DOMINION AND JAVA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19066, 11 January 1924, Page 4

DOMINION AND JAVA.

FOSTERING TRADE RELATIONS. A PROPOSAL OUTLINED. (Per United Press Association’) AUCKLAND, January 10. For some time past the Auckland Industrial Association has been making investigations with the object of fostering trade between the dominion and Java, and to-day Mr Van Dor Linde, representative of the Royal Packet Navigation Company, who has been touring thS dominion, put before the association the basis of a proposal on which the company would be prepared to initiate a direct lino of steamers to trade between Java, Singapore, and New Zealand ports. He explained that the steamers of the proposed lino would call at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin. He had come to New Zealand to see if there was an opportunity and sufficient, encouragement to justify the venture. He referred to the growth of trade between Java and Australia since the Customs restrictions had been removed, and emphasised that at present the special foreign duty on Dutch goods coming to New Zealand constituted, a tariff wall which was an unassailable hurdle in the way of the proposed line. Unless the duty was taken off Java tea, sago, tapioca, and such goods, it was certain that the line could not become an established fact. Tt had been stressed by the Government that this duty applied to refined sugar only, but as the Colonial Sugar Company’s firm had a refining plant in the dominion, this concession on raw sugar did not matter. The effect of the duly was that it gave a monopoly to the Colonial Sugar Company. He suggested that it was in the interests of the exporters of New Zealand to support his request to the Government to abolish the duties altogether. After some consideration the meeting passed a resolution expressing its appreciation of the- intention of the company to establish a direct line, and asking the industrial associations and chambers of commerce throughout the dominion to consider its terms, and if they considered the proposals favourably to make strong representations to the Government. A communication was received from the Hon. W. Downio Stewart (Minister of Industries and Commerce), who stated that ho had carefully considered the proposal to arrange for steamers to run a direct sixweekly service between Singapore, Java, and New Zealand with a view to establishing reciprocal trade, and he had noted the conditions under which the arrangement could bo given a trial. In view of the proposal involving remissions of duties and expenditure in' connection with the provision of cold storage at Javan chief ports, he regretted he was unable to give the association a decision for the Government prior to a meeting to be held between the association and Mr Van Der Linde. He promised to place the proposals before Cabinet at the earliest opportunity.