THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1912. IMPERIAL TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14934, 6 March 1912, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1912. IMPERIAL TRADE.

Everything which tends to improve trade relations between' the Mother Country and the Overseas Dominions and Dependencies is so manifestly for the common advantage of all parties concerned that the Trade Commissioner who is now representing the British Board of Trade in New Zealand may confidently expect to find sympathy and assistance on every hand. Mr. Wickham proposes to inform himself, by personal enquiry, of the conditions affecting British trade as they exist in this Dominion ; this practical step is very essential and necessary if the problem is to be attacked in a definite and hopeful manner. Many in the United Kingdom appear to regard a British colony as antagonistic to British trade because it imposes a duty upon British importations ; but this conception of a local protective tariff is very short-sighted and actually misleading, particularly when it is associated with Imperial preference. It is not necessary to enter into an interminable and resultless argument upon the rival merits of free trade and protection in order to make sufficiently clear what Imperial advantages may be gained by intelligently developing Imperial trade and commerce. We may point out, however, that local protection is the almost universal rule of the modern world, and that the ' British free trade policy, whatever may bo its merits, is the solitary example of what was once expected to be a great world-conquering doctrine. The two great British political parties are equally matched on the fiscal question, the present Imperial Government- holding office not because it defends free trade, but because it is supported by independent auxiliaries for other reasons. In the always possible event of a change in the political situation at Home a party advocating fiscal protection would assume the administration of the country and a policy of protection would be forthwith inaugurated. No colonist would dream of accusing the Mother Country of anti-colonial methods if duty were imposed at British ports upon colonial produce, and every colonist would think the colonies highly favoured if preference were accorded to colonial produce. As a matter of fact, at the present time, duties are imposed at British ports upon colonial grown wines and tobaccos, nor is any distinction made between foreign and colonial articles. That this is for revenue purposes solely does not affect the question of goodwill. In any consideration of Imperial trade in relation to the dominions, it must be recognised that local protection is established in every self-governing part of the British Empire, and' that it is unchallenged by any considerable section of any colonial community. In the far future we may have Imperial free trade or international free trade or any other fiscal policy; but it is imperative to treat local protection as among the unalterable facts of to-day.

What is not only practical and possible, but eminently desirable, is that the purchases of New Zealand, when made out of New Zealand, shall be distributed as far as possible within the Empire. It is foolish to assert that it is a matter of indifference whether we buy in England or buy in Germany, for it is self-evident that the maintenance of German workshops and German merchants by New Zealand purchasers assists in providing tho naval and military armaments that may be used against us instead of in providing the navy and the army which in time of trouble is as our own. This is not displaying animus against Germany; it • is the merest commonsense. To encourage and foster British trade as against any foreign trade is so obviously desirable and advantageous that it is worth considerable pecuniary sacrifice ; certainly it is worth 10 per cent, preference at the Customs House. How much more desirable and advantageous is it to encourage British trade by paying attention to trade, conditions, and by bringing producers and customers into friendly and intimate communication? When the Herald asserted, some years q-go, that the indifference of British manufacturers to colonial requirements was among the causes of the foreign encroachment upon British commerce, a storm of denial was aroused at Home. . But a dozen j denials are not worth one factfounded affirmative in such an issue, and the experience of many colonial merchants is not to be overridden by angry denunciations. The difficulty to which we draw attention has been repeatedly referred to since by ; official and unofficial authorities,, and, is pointed out as one of the" weaknesses of British trade by the most competent and the friendliest critics. New Zealand will be greatly, assisted in placing its orders with British firms when it is enabled v to reach, the firms who take the trouble,.to< supply what is required and to :; avoid firms who imagine that colonial customers do not know what they want. Doubtless the British trade commissioner

will be able to assist in this, and by doing so to set the trading relations between Britain and the colonies upon a better basis. For the loyal colonist honestly desires to give Britain practical as well as fiscal preference. This is one of the voluntary and valuable, albeit inexpensive, contributions wo can make to the navy which provides for New Zealand as for Britain a "first line of defence" and safe conduct for our trading ships wherever they go on the high seas.