TRADE TIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 116, 17 April 1939, Page 2

TRADE TIES

BRITAIN AND DOMINION. PRESENT-DAY IMPORTANCE. Y ELLINGTON, April 17. In spite of tlie unsettled international position, the major industries at Home were definitely in a strong position, said Mr A. G. G. Deuber, aeting-British Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, when replying to the toast of “British Trade” at the second annual dinner of the Wellington branch ot tho Royal St. George Society.

Mr Deuber said that though the people would be Foolish to close their eyes to the fact that they had many anxious times ahead of them, they could perhaps take comfort in the thought that the spirit of the old merchant adventurers still lived, that initiative, courage, and enterprise in business matters were still to bo found as characteristics of the British race. “Friendly relations between countries are always facilitated by close trade connections,’’ said Mr Deuber. “Still more is this so in the case of members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. The ties between the Motherland and the Dominions are, without doubt, greatly strengthened by their close trade relations.

“Returns show that practically 50 per cent, of the United Kingdom manufactures go to British Empire countries and more than 40 per cent, of what the United Kingdom needs comes from Empire countries. To come nearer home, more than three-quarters of New Zealand’s exports have for some years now gone to the Old Country and about one-half of her imports have come from the United Kingdom. COMMERCIAL MORALITY. “I think I can safely say it is a fact that no other two parts of the Empire are more closely tied, particularly in trade matters, than are the Old Country and New Zealand, and I say that without in any way wishing to deprecate the importance and the loyalty of other pnrts of tho Empire.

“Manufacturers at Home have definitely come to look on New Zealand as ono of their best markets, not necessarily from the point of size, but chiefly because of the high commercial morality of the people here. Believe me, it is a. very great pleasure to anyone like myself when T come hero after spending most of my time dealing with foreign nations to find there is practically no work at all connected with that horrible job of collecting bad debts. 'That applies, I think, generally throughout tho Empire, but I think it applies still more in the case of New Zealand.” In recent years, said Mr Deuber, trade had undergone great changes. Tho day of the great merchant adventurers had gone. It could safely be said that England’s history was bound up with those men. They were also soldiers and pioneers. It was to their enterprise, courage and foresight that the people owed that Empire of which they wore all members. UNITED KINGDOM POLICY.

Since tho Great War, there had been very many changes in trading conditions. National trade to-day was an extremely delicate and complicated machine. In many countries there wore artificial restrictions, such as import and export regulations and currency control. It could he said, however, that all the efforts of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom had been to assist industry without in any way interfering with the initiative or curbing the activities of the individual traders. Mr Deuber thought that in that way they were unique. “We can, T think, without conceit or undue self-satisfaction, claim that our workmen at Homo can still produce goods of merit and reliability so that when the words ‘British made’ appear on articles it means the goods are first class in every way,” added Mr Deuber. “So long as we can continue to maintain this high standard which is characteristic of our products, and so long as British manufacturers maintain their initiative, progress and ability, we can, T suggest, feel that the future and continued success of British trade is definitely assured.”