INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 220, 13 June 1933, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN

Mr. Paish Observes Spirit of Confidence NOT LAGGING BEHIND No fear is entertained by Mr. L. A. Paish, H.M. Trade Commissioner for New Zealand, who returned by the Makura yesterday, that Britain, if she regains her markets, will be able to compete with the foreigner and more than hold her own. She was by no means lagging behind in the way of industrial development, and the application of modern methods to manufacturing, he said, and in many cases extensive schemes of reconstruction had been put into operation. Mr. Paish said that undoubtedly there was a brighter feeling in Britain, and wherever he went he found no signs of despondency among the great manufacturers. There seemed to be a realisation that there wa.s need to tighten up s a little and possibly work a little harder.

Great Britain appreciated the fact that New Zealand to her was a sheltered market, for she did get substantial preferences against the foreigner, but it had to be remembered that there were hundreds of markets in which she was selling against world competition —places in which she got no preference at all. She simply had to sell on sheer merit. She had been doing this for the last 100 years at least, and there was no reason to, think, as some did. that she was done as an industrial nation, and decadent. Manufacturers were busily reconstructing and wiping out obsolete plant, and there seemed to be no pessimism as to the future. Mr. Paish mentioned that during his tour he gave 500 interviews to firms interested in New Zealand trade. They looked upon the Dominion in this way: "We are grateful for the preference that you give us, and we do not ask for more, but we think that some of the Industries have got too high a rate of preference, and it is really desirable in their own interest that it should be lowered.” There was no feeling of any kind against New Zealand; one had only to read the Ottawa agreement to realise that the New Zealand people were in rather a special position. t Business interests were looking hopefully to a successful result following the London Economic Conference," and the Dominions would be specially concerned with tariff tribunals which were being set up. It was hoped that if the ip.rt or i.. 0 Ottawa agreement were carried out, there would be a great increase of trade, both importing and exporting.

Mr. Paish mentioned the wave of economic nationalism that had taken possession of the countries of the world after the war. To a certain extent it was good, he added, but it could be pushed beyond a certain point where really there was no advantage. Of course, if a nation desired it, it could be entirely self-sufficing, but it would lose all the Advantages of international trading, and Its standard of living would undoubtedly Yall. 9