TRANS-TASMAN TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 65, 18 March 1933, Page 12

TRANS-TASMAN TRADE

SENATOR GREENE'S VISIT

IMPORTANCE STRESSED

The importance of the visit to New Zealand of the Australian trade delegation, headed .by Senator Massey Greene, of the Commonwealth Ministry, was stressed by Mr. John' Fuller, or fcydney, in an interview with a "Post" reporter today. Mr. Fuller, in reviewing the conditions in Australia and New Zealand, referred to the wonderful recovery Australia had.made, and in particular drew attention to the phenomenal growth of her secondary industries. The Commonwealth, he pointed out, was now practically self-supporting, and so far as. her policy of fostering secondary industries was' concerned, was ahead of the Dominion. With falling prices overseas for primary produce, Australia still had a substantial internal market, a large proportion of the purchasing power of which was accounted for by those engaged in the secondary industries. Here, again, the Australian position differed greatly from that obtaining in New Zealand.

Australia and New Zealand competed in the Home market, but the Australian tariff against Britain was greater than New Zealand's tariff against the Old Country. Both' countries had to meet their imports with exports. As a general rule, if New Zealand traded with Australia ■in articles that could be purchased from England, it would be to the Dominion's detriment, as this country had a duty in respect of its overseas debt, the rate ot interest on which it was hoped would be substantially reduced. The only practical trade that New Zealand and Australia could enter into would be in wines, fruit, and timber. If the Dominion traded1 in manufactured articles with Australia, it would probably increase unemployment in New Zealand.

Mr. Fuller contended that Australia could manufacture yet more cheaply if her Arbitration Court laws were modernised, and said that that was a situation that New Zealand could not overlook. It might mean that New Zealand would be forced, as a result of competition, to'trade with Australia in manufactures. Australia should adopt the "big brother" attitude to the Dominion, and both countries should endeavour to work in a reciprocal manner as far as trade and finance, were concerned.