BRITISH TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 137, 14 June 1927, Page 5

BRITISH TRADE

PLEA FOR SYMPATHY

REGAINING LOST GROUND

■AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS

An eloquent plea for greater appreciation of the difficulties tho British manufacturer has had to contend with during and since tho war was made

by Sir Archibald Boyd - Carpenter, of the British trade delegation, following a speech by .the Prime Minister at a diuuer tendered in honour of the visitor? last night by the New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents.

The dinner' was held at the' Boy.il Oak Hotel, the guests being the members of the ■ delegation—Sir Archibald Boyd-Carpenter, M.P., Mr. A. E. Perm, and Lieutenant-Colonel A. Hacking, ■ D.S.O.—the Prime Minister (the Bight Hon. J. G. Coates) the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. A. D. M'Leod) and the British Trade Commission jr (Mr. L. B. Beale). In proposing the toast of "Our Guests," the president of the association (Mr. Gr. -H. Scott) said the delegation represented one of England's best industries, and was the first of its kind to visit New Zeajand. The association extended to -them a most cordial welcome, especially as they came from the country wo affectionately called "Home." Their presence indicated industrial recovery in a British industry which had 1. een hit harder during the war than any other. It also indicated the beginning of a new era, and a determination by tho British manufacturer to win back lost trade and gain new trade. Industrial prosperity at Home must have wide effects, especially in the sale .of our own primary products abroad. Mr. Scott referred to the purposes of the visit of tho delegation, and went on to icinark that "servicing in motor ears could only be successful if carried out on substantial lines. The British manufacturer had not had his fair share of the motor trade with New Zealand hitherto, but a definite forward move was now being made to effect improvements. Freights contributed a tr.emeridous impost against British cars, which were shipped on a basis of 77s against 37s 6d in the' case of competitors. England was determined to evolve a car suited for use in the. Dominions. Economic requirements demanded a lighter car, and a vehicle of low running cost for New Zealand. He spoke of the great improvement recently in the British trade in motor-cycles with New Zealand, and said he was optimistic that England would soon be successful in capturing the bulk of the trade in motor-cars. She was just beginning to produce on the larger basis, and she was equipped as well as any other country in the world. The association felt that the Glovernment was earnestly desirous of facilitating trade with British manufacturers. (Applause.) FORGINO AHEAD. j In supporting the toast, the Prime Minister welcomed the guests on behalf of the Dominion, making special *ncntion of the Maori people. Mr. Ooates spoke of tho necessity of binding the Empire more closely together, and added that there need be no^fcar of its disintegrating. It was by trade that tho tics could be cemented, and it was therefore a pleasure to meet representatives of one of the greatest trading concerns of the Empire. He felt sure the industry would meet with success. We wero anxious as a Dominion, to help Empire trade, and to buy as largely as possible the products of the Home Land. Mr.. Coates referred to ■■ the many ideas as to which typo of motor-car was best suited to New Zealand, and to tho considerable number of cars in the Dominion in proportion to the population. Great Britain had led tho world in most means of transportation, and had the capacity, now | that the war was finished, to meet the requirements of overseas Dominions in regard to mojtor-cars as well as supply her own needs. A great proportion of tho trade lost in the war years had already been regained, and she was now the greatest exporter of electrical machinery in the world. (Applause.) England had accomplished wonders, and was now forging ahead, fast regaining her lost trading business. In fact, sho was still tho greatest trading country in tho world, and he felt confident she would soon regain tho position of superiority she had before tho war. New 2"-jland would do her best to assist. Tho people of New Zealand were asked to endeavour to ensure that their purchases wero British-made, for support, of British-made goods meant benefit to oursolves. New Zoaland trade from Great Britain had decreased.since 1014, but wo must remember that the purchasing power had been affected in the same period. He pointed out that the average net cash preference given to British goods in New Zoaland amounted to about £3,500,000 per annum. He was sure there wero British motor-cars' quite as good as those of other competitors, and a big improvement in British cars exported, to New Zealand had taken place recently. English manufacturers were quite capable of supplying a suitable car for Dominion use, principally in ; respect to lowncss of running cost per mile, our main requirement. Our difficulty in Now Zealand was that trade was about five times against us. (Hear, hear.) We wanted to do business with the peoplo who wero doing business with us. That was the best way to maintain our trade balance. If the business we were doing with other countries went to Great Britain the peoplo of Great Britain would have that much more money with which to purchase our primary products. (Applause.) Mr. Coates said they.wero relying upon the delegation to make it possible for New Zealand to improve her trade -with the Homeland in tho purchase of motor-cars. BRITAIN'S POST-WAR PROBLEMS. Sir Archibald Boyd-Cnrpen tor was warmly received as he tosc to reply. He referred to "the terrible record" the Prime , Minister had read out against the motor trade hitherto with Great Britain, and said that one must remember, when British trade was being criticised, that it had never been built up except by the supreme needs of the peoplo when in advorso circumstances. In the first place the people had gone to India for spices to make their food more palatable. Trade followed. Thus the tentacles of Empire trade had been spread throughout the world. To-day the needs of Great Britain were as great as ever, but hedges were raised against the Empire all over the world. As Britishers they wished to develop the Empire in such a way as to break down those barriers in God' 3 own time, enabling Empire trade to advance. In the success of inter-Imperial trade depended the success and safety of the Empire itself, and there must be an attempt on the part of tho various parts of the Empire to understand their mutual difficulties. In England, long before the war, they were hampered by terrible taxation, the result being'that everyone had to add to the price of his product. Then came' the Great War, when all the manufactories were converted for the purpose of making munitions. The whole attention of the workers wa3 diverted to

