TRADE WITH BELGIUM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 11

TRADE WITH BELGIUM.

MARKETS FDR PRODUCE.

ANTWERP BANKER'S VIEWS.

The prospects for the development of trade between New Zealand and Belgium were discussed yesterday' by Mr. Albert Kreglinger, a passenger by the Niagara, and member of a firm of bankers and wool merchants of that name established in Antwerp in 1797. While primarily interested in the wool trade. Mr. Kreglinger, at. the request of th« Belgian (rovemment and Antwerp Chamber of Commerce, will make full inquiries in the' Dominion upon the matter of the development of trade in other directions.

" Belgium is seeking new- markets in all parts of tho world," said Mr. Kreglingcr yesterday. " '.[Tip wax period, of course, destroyed our industrial life, and now that we are making headway again, preferential tariffs have closed many of our best pre-war markets. We are now looking for fresh outlets, more especially in countries where wo can establish reciprocal trade relations. I am certain Xew Zealand would find in Belgium an excellent market for her frozen meat, dairy produce and wool. Belgium produces only about one-quarter of the food products consumed; for mnny years, wo have imported our frozen meat from the Argentine, our cattle and dairy produce from Holland. The quality of New Zealand products is so high, however, that they could not fail to win popular favour, and despite competition from other countries, I think they could, be put on the market at a price which would well repay New Zealand farmers for their export." The prospects of development of trade in New Zealand wool wero considered by Mr. Kreglinger to be patricularly favourable. His firm distributed over j 400,000 bales of Australian wool through Europe last year, and the dissolution of the B.A.W.R.A. had opened up new possibilities for the Dominion woo]. " The first overseas woollen markets were opened up in Antwerp in I860," he said, " the first consignments coming from the* Argentine. Antwerp has kept the lead for the River Plate wool market over since, but supplies from Argentine are gradually decreasing. The conditions for the opening up of trade between New Zealand and Antwerp arc particularly favourable at the present time, both on account of the present exchange rates, and because of our excellent tr.-*asport facilities to the French, Swiss, Italian, and other European markets. As a matter of fact it has proved quicker to ship Australian wool to Bradford, via Antwerp than via London, on account of there being less congestion in Antwerp, and exceptionally quick sea transit." A trraphic account was given by Mr Kreglinger of the manner in which Belgium had set about restoring her industrial life after the war. The Germans had taken away, or destroyed, an immense amount of machinery, with the idea of completely crushing Belgium's export trade after the war, but they had failed to tako into account the rpirit of the people. Immediately following the Armistice, Belgium set to work to reconstruct her industries. The banks gave full assistance, and as a result, the country's total industrial production last year amounted to 75 per cent, of her pre-war output, with a strong possibility of even exceeding this in the near future. The Germans had restored a large quantity of tho stolen machinery, but while this had helped the country to rebuild her industries, a much greater amount of modern machinery had been installed "n the factories and workshops.