TARIFF CHANGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23202, 23 November 1938, Page 16

TARIFF CHANGES

TIME INOPPORTUNE * 1 " ' TRADE WITH BRITAIN EFFECT OF AMERICAN PACT "In my opinion New Zealand should be very careful just now in making tariff adjustments, in view of changes in trade pending in England as a result of the trado agreement between Britain and America," said Mr. H. Balcon, a director of the English firm of Simpson, Limited, who left Auckland by the Awatca for Sydney yesterday. , Mr. Balcon thought that trado between America and Britain/Would be immensely stimulated by the agreement, and if present conditions wore maintained Now Zealand would benefit a great deal! Ho could \sponk with knowledge of an unsatisfied hunger existing in America for British woollen materials, and the reduction'in tariffs should produce heavy exports of such goods from England to America. American Demand for Woollens As evidence of the American demand, continued Air. Balcon, American tourists often bought British materials yery freely in New Zealand. Hie raw wool market in the Dominion should gain by 'the development which he confidently assumed would take place in the trado in materials by Britain with America, but it should be kept in mind that Britain had to balance her trade budget. If purchases from Britain by New j Zealand declined because of increased j tariffs, Britain would be compelled to j rely more on other markets for certain : classes of produce, such as the Danish . market for butter. Increased purchases of Danish butter would be offset by Denmark taking more goods from Britain under a licence system operating to balance trade. New Zealand Men's Clothing Mr, Balcon said that if New Zealand neglected outside inspirational influences conveyed by the presence of and competition with British manufacturers, its industries would be stultified. It was very noticeable to the visitor, he said, how poorly New Zealand men dressed by comparison with those in many other countries, although they.had a better sense of dress than was evident in Australia. The suggestion of distinction in clothing was, generally speaking, lacking among New Zealand men, who iuclined to drab colours because their colour sense had not been developed, while they did not adapt their clothing, except to a very limited extent, to a particular occasion. i - Clothing in England was much more susceptible to fashion changes. English retailers stocked many novelties in men's clothing, but it was out of the question to stock them in the Dominion because men here had not attained to the colour stage ruling in Britain. It was a very colourful period in men's clothing in England, where lovats, greens, greenish blues and blues predominated. Checks had become very fashionable again, chiefly for the reason that they were now used in two-piece suits of the one material, replacing sports coats and flannel trousers. Value ol Air Travel The day after Air. Balcon reaches Sydney he will leave by air for England, this being the method by which lie travelled from England to Australia before coming to New Zealand. Throughout his tour of Australia and the Dominion, he has visited the principal cities and towns by air. On his return to England he will have flown 38,000 miles on a trip lasting 10 weeks. He considers he will have saved from three to four months on the trip by air travel, instead of using steamer and train.