TRADE WITH GERMANY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11168, 25 March 1922, Page 7

TRADE WITH GERMANY

STATEMENT BY PREMIER “NO RESTRICTION ON EXPORT OF GOODS'.” DEPRECIATED CURRENCY. Replying to a question as to the resumption of trade with -Germany, and with re fere! lee to Mr Poison’s recent

statement in this connection, the Prime Minister stated that apparently the piesident of the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union did not know that there was no restriction on the export of goods from Now Zealand to Gci

many, “As a matter of fact,” said Air Massey, “comjiderabie quantities of New Zealand wool have been purchased ai tlio recent wool sales in this country for German manufacturers. In the case of importations from Germany, permits have been issued since tlu) conclusion of peace for such commoditTn; as potash salts, scientific instruments, and books, parts of machines imported from Germany before the war, and certain dyes and dairying machinery which could not be obtained from British or Allied countries. The embargo on the importation of German goods into Australia still stands, and was referred to by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth in a cable published in the newspapers this morning. Tho matter of removing the embargo altogether on the importation of German goods into Now Zealand is at present under the consideration of Cabinet, but there are very serious difficulties in the way on account of the depreciated currency in Germany. To allow German goods to come into this country at present, with the state of the currency in that country, would be an exceedingly serious matter for many of the secondary industries in the Dominion.

‘‘When I expressed the opinion in the south last week that the interests of the wool-growers had not been properly looked after, I was referring to what took place in England in accumulating large quantises of Australian and New Zealand wool and holding on to it, when, I am informed on good authority, the whole, or nearly the whole, of it could have been parted with at a satisfactory price. What I said was not intended to convey any reflection on anyone acting in file interests of New Zealand.”