BRITISH TRADE

Evening Star, Issue 17155, 23 September 1919, Page 9

BRITISH TRADE

MAKING A GREAT RECOVERY,

A COMMISSIONER'S VIEW.

Mr S. W. B. M'Gregor, British Trade Commissioner in Australia, in the course of an interview on Britain's trade position after the war, admitted that figures showed that it had been badly hit; but ha derived encouragement from the fact that it was making a great recovery of the prominent position it occupied before the war with respect to overseas trade. What that position was! was not generally known; bust the order in 1913 was-. United Kingdom £1,405,000,000, Germany £1,062,000,000; United States £855,000,000. Of the export trade of tho United Kingdom in 1913 ths most important countries to which sent were India, Germany, United States, France. Australia, Russia, Canada, and South Africa, in that order. One sometimes heard it said that the British manufacturer or merchant was lacking the enterprise or "push of foreign competitors, but those who have a close acquaintance with trade conditions of British industry have never agreed with those individuals who are never weary of deciding the methods of the British manufacturers or merchants. They fully recognise tho difficulties under whioh British industry has been conducted during the past 20 years, and they are not so foolish as to suppose that the greatest trading nation m the world is tho most backward in its methods. On_ the other hand, there is evidence that in some, cases prosperity ha.3 acted as a check on enterprise, and has damped the enthusiasm of some of tho older-established firms.

Mr M'Gregor, too, pointed out that it was the British men, brains, and money that had assisted in opening up the overseas countries, not by anv means all of them British, and at the same time Great Britain had maintained its commercial and financial supremacy in the world. He felt sure that in the 'course of time the great financial strength of Britain before the war would be restored. Speaking of his own depaitment, that of overseas trade, he said the idea of appointing trade Commissioners was very largely due to Sir Joseph Ward's influence with Ine Board of Trade, which in 1908 started the commissioner service. That department was strictly Imperial in character. It has made that idea good already. To show how it was linking up the commercial interests of the Empire, Mr M'Gre.<r o r said certain parts of the Empire were Already using the .service. For instance, the trade Commissioners for Australia and Aow Zealand acted for the Government of India, and tho Trade Commissioner in India acts for the Government of Canada, Ihe work of the department was growing, for presently be 50 men as Commissioners in various parts of the world, and the majority of them would have been recruited from the ranks of business men of wide experience. Reference was made to Labor difficulties in tho United Kingdom and their influence upon the admittedly necessary industrial cxpansian, in view of tho headway lost through the war. Mr M'Gregor did not minimise the seriousness of this aspect of the matter; but, he observed, " it is more and more recognised that themanufacturer employing labor has duties towards them and towards the State to discharge, and which are not by any means fulfilled when he has merely suo eeded in keeping up his turn-over vear oy year. British industrial labor "was passing through its growing pains. Thathad to be recognised; wa3 being recognised ; likewise the responsibility to the State. Mr M'Gregor was not at all uneasy as to the future in this respect. Show and talk were not strong characteristics of the British people; but the trade figures they were able to put forward even during- the war were certainly eloquent.

As to any manufacturing aspirations New Zealand might have, Mr M'Grogor thought that there need be no conflict of interests between this country and the United -Kingdom. The strength and wealth of Mew Zealand he in the land. The development of that, together with such secondary industries as were essential or economically possible, would fullv absorb the energies of Sew Zealand for vory many years to come, and make necessary the purchase of large quantities of manufactured goods from abroad. No country can with advantage be self-contained. I treat Britain's experience had been that lh- i.-i-i e. a. country prospered the greater the exchange of commodities with other coiniU le-; i e a;nc.

The British Overseas Trade Commissioners everywhe:p wished in ], e ] n ],-„., manufacturers as well as merchants in obtaining the fullest and most trustworthy lUiurniiiLioii respean ■.,' i ~ chinery, plant, goods', or materials from breat Britain and the Dominions. 'Uiat was the reason for the existence of tindepartment.