EXTENDED MARKETS

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 222, 20 August 1931, Page 10

EXTENDED MARKETS

HIGH COMMISSIONER AT BRISTOL.

It was New Zealand Day at, Bristol on June 24, when the High Comriiissioner, Sir Thomas Wilford, paid an official visit to that anciet city as the guest of the Lord Mayor and the Port of Bristol Authority. Sir Thomas’s visit was in the interests of increased trade between the populous area the port of Bristol supplies and New Zealand. In the morning the High Commissioner was motored to the Avonmouth Docks. Accompanying him were the London manager of the New Zealand Meat, Dairy and Honey Producers’ Boards (Messrs R. S. Forsyth, H. E. Davis and H. W. Castle) and Mr F. J. Nathan, of Palmerston North. The s.s. Middlesex had just unloaded a general cargo from New Zealand, including 6000 cases of apples. The apples had been sold, but the stores had not been cleared. There had been much the same experience with other sections of the cargo—cheese, butter and lamb —and the authorities were thus able to show the High Commissioner our produce actuallv being handled in the sheds and cold stores (says the New Zealand News). After luncheon, a motor drive through the Mendip Hills country followed, with a call at the famous Cheddar Caves. In the evening the Lord Mayor (Alderman F. F. Clothier) received the High Commissioner at the Mansion House. A large company had been invited to meet Sir Thomas, who had with him the representatives of the New Zealand Produce Boards.

The High Commissioner -was very cordially received on rising to respond to the toast of the Dominion. Ho expressed warm thanks for the reception that had been accorded to him as New Zealand’s representative, and for the general atmosphere of good fellowship, which, indeed, one always found radiating in England towards New Zealanders. (Applause). “If I may describe New Zealand,” proceeded Sir Thomas, “I would do so in these words: e are British products Empire grown, with the Home flavour.’ ” (Applause). After all, what was the difference between the Englishman and the New Zealander? Onlv the miles that separated us! The King’s reign, he declared, was a melody of just proportion ; and while the King reigned reason sat upon the Throne. After speaking of Great Britian’s leading place in the world of finance, he went on to refer to the existing trade of New Zealand with Bristol. Last year 22 ships from New Zealand h.ad docked at Av.onmouth. These ships had carried 360,000 carcases of mutton and lamb. “We have the best meat in the world,” he declared. (Applause.) “We sold you 9,700,000 carcases last year and only 120 of them were condemned—chiefly for wrongful thawing. (Applause). It was satisfactory to know that the supply of New Zealand lamb to Bristol was increasing. Of butter last year we had sent 82,732 boxes, and of cheese 57,203 crates. By the end of July of this year 16 steamers would have brought to Bristol from the Dominion 105,841 boxes of butter and 55,220 crates of cheese—an increase over the whole of last year of 28 per cent, in butter, and | approximately the same in regard to chee~e—with five months of the year still to go. (Applause). The ships that brought this produce had to travel 13,000 miles and they carried, also, general cargoes of wool, pelts, flax, and so on, almost the whole of which had to go to London to consignees there. Sir/Thomas at the same time spoke of tre "cordial sympathy of New Zealand with Bristol for more direct shipments and of her earnest desire to co-operate with the port. The people of Bristol bought our produce and were our friends. The “black

spots” to New Zealand were Lancashire and Yorkshire There foreign butters were preferred, thoug . New Zealand product was vitamins and of the highest quality. Of apples New Zealand ha _gg Bristol by steamers last year > cases; and there had also been tons of casein, 119 tons ofmilLp and 67 tons of hemp. He ivoukl lil e ! to see still more honey sold m Bristol ' New Zealand honey came from white , clover lands, and was of the hghest I quality. The Dominion was contrUiut j ing one-third of Britain s tote he that m regard to Empire goods the public ■ were entitled to know what they . buying, and were also to p : tection from deception. Tim co y or origin” of any aricle of produce ! from the Empire was entitled to tne right of building up a goodwill, ana ; the public were entitled to know what they were paying for. (AppH us f); Danish butter had built up. a definite consumers’ demand by keeping to name. “I claim,” .said Sir Thomas, “that New Zealand is entitled to bui u up a goodwill under its name and 1 repeat that the public are entitled to know what they are paying tor. (Applause). So far as an increase in the direct shipment to Bristol was coicerned, the matter was in their own hands. A clause in the .agreement with the shipping companies statea that a cargo of 350 tons of produc would entitle them to a ship. “You have your troubles, concluded Sir Thomas, “we have . ours. What mother of a large family is tiee of them? I see the wrinkled foreheaa of the business man of the citv to-aay, but that is the outward and visible sign of maturity and not of decline. (Laughter and applause). ‘They say . ‘John Bull, you are not the man you were!’ I do not believe it. No New Zealander be-lieves it. No part of the British Empire believes it. . \\uy, the midst of her troubles Britain was suggestng the electrification of all her railways-a scheme involving iery manv millions sterling. (Laughte ) Britain was not done, and with the traditions of the past, and with the help of the Dominions and that cooperation which spelt success 111 family, a nation, or an Empire, B tain could, and would, be greatei than ever before.” (Loud applause).