BRITISH-COLONIAL TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12856, 3 May 1905, Page 5

BRITISH-COLONIAL TRADE.

A BOARD OF TRADE MISSION.

[by TELEGRAPH. — OWN" correspondent.]

Wellington, Tuesday. The Premier lias received, through His Excellency the Governor, the following despatch from the Colonial Office, dated March 24: "I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Ministers, a. copy of a. letter from the Board of Trade, : stating that it is proposed shortly to despatch a commercial mission to Australia and New Zealand, and adding that the Board will much appreciate any assistance which the various colonial Governments may render in furthering the inquiries of. the commissioner. I have no doubt that your Ministers will be glad to afford Mr. R. J. Jetfray, who lias bees selected to conduct the mission, every facility which is within their power.—l have, etc., Alfred Lyttei.ton."

The letter from the Board of Trade, dated March 16, is addressed to the UnderSecretary of State foi the Colonies, and is as follows: am directed by the Board of Trade to state, for the- information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that their Advisory Commit let" on Commercial Intelligence is about to despatch a commercial mission to Australia and New Zealand, on similar lines to the missions already undertaken to South Africa and elsewhere. The principal object of this mission will be to ascertain, by direct inquiry, the extent and degree* of effectiveness of foreign competition with the United Kingdom trade in Australia and New Zealand, the best means of successfully combating this competition, and the opportunities which may exist for the further development of United Kingdom trade within, those colonies. In addition the commissioner will be instructed to nominate, in consultation with the Slate Governments in Australia and the New Zealand Government, suitable persons who may bo appointed to act as correspondents of the intelligence branch of the Board of Trade in the several colonies, in return for an. annual fee. The main, duty of the proposed correspondents will lie to furnish information in reply to inquiries addressed to them by or through the intelligence branch on commercial matters, as already done by the correspondents appointed is. the South African colonies. The Board desire me to ask you to be good enough to move Mr. Lyttellon, should lie see no objection, to advise the several colonial Governments, as well as their respective Agents-General in Loudon, of the approaching mission, and to add that the board will much appreciate any assistance that they may be good enough to render in furthering the inquiries of the cominissioiiei. lam to add that the commissioner appointed to conduct the mission, is Mr. K. J. Jeffray, for some time president of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, and that as at present proposed Mr. Jeffray will leave this country for AustraJia not later than May next. —I ijave, etc., F. J. Hotwood."