TRADE COMMISSION

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 4, 5 July 1927, Page 11

TRADE COMMISSION

FIJI AND NEW ZEALAND

ADJUSTMENT OF TARIFFS

During his call at Suva (Fiji) on Saturday, 18th June, while en route from "Western Samoa to New Zealand 011 the Matson steamer Ventura, the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs and Postmaster-General, was met and welcomed by Sir Maynard Hedstrom (president) and Messrs. Millet and Home (vice-presidents) on behalf of the Suva Chamber of Commerce, and was subsequently entertained by that body at a luncheon at the Grand Pacific Hotel. There was a full attendance of members, and included amongst the guests were His Excellency, Sir Eyre Hutaon, Governor of Fiji, Sir Arthur Young, Chief Justice, the Hon. Mr. Seymour, Colonial Secretary, the Hon. Islay M'Owan, Native Commissioner, and the Hon. M. Bushtor,, Colonial Treasurer.

In proposing the health of their guest, Sir Maynard Hedstrom, who presided at the luncheon gathering, said the business community of Fiji welcomed the opportunity to bring before a member of the New Zealand Government their desire for the closest trade relations with the Dominion. They were very much concerned to find that at present the balance of trade between Fiji and New Zealand was enormously in favour of the former, because for every one pound's worth of goods that Fiji sold to New Zealand she bought only 2s 3Jd worth from the Dominion. Or. the other hand, for every one pound's worth of trade they sold to Australia the latter sold to them £18 worth. They were most anxious to correct that adverse trade balance so far as New Zealand was concerned, because they greatly appreciated the. open market that New Zealand offered to the products of Fiji, and also remembore'd with gratitude the ready help that had been rendered to the colony during at least three times of crisis in its history by their Big Brother to the south. As they knew, formal negotiations had been opened by the Fiji Government with the Dominion Cabinet for the setting up of a Trade Commission, consisting of two representatives of Fiji and two representatives of New Zealand to consider the question of a tariff agreement. By this means they hoped to so adjust their tariff in favour of New Zealand aa to substantially increase their imports of produce and goods of all kinds from the Dominion. The latter had always opened its doors so wide to the produce of Fiji that there was really little scope for ; any further assistance through the tariff: but Sir Maynard expressed the hope that it might Me possible for New Zealand to agree to extend to Fiji fruit ,the same concession in the matter of railway freight that is enjoyed by the fruit of the Dominion's Pacific territories.

Mr. Nosworthy, in acknowledging the hospitality of the Chamber of Commerce, said he had every sympathy with the desire of the merchants and producers of Fiji to develop trade between the two countries, and he promised to discuss their representations with his colleagues in the Cabinet after ms return to Wellington.