BRITISH INDUSTRIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 226, 18 June 1920, Page 8

BRITISH INDUSTRIES

NECESSITY FOR PREFERENCE TRADE COMMISSIONER ENTERTAINED ADVANCING THE EMPIRE'S INTERESTS A luncheon to Mr.. It. W. Dalton, His Majesty's. Trado Commissioner for New Zealand, was tendered bv the New Zealand Association <jf British Manufacturers and Agents, at Dustin's rooms, Cuba Street, yesterday. Mr. J. L. Morrison presided, and among those present were: Tho Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) and the Mayor (Mr. J. P. I vke, C.M.G../M.P.). ; Tho toast of the "Trade Commissioner" was proposed by the chairman, who expressed tho pleasure of the members of the association at having Mr. Dalton back again from tho Old Country, and Mr. Dnltan, ho said, was the father of the association, If the war had taught .them anything, it had taught them to take a broad view of British industries. (Applause.) He did not want to see any more steel rails, liydraulio cranes, or stram engines coming to New Zealand from any other country than England; any more than lie wanted to see linoleums or hosiery, if British countries could produce them. The association had recently circularised a'.l local bodies throughout the Dominion asking them, all things being equal, to give preference to British goods. (Applause.) The replies received had been most gratifying, mien Mr. Dalton formed the New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and. Agents, the speaker did not think that ho had realised the food ho was doing for tlio members, They had come to know one njiother better. "On behalf of the association," said Mr. Morrison, "I welcome you back again." (Applause.) Wo are pleased to have you, and had you gone'elsewhere we would have been exceedingly . sorry." (Hear, hear.) Look in the Face.

Mr. Daltcay, in reply, said' he was very grateful for the reception that had been accorded him. He wanted to express his deep sense of gratitude io the New Zealand Government, which had removed many difficulties from his path. "During tho war, and since the war, we have all indulged in. a good deal of patriotic sentiment regarding Imperial conditions," said Mr. Dalton, "'and I think we, have ail felt, in a vague way, that when conditions became moro i:ormal the Empire would rise again and establish itself as the premier trading combination in the world. I do not hesitate in the least in believing that we were right, but even with that belief there muse cooio times of grave doubt whether wo might liavo been drawing conclusions as a result of too much selfconfidence. I think the time lias crane when we shouid look stern facts in the faoe, consider our position, and devise practical means whereby it can be rebuilt to what it was, or more than what it was, before the war. It is not ir.y place to do moro than consider the position. in its relation to British trade in New Zealand and the potentinl position of British industry in general m relation to the present trading position. _ It is my practioe to analy6o the trading statistics of New Zealand in r.rder to ascertain tho British share of what I call 'competitive' imports. In 1911 the British sharo c.f competitive imports amounted to 67 per cent, of the total. By 1919 this share had decreased to 45 per cent. Inthe meantime the United States share of competitive imports had increased, from 11 per cent, to '27 per cent. In textiles and textile Roods, the share of tho United Kingdom in the trade of New Zealand declined from 80 per cent. •to 62 per cent., not a very serious declsie taking all the facts into consideration. In metal manufactures the decline was from 76 per cent, to 50 per cent., and in machinery thcrt was an even more serious decline from 59 per cent, to 25 per cent.. Bearing in inind that the two latter industries were those in'which ordinary trade was most seriously affected by tho war, I think it is surprising that tho decline was not even greater. While tihcre is some cause for gratification here tho seriousness of the actual decline is not thereby relieved, and it is imperative, therefore, that all those who .are interested in British trade in New Zealand should ascertain where the main weaknesses have been and where remedies for the present position can be found. If we can rectify the position in these trades wo lmve gone a long way towards re-establishing British trade in this market." .

Gfounds for Optimism. He believed that, approaching the actual figures in the most critical frame of mind, they save good ground for optimism. This was particularly true in tho textile trades.- As far as the other industries to which he had referred were concerned, it might bo true that the position was serious, but lie thought they had every assurance that, month by month now, an improvement would be shown. In regard to the export trade from Home, Jlr. Dalton said that this was rapidly increasing month by month, and 'ho thought it might safely, be said that they were well on the way'to more normal times in respect to obtaining deliveries from the Old Country. "My [ lateat official reports from Homo go to show that difficulties are gradually being removed, and that the present year should show marked improvement in' conditions." continued the speaker. '"So much have conditions now improved that there is, I am told, reasonable ground for the belief that, by the end of ,the present year, Great, Britain will have regained her position as the premier overseas trading country in the world. (Applause.) This does not, of course, mean that wo can afford to sit down and wait for our trad« in every market to bo re-established, without putting forth any particular effort in this direction. I believe implicitly in tho desire of New Zealand to purchase its imported goods from the United Kingdom, but even that will not bo sufficient to meet the need hei'e. As far as you -are concerned as agents, I fee'l sure that you are prepared to give to the sale of British goods the very best endeavour. I know, too, that you prefer to 6611 British goods. While I appreciate the sentiment which gives rise to this preference, I cannot help but feel that this feeling in favour of British goods also arisos from sound commercial views." Tho Trade Commissioner's Office.. Mr. Dalton made extended reference to the importance of the merchant service in its relation' to overseas trade, and then passed on to the position of his own olhce. He contended: that in

the process of reorganisation : and recovery of British trade in tliia market, his office could be of immense service if properly taken advantage of.

