TRADE WITH HULL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20708, 4 May 1929, Page 19

TRADE WITH HULL.

HIGH COMMISSIONER ON RECIPROCITY. BANQUET AT THE GUILDHALL. PROFITABLE INTERVIEWS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 19. An important feature of Sir James Parr's visit to Hull was a banquet at the Guildhall, where he was greeted' bv a large and influential assembly, representative of the commercial and civic life of the pork The Lord'Mayor (Cr B. Pcarlman), who had been confined to his bed over, the week-end, Was. fortunately able to attend, though he was still obviously unwell. He was accompanied by the Lady Mayoress. The High Commissioner’s speech was broadcast from Davcritry through ■ business centres of; the north. The Sheriff (Dr T. Ritchie Rodger) proposed the toast of " Our Guest.” ' It "was their business, he said, to strengthen the lines of communication between Great Britain and the dominions. Preteience was. a word which-'had become distorted in its use ns a political term, but he thought that in its literal meanmg there was a very true veal preference for the goods which-New Zealand produced. They hoped that as the result of the visit of the! .High Commissioncr facilities would be increased by which they could obtain those goods and improve the trade between the two countries. 1 ' Sir James Parr acknowledged the hospitality extended to hiiu. Ho had had the pleasure and the profit that day, he said, of inspecting the docks at ‘Hull and the facilities for-handling cargoes. He considered those facilities, were "•“Pty sufficient for all purposes, and the port- was adequately equipped and up-to-date for the discharge and the distnbution gf overseas merchandise.. hot the least profitable feature of his visit had. been the interviews he hid had with some, of the leading provision people of the city,, They had got to know the difficulties, and it would be up to them to see that those difficulties were not insuperable. They could count upon the sympathy of the High Commissioner in an endeavour to bring about closer and more intimate and more profitable, trading relations between the dominions and the important city of Hull. , • t f 1 CLOSER BUSINESS RELATIONS. «i*" l ® B '- P , Proposed the toast df , The City; and Port of < Hull.” He said he appreciated deeply the rather remarkable courtesy of the Lord Mayor in rising from a!sick bed to attend that function, thus-honouring not only himself, put the Dominion which he (Sir James) represented. His mission' ill earning to Hullwas to bring about closer business relations between Huli and New Zealand. He wished'to see Hull, the third port in Great Britain, receiving u larger share, of the shipments of New Zealand produce. They wanted to do more business with them au.l with that great hinterland of twelve million of people which the port served. “We wish, said-Sir-James, “to sell you'more of our goods, and we wish to buy more of your goods.” '

_ He hoped they would rather deal with their kinsmen, all things, being equal, than with, the outsider... Ho did not put this claim on the ground'of mere sentiment. ,He put it on' another ground which would appeal to all' Yorkshiremcn, who had the reputation of being keen business men, that it not only helped their patriotism and Empire, but it paid their pockets to,buy from their own children. The more goods England took from New Zealand the more goods New Zealand ■would take from England, Eor . ceyry pound that they' spent in New Zealand goods, 14s, or even 15s, came back to Jhis country in' payment for manufactured goods.,

They must not, forget that the dominions were Britain’s best customers, and were,entitled to fair reciprocity. Sir James Parr went on to speak of the preference ftiyen to British ■ goods. Finally, he. said'be based his argument on another and- a’ higher ground. There was the Empire point, of view, ; and' ho was one of those who believed that the very best and most powerful ‘link'tin > tip structure of the Empire was- that of mutual and profitable trading. MIGRATION HOSTEL. . The Lord Mayor, .replying, said the city of Hull wound make an effort to help Empire trade by holding a Civic Week in October. One of the features of the programme, would be an exhibition arranged by ■ the ■ . Empire Marketing Board, which would “show, not merely the city, but 100,000 visitors who would come from all parts of the country, what wag produced in the, Empire. Next month they wore opening in' the; neighbouring borough of Beverley a migration hostel . for the training of hoys for. the dominions.. One hundred-and sixty boys per annum would- bo dealt with under the scheme; He . wanted to. give these young fellows the chance of. becoming worthy successors' to the men who had made our great dominions. They were hoping during' the present year to establish Hull as the first, air port of the country. ■ ■ .SHIPMENT OF WOOL, Major - Sir A. .7. Atkinson, K.8.H.. J.P. (president of the Hull Chamber of Commerce and Shipping) said that Hu:l had a reputation fur being the cheapest port of this-country. Because they were the cheapest port in the country, they provided the most economical means of getting products to the 12 or 13 million population whom they served. In the case of wool alone, of which 100,000 tons were imported annually into London, and consumed in the West .Biding,, an immouse saving could be effected, while the extra . expense ’of ' the sea journey direct to Hull would be comparatively small. The first-serious effort to capture that portion.of the. trade.to ...which.Hull, on its merits, was -justly entitled was inade in 1005, when the Agcnts-general for the various States of Australia were invitvd to Hull.. The steps taken by the Australian interests wore now being gradually followed hy South Africa, and he would suggest that the mutter be investigated by the High Commissioner on behalf, of New Zealand. For the time being, few vessels traded directly between New Zealand and Hull. ' Most shipments' were transhipped in London - to coastwise steamers, and arrived hi Hull in ,that way, which was not. really economical. LONDON MONOPOLY. Touching on selling methods in relation to dairy produce, Sir Arthur, said there was scope for creating a bigger interest' in the products of New Zealand. The efforts of flic Empire Marketing Board would probably induce many customers to ask for Ncw Zcaland butter or cheese. A Hull wholesale ni.orehaiit must go to a London broker for his supplies of New Zealand butler or cheese. Under existing arrangements, he was unable to buy direct from'the New Zealand producer or shipper as a primary importer, and for that reason was not disposed to trade with London firms on terms, which, were .'.unfavourable compared with his relationship.'direct .with Danish and other producers, notwithstanding a natural desire give a distinct ■preference to Empire produce. ‘ Attending the banquet with the Hign Commissioner were the‘members of his party: Mr W. F. Ferguson (produce officer), ■Mr H.-T. B. Drew (publicity officer), Mr J. B. Kenny (secretary of the Napier Harbour Board, New Zealand), Lieut-Colonel Eric Murray, 0.8. E. (secretary .of the British Empire League), and Captain T. S.' Horgan (of the Empire Marketing Board). During the day in Hull Sir, Janice

Parr placed bn the local war memorial; a vyreath which bore, the . inscription “_A humble tribute from the people of New Zealand.” At the ceremony there were present some of the members of the party" which had' toured the docks with, the High Commissioner and a; contingent of the men’s and women’s section of the Hull branch of the Uritish Legion.