NEW ZEALAND'S NAME

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 4, 5 July 1939, Page 12

NEW ZEALAND'S NAME

CONCERN FELT

OPINIONS ABROAD

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES

Concern for New Zealand's name abroad, in view of the financial difficulties which the country is experiencing, was expressed in a letter from a business firm received by the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last evening. "It was recently reported that iron and steel firms in Australia had adopted a policy of requiring the establishment of letters of credit before shipping goods to New. Zealand," stated the letter. "As further evidence of the apprehension felt overseas regarding the state of affairs in New Zealand, a Melbourne firm of manufacturers which we have represented for many years recently sent a director to inquire into and report on the position. We have now received the following letter, dated June 16, from their secretary:— - I have been instructed to advise you that at the last meeting of our board it was decided to terminate your representation at the end of the present month. Mr. reported that whilst your firm had done everything possible to further the interests of our company, he considered the present unsettled state of New Zealand generally made it desirable to dispense /ith New Zealand representation altogether. The directors, and particularly the management, desire to express appreciation and thanks for your able cooperation in the past. "In a private note' to the writer, the director who came over to make the inquiries writes, inter alia: The directors are not at all keen on New Zealand business as they consider there is likely to be financial trouble, and would prefer to hold off. "The reason for bringing this matter before your notice is because we view with most serious concern the opinions being formed by people overseas regarding New Zealand. We are convinced that it will be many years before this country can live down the unfavourable impressions now firmly fixed in the minds of business men in other countries. We feel that an inestimable amount of harm has been done to New Zealand's formerly good reputation." The letter was received.