MORE MARKETS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1932, Page 9

MORE MARKETS

NEW ZEALAND'S NEED

MINISTER POINTS THE WAY

The ne<bd for the adoption of improved marketing methods was stressed by the Minister, of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. B. Masters) in a speech a,t Palmerston North last evening. New Zealand, he said, could not continue to rely entirely on the United Kingdom as a means of selling its produce; it would have to go further afield.

Mr. Masters said it was very gratifying to him to see evidence in the ManaWatu Show "of the co-oporation which existed between. the primary producer and the manufacturer. That was just as it should be. The importance of secondary industries in New Zealand was not fully recognised. For instance, there wore few people who knew that the secondary industries of the Doming ion paid annually over sixteen million pounds in Wages. In the past New Zealand had relied very largely on one market—the United Kingdom—:for its produce, but that cbuld not continue. The Dominion was faced with the necessity'of applying more scientific methods to the marketing of its produce. (Applause.) Eightyeight per cent, of the total products of the Dominion went to Great Britain, but it had to,bo realised now that other markets had to be found. In 1914, the United Kingdom imported twenty-four million pounds, worth of butter as against the forty-six million pounds worth in 1931. Increases-had also taken place in cheese, wool, and meat. During that period the population of Great Britain had not increased proportionately, and it Was obvious that with the increased imports prices must drop. PUTY OF BOARDS. The various boards. which had been Set up had a duty to perform in finding new markets, said Mr. Masters. The re-exports of our produce from Britain to the. Continent and averaged about seven- million pounds" per annum. Surely that indicated that there were markets worthy of the most careful consideration. Sometimes he thought

that the control boards were operating- at the wrong end. Mr. Masters went on to quote 'figures showing the imports into various foreign countries of butter, meat, wool, and other things produced in New Zealand. In 1931, Canada imported over 2i million pounds worth of -such goods, but, in tho same; year, New Zealand's total exports to Canada wore only worth £256,000. Prance imported approximately 52 nillion pounds worth of goods, but New Zealand's exports to France amounted to only' £418,000. Belgium' was a conntry that was anxious and willing to trade with New Zealand, but the figures showed that our exports to Belgium in 1929 amounted to only £145,000, despite tho fact that Belgium imported in that year 20 million- poundß woTth of goods which Now Zealand could produce; The same applied to Germany, India, China, and.Japan. It was not the job of the Department of Industries and Commerce to act as a: commercial, traveller or to sell tho produce of the. country, but it was the job of the Department to securo all possible information as to the possibilities of markets abroad. In that respect the Department would always be at the disp6sal of the primary producer. Mr. Masters went on to show that other Dominions had been able to find markets apart frbm the United Kingdom. Canada, for instance, sent only 27.4 per cent: of her produce to the United Kingdom, and 63.4 per cent, found a sale in foreign'countrlcs. ' Soutlr/'Africa, sent 51.2 per ceAt. of her produce to' the United Kingdom,' and 43 per cent, to foreign countries. Even Australia, which produced much the same goods as we produced, had. been able to find markets in. foreign conntries. Australia sent 53 per cent, of her produce to Britain, 12.5 per cent, to' other British countries, and 34.4 per cent, to foreign countries., New Zealand sent only 7.04 per cent, of its produce to foreign countries, 88.02 per cent, going to the United Kingdom, and 4.94 per cent..to other British conntries. Thoso figures suroly showed that there,were markets available which had not yet been fully explored. .