THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY “Public Service." MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1948 N.Z.’S TRADING RELATIONS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 57, Issue 3983, 19 April 1948, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY “Public Service." MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1948 N.Z.’S TRADING RELATIONS

Before he left the Dominion, after a visit of some weeks, the technical director of a British firm manufacturing agricultural machinery stated that he found here “ a strong emotional urge to help Britain in her present emergency.” He added that while this was appreciated “ British trading interests were not depending on emotional appeals ” and, when offered a choice, New Zealand should buy British goods for reasons of economic fair dealing as Britain was this country’s best customer. The last statement would be willingly endorsed by the great majority of New Zealanders. There is admittedly a strong feeling of kinship with the people of the United Kingdom, and their steadfastness during the years of war evoked a widespread and deep admiration, and if that is regarded as! an emotional appeal it certainly exists. The general desire to help at this time, however, is based on several factors, and not the least by any means is a recognition of the mutual benefits to be derived from trade with Britain.

It is one of the most generally recognised facts, a thing never questioned, that as this country more than any other Dominion depends upon British markets for the disposal of the bulk of its surplus produce whatever can be done to strengthen those markets must be to our advantage. That is not a matter of selfishness but of enlightened selfinterest. The foodstuffs sent to Britain from this country are probably the cheapest obtained from any source, and provided receipts cover production costs and provide for a reasonable standard of living, New Zealand is content that that should be the case. Our adherence to the principle of Imperial preference has solid economic foundations and is intended to afford British industry a large share of these markets.

The qualified statement of the visitor already mentioned that “if they (British people) thought that New Zealanders were sending them food parcels

while mentally earmarking future trade for American exporters ” the people in Britain would rather have the trade than the parcels, may have been based on the latest trade figures available. They admittedly show a very marked increase in the excess of our imports from, when compared with exports to,

the United States, but there seems to be no way by which the people can ascertain to what extent that was due to Govern-1 ment imports as against private) trade. For sound and sufficient' business reasons New Zealand) desires to trade within the Em-j pire, and in that area first of aIL with Great Britain, and it is for) both parties to further that pur-' pose by keeping terms of trade)

as favourable as possible. Whatj motivates this country in its [ trade relations with the Mother) Country is a very strong con-! viction that this course is no't ! only right in principle but the) most likely to be of maximum mutual benefit. j