Trade Efforts Defended

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31071, 28 May 1966, Page 18

Trade Efforts Defended

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 27.

The Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Marshall) said today that New Zealand products were being promoted with great energy and success in Japan.

Mr B. C. Simpson, speaking to the Auckland branch of the Market Research Society, had said earlier that New Zealand was “inactive” in Japan and that its trade representatives were “very lukewarm.”

Mr Marshall said: “Lively promotion, particularly by the Meat Board and the Dairy Board, has built New Zealand’s exports to Japan from £7.2 million in 1960 to £18.5 million last year. Our trade representatives have had a big and vital role in helping to get this result. “Just in the last few days the Meat Board made a point of expressing appreciation of the work of our Trade Commissioner in Tokyo and of the excellent and helpful understanding he had established with the Japanese authorities and organisations whose influence is vital to our trade interests.” Mr Marshall said that before criticising trade representatives and alleging that they were not “conscious of commerce” he would suggest that Mr Simpson might profitably have consulted the people and organisations actually selling to Japan. Mr Marshall said that he

was always anxious to find ways and means of improving the service, both in New Zealand and in overseas markets, that the Government could give to exporters. Both he and his department were at all times willing to discuss the subject with any interested person. DISPLAY IN ITALY Last year Italy bought from New Zealand goods worth £8,833,000, Mr Marshall said today. New Zealand had a trade display in the Fiera Di Roma, which would open on Saturday, he said.

The trade fair presented a valuable opportunity to bring New Zealand products to the notice of a widening circle of buyers, said the Minister. Mr Marshall said that as

part of the export drive. New Zealand would exhibit goods for export at trade fairs at Stockholm, Paris and Bangkok later this year. SALES IN CALIFORNIA New Zealand’s participation in the Los Angeles world trade week had been a major success, Mr H.' B. Patterson, the leader of a New Zealand trade mission at present in the United States, said in Los Angeles, reports a special correspondent. Mr Patterson said worthwhile orders had been gained and the mission’s confidence that it could sell to the sophisticated Southern California market had been justified. Definite assurances of future business had been obtained, Mr Patterson said.