ENVOYS OF TRADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20969, 7 March 1930, Page 7

ENVOYS OF TRADE.

MR COLLINS AND MR SCHMITT. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FAREWELL. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, March 6. The chief guests at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon to-day were Mr J. W. Collins, who has been appointed Trade Commissioner in Canada, and Mr L. J. Schmitt, who is to act as New Zealand’s representative in Australia. The vice-president of the chamber (Mr D. J. M‘Gowan) presided, and associated with him were the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr J. B. Donald) and the president of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Association (Mr F. Campbell). On behalf of the manufacturers of New Zealand Mr Campbell presented Mr Collins with an inscribed book cover and a greenstone paper knife.

Outlining his duties in Canada, Mr Collins said his main duty would be the development of New Zealand’s trade. That would be accomplished by the provision of accurate information to exporters and merchants in New Zealand regarding trade conditions and prospects in Canada, by the provision of similar information concerning New Zealand to exporters and merchants in Canada desirous of opening up or extending their business relations, by the provision of confidential information regarding the status of firms in the respective countries, and by the act of establishing business contact between firms and persons in the two countries. It would be his duty to study and report upon the tariff laws and Customs regulations, as well as legislation affecting banking and so on, to watch imports into the country, and to furnish reports on the best methods of meeting foreign competition, as well as on financial and trade conditions.

Mr Schmitt said that as New Zealand’s representative in Australia he would endeavour to live up to the expectations of the business people of New Zealand and uphold the high ideals New Zealand had always stood for. Unfortunately, New Zealand and Australian trade figures had been diminishing during the past three years, and one of his greatest problems would be to reverse that process.