U.K. Finance Possible For Some N.Z. Trade Missions

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31152, 31 August 1966, Page 10

U.K. Finance Possible For Some N.Z. Trade Missions

The problem of financing a New Zealand trade mission to Britain was something the British Committee for Exports to New Zealand would have to examine, said the executive secretary of the committee (Mr J. S. Porter) i n Christchurch yesterday.

He doubted whether much help could be given to a selling mission, but said something might be done to help a buying and selling mission. Mr Porter was replying to a question by Mr A. S. Farrar, at a luncheon reception given by the council of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association yesterday. Mr Farrar had asked whether a Manufacturers’ Federation trade mission to Britain would be worthwhile. There was a move to send

such a mission to Britain in 1967 or 1968. Mr Porter said that Britain was the world’s largest supplier of many different kinds of goods. It was the world's largest exporter of agricultural tractors and supplied more than 90 per cent of New Zealand’s commercial road vehicles.

It was the world’s largest exporter of woollen textiles, isotopes, and paint. Britain had the second largest aircraft industry in the world.

“Great Britain has worldclass industries and will continue to have world-class industries,” said Mr Porter. “No-one needs to have any fear of trading with her.” Britain seemed very slowly to be producing an export bias. He honestly believed that the British Government was “trying to push” exports. The president of the association (Mr C. W. Mace) said New Zealand manufacturers believed that reciprocal trade,

on a sound basis, was in the interests of both New Zealand and British manufacturers.

The president of the federation (Mr J. R. Maddren) said yesterday that the federation had considered a trade mission to Britain for 1967-68, but had decided to take no further action until after the Kennedy round of talks.