TRADE WITH N.Z.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3439, 5 March 1932, Page 3

TRADE WITH N.Z.

CARGO SENT DIRECT TO GLASGOW. CIVIC RECEPTION TO SHIP AT CITY HARBOUR. INNOVATION WITH BENEFICIAL RESULTS. (Glasgow Herald.) The satisfaction which Scottish traders would experience by shipments direct to Glasgow 'of New Zealand and other Colonial produce was indicated in the speeches delivered by Lord Provost Sir Thomas Kelly and the Earl of Home yesterday, at a civic reception which was accorded to the Federal Steam Navigation Company's steamer, Middlesex, at Plantation Quay, Glasgow.

In addition to the formal ceremony, at which the Lord Provost opened the hatches of the ship, a procession of 60 motor lorries, decorated with slogans advertising the merits of New Zealand produce, made a tour of the city and attracted much attention.

Street Procession.

The steamer Middlesex has brought from New Zealand to Glasgow a large cargo of butter, cheese and lamb, the stable commodities of the Dominion. The ceremony, which took place on board the ship, and the subsequent display in the streets of the city, gives emphasis to the efforts which are being made to foster and increase the sale of Empire products by means of closer co-opera-tion in trading. A large company was present at the inspection of the produce stacked on gaily bedecked lorries in the sheds of the quay and at the novel formalities on the ship. The Corporation of Glasgow, the Clyde Navigation Trust, the Overseas League, and other bodies, in addition to a large number of trading concerns, were represented. The Lord Provost, who was accompanied by the Earl of Home, Mr. W. F. Robertson, chairman of the Clyde Navigation Trust, and Mr. Harold M. Ford, commercial manager of the Clyde Trust, were received at the quay by Mr. George G. Law, of Messrs. Law and Co., Glasgow, agents of the Federal Steam Navigation Company. Following an inspection of the parade of vehicles, the Lord Provost's party was received on board the vessel by Captain J. G. Almond, on behalf of the owners.

"Captain Almond, after conducting the party to the bridge of the ship, initiated the ceremony by asking Mr. Robertson, as chairman of the port authority, to take over the vessel.

Increased Tonnage.

Mr.. Robertson, in introducing the Lord Provost, asked Captain Almond to convey to the Federal Steam Navigation Company their appreciation of placing the Middlesex at their disposal. Observing that the principal exports from New Zealand were meat, butter, cheese, fruit, honey and wool, Mr. Robertson remarked that traffic in these commodities had been largely centred in London, although recently, and particularly during last year, the Clyde Trust handled some 28,000 tons, which was an increase of 50 or 60 per cent, over the tonnage which came to the port in 1930. In their efforts to increase that trade they were indebted to the Markets Committee of the Corporation of Glasgow. The demonstration that day had been arranged by the interests concerned, with the help of the Overseas League in Edinburgh. Mr. Robertson added that the High Commissioner for New Zealand would have been present at the ceremony but for the fact that he was looking after the interests of his country at Geneva.

The Port of Glasgow

The Lord Provost, before beginning his address, performed the ceremony of the opening of the hatches, and several slingfuls of cargo were hoisted from the ship's hold. He prefaced his remarks by announcing that he had received a cablegram from Auckland- from Mr. William Goodfellow, managing director of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company. The cable, which was sent on behalf of suppliers and directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, conveyed thanks to the Lord Provost for his assistance in furthering the cause of Empire trade in Glasgow. The Lord Provost said that was the first time that anything like a reception to a ship from our overseas Dominions had taken place. He congratulated the Clyde Trust, and particularly Mr. Ford, on the enterprise which had been shown in arranging for that cargo being sent direct from New Zealand to Glasgow, and he also thanked the owners of the Middlesex for co-operating with the Clyde Trust in an innovation which, he was sure, would have farreaching beneficial results in fostering and developing trade between the port of Glasgow .and our overseas Dominions.

Great Facilities.

He had for a time been taking a deep interest in the question of developing trade between Scotland and the Dominions. Much preliminary

work had already been done in that direction. The Corporation and the Clyde Trust had always worked hand in hand in that matter, and as a result of their joint efforts there had been a great increase in trade with the colonies during last year. That was all to the good, and he hoped the consignment on the Middlesex was just a forerunner of many more consignments, which would be to the mutual benefit of the old country and her daughter Dominions. He would like their friends in New Zealand to know that the citizens of Glasgow were behnid the movement to popularise the products of their rich and progressive country. It ought to be unnecessary at this time to try to eulogise the facilities of Glasgow for trading with all parts of the world. They had great facilities for coping with any demands made upon them by producers abroad.

