TRADE RELATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22269, 23 May 1934, Page 12

TRADE RELATIONS

LOS ANGELES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CIRCULAR TO DUNEDIN FIRM. The Lo s Angeles Chamber of Commerce forwards circulars to the which have a business connection with California, and a circular, under date May 1, covering various aspects of trade aim dealing with the general outlook, has been received by a Dunedin firm. The circular states, inter alia: — “A number of business men from New Zealand have come to Los Angelos since our last letter, and their statements, added to the* reports which wo have been receiving from our trade counsellor indicate the upward trend in a number of lines. We sincerely hope that continued progress will be made, because each nation benefits by the economic recovery of the other.” IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS. Wo are happy to record that practically every branch of business reflects a forward movement. The scope of the gains is reflected in the number of safe business barometers. The commercial failures have been consistently lower, which indicates a favourable adjustment after the depressed days. Commodity prices are higher and have maintained stability, and while they are not as high as some business men hope they will be, the trend lias been slowly upward. There are definitely higher wage scales, which are being reflected in the retail merchandise purchases. There has been an impressive increase in the employment of men and women which has caused an outstanding advance in industrial salos. This industrial improvement is well sustained, and, we hope, will increase as the summer season in our country approaches. The, general improvement, of course, is registering n substantial advance in the banking business. While we have many things to do before we will be fully satisfied with our economic conditions* it is a pleasure to report that the United States is moving forward to better business. There seems to be an improvement in most countries, and the advancement made in New Zealand is by no means the least. DEPARTMENT STORES. We have just received a survey of the department stores of New Zealand, and from what we read w,e believe the people of the Dominion are to be congratulated in having the facilities offered in these department institutions. They are up to date, and offer facilities equal to any, considering the limited population of your country. Many of the best World ideas have been adopted in them. The goods carried seem to be varied in scope, and should bo very satisfactory to the people of the Dominion. When principals or buyers are coming this way we invite them to call on us, and we will be happy to place them in touch with large stores in Los Angeles. ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. There is talk of another economic conference. Surveys are being made to ascertain if nations are ready to do business in a friendly, unselfish way. Let ,us hope that they are. Many of the problems of the world can only be solved byunited and friendly action. It is recognised that when the last Economic Conference was held in London every nation attended for the purpose of getting something and, to give as little as possible. Every nation must be willing to give as well as take if the next Economic Conference is to be a success. AIR RACE, The world is watching with interest the preparation for this race. It will undoubtedly teach a number of things. It will probably emphasise that the world is growing smaller, through transportation, and that nations arc now closer together. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith is quoted as saying that the 13,000-mile trip should be negotiated in three and a-lialf days. If this is the case, London will be closer to New Zealand than Edinburgh was at one time to London. New York is only 18J hours from Los Angeles, while the distance is over 3000 miles. In fact, a new Los Angeles-built de luxe plane covered the distance in less than 14 hours recently. No wonder that over 600,000 citizens used the established air routes of this country last year and flew 61,000,000 miles. Four large aviation factories here are working at lull capacity to turn out large and small fast planes, and there have been some new developments lately which will make the air still more popular. INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION.

Even during the past depressed years there has been an expansion in manufacturing. Notwithstanding the backwardness of 1933, Los Angeles recorded SO new industrial establishments, and there were approximately 70 instances of plant expansion involving an outlay of over 5,000,000 dollars. In this expansion, over 2000 new workers were employed. As an illustration of how employment in manufacturing is picking up here, I might cite the fact that the Chrysler automobile plant in Los Angeles was employing only 300 men in February 3, but on April 1 this number had been increased to more than 1100. RECEPTION OF TOURISTS.

We have word from a number of our friends who recently visited New Zealand. They have made favourable comment about the beauties of the country, and especially emphasised the friendliness of the people, and the cordial reception given to visitors.

NEW ZEALAND-AMERICAN TRADE. We have just received an interesting report from J. David Larson, our trade counsellor in the Pacific, advising that he had hud another interesting conference with the Prime Minister, Mr G. W. Forbes, and the Minister of Commerce, Mr R. Masters. Mr Larson’s visit was to impress again the desire of this organisation to render any service possible in effecting closer trade relationships between New Zealand and the Pacific Coast. He reports that the officials were pleased with their recent visit to Washington and with the prospects of effecting a better trade understanding between the two countries. It is hoped that this year new trade arrangements may bo worked out, and it is natural we should desire to be of assistance, inasmuch as we are only 14 days from the New Zealand market. BRINGING IN MORE WATER,

Out in the vast mountain and desert country lying between the Colorado River and the Los Angeles coastal plain, men and machines of the metropolitan water district arc driving more tunnels than have ever been driven in a similar period. They arc driving 29 bores 16 feet in diameter, large enough to serve as a passageway for the largest type of locomotive, but no large locomotive will ever travel through them. Instead, they will carry a billion gadona of water daily as a new supply for 13 Southern California cities of the metropolitan district. After approximately one year, more than 15 miles of aqueduct tunnel have been driven, and more than three miles are being completed monthly. The entire Hoover dam and aqueduct programme" will cost about 220,000,000 dollars.