TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 12

TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA

MARKETS FOR DOMINION TIMBER AND FISH ADVICE FROM COMMISSIONER [*BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT! NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday That a baSis of more equitable trading with 'Australia lies in the supply by New Zealand of products which cannot normally he produced in Australia was the advice given to the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce by Mr. R. H. Nesbit, Australian Trade Commissioner. He said New Zealand should make a determined effort to expand its timber and fishing industries with an eye to Australian markets. Already, said Mr. Nesbit, an assured market for New Zealand timber existed in Australia, and would always exist because New Zealand timbers were of a type that could not be produced in Australia. New Zealand waters abounded with "fish of a type that it was impossible to obtain off the coasts of Australia —fish of finer flavour and texture than those indigenous to tho warm currents off Australian coasts. "You should realise," said Mr. Nesbit, "that you have a great harvest waiting to be garnered. If there is not a keen demand for New Zealand fish in Australia, why does it pay an Australian trawler to come all the way across the Tasman to fish from the waters off the South Island? New Zealand enterprise should make use of the fast mail steamer services and land quantities of this superior-quality fish at Sydney within three days." Mr. Nesbit 'deprecated tho tendency of certain factions to urge that New Zealand should not buy from Australia unless she bought equivalently from New Zealand. "At present," asked Mr. Nesbit, "what can we buy from you? Remember that 95 per cent of New Zealand's produce is from farms—produce which wo in Australia are producing ourselves. As far as the other 5 per cent is concerned, an examination of the figures is significant. Last year New Zealand sold to Australia goods valued at £1,600,000. Australia sold to New Zealand goods valued at £.'3,400,000, a ratio of roughly two to one. Yet eight or nine years ago the ratio was more than three to one in Australia's favour." The fact was that while England was New Zealand's best customer, Australia was her next best. As such was the case, said Mr. Nesbit, it was bad business to antagonise Australia with the hostile comment of amateur economists.