SWEDEN AND NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 125, 19 February 1921, Page 12

SWEDEN AND NEW ZEALAND

POSSIBILITIES OF RECIPROCAL TRADE HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT "New Zealand appears to have immense possibilities. It is most remarkable that a Government has been able to take such strides for the welfare of the people, with a minimum of bureaucracy and red tape.” This statement was made by Mr. S. H. Busch, of Stockholm, Sweden, who has been visiting New Zealand on special business, after having toured India on behalf of his Government. In conversation with a Dominion reporter yesterday, prior to his departure for Australia, by the Moeraki, Mr. Busch expressed himself as being remarkably struck with the country. He stressed the importance of a comprehensive reciprocal trade between Sweden and the Dominion. "It seems that in New Zealand little is known of Sweden,” he said. "We are a great manufacturing country, and after having seen for myself the particular needs of the Dominion, I am absolutely in favour of direct interchange between th© two countries. Sweden is by no means a self-supporting country as far as food is concerned, and there are groat possibilities for trad© from New Zealand in that direction. Again, in Sweden, we have an over-production of machinery, which is undoubtedly needed hero. What is required, however, is a direct line of cargo steamers from Sweden to this country, and when I rctum to Stockholm I am going to interview the directors of Sweden’s biggest shipping company, with a view to having a direct line established. There is at present direct trade between Sweden and Australia.” The Ratsi of Exchange.

Mr. Busch stated that the rate of exchange between Sweden and New Zealand, regulated, of course, from Ixindon, had been fairly stable, owing to the fact that England .and Sweden needed each other’s products. "Our o most important product,” he added, "is iron, the Swedish ore being world-famous; and as a result of this the steel industry is well developeii, and the machinery produced is of high quality.” Mr. Busch told of the system of engineering training in Scandinavia. This differed from the English method, which possessed "too many books and not enough practical work,” and from the German, which was just the reverse. The Swedish system, he thought, was the happy medium. In Sweden, students were taught .that there were other countries than their own in the world, and it .was partly as a result of this that such interest was being taken in other lands, the British Empire especially. “Since my tour began.” continued Mr. Busch, "I have marvelled at the similarity between Sweden and New Zealand. ’Travellers from Sweden told me in Stock•holm that I would find the resemblance but I -was, nevertheless, surprised. The country is one of agricultural workers, of mountains, and of rivers that could be used, as are many in Sweden, for the purpose of producing hydro-electric pouer. The people I have found interesting and friendly, without the habitual reserve of the Englishman.” Hydro-Electric Schemes. It is not generally known that practically every portion of Sweden, in the cities and out in the country, is dotted with hydro-electric poiver-stations, yet Mr. Busch emphasised yesterday. "The Swedish Government, as early as 1906, realised the over-growing value of electricity; and it to put into good use the many swifb-fiow-ing rivers and powerful waterfalls which are a feature of practically all of Scandinavia,” he said. “At first, naturally, both people and officials were doubtful as to success, but'when the first plant established, with four units of 12,504 horse-power each, proved insufficient, followed by the installation of fifteen units, the country realised ’he value of water power for electrical purposes and acted accordingly. The State at the present day owns most of the plants. The largest is nt a place called Trollhatten, where fifteen units are installed, and some of the more famous stations are at Porjus, Alfkarleby, and Untra. The country has derived untold benefit from hydro-electricity. There is to-day scarcely a portion of Sweden where the farmer does not do his thrashing by electricity, controlled by his own little power plant, portion of a bigger reticulation scheme. His farmhouse is electrically lighted and heated. In the cities,* of course, electric cars play a large part in the transportation problem, and coni and gas are fast becoming Ixick numbers. In addition, the railroads of Sweden are all becoming electrified, which will mean that the country will not need to worry in the event of a world coal shortage, as water power is much cheaper and much cleaner. And the State has been instrumental in securing all the reforms I have quoted.” New Zealand and Hydro-Electricity. In conclusion, Mr. Busch said he thought that within a very few years hydro-electric schemes should be developed' hero in as comprehensive a manner as in Sweden. He has been oyiw some of the country in which lay rivens and waterfalls at which it was intended to place power stations, and 1 e thought that electricity would prove the greatest of boons to the farmer. "I have noticed the attention that is being given to power boards by the Government,” he said. "In Sweden exactly Hie same cause was gone through. Here, just as there, the State seems to bo doing its best, through the Government, to gain the improvement which electricity undoubtedly brings.”