AMERICAN TRADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20969, 7 March 1930, Page 10

AMERICAN TRADE.

A VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 21, 1930. Mr W. J. Kerr, Migration Secretary for Northern Ireland of the National V.M.C.A., has returned to Belfast after a tour of New Zealand. Mr' Ken- left last August to conduct a party of Flock House boys to the Dominion. He also visited Australia. In giving an interview to The Northern Whig, Mr Kerr referred especially to the “Americanisation ” of the Dominions. Through their commercial enterprise and foresight, he - said, the Americans bad captured the bulk of the trade of both New Zealand and Australia, and had flooded the market of both countries with their products, chiefly manufactured articles, and in many cases those who are really British at heart were reluctantly compelled to purchase Americanmanufactured goods. This was specially true with regard to motor cars in use, DO per cent, of which were American, the English ears being of such low horse power as to bo useless for climbing the mountains and hills of the two countries. The duty ou English cars was another handicap to their sale.

The American talkie film industry had penetrated into every city and town of New Zealand and Australia to the exclusion of British films. In this way and by this means both Dominions were becoming Americanised in a manner which was bound eventually to influence public life and the morals of the people. If we are to maintain our Britah prestige a determined effort must be made to recapture these markets. “ I doubt,” said Mr Kerr, “ if it is not too late to do so. With our 1,200,000 clamouring for employment at Home, supported by the nationalised dole, when so many of them could be employed in manufacturing the articles that the people of our Dominions are only too eager to buy, and which America is supplying to the detriment and stagnation of industry in this country, when will we wake up to the facts of the issue and face ie boldlyV"