TRADE WITH THE EAST

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 20, 24 January 1924, Page 6

TRADE WITH THE EAST

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW

ZEALAND

MR. WILFORD'S INVESTIGATIONS.

As a result of investigations during his recent trip to the-East, Mr.1 T. M. Wilford, M.P., Leader of the Opposition, has formed the ; opinion that there are great possibilities in trade between New Zealand and Japan, China, Java, Singapore, and other parts of the East. To-day, states Mr. Wilford, Japan is 1 entering upon a definite course of doing away with the Japanese dress, especially in the case of the young folk, and the people are wearing woollen garments. Dr. Toda; Professor of Hygiene at the Kyota University, is leading the, movement.

The East is, states Mr: Wilford, and will be' for all time, a great market for dried milk and butter. He saw no New Zealand brands of condensed, milk in Java, Singapore, . China/ or Japan, though he saw many ' other brands. Singapore, he explained, is a free port, no Customs duties whatever being levied there, and there are also no port dues or shipping. The effect of this was seen in' the' German penetration of Singapore Most people in Singapore and the Malay States, he instanced, possessed a thermos flask. The Germans began by flooding the market with thermos flasks, and to-day ythey are sold in the stores there at 2s'4d apiece. Mr. Wilford is of opinion that it would be .a gopd thing if those interested got into touch with the principal merchants of Singapore in regard to dried milk, condensed milk and butter. He pointed out at present that large quantities of butter are being exported from this country to Australia, and exported in onepound tins to Singapore as. Australian butter. Why could not our butter, he asked, be tinned here and be sent direct to the free poet of Singapore? Natal coal has apparently captured the market at1 Singapore, ousting that from Australia and Japan. There was perhaps a"possibility of developing some trade with the East in our coal. In Mr. Wilford's opinion Java and the Dutch East Indies, with their huge populations were ripe for exploitation with dried milk, condensed milk, butter, and thin rugs. He thought it would pay to have a commercial agent in the East.