Reaction to Cabinet

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33095, 9 December 1972, Page 2

Reaction to Cabinet

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 8. British trade would continue to be of prime importance to New Zealand because Britain would be New Zealand’s biggest market “for a long time to come” said the president of the British Trade Association of New Zealand (Mr C. E. Dowling) today.

Mr Dowling said that while there might be changes in emphasis, his association believed no New Zealand Government would .create trading arrangements detrimental to its traditional partners, particularly Britain.

The association believed it was unrealistic to contemplate the development of a free trade agreement in the Pacific Basin within the next generation, Mr Dowling said. The countries’ economies were too varied. The country’s two major teacher organisations — the New Zealand Educational Institute and the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association, welcomed the appointment of Mr Amos as Minister of Education. Both the association president (Mr T. C. Edmond), and the president of the institute (Mr M. Carson) expressed their willingness to work with Mr Amos in the work needed to be done in education. Secondary school staffing and the question of private schools were matters

needing attention, Mr Edmond said. Manufacturers would be pleased at the strength of the Cabinet team to look after the portfolios of Trade and Industry, Overseas Trade, Labour, Finance, and Customs, the president of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr F. Tumovsky) said. The road transport industry was disappointed that separate Ministers of Transport and Railways had been appointed, the president of the New Zealand Road Carriers’ Association (Mr E. R. Dix) said. “We believe greater efficiency could be generated by the management of the railways being the responsibility of a corporation,” he said.