other things, and competitors seized the opportunity to enter the markets, i-ney managed to create a prejudice,in favour of their own goods, and at the ena of the war tho people had to reconvert their manufactories in the face of mgn taxation and. increasing financial stringency. On top of all that, England was asked to pay her indebtedness to a friendly nation, and did it. c'Applause.) Such action was esesntial, for the parity of exchange had to be maintamed so that the purchasing power night bo maintained. Trouble had ™f trouble_a coal strike, a rail,s I .\ ke ' moi'° important, a mouldi S e ,,™ kc 'il" engineers' strike, .and !hil- £ tCfui a"d f«"tMtie general whit ti, f ° Mked them t0 ««>«o wV mCaut t0 tho o««ook of industrial pursuits—slump, decreased output, and increased financial output. And mi.l it -i *""»>•■ little .island" had the ii^ • a"d °"Iy lßst *Qav' for the first year in its history, showed an adverse national balance. •'There is something to bo said, after all?" he Sami a) nUdSt 1 aP, plaUSe ' "for the little isianu beyond the seas." MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING NEEDED. iva^i de, leSatio1V said Sir Archibald, ' not here to criticise, but to understand our difficulties, and their mission and t° on?oura ge mutual understanding of rl, i 0 fo^ify the resource! It,, h% Empire and maintain the stand,a ™ °f llviug- Let them take counsel together and try to understand one anere,7 ™ dlfficu!ties- We had shouldered enormous responsibilities in the war, and had emerged from the conflict with honour. Our standard of living was still the highest in the world, i™ T*w W not contemPlate a lowermg ot that standard, a possibility that might _cause us to regard the Zt ,the WOrld as drawing sihl ■•■ And Tet th£t was Possible : a . cry should g0 iv tim(j of financial stringency, while fools held ! the seats of office who had no regard for the welfare of the people in.the farflung Dominions, for taxation' of the Dominions' primary produce. "And so it comes to this," said tho speaker.we.hang together or wo hang separately in.this matter. . _ To my mind there is nothing more important from the British Empire point of view than that we should get to understand our mutual difficulties. Don't allow yourselves to enter into a spirit of higher critical i judgment upon people far removed from you by geographical conditions who are intensely desirous of understanding your point of view. Let «s pray that under God's Providence more of you will visit us and more of us will visit you, so that we may gam a keener appreciation of our mutual difficulties. The common weal of our Empire depends upon a closer touch with, one another. In so far as British manufacturers have been debarred from doing all they could to meet your demands and wants, it has been not from want of will, but of opportunity." Great Britain was now:doiug all she could to understand and meet the needs of the Empire. '' We merely ask you to respect our difficulties at Home," he added. As the speaker concluded those present rose in a body and loudly and insistently applauded his speech. STILL LEADS THE WORLD. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. A. D. M'Leod), in proposing the toast "British Trade," paid a..tribute to' Sir Archibald's eloquence, and gave an assurance of the loyalty and sympathy of New Zealand to the Homeland. That feeling, he said, would continue to knit this country to Great Britain. He spoke of the difficulties of the Dominion in the face of tariffs, of the larger proportion of exports to the Homeland, and the tremendous room that remained for development of trade In" our primary ."products. Great Britain would not suffer in her trade with New Zealand so long as she continued to send out to the Dominion as Trade Commissioners men of tho stamp of Mr. R. "W. Dalton and Mr. L. B. Beale. (Applause.) Those present would, long remember the inspiration, of Sir Archibald's address. Mr. Beale, in responding, said the delegation had a far wider significance than representation of the British niotor trade. In his opinion there were no other two countries in the world which were so interdependent.' He felt proud that England still led the world. Within ono per cent, she held the same proportion of trade as she had beforo the war, and she had increased her world trade to a greater extent than any other country or combination of countries. Quality, tho amount of skilled labour represented in exported articles, and a square deal were still features of British manufactures. The rest of the world knew very little of the staggering burden of taxation at Home. England still occupied the proudest position in tho world, and ho was sure she would continue to hold and better that position. The people were trying to' maintain their inheritance, to improve it, and to retain the reputation that had been built up for fine quality and a square deal. (Applause.) The gathering concluded with cheers and musical honours for the principal guests.