GERMAN STEAMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15174, 13 December 1912, Page 8

GERMAN STEAMERS.

MAY CALL AT AUCKLAND-

THE N.D.L. COMPANY.

Negotiation's are now in progress, in view of the approaching opening of the Panama for another important line of steamers to mako Auckland one of its ports of call. It has already been announced that the possibilities of the Nord-deutscher-Lloyd steamers calling at Auckland, under an arrangement similar to that by which the P. and 0. vessels now visit this port, were being investigated.

Yesterday a Herald representative, during a chat with Mr. Paul Butzmulilen, a prominent business mart of Leipzig, who is at present visiting the city, learned that the N.D.L. Company, and indeed, other important German lines, looked most favourably upon the idea of calling at a New Zealand port, in view of the possibilities of opening up a reciprocal trade between the two countries. One of the obstacles was the high seals of tariffs for certain goods now manufactured in Germany, and for which there was a demand in Now Zealand.

Referring to the prejudice with which Herman goods are looked upon in some quarters, Mr. Butzmuhlen said that there were absolutely no grounds, in his opinion, for that feeling. Trade must necessarily become international, and in certain directions Germany was better able to manufacture goods than English firms, and owing to the lower wages ruling in Germany, they could often produce machinery and similar goods at a lower cost. But Germany patronised English firms to a very large extent, and gradually, if more trade were opened up it would become reciprocal and international. From his own observations, Mr. Butzmulilen said that in his opinion the German steamship lines would find it profitable to call at Auckland, especially as this country was expanding, and the" industries growing at a. rapid rate.