably to improve the standard of living in my country, which has suffered disruption of its foreign trade and division of its territory. I imagine that New Zealand would also benefit from such an arrangement. We wish to buy as well as to sell." Members of the mission said that with American help Korea has been transformed from a food deficit area into a food surplus area and has already made considerable progress in industrialisation. They said that the i recent trend in industry could make available to New Zealand such products as rubber shoes, scissors, light , bulbs, electrical products, and bicycles. The country would also be ready to export many types of cotton cloth and other kindred textiles. Some of New Zealand’s products which the Koreans believe might find a market in Korea are wool, meat and dairy products, lumber, fruits, and other agricultural products.