TRENDS OF TRADE OVERSEAS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27442, 31 August 1954, Page 12

TRENDS OF TRADE OVERSEAS

THREAT OF DUMPING “NOT A MYTH” BIG DRIVE BY WESTERN GERMANY New Zealand had made remarkable progress industrially in the last few years, and its goods compared favourably with those overseas, but manufacturers should not regard the possibility of dumping as a myth, said Mr A. H. Lee in an address to the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association last evening- Mr Lee recently speht four months abroad in the United States, the United Kingdom and on the Continent. Many manufacturers overseas were willing to offer goods at greatly reduced prices because of the growth of competition. He made a point of competition from Western Germany. Mr Lee said that in the United State*, he noted little upward movement in Prices since 1951. nor was there any real recession, but traders were keen for business. The power of branded goods distributed nationally was now clearly evident. The tendency followed for little-known firms to be virtually neglected while the larger ones were amalgamating, decentralising, and branching into wider fields of merchandise.

The 'first flush of enthusiasm for synthetic wearing apparel seemed now to have settled into a more logical perspective, Mr Lee said. Wool was again strongly favoured for men’s outer wear and synthetics appeared mostly in 60-40 blends. This still meant, say, IJlb of wool compared with 31b in an all-wool New Zealand suit. Mr Lee mentioned that dark grey was popular for men in the United States, worn with pale pink or lemon shirts. “They don’t look bad, either,” he added. A British industry seemed to be busy and brighter with the improved financial outlook, and there was more desire to rrwet the customers’ demands in variety and quality. Nevertheless, Mr Lee said, he thought there was insufficient research into the construction and finishing of textiles as faults appeared which should not exist in -a well-run organisation. Resurgence of Germany The British Industries Fair in London was “extremely disappointing—in my own opinion a waste of time,” Mr Lee said. This contrasted sharply with trade displays in Western Germany. Manufacturers there had recently spent 7.000,000 dollars to send seven shiploads of display goods (ranging from cameras to model steel mills) to Mexico. “The tremendous resurgence of Western Germany is a serious challenge to the exports of the United Kingdom,” Mr Lee said. The people worked hard and their production had doubled since 1948. The British were really concerned that Western Germany could affect their, markets in, say, Australia and New Zealand as well as at home. Switzerland also was concerned •