THE WORLD'S TRADE

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 21

THE WORLD'S TRADE

EUROPEAN NATIONS' RELATIVE POSITIONS. NEW ZEALAND'S OPPORTUNITY. (From Odb Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 14. Regarding trade conditions in England, Mr J. B. Clarkson said to-day that owing to the increase in wages the cost of manufactured articles had risen enormously, and if we were going to support British manufacturers we must be prepared to pay more for their goods. Unfortunately, owing to the effects of the war, the people were still suffering from nervous strain, and had not settled down, making the labour problem an exceedingly difficult one. The manufacturers were only getting a small output as yet; the price of goods was high, owing to the enormous domestic demand and the tremendous amount of money in circulation as a result of the" war. Italy was in a very serious position from the manufacturing point of view. "Wages had trebled. Ooal, which in pre-war times was bought in England at a reasonable price, now waa obtained from America at a much higher price, the coal itself being much inferior. France was in a much better position, the soldiers who in pre-war times had been paid low wages being anxious to get back to work while wages were high. France was likely to get back to normal much quicker than the other Continental countries, with the exception of Germany. America's industrial position resembled that of Britain in many respects, but although wages had advanced tremendously, the cost of living had advanced sc much that workers were not much better off. New Zealand, said Mb Clarkson, should take immediate steps to place its produce on the American and European markets by the appointment of trade commissioners in, say, Paris and NewYork, with assistants in the other principal towns. To take our proper place in the Continental and American markets we should be getting nearly 100 per cent, more than we were getting. To-day, if we were getting proper prices, our meat would be realising lid per lb, instead of sj>d, and our butter 2s. What was wanted was salesmen with sufficient energy to sell our produce abroad. America wanted our produce —particularly lamb, butter, and cheese—and would take as much as wc could send if it was only put in front of them.