HIGH PRESTIGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25797, 19 March 1945, Page 4

HIGH PRESTIGE

DOMINION’S STATUS ABROAD

MR SULLIVAN’S RETURN

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, Mar. 18. After an absence of almost five months, during which he visited the United States. Canada, the United Kingdom,- including Ireland, and Italy and Egypt, where he saw the New Zealand Division, the Minister of Supply, Mr D. G. Sullivan, returned to Auckland to-day. The Minister will leave for Wellington to-morrow night. “ The prestige of New Zealand stands extraordinarily high abroad,” said Mr Sullivan. “This is due to the achievements of the New Zealand Division, New Zealand airmen, and New Zealand personnel in the Royal Navy, as well as to the Dominion's war effort as a whole, and the intense and widespread interest that exists in New Zealand’s record in the fields of social, humanitarian, and legislation. Everywhere I went" I had ample evidence of the respect in which our country is held and it is something which all New Zealanders should treasure.” Mr Sullivan said that both in Washington and Ottawa his representations on behalf of New Zealand were received sympathetically, and excellent results were achieved. The Minister also held discussions with British Ministers with regard to the proposals of the New Zealand Government for the further development of manufacturing industries in the Dominion. It was conceded that no exception could be taken to such a policy —although the British authorities were anxious that the pursuit of this policy in the Dominion should not result in a reduction of the total trade between Britain and the Dominion, even although there might be a change in the nature of the commodities exported by the United Kingdom.

Mr Sullivan held further discussions on this subject with the Federation of British Industries and many individual manufacturers and groups of manufacturers. A fair number of those with whom he held discussions signified their intention of establishing industries in the Dominion, while others had the matter under consideration.