BRITISH COMMERCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9586, 2 September 1913, Page 4

BRITISH COMMERCE.

The deep-rooted idea that commercially Britain is fast hastening into deradoncc is sturdily combntted by Mr Will Crooks, one of the visiting British Parliamentarians and a prominent Labour leader, and his contention is strongly backed by a reference to the figures. British trade and commerce really continues in a surprisingly prosperous and healthy condition considering the strenuous competition of other countries. Tho bare statistics scarcely convey an impression of the vastness of the volume of trade. The combined exports and imports of the United Kingdom in 1911, for instance, totalled well over a thousand million sterling worth of merchandise. Imports alone were worth £680,157,527 and exports were valued at £556,878,432. The two years since then have been seasons of great activity in all branches of manufacture and when the returns are available it will be found that even these great totals have been exceeded. Mr Wickham, the Imperial Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, has been calling attention in the South Island to the different conditions of production and manufacture in Britain and in tho United States, her chief rival. America can grow or produce from her soil almost every raw material and foodstuff that she requires. There is no textile fibre except jute and, to a smaller extent, wool, and no mineral except tin for which she need be dependent upon importation. She has every variety of climate; she faces two oceans, and has wonderful waterways, and water power; she has almost inexhaustible supplies of coal, iron, fuel and oil. extensive forests and almost the monopoly of the world's cotton. Finally, she has. as homo market, a population double that of tho United Kingdom. On the other hand coal is the only raw material which Great Britain does 'not have to imj>ort, and which she is able ti export. She can only grow half her food supply and half her wool; she has to import the whole of her cotton, jute, silk and rubber; a large proportion of her iron, practically all her mineral oil and timber, all her lead, copper and oilier materials, and a considerable proportion of her flax for the linen trade. besides all the seeds for her important oil seed crushing industry. Such a disprojwrtion in the conditions make British supremacy over so many vears all the more wonderful. Mr Wickham suggests that some Xcw Zealanders are over ready to criticise the Old Country and to think her old-fashioned, while at the same time over-rating the attractions of strangers. He appeals to colonials to endeavour alwavs to give the benefit of the doubt in matters where manufactures are concerned to old ace and ex,>erienre. and it is advice that 2" f **** in * Dominion that pndosuself upon its patriotism.