BOOMING EMPIRE TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11253, 4 July 1922, Page 5

BOOMING EMPIRE TRADE

WHAT NEW ZEALAND CAN DO CHAIRMAN OF IMPORTANT DELEGATION GIVES DETAILS. FINANCE! AND TRADE. An important statement was made to a “Times” reporter yesterday by Major E. A. Belcher, one of the members of the British Empire Exhibition Mission, which should he of considerable help and guidance in determining to what extent New Zealand will participate in the greatest Empire Exhibition ever held, to take place in London in 1924. NEW ZEALAND’S PAVILION. He said : “The mission has arrived in New Zealand for the double purpose of discussing with the Dominion Government the scale of their participation in the British Empire Exhibition in 1924, and a number of technical details regarding the New Zealand pavilion at the exhibition. Also for the purpose of discussing the busmens interest throughout New Zealand and the practical benefits which the exhibition can accomplish for New Zealand industries. “We left England in January, and spent the best part of two months in South Africa, settling arrangements with the Union Government for South African participation, which will he on the scale of a 60,000 ft pavilion. A sum of £45,500 was included in the last estimate, and a further sum is to be provided next year. 10,000 MILES IN AUSTRALIA. “The last three months have been spent in Australia, where we have travelled nearly 10,000 miles by train and car. We visited every State, including Tasmania, and saw a great deal of their primary production and secondary industries. The Australian mission was brought to a conclusion at a Federal and State Conference, held at Sydney last week, when the Australian participation was finally settled. Australia will build a pavilion of 150,000 square feet, and will spend a quarter of a million of money in construction, equipment, and maintenance. This, in my opinion, is not only a very fine lead for the rest of the Empire, hut will adequately portray the remarkable development in Australia since she last took part in any exhibition. “A distinctive feature of the Australian pavilion will be a definite effort, not only to show the existing position of her principal industries by means of trophies and exhibits, but also to traoe their development by means of models, and to pay special attention to resources which are only beginning to he tapped. GREAT PROSPECTS FOR COTTON. “There is very little doubt that in the course of the next decade Australia is going to take her place in the world as one of the great cotton-pro-ducing countries. Her output in cotton jumped last year from 50,0001 b to 1,000,0001 b, and this year it is estimated that it will exceed 5 ; 000,0001b. Cotton is being grown, particularly in Queensland, where the type is middling American, and in the Riverina, where they are growing long-staple Egyptian on irrigation areas. ORCHARD DEVELOPMENT.

“Another rapid development in Aus. tralia is in their orchards. It was estimated last year that nearly 30 per cent, had been added to the areas under orchards during the last three years, and the planting of last year and this year has been greatly increased. Australians recognise that the future of the fruit industry lies in canned fruit and dried fruit rather than m fresh fruit and jam, and most elaborate arrangements are being made at the exhibition for a determined effort on the part of Australia to capture what are practically virgin markets in England for these two commodities. WAKE UP, NEW ZEALAND 1 "AH Australian meat producers and the Federal Viticultural Council are each going to conduct active propaganda campaigns in Great Britain prior to aud during the exhibition to popularise Australian meat and- Australian wines. “Generally speaking, one may express one’s complete satisfaction with the results*of the various conferences we had, both in Government and business circles, and I am quite sure Aus. tralia has decided that, being in the exhibition, she is going to do it well. OUR PRINCE’S FELICITATIONS. “Tiis Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who is president of our general committee, sent me a cable from Penang expressing the hope that both Australia and New Zealand would identify themselves in every possible way with the exhibition. When I cabled him the Australian decision he immediately cabled the GovernorGeneral of Australia expressing his satisfaction at the part Australia was going to play.” NEW ZEALAND’S SHARE. “And what are your anticipations re. gar ding New Zealand’s share in the exhibition?” the pressman asked. Major Belcher replied that it was rather early to make a statement on that question yet, as the mission had to meet His Excellency the Governor. General, the Prime Minister and the Ministers, besides discussing matters with various organisations and business men. He hoped to havo some idea very shortly.