GERMANY SEEKING MARKETS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16568, 4 June 1914, Page 6

GERMANY SEEKING MARKETS.

The proposed extension of the Ger-man-Australian steamship service to New Zealand evidently is viewed with a certain amount of concern in commercial circles in London. A rate war, which has been stated to be a possible result of the new competition, might not be altogether disagreeable to exporters and importers, but the proposal means more than mere increased activity on tho part of a foreign shipping company in the Australasian trade. The Berlin correspondent of the London " Times," according to a cablegram we published yesterday, states that the extension is "connected with the policy of cutting German protectorates in the South Seas out of the Anglo-Australian sphere of influence " and mentions that the German Conservatives, who control the political situation, have indicated their willingness to abandon the veto on the importation of frozen meat in the interests of German shipping. These statements obviously do not cover all tho ground, but probably we shall not be far wrong if we assume that the enterprise of the German shipowners is connected with the operations of the German Association for World Commerce, a remarkable concern which came into - existence last- year without attracting nearly as much attention as its potential importance warranted. "This Association," said the London "Daily Mail" recently, " inspired by the Kaiser and backed by millions of money, is to take the field in order to wage in the Fatherland's name the most prodigious war of trade conquest of modern times. Tho promoters of tho project includo every industrial organisation of importance in the country. Associations which have been at loggerheads for years have now buried their differences in order to unite Germany's economic forces in one gigantic, I concentrated crusade." German business men have said much the same thing in moro restrained language. The new organisation, working in harmony with German diplomacy, is to " widen Germany's markets and conquor new ones" and it will not he hampered by lack of money. It is to preach the gospel of German trade all over the

world, guide German enterprise into profitable channels, support "pioneer" efforts by German concerns and generally do tho work of an activo and powerful Ministry of Commerce. The extension of the German-Australian service to New Zealand has tho appcaranco of being an early result of the Association's labours. Tho developments, in any case, will be watched with keen interest in this country, whore already tho representatives of British exporters have had to complain that it is cheaper to bring goods from Hamburg than from London under the existing shipping arrangements. New

Zealand people, however, will not willingly transfer their trado to Germany at the expense of the Motherland.