VOICE OF COMMERCE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 102, 4 May 1925, Page 5

VOICE OF COMMERCE

BUSY WELLINGTON YEAR

REVIEW OF DOMINION TRADE

A WORD TO BUSINESS MEN.

While our members have increased slowly and surely, we must • make comment on the number of business men who have so far failed to interest themselves in the Chamber of Commerce and to give it their prae- ' tical support. These business men, while' ever ready to compliment the ■■ chamber on the good work it is doing, and ever ready to take the bene-" ' fits and concessions that have been secured by Chamber of Commerce action, do not exhibit a great keenness to assist it in a practical manner.—Wellington Chamber of Com-- • merce annual report. The annual report of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce despatched tomembers on Saturday gives a full review;-' of the trade of the Dominion, in which! it is stated that while "Importation is in keeping with the demands resultant) from the development of the country, nevertheless imports require to be care-, fully watched to prevent any recurrence of excessive importation. The excess of exports over imports for the last year, was £3,382,149, and although this, does' not provide sufficient to meet outside oh-* ligations, it is a very good one, since. many items in the nature of long-term investments in our Dominion would ba | included in imports." _ Values of, main "exports for the past three years are as f0110w:—1924 £32 - 612,707; 1923, £45,967,119; 1922 -R42 ' '26,249.. Imports for the same years are: 1924, £48.527,070: 1923, £43 363'„• 855; 1922, £34,826,074. .. . ;. ■...'.:.,!- ---_ Reference is made to the import trade in detail and to the wool, dairy, produce meat, hides, hemp, and other trades. A GREAT SELLING CENTRE. i Ifc, is remarked that the : quantity' or wool offered at the sales in Wellington during the season will bo' 111,339 bales Wellington is by far the largest wodfselling centre m the Dominion, and, in the words of the Bradford correspondent o£ the Bosoon Transcript,' 'is the premier-wool-selling; centre of the Dominion.'. The total offering in the Dominion at the, JSovember-Apnl sales was 507,101 bales "• Ihe report states as to dairy CnH, that v? he En-Slish consumer*, to Z *h?.\ ualJ ty of produceto be of high standard, and much credit • must be given to the producers and officials of the Dairy Division in working.* together to maintain. this high stand" • BRITISH PREFERENCE. "The Wellington Chamber of Com-' merce considered the proportion of British labour and/or material required in goods imported into New Zealand to qualify them for the reduced duties- under the British preferential tariff «; much too low, and advocated an increase above the present requirement o£ 25 per cent, suggesting 50 per cent., and other chambers of commerce throughout New Zealand supported this 'step. New Zealand advisedly should be in accord with Australia in any action taken,-and tue two Governments have teen in communication on the subject. Australia has since announced that as from Ist April, 1925, there will be alterations in the proportions of United Kingdom labour and/or material that must "enter into_ imported goods .before these may obtain the benefit of British preferential duties, and these in general demand a, proportion of over 75 per cent,, though on goods on which all commercially possible processes of manufacture have been performed in the United Kingdom "or where the goods are of a class and kind not commercially manufactured in Australia, provided they contain at least h per cent, of United Kingdom labour and/or material, preference will be "ranted New Zealand grants preference on British goods' from all parts of the Em-' pire and not only from the United JUngdora, and so somewhat different.conditions apply with us. The NW Zealand Government announced a de-?. cision -to adopt a requirement of 75 per; cent. British labour and/or material but* postponement of this increase has W$ made .till Ist October, 1925, and it is' too early to say whether any modification.! THE PREMIER PORT. The Review contains figures, ..showing* , the mwards shipping overseas and coas-,' tal of the four mam ports of the Do- 1' mion as follows :— • ■ ■ ; ■„. „. , Vessels. Tons. Vessels 7 Tons' g» n:::: SS 1:S SS !» ■ Following the world-wide practice, ex- * ports _ have been credited to the port 1 shipment on outgoing steamers, this j method of recording having been, adopt- 1 ed m New Zealand at the urgent repre- ' ! sentatiou of. tliis Chamber. The -fie- ' tires of the trade of the port of Welling. ' i ton for the past two years are :— ." ! 1921. 1023" I Imports ..... 14,004,782 32,7^5"7»i " ! Exports ..... 10,017,631 M^SS.SOU : I Wellington's central position" a^u'irf' earns for itself the first place in the-' Dominion for exports, arid'if comes second for imports. For tonnage.of.'carco I uaudled last year Wellington was second I with 1,605,912 tons (of which 343,849 tons were transhipments), Auckland being first with 1,867,620 tons. The constructive work of the port is dealt with, showing that the Harbour Board is committed to. works in progress involving expenditure of £300,000.. lo keep pace with present-day requirements, and to further supplement tho already excellent equipment of the port, negotiations are in progress to acquire a floating crane to handle heavy lifts up to about 60 tons, also a modern harbour tug fitted with tte latest salvage and fire-fighfciiig apparatus. A definite step has also been taken by the board towards the provision of a modern dock by the establishment of a fund for this purpose, and, as this fund will be added to by contributions from time to lime, it will not be many years before a substantial amount will be accumulated and another facility in the near future in keep-ing with the demands ofour shipping will be provided. Railways, main roads, hydro-electric developments, telephones, and postal facilities arc. all referred to. and a special stfrtion deals with "Publicity. 3">nmhilnn and Local." .As to Mm" Inst sub]Pfl. thi' council rpporls : "While owii:^ In paurjly of funds we have uol-lmri} :ib!c to do all ■ wo might, ],„,,,, t0 ,]„_ still we .have, made valuable use of t.'m moans at our disposal, am) our i-lToils have not been without response. :is tho im.'l-eiiseii numbor of inquiries received hv (he chamber bear witness, and we. are enabled to give our members' names a great deal of prominence, and to perform .many "services'in their behalf."