Traditional Trade ‘Not Dying’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30157, 14 June 1963, Page 12

Traditional Trade ‘Not Dying’

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 13.

A plea for the retention of strong Commonwealth trade links was made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nordmeyer) in Wellington today He rejected outright the attitude of mind expressed in several countries, including New Zeeland, that Commonwealth trade was dying a slow death. Mr Nordmeyer was addressing the English Speaking Union on the changing Commonwealth.

He quoted recent statements b. Lord Casey in Hobart, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall), and an English newspaper that, he said, appeared to indicate an attitude oi mind that ac-

cepted the end of Commonwealth trade as inevitable. It was true some goods Britain used to send to Commonwealth countries were no longer accepted. It was also true New Zealand and other countries were experiencing industrial and manufacturing revolutions

“Does this mean Imperial trade and British preferences must cease? Or does it mean we should look for a change tn trade? “We cannot make all the things we want and will still have to import Surely, then, there is an opportunity for the British manufacturer to produce goods we will be needing for a very long time * While we might not take shoes or boots, we could take

tools and machinery we were never likely to produce Mr Nordmeyer also challenged the attitude of mind that said if Britain wanted to p t quotas on our meat and butter we must accept it and that was that The principle of preferences built up for many years, should be maintained He said the whole concept of Commonwealth had changed through th. years, some of it rapidly Change was inevitable though certain aspects of it might be deplored. Progress might change the nature of the Commonwealth but not dissolve it. “Commonwealth trade,” he said, “should continue substantially along the - lines it has in the P<<" |