TRADE WITH THE FAR EAST

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 105, 29 January 1924, Page 10

TRADE WITH THE FAR EAST

MR. WILFORD’S VIEWS RIPE FOR EXPLOITATION As the result of his visit to Japan and the Far East, Mr. T. M. Wilford has returned to New Zeala.nd convinced that there is a good market there for New Zealand products. In the course of an interview, he remarked tlhat his observations and inquiries went to show that the old form of dress in Japan was gradually being recognised as unhygiene, and woollen goods were finding a way in. The climate of Japan, Mr. Wilford pointed out, was so largely like that of New Zealand tiiat our dress must eventually be used. Walk down th« main street of anv Japanese town at night and you will see, even in the evening, hundreds of Japanese dressed in European style. Now, would it rot be wise for our country to look on Japan, not only as a possible market in the future, but as one well worth cultivating right away? I would ndvise the wool-growers of this country to get together and send accredited agents to Japan, for, the Japanese, like New Zealanders, and are most friendly disposed to trade. That is ir.y opinion after meeting members of the chambers of commerce in that country. “The East is, and rill be for al) time, a great market for dried milk, condensed milk, and butter. I saw no New Zealand brands of condensed milk, either in Java, (Singapore, China, or Japan, though I. saw ;nany ether brands. There is an immense field and a huge population in the East, wanting good articles in all these lines. Lot New Zealand immediately get into touch with the principal merchants of Singapore, or the Chamber of Commerce, in regard to dried juiilk, condensed milk, and butter ?nd in regard to butter let me say this, that huge quantities of butter are being exported from this country to Australia, and then tinned in one-pound tins and sent to Singapore as Australian butter. Why cannot our butter be tinned here and sent direct to the free port of Singapore without loss of time? “Come, again, to the Dutch East. Java, with its population of, roughly speaking, thirty-eight millions, and the Dutch East Indies, with their population of fifty-seven millions altogether, are ripe for exploitation with dried milk, condensed milk, butter, and thin rugs. Is it not possible, therefore, for something to be done in those directions to help our country’s trade. Personally, to siUfi up fny remarks, I believe that it would pay to have a commercial agent in the Fast; and if the butter people, the milk people, and the woollen people could see what I have seen, they would, I am sure, take care that no time elapsed before this move was made.”