TRADE COMMISSIONER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 321, 7 October 1908, Page 8

TRADE COMMISSIONER.

INTERVIEW WITH MR. C. H. F. ROLLESTON. Mr. G. H. F. Rolleston, the newly appointed commissioner, who will represent the British Board of Trade in New Zealand, arrived by the Athenic yesterday. At the last Imperial Conference it was pointed out, chiefly by Sir Joseph Ward, that while Great Britain lias consuls in foreign countries who report on her manufacturing and industrial opportunities, she has not official representatives in her own dominions overseas to furnish liko information. As tho result of these representations, it was decided to appoint special commercial agents, who should represent British manufacturers in the self-govern-ing colonies, and furnish regular reports 011 all matters affecting their colonial trade. Mr. Rolleston, who is a.New Zealandor by birth, being a son of the late Hon. W. Rolleston, and son-in-law of Mr. H. D. Bell, K.C., was appointed in August last as " His Majesty's Trado Commissioner for New Zealand," and is now preparing to commence the duties of that office. Mr. Rolleston was a member of the Fourth New Zealand Contingent in South Africa, and when peace was declared he became a magistrate in the Transvaal. About a year ago lie went to England, and lias been there since. Special trade commissioners have been appointed also for Canada, South Africa, and Australia, and are now taking up their duties Before leaving England, Mr. Rolleston made a rapid tour of some of tho great manufacturing towns, including London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, and Glasgow. Ho was cordially received by Chambers of Commerce and individual manufacturers, who were found to hold New Zealand in considerable respect, and who spoke with warm appreciation of tho high commercial character of firms with which they had had dealings in this countiy. The general impression was that New Zealand was in a soundly prosperous condition. Mr. Rolleston admits that there seems to have been some diminution of trade at Home, but he does not believo that tile depression will last long. t The headquarters of Mr. Rolleston will be in Wellington, where he expects to have an odico very soon. A tour of the Dominion, designed to make him thoroughly acquainted with tho news of local manufacturers in regard to British trade, will be among his first activities. _ Though Mr. Rolleston will bo the first official British Trade Commissioner resident in New Zealand, this country lias not been entirely out of touch with British manufacturers in the past, since, apart from visits of Messrs. Aves, Morgan, and other representatives of English manufacturing interests, Mr. S. Carroll, secretary of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, lias held the position of correspondent of tho British Board of Trade.