BRITAIN’S BIGGEST MARKET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 14 November 1934, Page 8

BRITAIN’S BIGGEST MARKET

NEW ZEALAND’S LEAD IN IMPERIAL TRADE EXPANSION

LANCASHIRE'S ATTITUDE

(From a Special Correspondent)

LONDON, 9th October. The recent announcement by the Empire Industries Association that this year, for the first time on record, the exports of British manufactures to Empire countries have become greater than those to foreign countries, has been appreciatively received by the British Press and by representatives of British industry. The September Board of Trade returns show that for the first eight months of 1934 the Empire’s purchases of British goods totalled £98,795,810, an increase of £12,318,594 over the corresponding period of 1933. British exports to foreign countries amounted to £98,132,470, so that Empire countries are now taking just over 50 per cent, of Britain’s total exports. At the same time as the Empire Industries Association made its announcement, the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board circulated to the Press a statement analysing the latest available figures, according to which, among the Dominions, Australia has increased her purchases of British goods by 29 per cent., New Zealand and Canada by 2d per cent, each, and South Africa by 24 per cent. . ~ Two days later, the “Morning Post and the “Daily Telegraph’’ both published letters from Sir Henry Page Croft M.P., and Sir Arthur Shirley Benn, M.P., the former, chairman, and the latter, deputy-chairman, of the Empire Industries Association, citing the greater purchases by New Zealand and tho other Dominions as a vindication ot the Ottawa Agreements, and urging that, Britain should neither stand still nor tie her hands by making foreign agreements which would limit- her scope for Imperial expansion. ‘ “The proof of statemanship , Sir Henry Page. Croft said, “will lie in tho recognition of the initial success of our policy, in the ability to grasp the opportunity with courage, zeal and vision, and to develop our best markets, widening their purchasing and selling power, as also their general prosperity, by a vigorous attempt to redistribute the population of the Empire on a long-term plan.” A BREAKFAST TABLE EXCHANGE Pottery manufacturers in North Staffordshire, Derby, Worcester and Dorset have expressed tho liveliest satistaction at the New Zealand Government s decision to abolish the 20 per pent, import duty on British table china and earthenware. They expect a decided improvement in their trade with the Dominion, notwithstanding that m competition with them Japanese- fP“ s have of late made considerable headIn a letter published in the “Morning Post,” the leading provincial newspapers, and the trade Press, Mr H. K. Hales, the M.P. for Hanley, pointed out that it was fitting that British crockery should have free entry to the New Zealand breakfast table in return for the untaxed admittance of New Zealand Witter and other dairy products to the British breakfast table. He uiged housewives in the British pottery districts to New .Zealands practical gesture by buying New Zealand butter in preference to foi 'eign The New Zealand . Dairy Produce Board has been able to correct misstatements which have appeared m one o two London papers that New Zealand had increased her tariffs on British jams, confectionary, electric stoves, and certain types of steel and iron The Board pointed out that the error had apparently arisen on the assumption that certain recommendations of tho Dominion Tariff Commission had been adopted as made, whereas in point of fact they underwent a slight modification before being sanctioned by tlie Government. Actually, the tariffs in question, the Board said, either remain .the same or are reduced, the whole tendency of the New Zealand Governments decisions being in the direction o sweeping reductions of duties oa British goods in return for the untaxed entry of New Zealand dairy and other produce to • Britain.

NEW ZEALAND GAINS IN THE NORTH The New Zealand Dairy- Produce Board will open its first sales campaign of the season during the coming week. It will he at Bradford and Leeds and in the surrounding districts where a successful one. was conducted last Novem.ber. New Zealand produce is making continued progress in the industrial North, arid in Lancashire, where there has so far been no settlement ot tlie Australian . cotton tariffs dispute, there is fresh evidence of a “swing over to New Zealand butter and cheese- Mr John Gregory, president of the Northern Council of Retail Grocers, informed the “Daily Herald’ ’a day or two ago that he was going to advise ms customers to buy New Zealand produce. “How best to put the boycott on Australian produce,” he is reported to have said “is left to individual grocers. But I advise my fellow tradesmen to buy New Zealand produce because New Zealand has no tariff against Lancashire cotton goods. We claim to be as patriotic as any one else, but we are compelled to look after cur own living and the living of our customers. It is sincerely to be hoped, however, that the unfortunate dispute will, have ended ere this reaches New Zealand, for,' taking the long view, no permanent "ood can result to our producers by an mter-Empire war on fiscal issues. The Shaw Savill and Albion Company’s motor cargo liner Wairangi, the sixth of ten ships ordered by British companies for the New Zealand and Australian food trade, was launched at Govan, on the Clyde, to-day. The first of the Shaw Savill ships, the Wanvera,will have reached New Zealand by the time this letter gets there. The second vessel, the Waipnwa, is now nearing completion Of the New Zealand Shipping Company's two new hnors, the Durham leaves Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Australia on 13th October, and the Dorset will be ready for the Dominion service in a few weeks.