ANGLO-COLONIAL TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12910, 5 July 1905, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL TRADE.

ENGLISH AND FOREIGN METHODS.

[from ottr own CORRESPONDENT.]

London, May 27. On Monday last Mr. 11. J. Jeffray, who has been appointed by the. Board of Trade to visit New Zealand and' Australia in tho interests of their trade with the Mother Country, addressed an influential meeting of merchants at the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Jeffray stated that ho was about to go to Australia and Now Zealand at the instance of the Commercial Intelligence Department of the Board of Trade. His long residence in Australia and his intimato acquaintance with : all sorts of people there had, he assumed, commended him to the authorities, who had charged him to inquire and report—(l) Whether and to what extent business is diverted from the colonies to foreign countries instead of the Mother County; (2) what the causes of this diversion are; (3) by what means this diversion can bo stopped and the current of trade made to run its natural channel. Some people, Mr. Joffray remarked, objected to Government interference with trado matters. They urged that British trade had been built 'by individualist effort, and that the less Governments meddled with it the' better. The Commercial Intelligence Committee of tho Board of 'IVade took the view, however, that there were many ways in which Governments might help to .promote trade, and his object in coming to. Manchester was to get information, and, he hoped, rome encouragement in his mission. Mr. Jeffray pointed out-that in plaoes like Australia foreigners had hitherto had some advantages over the Homeland in their consuls. The consuls did their best to further the trado of their respective countries, whereas Great Britain had no consuls or representatives charged with similar duties. To remove that disability he had been commissioned to nominate seven men, one for each State, and one'for New Zealand, who shall act as a Board of Trade correspondent. He feared this would prove a delicate business and a difficult one—to choose men with the requisite qualities, willing and able to do the work for the honorarium that would be paid. It had been said that British trado with the Australian colonies suffered because of the excessive conservatism of British traders, their want of initiative and power of adaptation to local wants. It had been alleged, for example, that when the representative of an English house called on a trader in Australia and was asked if he could not supply goods of a certain sort his answer was that he would write to his principals on the subject. Th.is he did, and presently he informed the local trader how he had been snubbed for his pains; how he had been told that his business was to sell the goods be had, or give place to somebody else. Quite different was . it when the German called on the trader. " Certainly," said the German, "1 do not know if wo make these goods; but whether we do or not, you shall have them.'' In duo time the kind of article desired by tho Australian customer was produced. Doubtless there was an explanation of the English r,pathy. The English maker reasoned thus with himself: "My capital is invested in the machinery, which is producing certain articles. It is working satisfactorily. I am not going to put down new machinery." This was why he spoke of undue conservatism, a want of adaptiveness and initiativeness as lying at tho root of the unsucoess of British manufacturers in the colonial market. There were three questions lie had to put to the meeting— (1) Is this foreign diversion of British trade felt and known in this country? (2) Does the Manchester Chamber of Commerce eoncur in the movement initiated by the j Board of Trade as an expedient to remedy existing evils? (3) suggestions can tlio chamber make to facilitate th© object in view? In the course of the discussion which ensued strong sympathy was expressed with the efforts- the Board of Trade was making. The opinion <vas expressed that- the authorities wero now proceeding on right lines, and that trade relations between the Mother Country and the colonies would derive great benefit through the new departure. ' Mr Jeffray has made arrangements to leave next week. He will travel overland through France, and will join at Marseilles the P and 0. Steamer China, thus talcing Australia first, and going on ultimately to New Zealand.