Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1938. MORE FINE WORDS!

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 September 1938, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1938. MORE FINE WORDS!

TONGUES-IN-CHEEKS seem to

work overtime when Australian and New Zealand Ministers and official representatives get together. There have been many

such gatherings in recent years, and practically every speaker has enlarged upon the ties that bind the Dominion and the Commonwealth, the necessity for increasing mutual trade, and the determination to let nothing stand in the way of administrative and commercial ideals. Doud applause greets these exchanges. but the

sentiments expressed, however excellent, have little or no effect on tarills and embargoes imposed by cadi country to limit the trade claimed to be so desirable. A little more honesty and a little less compliment would !><• advantageous to all concerned.

, Hie la I esl i nsta nee of A list r;i--i I i-' 1 it-New Zealand hack-sera I eliintti was I ort lieom i iin- al \\’el I i ii.u‘l on. I vesterday. when Sir Earl<> Page 1 was appropriately welcomed and ! honoured. He has recently visited Britain and U.S.A., as head of an Australian mission that hoped ro reach a new trade treaty with the riomeland. Bit tie success was achieved, the lad being made* clear that the special interests of! Australia could he advanced only' al the expense of other countries.* New Zealand included. The Home!

authorities were polite but. not promising, and consideration has been deferred. In the few days he was in North America, Sir Earle interviewed prominent men, and he claims to have laid the foundation of better trade understandings. It is to be hoped that the super-structure to be erected will prove worth while, but candour compels the admission, that similar “Foundations” have been laid before, with little important after-effect.

Sir Earle Page, at yesterday’s gathering, declared: “We in Aus-

tralia take a good deal of pride in the thought that we started you off on the road 100 years ago.” Whether this claim is justified may be left to historians, but it accounts, to some extent, for the attitude adopted since by Australia to New Zealand. The Commonwealth regards the Dominion as a relation who has not done so badly, but nothing in comparison with what Australia has achieved. Until this spirit, of patronage is removed, Australian-New Zealand relations will never reach the heights claimed by speakers at social functions. Potatoes and citrus fruits were probably on the menu at vesterdav’s lunch. Was

not their presence a reminder that it is premature to claim that Australia and New Zealand are doing all they can to increase mutual trade? The fact must be faced that Australia and New Zealand are trade rivals, both at home and abroad. With the exchanging of fine words, there should be practical, recognition that the commercial situation demands compromise and concession if the people in each Land are to be able to enjoy at reasonable prices, the foodstuffs and other necessities of life so abundant. the trend is in the opposite direction, and mostly at New Zealand’s expense.