DOMINION’S TRADE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 120, 21 April 1932, Page 8

DOMINION’S TRADE.

POSSIBILITIES OF EXTENSION

Possibilities of the extension of tlie Dominion’s trade with foreign countries were mentioned by the Hon. It. Masters, Minister of Industries and Commerce, when speaking at the annual meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Masters referred to the visit of Mr J. L. Schmidt, New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Sydney, to Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, with a view to investigating the possibilities of trade there. The roport Mr. Schmidt furnished, Mr. Masters said, was one of the finest that had ever been prepared for this country. An Australian paper had stated that the report was the finest that had ever been submitted to Australia for the developing of trade, Mr Masters said. To-day Australia was utilising information which had been prepared by an officer of the New Zealand Department of Industries and Commerce for the development of New Zealand trade. “What are we doing to follow up the work that has been done to develop the trade that is there?” he asked. “The Department of Industries and Commerce is not a commercial concern. We do not sell the goods. We will get t(he various organisations all the information that they require, because that is our job, but after having done that it is the duty of the businessmen to follow it up. And m this direction I regret that New Zealand is not following up as she should bo • The Minister quoted figures showing the comparison between the exports to British Malnya and Netherlands East Indies as regards New Zealand and Australia. , The time had arrived when we could not continue to rely solely on Great Britain as our only market, the Minister continued. Foreign countries— Russia, Argentine, and Denmark—had developed markets in Great Britain, and we had to compete with them, lhe butter importation into England had practically doubled itself snice 1914, even though it was being consumed by the same number of people, and unless New Zealand showed initiative and energy in extending her markets, she was going to bo forced out in tho competitive struggle. ■ The Minister referred to the trade treaties with Canada and Belgium which were now awaiting ratification. When these treaties were ratified, they should not let it rest there. It was their duty as businessmen to get behind the farmers and try to develop additional markets for the products of the Dominion.