DOMINION TRADE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3042, 31 March 1917, Page 12

DOMINION TRADE

——»— [' ;° BRITAIN'S BIG SHARE SOME INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS Interesting remarks regarding New -Zealand's trade with tho United Kingdom and other countries are contained in the report of His Majesty's Trade Commissioner (Mr. R. AV. Daltoh) en. the trade of the Dominion for the year 1915. The report mentions that "the United Kingdom . maintained its trade with New Zealand at -a surprisingly high, level, having in mind tho difficulties under whioh manufacturers were working." "While this fact- is justifiable cnuso for gratification," adds the' ■fTrade Commissioner, "it should be rev membered that, though the results are not yet as yet remarkable, it is an lindoubted fact that the manufacturers of certain countries not so much afi'ect'ed by the war have taken the opportunity of abnormal conditions to endeav-. pur'not only to capture trade which !was formerly held by euemy countries. Init also to establish themselves in fa'ce of competition.;from whatever quarter. (To! this end'they 1 have been assiduously applying themselves to the appointjmont of agents and tho organisation of selling campaigns. . - .The' result of ithese activities may be more apparerit' in the statistics for 1916." ' i The total imports into Now Zealand ;in 1915 were valued at £21,728,834, 'and the Trade' Commissioner has analysed the figures in order to ascertain iwhat proportion of tho imports were "competitive" from the po ; .nt- of view of the United Kingdom; that'is, cdiir sisted of articles that Ivcre or could .have been! produced in-vbhe United Kingdom. -He shows thtft the "com-, petitive" ■ importß valued at £15,638 J 238 ! _ and that of this .total tho United Kingdom actually supplied !£10,347,248l .The classified figures under this heading are as follows:—- "]!'!.; j : - ','":' ':'■' '".";'""■'£' '" •' {United Kingdom .........; 10,347,248 'Australia ; ,986,231 Canada .....> ,'....;.... .592,310 United States ' 2,064,038 Japan ' ....; -..., ..'!. 288,298' Germany .....', -48,469 Other, countries,;.....! 1,310,744 " Total ..„.......„„.. £15,638,238 "The United Kingdom's share of tho trade which may !be said to be availr able for British inanufacturers remains at-about two4hirds of the total tradey , a proportion which is nothing .short of remarkable, having in mind that during the whole of the'year manufacturers at , Home woro being hard: pressed to supply the enormous requirements of the war as well, as being deprived of a very large percentage of their labour," says the report. ■ "While duo credit must bo given to the.majority of the New Zealand buyers for their, loyalty to former suppliers, the'fact that, in times such'as those through which our manufacturers have passed, they should bo able to maintain their trade, as this high lovel in a market so far. distant .speaks very eloquently for thoir enterprise, for tho efficiency of the shippinglines, and for the protection of tho Navy." \ ; The - Trade Commissioner mentions that the manufacturers of .'the United States_ and Japan have-been, particularly active in establishing selling organisations m the New Zealand market on a more or less permanent, basis. ''Nevertheless, -having in mind what the manufacturers at Home have been able'to accomplish' during the-war and the fact that productive methods have very; 'much -'improved? - :; there "-"seemsground for believing that if during the war,, they do -what they •can--t-o -main-' tain their touch with the market, when the war is over" they will be able to regain their former position, if not to strengthen it. There is, also- ground for presuming that! a ■part at,feast of such success as foreign, manufacturers have liad. in thie "co&ntfy.'duriiig the wa,r. is_ .merely temporary, and will automatically disappear when manufacturers at Home,are.again in position to supply. It has still to be seen, how far the war has,increased the competitive' ability o'f British manufacturers,' but be'presumed that'they will, be on r a more .favourable, basis than ,ever before."