TRADE WITH BRITAIN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 February 1925, Page 4

TRADE WITH BRITAIN.

DECREASE LAST YEAR.,

THE COMMISSIONER INTERVIEWED.

The British Trade Commissioner (Mr. N. Elmslie) was, asked by Ihe - Dominion if he would discuss the United Kingdom’s proportion of the trade ot New Zealand as disclosed by the statistics' for 1924, in the light of the wish he expressed on- his arrival in New Zealand that it might be increased bv three millions annually. ' “The results of the 1924 trade which have been issued indicate that no progress lias been made,” said Mr. Elmsiie in reply. “Those results have yet to be examined with great care. and knowledege to get any real deductions. The ooint that strikes me most. forcibly at the start, is that the percentage of trade supplied by Great Britain in 19-4 is smaller than that of 1923. It has fallen from just under 52 per cent, to per 1 cent. But, on examination, we find that it is largely due to the much heavier importation of goods which cannot be obtained from Great Britain. Owing to the crop failures and the drought, the importation of wheat, oats, onions, and vegetables are millions higher in 1924 than in 1923. The next largest item is petroleum products, under which I have grouped motor spirit, benzine, pure oil, and kerosene. They are higher by £824,U ; in 1924. Timber, grouping rough and dressed, was £504,000 higher. Tea and sugar account fbr an increase of £241,000. Coal has increased by The increase in these items, none of which is obtained from the United Kingdom, accounts for the major part of the increase in trade in 1924. •

“If we eliminate these, and come down to manufactured goods which Great Britain can supply, you will find that the United Kingdom has done approximately the same proportion of trade in 1924 as in 1923. That, I think, is borne out by the fact that the imports from all “European countries, winch are of entirely manufactured goods, are approximately the same in the two years. So I think it is safe to assumfe that the United Kingdom has not lost trade to other countries. On the other hand it is equally clear that she has made no progress towards obtaining a larger share.

“The only section of trade that does -not come within the terms of what I say is the trade in motor-vehicles. In 1924 it amounted to- 3J millions, an increase of £1,125,000 over 1923. Now, that is still mainly derived from the United States and Canada, but I think there are indications that the efforts now being made by the manufacturer in the , United Kingdom are showing their effect. I have not got full details for the last half-year before me, but, assuming that the imports in December are derived in the ' same manner as October and November, I think I may say that, while 5 per cent, of the number of motor-vehicles iu the first half-year of 1924 came from the United Kingdom, in the second half-year the percentage increased to about 8 per cent. From what I know of the efforts being made by 1 the British manufacturer to-day, I see no reason why the proportion should not materially _inqtea.se next year. “From the information I have in my possession in regard to the main line's of manufactured goods, the percentage of imports from the United Kingdom has definitely increased. For example, com’narino- 1923 with the three quarters of 1924, the United percentage of cotton textiles increased from to 90 per cent. ; paints and varnish, 76 to 78: iron pipes, fittings. 77.5 to 32: electrical machinery, 66.5 to 71; and earthenware and china,' 92 to 95 per cent.”