BRITISH TRADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 8

BRITISH TRADE.

SUPPORT FOR THE MANUFACTURER. ",' [Per Prsss Association.] ■-"• ".'. \ WELLINGTON, February 22. | Mr R, W. Daltpiv British Trade Commissioner.in New: Zealand, was the guest at a luncheon by the New Zealand Club to-day.

The war, Mr Dalton said, had taught them a number of lessons. Not the least of those was that trade was essential in the national welfare. It was more essential i.u war time .than in peace. The Germans could take credit to themselves for one thing, that they had done more to create trade enthiisiam in England than anything that had happened since the King made his remarkable speech to the business nieu of England asking them to " wake up;- . Immediately after the war broker out there was an absolute stagnation, produced- by lack of > confidences That quickly passed away. If they coufd go to England now they would see a considerable change. Unemployment was down to 1 per cent. There was one set purpose before manufacturers and!' before-the--working-people, aud it was, this: that whatever happens the war has to be won. The requirements af the Admiralty and the War Office ha-TO" to bo filled ami, if necessary, general trade must suffer. It was : ,a>popular, fashion to discredit British nianufac-'. turersi and unfortunately that-'fashiott was in the dominions than • in any other part of the world; : Personally he strongly-objected to.it. They could' never forget .that Britain, had taught the world; how to manufacture and how to trade. For generations we held an absolute monopoly of manufacturing industries and of the-trade of the world. It was unreasonable to suppose that we could-hold that monopoly for all time and that Germany, an important country with enormous natural resources, should not become a very keen competitor, but he contended that there was no manufacturer in- the world who was more enterprising, more ready to provide what is wanted' than the British manufacturer. He contended that it was the duty of the dominions to stand bv the British manufacturer. The British manufacturer was fighting the battle of the Empire just as .much as the armies in the field, and .he was perfectly sure that* New Zeal and., which sent its' forces out. to fight .with those of Britain, would stand by Britain commercially until and after the. war was over. He asked only that the traders of New Zealand should give British manufacturers a chance. Tile manufacturers would do the very best they could to supply them, and he strongly advised the traders of the Dominion .to hanfe on to their agencies. He did not see how they could possibly turn their back on the manufacturers of Britain, and he contended that it would be ih their own interests to stand by them, because the manufacturer in Britain had never been more enterprisins thanat the present time.- The production of war material had necessarily, meant the reforming of his works, and the development of his manufactures, and he was going into the trade war afTer the present war with his mind made up to win. " And you can take it from me that he is goino: to win out," declared Mr Dal ten amid applause.