TRADE WITH GERMANY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19374, 9 January 1925, Page 2

TRADE WITH GERMANY.

A VEXED PROBLEM. DEBATE AMONG EXHIBITION | DIRECTORS. Tho vexed question of trade with Germany on which opinion is likely to remain sharply divided for years to come, led to a> somewhat keen debate among the directors of tho Exhibition Company last evening. The Chairman, Mr J. Sutherland Ross, reported that an application for space had been received from Hamburg (Germany). He proposed to reply on the lines of the reply mado to similar applications in tho past, that all applications from foreign countries were being received through their consuls, and that us there was no Gorman consul in New Zealand tho directors regretted they could not accept the private application. Mr H. L. Taploy: Is it our intention, to discourage German exhibits? I The Chairman (firmly): It has been my | firm conviction all along that it was our I duty to do so. I Mr Tapley: What about Wembley? I Mr C. P. Hoinsworth, general manager of the Exhibition, said there had been a lot of comment in tho press and elsewhere at Horae on tho fact that some of the souvenirs there boro tho imprint “Made in Germany.” Mr Taploy expressed doubt whether they were justified in taking up this attitude of opposition' to German exhibits, Tho Chairman said ho had informed the Government of his view that Germany was in the position of a fraudulent bankrupt, and ought not to be allowed to come into competition with those who were seeking to carry on their business honestly. Iho matter had not yet been definitely before tho Now Zealand Government. Mr C. Todd: Wo are trading with Germany. I am Bolling them hides and wool. If wo are trading on one side how are wo to stop them trading on tho other side? Mr Tapley: Exactly. You must be consistent. The Chairman: You are probably getting paid with stolen money! Mr Todd said ho had no brief for Germany, but at tho same time they must look facts in the face. Britain was dealing with Germany and deploring tho fact that she could not get more trade with her. Mr Tapley suggested to the chairman that he would not refuse to sell his wool i to ft Gorman. I Mr C. Speight; It is bound to come in i time. When the Now Zealand Govcrn--8 ment recognises tho position it is time | enough for us to. I Mr H. F. Sincock: The Now Zealand | Government docs recognise tho position. | There is no embargo against trading with I Germany—nothing to stop it. | Mr C. Speight said tho did I not know whore it was at, tho present time. I Mr P. Barr said ho understood tho chairman was in favour of discouraging exhibits from Germany, hut did not propose to prohibit them. Tho Chairman : If wo are going to have these things put up with notices “Mado in Hamburg” there will be such a. si»nn of protest from one end of tho country to I tho other that it will “crab” tho Exliibi- | (ion. That is my firm conviction. I Mr Speight said ho thought it had been a distinctly understood that they would not | admit exhibits from any of the countries 3 with which we had been at war. i The Chairman moved that a letter bo sent to the applicant on the lines ho had suggested—that all applications from foreign countries had been received through the consuls, and that ns there was no consul for Germany in Now Zealand they regretted (hat they could not accept his private application. Mr Sincock asked if that did not, force tho position. It might lead the applicant to push his Government for a big German exhibit. Might tho course suggested not make the position worse? Mr Todd proposed that tho matter be deferred till next, meeting, when they could come to a definite decision whether they wore to admit German exhibits or I no^ I Mr Tapley: I should like to know what j other parts of tho Empire are doing in this matter. Mr Speight: That man can come here 1 and soli his goods. J Mr Ilninsworth said that in other parte j of tho Empire Gorman exhibits would not, j bo encouraged, but they would bo accepted j if they Came along. j Mr Todd suggested that they should j have a special meeting lo consider this I matter and also tho question of space fees. I Mr Barr said tho Government did not j want to encourage German trade, but it j did not say it would not admit Gorman I goods into (he country. It could not say j that. I Mr Tapley expressed the opinion that I tho policy they had adopted up to tho I present might lead to the setting up of a I German consul in Now Zealand, and tho I development of huge business with GorI many, whereas if they quietly accepted j these few exhibits there would bo nothing j said about it. I It was agrood to defer further considernI tion of tho matter for a wook.