TRADE BY BARTER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 284, 29 October 1934, Page 6

TRADE BY BARTER.

TENDENCY IN EUROPE,

HOW GERMANY STANDS. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Oct. 27. “There is no doubt whatever that trade with European countries has developed into a barter system, and my recent visit to Germany, Czechoslovakia Austria, Switzerland, France and Holland confirmed this,” said- Mr H. Turner, London manager for the New Zealand Fruit Board, in an interview. During interviews with German Government officials, principally those of the Economic Department, said Mr Turner, he was very courteously received, but it was stated very plainly that the present policy overseas was to buy only as much as they sold to various foreign countries. “Just liow far this policy can be extended it is hard to say,” said Mr Turner, “but in the meantime the position in regard to New Zealand is not very hopeful. “Since the outspoken comments of the British Press in regard to the executions of June 30 there has been rather bitter feeling toward England, and one notices a cooling-off of that cordiality which was growing so steadily prior to the advent of the present regime. At the moment England feels that her efforts to secure for Germany some reasonable status of equality have not been received in the right spirit, and that Germany is doing her best to provoke and antagonise those who honestly, even for partly selfish motives, desire to see a rehabilitated Germany. Germany on her part maintains that her method of dealing with the discordant and disruptive elements in her own midst is a matter for Germany and Germany alone, and that we have no right to attack her on those matters. “Switzerland, which is one of the few European countries that are showing a favourable balance in relation to New Zealand, maintains that much New Zealand produce is imported via London, and that this does not appear in the official figures. “By comparison. England’s trade and financial position are gilt-edged. She and Sweden can be claimed as the only bright spots in a state of complete economic gloom in Europe. For proof of this one need only reflect upon the anxiety of most other countries to conclude trade agreements with Britain. On the other hand, such agreements are useless unless some guarantee is forthcoming that funds will be made available for purchases. “The feeling amongst cotton spinners over Germany’s recent defalcations has been very bitter, and it is difficult to know what satisfactory assurances can be given to stabilise future business at the moment,” added Mr Turner.