CURTAILED TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 29, 3 August 1939, Page 25

CURTAILED TRADE

RELATIONS WITH AUSTRALIA

AN IMPROVEMENT DESIRED

(By Telegraph-rrPress Association.)

DUNEDIN, August 2

"Trading relations .. between New Zealand and Australia have never been worse," said the retiring president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, Mr. P. O. Smellie, in his address to the annual meeting of the chamber this evening. He^was referring particularly to the recent development under the import selection policy by which Australian purchases had been drastically curtailed, and expressed the hope that an attempt would be made to improve the present position. , "Australia and New Zealand are "the two most distant members of the Empire, drawn together by history and geography, with a common heritage and culture, and similar aims, ideals, and problems, and shortly to be brought within nine hours of each other by modern transport. Yet the trading relations between us have never been worse," he said. "I do not refer particularly to the potato and orange wrangle which is a standing reproach to both Governments, but more to the recent developments under import selection policy by which Australian purchases have been drastically curtailed."