AFTER-WAR TRADE

Otago Witness, Issue 3413, 13 August 1919, Page 28

AFTER-WAR TRADE

■NEED.FOR NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE. AN ENGLISH BUSINESS MAN'S OPINION. In an interview with a Lyttelton Times reporter Mr Raymond Wilson, representative of a large Triiiish export firm, with headquarters in London, made some interesting remarks regarding the exportation of New Zealana produce to the Old Country, "It is essential that New Zealand should get into business contact with the Old Country," said Mr Wilson. "England has mado tremendous sacrifices during the war, in lives, material, and finance. She has had to raise huge loans for the purpose of conducting the war, and for the purpose of financially assisting her Allies." Continuing, Mr Wilson said that the only way they could hope to raise the credit of the country was by trading in goods manufactured in the British Empire as far as they could possibly do. "While I have been in Christchurch," continued the speaker, "I have met the heads of most of the leading commercial houses in the city, and it has been a great pleasure to me to note the keen desire of all to trade as much as possible with the Old Country. Fortunately, the British Empire is practically self-supporting." Mr Wilson then referred to the high quality of the New Zealand frozen meat, butter, cheese, and other products. He was of opinion that if the butter imported into England from the dominion was sufficiently advertised as New Zealand butter, it would soon outdo the Danish butter on the English market. He had beon very much impressed with . the great resources of the dominion, and the vast possibilities for development, not only in its primary products, but also in its manufactures. England was urgently in need of New Zealand's wool and tallow. "The woollen industry of this country," said Mr Wilson, "has attained a very high state of perfection." With the raw material at hand and an unlimited water-power from which cheap eleotrical energy could be derived, + he dominion was in a very unique position regarding the woollen industry. No doubt the electrical power proved one of tho greatest assets to the country. Concludingj Mr Wilson statecf that he greatly rdmired and appreciated tho unostentatious hosp.'iality of the people of New Zealand which had been extended towards him. It mado him feel so much at home that it was difficult for him to realise that he was thousands of miles away from the Old Country. "T had the privilege of coming out to New Zealand in a transport," concluded Mr Wilson, "and so had an opportunity of getting into close touch with the officers and men of the overseas _ forces. _ I greatly admired the true British spirit of the men who had proved themselves such capable soldiers throughout the four years of war." To give an example of tho spirit of the "Diggers," Mr Wilson said that at NewEort News a negro waa buried in a coal eap. When the negro \vas_ rescued, he said that thero were two of his companion." also buried. The "Diggers" at once got to work and shovelled the coal away until early next morning, in the endeavour to find the negroes. The captain at last decided that tho men should cease work, as he thought that the negroes had escaped. It took a great deal of persuasion to make the men desist from further efforts on behalf of the unfortunate blaoks. "That is what I call true British spirit," eonoluded Mr Wilson.