TRADE INQUIRIES

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1932, Page 8

TRADE INQUIRIES

INDUSTRIES AN J COMMERCE. REPORT BEFORE: PARLIAMENT. *- • WELLINGTON, October 26. . Activities t.f the Department of Industries and Commerce during the. year ended. April 30 last are comprehensively reviewed in the report of t..e department, which has been presented to Parliament. The report stated that the inquiries received from day to day Were numerous. In. general, it might be said that the department had been called upon to an ever-increasing extent during the post few years to supply general information relating to the Dominion’s industries, commerce, and economic and social conditions.

The following list of a few. of the inquiries of lLs-er importance made "by, the department during the past year may provide some indication of the, extensive variety of subjects with which the officers of the department were constantly . required' to deal: Markets for eels, crayfish, flounders, soles, and p-jssion-fiWl'j juke the United Kingdom; flerim clefs anil filme cod in Aratral ia; lard, canned pieat, frozen rabbits, rennet, and worsted yi-urtis in Canada; cels on the Continent of Europe; pa-s-ion-fruit juice in Amoriea; apples and pears in Ceylon; glycerine, woollen piece-goods, blankets, sausage-oasings, etc., in India; seed potatoes in Egypt; scrap metal in Japan; livers for medical nurprses; Southland beech timber; Samoan cocoa ben ns etc., mn-nufactui G of "nitrates, CoUiuloso - from phoiniiom tonnx, wool-batt, macaroni, etc., in New Zealand; prices of drain-firms arc! fittings, bricks, tiles, sheep-dips, elect’"'c lamps, petrol, etc. ‘‘While trade- and economic'conditions generally in New Zealand', as in most other rrrts of tbo world, have been un o e-tisfnr. ,r -rv duping the past vear.” states the report, “it m-v

I nevertheless fairly be claimed that mil* | Wnkinc and out external trad'-> posiI tipa are both sound and satisfactory.

At present the gap between prices and costs remains too narrow to permit of any very iyipid revival of trade activity and absorption of tlie unemployed in 'New Zealandi, but it is gratifying to mote that during the oast few weeks ‘there lias been ‘a stronger demand and an improvement in prices for certain of} cur principal e-xpcrtabla products.