TRADE OPENINGS

Evening Post, Issue 67, 17 September 1934, Page 10

TRADE OPENINGS

N.Z. PRODUCTS

FAR EASTERN MARKETS

SO MUCH DISCUSSION—SO

LITTLE DONE

(By C. J. Church.)

Returning here after thirteen months' absence one is confronted with the fact that while the stream of correspondence and discussion on whether there is, or is not, a market for New Zealand-products in the. Far East still flows in occasional spates, nothing has been done—no action has apparently been taken.' As the world is today, talk should be reduced to a minimum—what is urgently needed is action.. Nowhere is'it more; needed than ju New Zealand, which, by reason of its isolation on "the edge of the. world, is cut off from modern trends and movements in these so rapidly-changing times. Unless definite steps are taken to overcome this handicap of isolation, New Zealand must always remain a backwater, lagging behind all the movements which are the result of nations realising that past conditions have or are vanishing, bringing about radical changes in the methods of carrying on trade and busi-

This article is a plea for action by those responsible for tho trade and business of New Zealand, for action in, at least, exploring definitely whether or not there is a market for New Zealand in tho Far East. The writer, from many years'- experience in assisting exporters in the West to achieve worthwhile sales to the Chinese, is convinced that there is such a market—qualified by a certain number of "Ifs." If New Zealand would cultivate an "export" mind; if the needs of that market are seriously studied; if exporters wilt meet those needs when discovered; if it is realised that in few markets will .stronger competition be met with; if,these facts, with others which will appear, are faced and. dealt with in a businesslike manner—then, as far as this country's products arc concerned, there definitely is a market in the Far East for them. On the other hand, if exporters are deluded into thinking that their goods . will sell . themselves, and that the Chinese will compete for the privilege of buying them; if it is considered that "anything is good enough for the Chinese"; if no previous attempts are made to get reliable reports on what competitors are doing to meet the', needs and desires of the Chinese; if modern marketing methods are not adopted—then, most emphatically, there is no f market in the Far East for New Zealand goods. HOW TO ASCERTAIN FACTS. ■AH the conditions above-mentioned are essential for finding new trade openings-which are such a vital necessity for New Zealand; the fact remains, however, that while business men may agree on that point in theory, nobody seems willing to .make any, definite move. A form of creeping paralysis seems to have sapped initiative, probably induced by too much and too long a period of prosperity in the past. It seems generally agreed that new markets arc a necessity; but such must be sought for: they do not appear by the mere recognition of. their necessity. The writer, therefore, in .the hope of contributing his mite towards the return of prosperity, to New Zealand—a country which that man of vision, Richard Seddon, ,was so foud of calling God's own country—would like to make o definite suggestion- directed towards that end. It is put, forward in tho, hope that it will either be jumped upon and pulled mercilessly to pieces if it has flaws; ou tho other hand, if it seems, sound, it may serve as the starting point for that definite action so necessary for the good of New. Zealand as a whole. The writer is, concerned solely with a territory of which he has first-hand practical experience, known lather vaguely as the Far East. For the purpose of trade this includes Java arid the Dutch East Indies, Malaya, Siain, and China from Hong Kong in the south to Shanghai and Tientsin in the north.

■ There is a definite reason for this division. :

The trade'of the whole of this huge area-is in the hands of one section of the Chinese, usually but inaccurately called the Cantonese. Tlfe Cantonese have been called "the Anglo-Saxons V>t' Asia" by reason of their enterprise in thrusting out oi! their honielarfd to colonise and trade with other parts of the ivot'ld. It' is: to' this restlessness and to their inherent sense of business that the-trade of -this great area has fallen largely into their hands.

The suggestion which the writer puts forward as a means' towards taking the first definite steps to end the present inaction and to attempt the opening up of new markets, may possibly appear revolutionary to. people in this country so largely1 untouched by the'real revolutionary' movements in business procedure all over the world today. It appears to the writer to bo none the worse for that. ■ .

The proposal is that an invitation should be, extended by representative business bodies.in this country to the Chinese' Chambers of Commerce in Ba-t-avia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canton, and Shanghai to send a delegation of business men to' New Zealand. They would come as guests to.see all that New Zealand produces. They would then be able to give ah authoritative opinion, on the spot, as to what.could find a market in the East and what could not. They would say how these products compared with those of other countries iv all respects; what changes might be necessary in order to compete; style of packing most likely to help in making sales, etc.,.etc. Being principals, they would be in a position to-arrange agencies and agree to terms of business an the spot, and to give trial orders. In short, they would be able to settle once and for, all, and within a few weeks, a question which has been, and will probably continue to be, discussed interminably with not. the slightest likbelihood of any sound conclusions being- reached, viz., "Can New Zealand find a new market in the Par East? If so, for what products and under what conditions?"

WHAT THE PROPOSAL ENTAILS,

Having put forward such a revolutionary proposal, it may reasonably be demanded.' that some indication of what it entails be "given, as a basis for discussion. This invitation being solely a question of business, it should bo dealt with by business men on this side with business men. in China.' They should, naturally, be invited officially by whatever association of New Zealand business men is representative of the general interests of the country as the guests,of the association. As honoured guests they would, ,of course, receive all the. courtesies and the opportunities of seeing what the country has to show that are naturally extended under tuch conditions. As regards, the delegation, it should be possible to make it a very representative one with about twenty members. The total cost of such an invitation should not exceed £3000, of which about half goes out of the country in steamer faros and the other half is disbursed in New Zealand. Surely such a sum may fairly be considered as insignificant in comparison with the results to be obtained?

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tive as far as new business is concerned, there is.this very definite result: New Zealand will learn with certainty and on the very best authority that her goods are unsuitable for the Far East. She can then either inako such alterations as would render them suitable, if such a course is feasible, or concentrate, on seeking new markets elsewhere.

In either case nothing but good can result to this country from first-hand and direct contact with a body of the keenest and most -wide-awake business men in the world today, men who are thoroughly.au fait with all the business methods and with all the products of the Western World and in constant touch with them.

What the Chinese business man stands for, what he really in—in contradistinction to what in New Zealand he is imagined to be —is too large .a. subject to be dealt with in the present article. If the suggestions now put forward prove to be of interest to the people of New Zealand these points may perhaps be considered of sufficient interest to form the subject of a future article.