DOMINION AND U.S.A.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18601, 8 January 1924, Page 9

DOMINION AND U.S.A.

IMPROVED RELATIONS.

OPENINGS FOR TRADE.

CONSUL-GENERAL" VIEW. [BY TKLBGBAPH. OWN COURESPONDEJ? V J WELLINGTON. Monday. On assuming the office of Consul-General for the United States in New Zealand, Mr, E. N. Gunsaulus prophecies a new era of reconstructed commercial prosperity. This, he says, will be shared by both countries in maintaining their existing friendly relations while exchanging commodities which are now competitive and which will not in any sense disturb the preferential treatment arrangements in force between Great Britain and New Zealand.

" This is the fourth British outpost in which I have served, and while stationed in South Africa, Canada and the Straits Settlements, I have learned something of New Zealand, its resources, scenic, wonders and trade potentialities," said Mr. Gunsaulus, to-day. "It has been a matter of wonder to me that New Zealand has made such a remarkable development with its primary ' products. Hitherto one's knowledge of the Dominion has been restricted to official statistics, and to general information furnished us by informative trade reviews furnished by the United States Bureau of Commerce and other official sources. As early as I can conveniently manage I hope to see at first hand the sources of your development, not only in the main centres of industrial and commercial activity, but in the dairying, agricultural and pastoral districts from which so much of the national wealth has been drawn. In butter and cheese alone the value of the Dominion's export trade has increased twelvefold in the past 18 years.

A "Give and Take" Policy. " I am quite sure the people of New Zealand are already aware that the very friendly relations existing between Great Britain and the United States are shared equally between America and New Zealand," continued the new ' Consul-Gen-eral. " I believe that, without detriment to either country, the exchange of products between them can be materially increased. At present the trans-Pacific countries, as well as the Southern Pacific, claim about one-fifth of America's seaborne trade, and that business is gradually increasing in the fundamental factors of "commercial development, not the least important of which is the reciprocal character of the trade. New Zealand, in common with other portions of the British Empire, produces large quantities of material more or less of a non-compefitive nature which are needed by American factories and consumers. It is believed, moreover, that the Dominion can advantageously use American merchandise, including such industrial machinery as is needed.

" It occurs to me that an interchange on a ' give and take ' policy may be'mutually beneficial. : Without any attempt to disparage other countries, I think the United States has capital and other facilities to enable it to compete successfully in the markets of the world in a good many products. On the other hand, with its population of more than 110,000,000 peple, it provides ai good market for the raw materials and primary products of countries like New Zealand. We recognise fully that the preferential arrangements of trade which are in existence as between ' Great Britain and her Dominions are matters for those parties themselves to arrange to suit themselves, without any criticism on our part.

Goods Purchased by America. " The chief interest of the United State? in the products of New Zealand lies in wool. In 1919 our purchases of wool from the Dominion reached the peak figure. In that year we spent £885,393 on your wool, although the normal average purchase by us, taking a glance over the last five years, is around £500,000. From the latest available yearly statistics our chief purchases of your products are: Sheepskins. £486,554; kauri gum, £416,164; wool, £394,268; gold, £354,944; sausage skins, £330,621 ; rabbitskins, £245,202; grass seeds,' £134,682 and, in lesser quantities, butter, cattle, hides, and flax. We bought New Zealand Jamb in 1920 to the extent of over £2,000,000, but, as you probably know, this was more or less of a speculation, as the normal purchase of lamb from here by the United States is not more than about £15,000 a year. " What can America supply New Zealand ? Last year the imports from the United States were valued bA about £6,000,000, a healthy increase on the normal year of 1918. In between, of course, we had the boom years, and our trade with the Dominion went up as high as £11,000,000 in 1920, when the boom was at its highest. In an average year we buy about £3,000.000 worth of New Zealand products. Putting the commodities in the order of their values, the United States exports to New Zealand the following; Motor spirit, £920,354; motor vehicles, £576,259; electric machinery, £230,757; hosiery, £184.965; kerosene, £184,478; dried fruits, £148.329: tobacco, £144,421; lubricating oil, £142,264; metal manufactures, £142,150: cotton goods, £137,178; benzine, £136,621; cinema films, £110,022; and machinery, clothing, leather, hardware, and such things as cream of tartar."