London was not the only market where goods could be advantageously distributed and dealt with. It always seemed to him to be an anomaly that merchandise from overesas should be unloaded in London, from where it required to be transported by rail to Scotland, thus increasing overhead charges. The more vessels like the Middlesex which came to the Clyde, the more economically and expedi-' tiously would merchandise be dealt with.

He trusted that unique and spectacular demonstration of trading between the Colonies and the Mother Country would lead to a great increase in trade to the port of Glasgow.

The Spirit of Co-operation.

The Earl of Home said the ceremony that day showed that Scotland was getting a move on in the work of. improving Empire trade. When Scotland got a move on generally something pretty good happened. The fine display in the sheds proved that the spirit of co-operation existed in all their hearts, and that it was only necessary to embody that spirit in a business-like and practical policy. By giving a practical lead in that matter the Clyde Trust were showing not only to our own people but to our Dominions that they were alive to national and Empire responsibilities; and not merely from the point of view of the port, but for the benefit of the markets, traders, and interests of Glasgow, and for the great producing interests of the British people throughout the Empire.

"A Mistaken Idea."

Some people thought that the functions of a port authority were

only to provide docks, quays, equipment, and so on; but the fact that the Clyde Trust not only provided those but was co-operating heartily with the Dominions and Colonies and traders in Scotland deserved the highest praise, and was very encouraging to all engaged in industry and commerce. Despite the appreciable increase in trade between New Zealand and Scotland, only the fringes of trade in Scotland had so far been touched. A large number of interests in New Zealand and in other parts of the Empire seemed to think that by sending their products to London they were necessarily opening up the markets of Great Britain. With all respect, he might say that was an entirely mistaken idea. The Clyde had trading facilities which were second to none, and he would ask the colonies to capitalise the goodwill being built up that day in Scotland in favour of Empire products. He thought they should send a message to New Zealand emphasising the value of shipping commodities direct to Glasgow. By doing so the goods would be stocked in the best possible condition.

Building Up Empire Trade.

There was no part of Britain more anxious than Scotland to go forward with the development of Empire trade, and he hoped that in future shipments such as they saw that day would be doubled and trebled. He was sure that, with the co-operation of the Empire Marketing Board, the Clyde Trust, and „the Overseas League, supported by the traders, manufacturers, shopkeepers, and housewives of Scotland, Scotland would bear her full share in building up trade with the Empire, which would be so vastly beneficial to us, and would bring much-needed relief to our hard-pressed industries. Captain Almond, at the conclusion of the ceremony, presented the Lord Provost and the Earl of Home with small parcels of New Zealand butter and cheese.

The Procession.

From the point of view of the general public, the part of the proceedings which created the liveliest interest was the procession. Dividing into three sections, each of which completely traversed large areas of the city, the slowly moving string of lorries, adorned with the predominant decorations of the Union Jack and the Dominion flag of New Zealand, invested the streets with an unwonted and cheerful note of colour. During the forenoon hours the procession was particularly brightening

in streets near the river Clyde, where drabness was accentuated by a low, heavy fog. The gay series of vehicles was seen by thousands of spectators from the pavement and from the windows of houses. Each lorry was decorated by numerous slogans printed in banners of bright and arresting hues, and the produce, packed in boxes, kegs and cartons and .stacked in loads, evoked curiosity as to the various brands.* One of the vehicles carried a very life-like representation of a black and white dairy cow—so life-like indeed that the remark of a spectator as to whether "it was real" was prompted. The slogans emphasised every fact regarding the natural resources of New Zealand, the suitability of conditions fOr dairying and the rearing of stock, the manufacture of the produce, and the quality of the commodities sent to Great' Britain. The route had been carefully arranged, and in the of the fivehours procession—f rom 11 o'clock to 4 o'clock—every part of the city •was visited.

The following is a list of the exhibitors: —Messrs. Clyde Cold Storage Company, Ltd., Glasgow; Cooper and Co.'s Stores, Ltd., Glasgow; R. and W. Davidson, Ltd., Glasgow; Empire Dairies, Ltd., Glasgow; A. Fleming and Co., Glasgow; Galbraith's Stores, Ltd., Paisley; James Legget and Co., Glasgow; Lovell and Christmas, Ltd., Glasgow; A. J. Mills and Co., Ltd., Glasgow; William Milne, Ltd., Glasgow; David Mullen, Glasgow; New Zealand Produce Association, Ltd., Glasgow; Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society, Glasgow; Union Cold Storage Company, Ltd., Glasgow.