INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21019, 7 May 1930, Page 23

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE.

DEPARTMENTAL BULLETIN. TRADE COMMISSIONER’S SERVICES. ‘ (Issued by the authority of the Hon. f. B. Donald, Minister of Industries and Commerce.) In view of the interest taken in the extension of overseas markets for the Dominion’s produce and of the importance attached to the recent appointments of a Trade Comniissioner for New Zealand in Canada and of a New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner in Australia, it is considered advisable to bring more closely under the notice of manufacturers and exporters the valuable services that can be rendered by such officers. Tins bulletin is therefore issued in an effort to summanse, as concisely as possible, the nature of those services, and the means by which a trade commissioner can be assisted by merchants and exporters in the discharge of his duties. . • ORIGIN OF THE TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE. In the first place' it is not generally known that the trade commissioner service owes its origin to a suggestion inode at the Imperial Conference of 1907 by Sir Joseph Ward, then Prime Minister of New Zealand, who called attention to the absence of any official commercial representatives of the United Kingdom in the self-governing dominions, and pointed out the need for officers to whom persons desirous of trading with manufacturers in the United Kingdom could apply for information. Mr Lloyd George, then President of the Board of Trade, was able to inform the conference a few days afterwards that arrangements for the appointment of such officers were being made. The measures which were subsequently taken resulted in the institution in 1908 of a service of four British trade commissioners one being appointed for Canada and Newfoundland, and one each for Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. REPORT OF DOMINIONS ROYAL COMMISSION. In 1917 the Dominions Royal Commission, after examining th* work of the trade commisisonera during their tour throughout the Empire, expressed in their final report the opinion that the operations of the trade commissioners had been of considerable advantage to British trad*. They considered that in view of the volume and importance of the trade between tho, United Kingdom and the dominions overseas, which it was the work of the trade commisisonera to conserve and expand,' the existing, cost of the system represented a very low rate of insurance, and was not commensurate with the importance of the growing interests involved. The commission recommended an increase of eight in the number of trade- commissioners in the selfgoverning dominions, by the appointment of three junior trade commissioners in Canada, three in Australia, and two in South Africa, on the ground that the larger -self-governing, dominions included within their geographical limits varied, and distinct markets which could not possible be dealt with adequately by one officer. The commission also recommended that trade commissioners should ba appointed in parts of the Empire other than self-governing dominions. RESOLUTION OF IMPERIAL WAR CONFERENCE. As a further indication of the value of the trade commissioner service attention. may he called to the following resolution passed unanimously on the motion of General Smuts at the Imperial War Conference in April, 1917: The Imperial War Conference welcomes the proposed increase of the Board of Trade service of trade commissioners and its extension throughout the British Empire in ' accordance with The recommendations of the Dominions Royal Commission, and recommends that the Governments concerned should co-operate so as to make that service as useful as possible to the Empire as a whole, especially for the promotion of interimperial trade. PRESENT DISTRIBUTION OF POSTS. The British Board of Trade in 1917 raised the number of trade.commissioners’ posts from the original four to 13, and the total has since been still further increased. THE CANADIAN TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE. Canada was _ one of the first of the overseas dominions to realise the necessity of having an efficient trade commissioner service, and it was soon proved that such a service was an invaluable agent in "fostering and developing' her foreign trade. To such an extent has her foreign trade grown with consequent increased demands upon the facilities provided by the various trade commissioners’ offices, that towards the end of last year eight additional junior trade commissioners were appointed to different parts of the world, bringing the staff of Canada’s corps of trade commissioners abroad to 31 senior and 18 assistant trade commissioners. . THE TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE OF SOUTH AFRICA. South Africa's trade commissioner service has not developed so rapidly as has that of Canada, but the necessity for its extension as trade expands has been , recognised; by the appointment of six trade commissioners and six honorary trade commissioners in various parts of the world. AUSTRALIAN TRADE REPRESENTATION IN OVERSEAS COUNTRIES. -The Commonwealth is represented in the United Kingdom by the High Commissioner for Australia, with headquarters at Australia House, London. In France it _ is represented by a trade representative with headquarters at Paris. The first appointment of a commissioner for Australia in the United States was m i wn l9lß, Early in 1921 a Conimon- ■ wealth Trade Commissioner was appointed m China-, with offices at Shanghai and Hongkong. Tins office was terminated, however, in 1923. In 1922 an Australian trade representative in the East was appointed, with headquarters at Singapore, but the appointment was terminated in March, 1925. In April, 1920, a commercial representative for Australia was appointed,in Canada. In January, 1030. the Minister of Markets in Australia announced that an extension of the Commonwealth Trade Commissioner Service was under consideration. NEW ZEALAND’S TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE. - . The nucleus of N ew Zealand’s trade commissioner service will shortly be established overseas in accordance wffh the recent appointments of Mr J. W,(i Collins to act in Canada -x eastern seaboard of the united States of America, and of Mr L. J. Schmitt to the Commonwealth of Australia. In addition, however, New Zealand already has several official Government representatives and honorary agents and correspondents in various countries. ASSISTANCE THAT CAN BE GIVEN BY THE NEW ZEALAND TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE. As it is not generally known just what services can be rendered by a trade commoner, the following information is published with a view to rendering his activities of greater use to manufacturers, exporters, and business men generally:— COMMERCIAL INFORMATION. 1. Exporters both of primary products and manufactured goods will b» able to receive up-to-date information through the bulletins of the Department of Industries and Commerce, or by direct correspondence with the department, or from the Trade Commisisoner as to:—(a) The present and prospective demand for their goods. (b) Foreign and local competition (with specimens, catalogues, and prices, and methods of distribution where possible). (c) De-

