TRADE PROBLEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23107, 5 February 1937, Page 16

TRADE PROBLEMS

MR NASH VISITS LIVERPOOL HOUSING, DOCKS. AND WORKS (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON. Jan. 9. Opportunities for acquainting Liverpool ousiness men with New Zealand’s policy of regulated trade expansion, tor discussing general shipping and trade questions, and for inquiring into municipal housing schemes, were made full use of by the Minister of finance and Minister of Marketing (Mr Walter Nash) when he visited the city this week. He was the guest of the Liverpool Chamber of. Commerce and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Hoard. The visit was a marked success. It was featured in the local press, and was covered by the majority of the London dailies and by other provincial newspapers. Upon his arrival at Liverpool on January 4, Mr Nash was the guest of honour of the Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon held in the Exchange Hotel. The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress were present. There was a large attendance. Later, he visited the works of the Automatic Telephone and Electric Company, which has a staff of 5000. In the course of his inspection Mr Nash was shown the lifetest section of the laboratories, in which equipment is tested for millions of operations. The Minister also saw electric traffic signal equipment in construction, and was interested to learn that it was similar to some recently installed in Wellington. Mr Nash then called at the Town Hall, where he was given a civic welcome by the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress. The Minister took full advantage of his visit to Liverpool to discuss housing. This city has one of the largest and most successful municipal housing projects in the world! The director (Mr L. H. Keay) is an international authority upon the subject, and in a discussion with Mr Nash he was able to give him information on housing administration and finance, which should be of much value to New Zealand. Mr Nasn discussed trade and shipping questions with Mr T. E. Lescher, chairman of the Liverpool Chamber.of Commerce; Colonel J. G, B. Beazley, a member of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board: Sir Lionel Warner, general manager of the board; and Mr R. J. Hodges, second assistant to the general manager. NEW HOUSING ESTATES

An early start was made next morning. In the company of Mr L. C. Howitt, chief architect in the city's Housing Department, Mr Nash made a thorough inspection of the houses erected on the Dovecot Estate and the new Knowsley Estate, and was greatly impressed with what has been achieved by the Liverpool Corporation in the direction of providing houses of a superior type at low rentals. At Ellesmere Port Mr Nash inspected the Mersey ironworks 1 of Robertson and Co., the works being one of the largest of their kind in the British Commonwealth. He also visited the Port Sunlight housing estate. On his return to the city he was the guest of the chairman (Sir Richard Holt) and members.of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL

Later, he boarded the tender s.s. Vigilant and cruised through the dock system at the northern end of the port. Over 60 vessels, either discharging or loading, were passed. Three of them are engaged in the New Zealand trade. The size of the port and the facilities provided deeply impressed the Minister. From the Gladstone graving dock at the northern end to the Herculaneum Dock at the southern, the Mersey River is fronted for six miles and a-half by a system of docks and basins. The water area is 477 acres, and the total length of the quays 29 miles. On the opposite side of the river are the Birkenhead Docks, with a water area of 182 acres and over nine miles of quays. In 1935 a total of 32 vessels arrived at Liverpool from New Zealand and discharged their cargoes.