FIJI’S TRADE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 288, 2 November 1934, Page 8

FIJI’S TRADE.

The wave of economic nationalism that has swept the world is not confined to the major countries. Small nations, and colonies and dependencies of the British Empire, have felt it incumbent upon themselves to demand a better deal from those with whom they trade than they have been getting, and although their gestures may be regarded in some quarters as audacious, the fact remains that these very small countries afford an example of how strong a grip the idea has obtained. An example is the case of Fiji, and the subject is one of importance to New Zealand, since if the former country does not obtain from Australia the concessions she asks for this Dominion may reap the benefit of the change in trade that is threatened. In April last the Governor of Fiji, Sir Murchison Fletcher, visited Australia to negotiate more favourable terms for his country in the matter of trade. Bananas are the principal commodity affected as far as the Fijians are concerned, and the growers assert that as a result of the visit the Federal Government gave an undertaking that removal of the primage duty on bananas would be favourably considered. Australia has her own banana growers in Queensland to consider, and they did not hesitate to remind the Federal Government of their interests. Coupled with this is the fact that the Government has been preoccupied with an election for some months, in which tariff problems have been set aside. Fiji, dissatisfied with the progress, or lack of it, that has been shown, now threatens to place a penal duty on all Australian products. Australia purchases from Fiji about £30,000 worth of goods a year, while the value of the preferential market to the Commonwealth is at present about £283,000. It is believed that if the threatened penal duties are imposed, a valuable market for Australian products will be lost or at least greatly reduced, and most of the goods now obtained from Australia could be procured equally well from other parts of the Empire, notably New Zealand. No headway seems to be taking place in the negotiations, and the advantage likely to arise to this Dominion in the event of failure will doubtless be seized by those concerned. . Between pacifying the Lancashire cotton exporters and the Fijian banana o-rowers Australia’s tariff negotiators at present have their hands full.