"I think it stands to reason that we should be of service,, as we are in tho position to make representations through tho British Government on matters affecting trade," added Mr. Dalton. "You will have heard that my office has been strengthened bv the addition of my assistant, Captain Baynes, and we are now in the position to do more than wo have been able to do in the past in the direction of working towards the advancement of. British trade in this market. This being: so, I am anxious that business concerns throughout New Zealand, however largo or however small, should know that they can turn to my office with the certainty that they will be sympathetically received, and that every effort will be made to give .assistance to them." (Applause.)

Mr. P. Meadowe-roft proposed the toast of "Parliament." The Association of British Manufacturers, he said, was nonnnlitical, and all it was formed for wns to foster y British industries.' (Hear, hear.) He would like to see n tariff put on against poods from America and .Taoan, both of which countries had been cenpinn irreat trade benefits in the last five vears, in order to Rive the British manufacturer a chance to "pet his own back" (Applause.) When tho revision of the Customs tariff was made in 1921, lie thought, it would be an excellent idea if trade representatives could bo appointed by the association to assist

the Customs experts in the preparation of the ne(v tariff.

Customs Tariff and Imperial Preference. Response'to the toast was made by the Prime Minister. • Mr. Massey expressed his great pleasure at being present at the function. He knew that Mr. Dalton had done particularly, good work for the industries of Britain and in doing that service for Britain he had not forgotten New Zealand. (Applause.) British industry had lost ground during the war period, but he had "sufficient confidence in British pluck, British enterprise, and British tenacity to believe that the tjme was coming when they would regain, not only'what tlwy had lost, but .that they would attain to that degree' of industrial supremacy which tlioy had enjoyed some years ,igo. (Applause.) Cabinet had decided that the revision' of the tariff would form part of the work of the sessiorf of 1921. This was not to be undertaken lightly. It Tcquircd a tremendous amount of work on the part of - the Department i of Customs, and 1 it also took a long time to get the measure through Parliament. Since the tariff was revised about 13 years ago, quite a number of anomalies, had crept into it. and not only did it need revision bnjlly, but it badly needed amending in the . terms. Mr. Dalton had' expressed tno hope that they would support British industry. He was not there to "blow his own trumpet," but he wanted to remind them of something which thev had probably forgotten. He had had the honour of moving a resolution, at the Imperial Conference in favour of Imperial preference, and this was agreed to unanimously. He moved, the same resolution again in the Imperial War Cabinet, and it was again. agreed to unanimously. That had been adopted.by the Imperial Government as part of their policy and was now the law of the land. What had been done on the motion of the present' Chancellor of the ' Exchequer, Mr. Austen Chamberlain, was only a very small instalment of what would come'afterwards. The principle had been adopted, the thin edge of tho wedge had been inserted, and he hoped that as the years went on the wedge would bo driven liiome,- aud that they would have a law providing for Imperial preference >n every part of the Empire. (Applause.) They had had it in this country for years past, and they wanted to do more. They itnaid see that, as far as possible, everything tl'.Oy required in their everyday lives wa9 produced within the boundaries of 'the British Empire, so that in war or peace they would not' be dependent on other nations for supplies of necessaries. Ho was not going to di«cuss the policies of fre.etrade or protection for one moment, but looking back over tho events of thfe last quarter or half century he wanted to say that tho British peoplo appeared to have tho idea that they should give preference to every nation except thoir own. They had to rid themselves of ■ that idea—they should give preference to their own people. If tlrey did anything short of that they would not be doing their duty to the Empire and their fellow-citizens- m every part of tho world. ; Tho Commandeer, The commandeer wiis coming to an end, and he did not think it would affect the country seriously 'before the end of the year; perhaps it would not affect them seriously even then, and he was optimis-

tic enough to believe that nothing serious, would happen. But they could not havo been so prosperous, find money could not hnve been so plentiful in the war per- ; iod, if that arrangement had not been made with the Imperial Government. (Applause.) In 6pito of what had been said to the contrary, np better arrangement could havo been made, and it was to be regretted that the commandeer could not bn continued for anothlcr year until thev had got through tine period of reconstruction. Mr, Massey conchid- ! ed by urging that mora should be done in tile way of developing trade with the 1 islands of the Pacific, and by emplias- 1 Isinsf that the sentimental connection be- ' tweln the various parts of the Empire had been immensely strengthened by the events of the war. 1