BRITISH TEXTILES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26543, 19 August 1947, Page 6

BRITISH TEXTILES

EXPORT TO DOMINIONS FEARS OF NEW ZEALAND MANUFACTURERS PREFERENCE FOR DOLLAR AREA N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 11 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 18. When a report in the Evening Standard that New Zealand clothing manufacturers fear a substantial cut in textile supplies as a result of the elimination of quotas was referred to the Board of Trade it was stated that the board was not bringing compulsion to bear upon manufacturers to divert export from commonwealth sterling countries to the dollar area. An official of the board said it was too early yet to assume that supplies to the dominions would decrease. In effect, it now rested with the manufacturers to decide where they sent tlieir output without regulations by quota. A representative of a large New Zealand clothing firm who is at present on a buying tour in Britain, discussing the position, said he agreed that the Board of Trade was'not compelling British textile manuf*cturers to divert their exports to other countries but he would not agree that they were not bringing some pressure to bear to encourage this. Nevertheless, he thought it premature to assume that the supplies of textile sent to New Zealand, would be diminished. His present impression was that supplies would be maintained and that a great deal depended upon the production end. In the woollen trade the position was better than he had expected to find it, and in cottons the situation was most difficult and was likely to remain so. British manufacturers, he had found, were anxious to give New Zealand the best possible treatment, but it was only natural that the Board of Trade, in view of Britain’s dollar shortage, should endeavour to increase exports to the dollar area.