PORT OF MANCHESTER

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 299, 14 September 1936, Page 5

PORT OF MANCHESTER

Trade With New Zealand VAST POSSIBILITIES Before sailing by the maiden voyage of the Awatea for Australia to-mor-row, Jlr. Noel V.' Wade; assistant representative for New Zealand;: and; Australia of the Port ‘of Manchester, re-, turned to' Wellington'yesterday from Nelson, having' completed; a tour of over 3000 miles jn the Dominiop, visiting the principal ports and producing centres in the North anti South Islands.

Mr. Wade expressed the opinion that during next and subsequent export seasons considerable development would take place in the- Dominion’s direct trade wfth the 'great industrial consuming areas of the North .and Midlands of England, served directly and most economically vja lhe Manchester Ship Canal. • During the past seven weeks Mr. Wade has made contact with high Government officials and business houses controlling every variety of primary produce exported from the Dominion, and also with the principal officials of the shipping companies engaged in the trade between New Zealand and West Coast United Kingdom ports.

The opinion of exporting interests appeared unanimous that the present time offered a greater opportunity than ever betfore for New Zealand to secure a larger share in the supply of the vast quantities of foodstuffs consumed in the great industrial area centred on Manchester. “The many millions which constitute the great, workshop of the North and Midlands of -England are to-day more Empire-minded’ than ever' before,” he said'. “They are ready to buy New Zealand’s butter, cheese, meat and fruit in preference to the foreign article. If the Dominion’s foodstuffs reach the Manchester man’s breakfast table via the great waterway and inland port he has created, at a cost approaching £23,000,000, unnecessary and costly transport and handling charges, such as are incurred in reaching him by other indirect routes, will have been avoided and both producer and consumer will directly benefit.” Mr. Wade continued that unless New Zealand’s primary exports destined for the greater Manchester area arrived direct to the Manchester docks, there was also the loss of that valuable asset and goodwill, which would otherwise’ be won, by the* employment of Manchester dockers, transport workers and a very large' chain of local workers who would handle and sell the Dominion produce (it thus being self-adver-tising) and thereby earn the wages with which to purchase it. The Manchester man naturally wished to see his great waterway and port used to the fullest extent and discriminating and hard-headed business man that he was, would give first preference to those who used it. Such measures as New Zealand’ exporters were now prepared to take, by co-ordinated effort, to develop the greater Manchester market would materially assist the shipping companies ,to improve the facilities they had already provided from New Zealand to Britain’s great inland port and market.