Call for bigger trade push

Press, 14 April 1984, Page 9

Call for bigger trade push

NZPA staff correspondent Washington The Labour Party’s spokesman on overseas trade, Mr M. K. Moore, was in Washington yesterday to promote exports of processed foodstuffs such as “lamburgers.” He also called for a doubling of trade staff in the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, criticising the

Government’s approach as “far too traditional.” The fact that military staff in Washington outnumbered trade people was a hangover from the days of the Empire and the “cold war,” he said. “That’s a sinful use of resources.” Four trade and commercial officers are outnumbered by seven repre-

sentatives of the armed forces. Mr Moore also accused the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, of “academic indulgence” in calling for a new Bretton Woodstype conference. He suggested that Sir Robert should concentrate instead on “bottom line” problems of trade. New Zealand industries,

including the Meat Board and Federated Farmers, had not spent enough money on research and development of processed products, Mr Moore said. Mr Moore, in Washington after a visit to Britain, has held talks with a number of Administration officials. He also went round Washington supermarkets to see what was on. offer.