N.Z EXPORTS TO AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29672, 16 November 1961, Page 8

N.Z EXPORTS TO AUSTRALIA

Manufacturers’ Opportunity

Because the primary industries of Australia and New Zealand were so similar, the greatest avenue for results in New Zealand's drive for exports there lay in manufactured goods, said Dr. W. A. Brooker, of the Department of Industries and Commerce, yesterday. Dr. Brooker, who has been appointed New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Australia and will take up the position in Sydney in January, was speaking to members of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association at an informal function held by the association.

Dr. Brooker is making a tour of New Zealand cities and towns before going to Australia. He will leave Christchurch tomorrow. Welcoming Dr. Brooker, Mr J. R. Maddren, a past president of the association, said that Australia was ahead of New Zealand in the promotion of an export drive and this country would have to take active and aggressive steps to capture some of the market. Balance Of Payments The serious balance of payments situation made the need for more exports very necessary and it was pleasing to see that the Government was appointing senior departmental men to trade posts. A weakness was the huge territories the trade commissioners were expected to cover but, no doubt, that situation would be rectified, Mr Maddren said. Dr. Brooker will be New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Australia for three years. Until recently he was senior advisory officer in the foodstuffs and chemical division of the department in Wellington and before that was dealing with building materials. He has a doctorate of philosophy, in economics, from London University.

He has considerable experience in dealing with manufacturers' problems. The greatest need for New Zealand to to widen the range of its exports, he considers. Timber, paper* pulp, crossbred wools and fish at present made up the bulk of New Zealand’s exports to Australia. Some cheese was also exported. Manufactured goods made up only a very small amount, in value, of exports to Australia. “The Trade Commissioner’s office in Sydney will certainly write if it sees openings for manufactured goods in Australia and will certainly be searching for these openings," he said. , The office can point . out the opportunities, advise and guide, but the manufacturers win have to do the selling." Dr. Brooker is anxious to meet any manufacturers or businessmen fa Christchurch who have any plans or ideas about exporting goods to Australia.