TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 23 December 1922, Page 5

TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA

GbiiG-d Prww A«»ee;*tinii.i CHRISTCHURCH. Dec. 21 A visit to the industrial exhibition was made by the Hon. W. D. Stewart (Minister of’ Internal Affairs and Customs) this morning. Speaking to a reporter afterwards, the Minister expressed pleasure at tin? splendid variety of exhibits.

; Tt appears to me to be splendidly arranged,’' be said, “and it gives a visitor a bird’s-eye view of the magnitude and variety' of New Zealand manufactures. In going round I was particularly interested to hear from a number of'leading manufacturing firms of Hie new avenue that has been opened UD to them in Australia through the reciprocal agreement recently arranged with that country. The representatives of these firms spoke with the utmost enthusiasm of the opportunities which ,tho Australian agreement had afforded them, and of the prospects for an increasing market in Australia. “Recently several New Zealand manufacturers have called to inform me ot their success in Australia, and of the determination to compete in that market. It is well known, of course, that the New Zealand Customs, tariff is on a moderate scale compared with some of the high tariffs in oilier parts, of the world, and New Zealand manufacturers have been brought up in a hard school. They have, however, shown singular enterprise and ingenuity in making the best of the situation in which they have found themselves, and in a period of falling prices their self-reliance and resourcefulness will stand them in good stead. “The exhibition reflected the utmost credit on the executive, which undoubtedly owes much of its success to the energy of its president. T shall be well pleased if the exhibition which is to be held in Dunedin in 1924 is as successful as your Christchurch one, as 1 am sure that these exhibitions are of great educational value, and help materially to promote the welfare and progress of New Zealand manufacturers.”