TRADE ACROSS TASMAN

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1944, Page 4

TRADE ACROSS TASMAN

MR. HEA'NY’S VIEWS

(Rec. 8.15) SYDNEY, Sept. 20 The prospects of increased two-. way trade between Australia and Mew Zealand after the war depend on a spirit of give and take. Tnis promise has been emphasised here by the secretary of the Associated ChamPe s of Commerce of New Zealand' (,"■ ! Arthur Heany who has just c 0 1“" pleted a visit of investigation to Australia. “New Zealand has been good customer of Australia io years,’’ Mr. Heany told .interviewers •‘but before the war Britain took_B4 per cent, of New Zealand § or ‘ s while Australia took only four pel cent. Australia has long held a i curable trade balance with New a land growing from one nulnon ( pounds to five million pounds. Tha_ position cannot continue. New Aea land wants to sell her goods to Aus tralia, but we must buy tiom those who buy from us. The trade ag ment between Australia and N v Zealand be revised, but revi sion should not be conf ned to taint concessions to Austral a. Australia could beein by lifting her embaigo on New Zealand potatoes, easing duties on milk powder, apples, fresh vegetables, tobacco, condensed milk, hops, onions, woollen rugs ca ® and other primary products. New Zealand could reciprocate bj lifting the embargo on Australian clt us fruits. Since /Australia’s six times fr reater population enables her to mass produce in manufactures sne should consider New Zealand sufficiently handicapped and be prepared to accept our competition in tne primary field.” . n Welcoming Mr. Heany’s visit, the “Sydney Sun’’ to-day says editorially: “His mission merits Australian sympathy and close co-operation; tor never before have our two Dominions been so closely linked in a partnership of mutual interests. Early in the war with Japan, the Minister tor Supply and Shipping (Mr. Beasley) I laid the foundations of a better understanding between Australians and New Zealanders when he organised a Pacific Supply Council as the necessary economic basis for mutual defence. The functioning of that council has shown us how the tacit recognition and acceptance of eacn other’s special needs can seal the friendship which in times of peace was too often strained by petty rivalries and trade restrictions. Reciprocity continuing and expanding in peace will be essential for the retention or the close partnership developed in. the war by requirements of a combined strategy against a common enemy. Acceptance by Australia of some reasonable competition in the primary production field is fair enough, provided our secondary industries are given a chance to sell New Zealand a fair proportion of the manufactured goods which, before the war, that country imported from elsewhere. Given a friendly spirit of compromise it should not be difficult in future to adjust the desired two-way trade across the Tasman.”