TRADE WITH GERMANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18233, 28 October 1922, Page 11

TRADE WITH GERMANY.

MARK NOT A FACTOR.

CHEAP GOODS IN LONDON.

" It is a great pity that the Commonwealth did not join forces with us in prohibiting trad© with Germany," said Mr. M. A. Carr, ex-president of th« Wellington Chamber of Commerce, in the course of comments on the question of Germany and her trade. " In London I saw several shops devoted to the sale of German fancy goods. These were being sold at prices which were ridiculously low, and must be harmful for fancy goods manufacturers in England. It could have been done very easily, seeing that we are 12,000 miles away from Germany!" It was "suggested that Germany might retaliate by refusing to buy 2sew Zealand wool. _ " Don't you believe it!" said Mr. Carr. " There are now at least half a dozen buyers in Australia buying for Germany, and aa many may be found here a little later on. What do you think they arc here for? It is only to save the ♦Loudon charges. If they can Bhip their wool direct from Australia to Germany in their wn bottoms they save Id per lb., but if not they would "have to buy in London, for thev have to have wool. There is no interchange of trade obligation in it." Referring to trade generally with Germany, Mr. Carr said that, latterly the system of settlement for goods purchased in Germany had been payment by English banknote, and the fluctuation of the mark meant nothing. When a man went to buv goods of any kind in Germany he did not chanpe his money into marks and pay for his purchases in depreciated German money. He had to put down good Bank of England notes. The Germans knew exactly the position and the mark was not now a factor in trade_ between German producers and British buyers.