HON. W. NASH’S RETURN

Grey River Argus, 16 August 1937, Page 5

HON. W. NASH’S RETURN

HIS WORK ABROAD Outlined in Optimistic Terms LPer Press Association], AUCKLAND, August 14. After being ten months in Great Britain, Europe, and U.S.A., the Minister of Finance ((he Hon Walter Nash), returned to New Zealand today. On his arrival, Mr. Nash was met | by the Prime Minister (Mr. Savage), < members of Parliament, and civic dignitaries. "I have with me exhaustive reports on economic, social, and administrative life in England, which are of concern to New Zealand,” said Mr. Nash. “What are our marketing problems in England, our publicity problems, and our questions of Imerpial relations? All aspects of these and other questions have been fully explored. This, of course, is in addition to the negotiation of trade agreements. “As to my visit to the United Kingdom, it commenced at the British Government’s request before Christmas. My negotiations were interrupted by the abdication proceedure and the Christmas holidays, but in spite of unavoidable interruptions of this nature, the negotiations made solid progress. I shall have more to say on this later. “The position of Tasman shipping, Tasman airways, Pacific shipping, and Pacific airways is to some extent already known. Negotiations on these subjects have not been without their difficulties, but the results are of enormous importance to New Zealand, depending, aS she does, perhaps mpre than any other country, , on outside communication.” , He issued a lengthy statement cov- , ering the major matters which h« ; had dealt with while overseas. ,

' The first thing mentioned by the Minister was the • extraordinary extent of goodwill shown in qvery part of the world to himself and the members of his staff. In the United Kingdom, in Germany, in Soviet R-its- • sia, in Denmark, in the Nethe - Lands, > in France, in Canada; the United . States, and Panama, the fact that the delegations came from New Zealand seemed to open up avenues of information and goodwill that seemed quite extraordinary. The Minister said he felt that in the United Kingdom this was to a certain extent due to the sportsmanship of New Zealand cricket and football teams, and also largely to the high reputation of the New Zealand soldiers in the United Kingdom and in other countries during the war period. Emphasising this goodwill, the Minister pointed out that it was partly due to the fact that wherever New Zealand’s name was behind a product, that product had been good. It was .-unquestionable that the best lamb imported into the United Kingdom was from New Zealand, and that the Dominion’s butter was recognised as of the highest quality except by those who had been used to Danish butter. On innumerable occasions, traders had mentioned that there was no need in the main to specify any particular type, in that the grading procedure followed in New Zealand and the careful o-uards that were maintained to ensure first-class quality enabled them to be certain that if the butter, cheese qr lamb was from New Zealand, then it would be of.the quality desired. The Minister said that during .m? period overseas he investigated the marketing procedure in connection with New Zealand beef, mutton, lamb, and pig products, butter and cheese, fruit, honey, wool, hides and skins. Visits were paid to the Srnith--1 field meat market, to Covent Garden and to Spitalfields fruit market, and several days were spent by the Minister in Tooley Street investigating the procedure followed in the marketing of dairy produce. Separate reports on these subjects would be submitted to Cabinet. Negotiations in connection with trade agreements were -conducted with the Governments of the United Kingdom, German, the Netherlands Canada, and United States, Panama, France and Brazil, and discussions were also carried on with the Governments of Soviet Russia. Southern Rhodesia, Palestine. Denmark, the Irish Free State, and Yugoslavia. During the Imperial Conference, in company with the Minister, the questions of defence, foreign affairs, shipping in general, Pacific . shipping, Tasman shipping, air communications in general, and particularly in Pacific and the Tasman, were ■ all thoroughly discussed. ' The Minister mentioned that me load on the New Zealand delegation was particularly heavy in that it had a smaller number of Ministers in London than had any other country which meant that he personally had to be a member of many committees. c , . “As chairman of the general Shipping Committee, and of the special committee dealing with the Paeilie shipping, and as a member of the committee considering civil air communications >pnd trans-T asman airways, and, in addition, as the New Zealand representative at the special meetings on defence, I naturally was occupied every minute of my t time from the opening day of the . conference to the departure of t ie ( Prime Minister for New, Zealand, £ he said. T s Mr. Nash emphasised that New . Zealand really required more Minis- r ters in London on occasions such as the Imperial Conference. t Investigations made into the mar- £ keting of dairy produce, meat fruit, honey and wool were very lull. One member of the staff spent in all two j or three weeks in following butter and cheese from the arrival of the y produce till it reached the actual consumer. These investigations were made at Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow, and Tooley Street London. Separate reports were being prepared on each procedure. The Minister said that he ten s that these reports and the time given to the investigations had built up data in excess of anything known r before. These would be invaluable x in enabling the Government to de- t termine its policy in connection with j marketing in general. j I MET BANKERS. In addition to the investigations j referred to, the Minister said he had y had conferences with the Bank of r