tails of best selling methods, (d) Confidential reports concerning the status ■of buyers. (e) Specifications of products in particular demand. (f) Inquiries _for goods, information concerning which will be obtainable from the department. AGENTS. BUYERS. AND DISTRIBUTORS. 2. Trade commissioners will also: (a) Recommend to intending exporters the names of responsible parties in a position to act as agents or. buyers and distributors. (b) Give every possible assistance to such agents, etc., and will introduce them to influential individuals or associations who. may be in a position to buy goods from New Zealand. (c) Give confidential information, when so requested, as to the activities of agents appointed by New Zealand exporters, or firms to whom sales have been, or are being, made. 3. Trade commissioners can assist in advising New Zealand producers and manufacturers:—(a) As to the best media in which to place advertisements and the form which such advertisements such take—i.e., their adaptation to the special requirements ot the community, (b) In the display of' catalogues, price lists, and samples where they can be seen by potential buyers. (e) As to the distribution of trade literature and its probable cost. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. 4. Particulars can be obtained with regard to:—(a) Terms of payment which may be arranged with- overseas buyers. (b) Financial houses and banks who will discount bills or give credit. (c) Regulations governing the recovery of debts in the country in which they are stationed. (d) Disposal of goods abroad contracted for but not accepted by overseas buyers; (o) Infringement of trade marks or patent rights, and advice on registration. GENERAL. 5. (a) Trade commissioners willalways be glad to receive visitors from New Zealand and introduce them to possible buyers or agents, or put them in touch with such experts as legal advisers and shipping and banking, representatives. .(b) The . good offices of trade commissioners can always be invoked with a view to settling difficulties which may arise between, the New Zealand exporters and buyers abroad. ■ ■ . (c) Trade commissioners will at any time provide such information as may be available as to freight rates, Customs duties and requirements, port dues, etc., so as to enable New Zealand firms to quote prices for delivery overseas. They will be glad also to pro-, vide information respecting cost of travel, regulations applicable to commercial travellers, packing and marking of goods, - shipping accommodation, storage arrangements, and any other Government regulations or conditions which have to be complied with in the countries in which they are stationed. WHAT THE NEW ZEALAND EXPORTER CAN DO FOR THE TRADE COMMISSIONER. It is hoped that Dominion exporters and merchants will co-operate with the trade commissioner and utilise the services, which he can provide to the fullest extent. ■ Some advice ■as to how the exporter can best assist the trade commissioner will therefore not be out of place. In the first place it must be remembered that meagre information furnished by the exporter concerning his 1 products is a serious handicap to the trade commissioner in his efforts to market those products. A general statement of the facts about the. exporter, his bank references, whether he «is already .engaged in overseas trade, and for what period and to what extent, are some of the essentials th'at should be givep in the first letter to the trade commissioner or to the department. ' The trade commissioner also requires general data about the commodity which tho exporter wishes to sell in that particular market,-noting any special advan-’ .tnges pertaining to-,the. line offered, particularly as compared with well-known articles of the same type from other countries. He wants to know exactly what the producer or exporter is himself willing to do to place his goods in the new field; the basis on which sales would be made to the importer or on which goods could be offered for sale by a recognised agent, and the commission that would be paid the latter; what would be required of an importing house or agent in order to obtain the agency for the line;' whether the producer or exporter would send consignment stock or samples, and in what quantity; whether he is prep'a'cd to advertise or co-operate in advertising, and to what extent; the facilities possessed by the manufacturer or. producer for export shipand the kind of supervision that is exercised by him over the.. packing of goods destined for,a distant market. INFORMATION NECESSARY TO THE TRADE COMMISSIONER. The nature- of the information that a trade comniissioner desires in order that he may push the sales of the Dominion’s produce may he summarised as follows: — (a) Catalogues and best export prices cu.f. port of entry,*or failing that. f.o.b„ , New Zealand port. It is quite useless to send prices, ex factory. HO' Details regarding process of manufacture if convenient, (c) Grading methods employed (if any), and whether under Government control; methods of packing; size, weight, and cubic content of packages and whether sale is made by consignment or straightout purchase. (J) If not too bulky, samples of what the firms have to offer should be forwarded—not necessarily a. full range—and a draft or money order sufficient to cover the Customs duties and landing charges on the samples. " (e) Bankers’ references. . ■H) The proportion of output which is available for export, time required . to ship from receipt of order, the quantity for which orders will be accepted, and. the period during which goods are available for export. . The Trade Commissioner will thus bo in a position to make a survey of his territory, report the opportunities for the lines to be exported, and can then either place the exporter in communication with reliable importers or recommend suitable agents.