CANADIAN TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 105, 6 May 1927, Page 8

CANADIAN TRADE

BETTER, INTERCHANGE

PROPOSED DELEGATION

OFF TILL AFTER SESSION

When ho whs in Canada on his way buck from the Imperial Conference the I'iimo Minister (the Bight lion. J. G. Coatcs) made several references to the possibility of a commercial agreoniO7ib between Canada and New Zealand, whereby business trading might be placed on an improved basis so far as each Dominion is concerned. Mr. Coatcs dcclarod that there was a genuine desire on the part of the Dominion to promote trade between them, and his Government was doing all in its power to help, and the appointment of a Trade Commissioner to Canada would now be considered. Ho also advocated an adjustment of tho trade balanco between tho two sister Dominions, and it was understood from his remarks in Onada that a delegation from New Zealand would visit Canada in the near future to negotiate a trade agreement. On account of the proximity of the session of Parliament, it is not likely that the delegation, which would probably bo headed by a responsible Minister, will go to Canada until the end of the present year or early next year. On tho question of the appointment of a Trade Commissioner to Canada, it is interesting to recall that the Government sought legislative authority three years ago for provision for the appointment of a Commissioner in America to promote commercial interests. New Zealand already has a Government representative at Vancouver, but there is no direct trade representative, whilo Canada has had an official trade representative in New Zealand since some years before the war. Section 30 of the Finance Act, 1924, enables the Governor-General to appoint from time to time a Commissioner for New Zealand in Canada and tho United States to carry out instructions from the Government respecting tho commercial interests of the Dominion in relation to Canada and the United States. That authority has not yet been utilised.

The Prime Minister made it clear while he was in Canada that there was room for improvement in the trade Canada does with New Zealand. "Canada has five or six times the best of the -deal in trade between our countries," he declared in Ottawa, "but I m. it say that with the assistance of your Prime Minister and his Minister of Trade and Commerce we have been able to set the -ball rolling that will lead to a better interchange of trado between Canada and New Zealand." "There ought to be some good business in my country for you," he said in Vancouver. "No doubt you are doing a good business with us. You are getting five times as much business from us, I believe, as we are from you. Is there anything we can do to balance that trade? Our principle has not been high tariffs. We want to do business with other people, but it mu3t cut both ways." Mr. Coates said he recognised that Canada had primary products for sale, and there seemed to be some misunderstanding, as there always was whero primary products were concerned in regard to the importation of such products into Canada from New Zealand. All lie asked for was a fair share of tho sale of primary products that Canada now imported from other countries. "If wo map out a way in which better business relations can be established," he said, "we will try and do so. "We aro roturning to New Zealand with a desire to make a definite move in tho direction of practical assistance with your Government."

Anothor important factor that is probably responsible for the delegation to Canada being deferred until after the forthcoming Parliamentary session is the present sitting of tho Tariff Commission, tho recommendations of which in somo respects aro bound to have somo bearing upon the question of inter-Dominion trade between Canada and New Zealand.