England, the bankers engaged in the New Zealand business, the national health insurance officials. Sir John Orr with regard to nutrition, and also had some discussions with Dr Gunson, who was visiting England at the same time as the Minister. A full investigation had also been made into tfie publicity procedure associated with the Dominion’s tourist attractions and marketing. Visits to the industrial' establishments associated with the making of Vauxhall and Austin cars coincided with lengthy discussions with representatives of the motor trade as to the future policy of the Government in connection with l.he importation of motor-cars, continued Mr. Nash.

Reports were being prepared on lhe film industry and on the investigations into housing in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmgingham and London. , In addition to attending the Coronation ceremonies, the Imperial Conference and conducting trade negotiations, the Minister fully investigated the circumstances in the United Kingdom with regard to the prevention of foot and mouth disease and the quarantine procedure followed to ensure the health o f ‘

stock exported from Britain. He interviewed quite a number of interested persons relative to the livestock embargo, and a full report will be submitted to Cabinet. WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS The Minister had in his hand a formidable list of the subjects that had been clealt with the persons who had waited upon him in connection with New Zealand trade and commerce during his stay overseas. In addition to the investigations already mentioned, Mr. Nash attended with the High Commissioner (Mr. W. J. Jordan) the session of the Coun cil of the League of Nations in January last. The Minister said that on every occasion where an opportunity ha z occurred, he had, by invitation, addressed meetings on tlie policy of the Government, the attractions of New Zealand, and the determination of the Government to make its products as good as those marketed by any country. In addition to over one hundred meetings in connection with the Imperial Conference and the trade negotiations, he had delivered addresses on the Government and its policy in the major towns of the United Kingdom. He had met the Ministers of Finance in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, U.S.S.R. Gemany, Denmark, the Netherlands, also M. Blum, of France, and thePrime Minister of Denmark and Holland, and of the nations of the British Commonwealth, the President of the United States and the President of Panama.

In conclusion, the Minister paid a tribute to the work carried out by the members of his staff. The load had been particularly heavy, and it was doubtful whether he could have found a better personnel who would have worked so willingly under such exceptional circumstances. His stnf. had devoted their time, day and night, to working on the problems that had to be examined to enable the policy of the Government to be fully understood and to achieve the trade agreements desired. In particular, he referred to the help that he .had received from the High Commissioner; Mr. Jordan) Dr. R ivl. Campbell, economic advisor to the High Commissioner; Mr. G. W. Clinkard, New eZaland Trade Commissioner in Europe; and members of the High Commissioner’s staff. In addition, valuable assistance, whenever required, was rendered by Mr. R. S. Forsyth, London manager of sales division of the Marketing Dethe New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board; Mr. H. F. Davis, manager of the dairy sales division of the Marketing Department; and Mr. H. Turner, London manager of the New Zealand Fruit Board.

Auckland’s Fine Welcome TO MESSRS SAVAGE AND NASH. AUCKLAND. August 15. _ The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage and Hon. W. Nash (Minister of Finance) received an enthusiastic civic reception at the Auckland Town Hall on Saturday night, when there was a large crowd. The Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, presented Mr Savage with an address, inscribed on a scroll, on behalf of the citizens of Auckland, and congratulated him on the success of his mission to Britain. Mr Savage, replying, said that he had come back convinced there were manv men here who could compare with any whom he had met ab Mr Nash said that no one going to another country could have a greater welcome than that extended to Mrs Nash arid Wimself. The meeting closed with cheers foi Mr Savage and Mr Nash.