OVERSEAS TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11497, 18 April 1923, Page 5

OVERSEAS TRADE

ENTERPRISING AMERICA ITS INTEREST IN NEW ZEALAND LEGISLATION. UNEMPLOYMENT IN ENGLAND. Interesting observations on conditions in various oversea countries were made to a “Times” representative yesterday by Mr P. E. Pattrick, who has just returned to Wellington after an absence of several years. Mr Pattrick left New Zealand in 1916, and went to Samoa, where he was military liquidator of German firms. When the mandate was given to New Zealand, he was Public Trustee and Commissioner of Crown Estates. He went to America last July. AMERICANS RECKON NEW ZEALANDERS PROGRESSIVE. As to trade in America, Mr Pattrick said that business was very brisk, although to some extent the European slump Uvas being reflected in the trade of America. He found the Americans very kindly disposed towards Australasians, and particularly towards New Zealanders. Apparently they had been interested in studying our legislation, and they regarded it as essentially democratic. They cited the fact that ■we were the first to have old age pension legislation, and that we were early in the field with woman’s suffrage. Those interested in factory management seemed to have acquainted themselves with the working of our Arbitration Act. At present they were paying particular attention to personnel in administration. Mr Pattrick attended the annual convention of cost accountants at Atlantic City,’ where some 400 business men gathered for a week to exchange ideas on industrial accounting, which,'by the way, he had gone to America to study. BRITISH REUABHATY. In America he sensed amongst the majority of the people a very decided appreciation of the -reliability of the British people. The Americans apparently did not hesitate to give credit to any established British firm because they believed au Englishman’s word to be his bond. < IN ENGLAND. , In England Mr Pattrick was pleased to find that, as in America, attention was being paid to the interest of employees in the profitable working of ■the various concerns, and that an effort was being made to show how botn employer and employee with proper orfanisation. have mutual and not con-, icting interests. On the other hand, of, course, there were many firms not paying attention to this kind of thing. Unhappily there is a lot of unemployment in England to-day, especially in such, industries as ship-building. However,. the trade'prospects had improved recently, and one reason for this, no doubt, was the confidence that had been established as a 1 result of Britain’s funding of the debt to America. This has caused quit© a trade revival. TENSITY ON THE RUHR. Mr Pattrick 1 happened to be in Germany at the time of the ’Ruhr strike. Things were very tense and h© formed the impression that the majority of, the German people were suffering at the hands of a powerful few, despite the professions of' democratic rule. If only the German Government could make these few toe the line h© thought they would make a better impression with the nations and go farther, than they have done towards getting people to helieye that they have seriously endeavoured to honour their obligations.