TRADE WITH FAR EAST

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 December 1934, Page 7

TRADE WITH FAR EAST

NEW ZEALAND’S PROSPECTS [per press association.] WELLINGTON, December 19. Opportunity was taken by Mr. Masters during his visit to Australia to make close investigations as regards the possibility of obtaining direct shipping service from New Zealand to various Eastern countries. “It becomes more and more obvious to me,” he said, to-day, “that New Zealand must take early steps to extend our trade to those countries. The longer we delay, the more difficult it will become to obtain a footing, as our competitors are becoming more deeply entrenched, and it is a matter for regret we did not make more determined efforts in this direction years ago. It is vital that New Zealand should have direct shipping to Java, Malay States, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Japan, and the Philippines, with occasional calls at New Guinea and New Caledonia if we are to develop worthwhile markets for our produce.” He said that Australia to a large extent dealt with the same class of goods as' New Zealand, and with several lines of direct shipping at her service had a very definite advantage, in that New Zealand goods had to be transhipped at Sydney. He found the shipping companies undoubtedly interested in the direct shipping from New Zealand proposal, and he was approached by their representative and executive with suggestions as to. the most satisfactory method of instituting the services. It is evident that several companies of various nations are keen to enter the trade. The discussions he had with shipping companies would be continued in New Zealand, and he was hopeful of being able to submit to Cabinet and the Produce Boards in the near future something of a definite nature for consideration.

DEALING WITH BRITAIN. WELLINGTON, December 19. At the annual meeting of the United Kingdom' ManuSfactuiiers’ and. New Zealand Representatives’ Association, the President (Mr C. Budd) said the year had been disappointing for British trade. Figures for 1933 to the end of December. —this year’s figures were not so far available—showed that New Zealand benefited to the extent of £37,000,000 for primary produce sold in the United Kingdom, and on a very large proportion of that ten per cent, preference was given. Against these figures, New Zealand bought only nine millions worth of manufactured goods from Britain. He said it did not look like a very fair deal. They could not have one-way traffic. Britain was like any other country, and could only pay in the long run by manufactured goods. He spoke of trade experiments which had been attempted with other countries, notably apples to the Argentine, which proved a failure, and said that the Eastern markets would cost more than they would ever be worth. He referred to the American wall of exclusion, and recalled the shipment of lamb to New York, not a carcase of which was landed in the States, all being redirected to London. • where it broke the market on the New Zealand expoiler. New Zealand, he said, was losing the goodwill of manufacturers and operatives. He stressed that Britain was definitely off free trade and was making agreements with other countries, where she was getting a quid pro quo. All they asked was a fair deal.