CORRESPONDENCE MEAT TALK DELAYS.

Evening Star, Issue 22069, 1 July 1935, Page 11

CORRESPONDENCE

MEAT TALK DELAYS.

10 THE EDITOR.

Sir.—As a New Zealander profoundly interested in the immediate future outlook for our export trade, I view with the gravest concern the cabled reports which recently appeared m the daily Press under the above heading. Such extracts as “ Dominion delegates are dissatisfied,” “ There is a feeling that the British Ministry is not facing its responsibilities adequately, are unpalatable and disquieting in the extreme. But surely they are the inevitable repercussions of our own shortcomings. . In all these discussions, final results can hinge on one factor alone, reciprocity of trade. The attitude of the British Ministry is merely evidence that Britaiii is dissatisfied with our own attitude over the purchase of United Kingdom manufactured goods. Truly our Government delegates have an unenviable task. Britain is, on this occasion, on the box seat, calling the tunc, and unless we dance, we must pay the piper. One would think, in these circumstances, that every effort would be made to prove, our honesty of purpose to the Home authorities. No better backing, no more powerful bargaining lever could be given our Government leaders than an increase of orders for Home manufactures. But cases within my own limited sphere show the position, to be the reverse. For example:— An influential freezing company -recently placed a large order for electrical motors with a foreign organisation, and this, despite the fact that previously competitively priced British motors were used and gave every satisfaction. Two other prominent freezing companies recently contracted with an, American organisation for the supply of lubricating oils, although fn the past they used oils of British origin, upon which, in each case, their engineers gave glowing reports. Co-opera-tive dairy companies, semi-public bodies, -such as power boards, borough councils, county councils, drainage boards and influential commercial houses, are buying foreign motor vehicles in increasing numbers. Imagine it—organisations whose very existence, and the existence of every farmer they serve, depend wholly on Britain —jet they transport cream, butter, beef, mutton, cheese, in foreign vehicles, use foreign machinery, etc —m a word make every effort in their power to estrange our biggest customer, Britain. Naturally enough the individual farmers are influenced by such choices. And so it goes on, an indictment, not merely on our loyalty, but on our very intelligence. Perhaps those responsible for these foreign purchases imagine that the Home Government and Home manufacturers are unaware of _ these developments. More Short-sighted-ness. The Board of Trade and all British manufacturers organisations have a finger on the pulse of this market. They know of the business they lose, as well as the business they secure, and our honesty is thus gauged to a nicety. It is of no avail to repeat the pfirrot cry that our purchases per capita are better than other dominions. According to the British Board of Trade, the actual facts of the case are these. For every £IOO Britain spends with them, the following reciprocate with purchases of British goods to the extent of: South Africa, £254; India, £B7; Australia, £52; Canada £39; New Zealand a mere £2B. But the dominions are not our chief competitors. Argentina and Denmark are, and the alarming part is that both these countries afford Britain better reciprocal treatment than we do. For every £IOO Britain spends with Argentina, she buys from Britain £3l. Denmark spends £4O and New Zealand £2B, and we ask for preferential treatment —actually expect to get it! It must be fairly obvious that the Home Government is distinctly; “ for ” the manufacturer —more so in fact, than our own Government is “for” the farmer. Once let. us gain the confidence and sympathy ot the British manufacturer and our troubles will ultimately vanish. But at the moment he is apathetic, if not positively disgruntled over New Zealand’s attitude. Is it any wonder that our “ dominion delegates are dissatisfied ” as reported. What else could we reasonably expect in these circumstances? In conclusion, I do think we arc blindly playing the fool. The patriots pulling their weight are outweighed by people who are doing the reverse, and it is to the latter I appeal in all sincerity and in the name of common sense. New Zealand’s economic reconstruction depends on our logical cultivation of the world’s greatest market for primary produce. Great Britain, With Britain’s markets we can prosper if other markets vanish. Without her, we cannot even exist, and all the other available markets of the world could not prevent economic disaster.—l am, etc., June 26. Rtcmiocrrv.