TRADE WITH THE EAST

Otago Witness, Issue 3555, 2 May 1922, Page 57

TRADE WITH THE EAST

NEW ZEALANDER'S VIEWS After an absence of 10 years, during which time he has had wide experience in Great Britain, t lie United States of America, and the Far Ea.si, Mr Leslie- G. Lilly, formerly of Dunedin, has returned to this city. Prior to the war, Mr Lilly represented an oid-establishe-d British exporting house in the United Staves and Canada, and for about a year after the cessation of hostilities he managed the West End London branch office of his firm. For health reasons he was advised to proceed to the East, whence he hag just returned. Conversing with a reporter last week, he said lie had had very favourable opportunities of meeting important business men in the countries he had visited during his absence from New Zealand. These included the members of the Japanese Trade Commission now in Europe, of which two of the principals are Viscount Shibisawa, “the grand old man of the Japanese business world,” and Mr T. Furuja. managing director of the Koto Trading Company. Tokio. Mr Lilly was impressed with the great possibilities of opening up t racle with the East in New Zealand products, and said he had found business men in Malaya, China, and Japan very interested in the dominion and anxious for information regarding its products. lie also expressed the opinion that there is an opening lor big business in butter and cheese in the United States. During the war Mr Lilly obtained a commission in a British cavalry regiment serving in the Middle East, and on demobilisation held the rank of captain and adjutant. Until the end of 1912, when he went to London to gain experience, he was in 1 1 jo employ of Messrs Butterwortli Bros, anti Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen, for whom he travelled in different parts of the dominion. In London he was in the employ of Messrs Smith and Lister, warehousemen and manufacturers, and lie was subsequently appointed travelling representative of that firm and Messrs Stapley and Smith in opening up new business centres in tho U.S.A. and Canada. Some months after his return to his former employment in London he was advised to proceed to a warmer climate, and immediately entered upon a contract with the Asiatic Petroleum Company, Ltd., in the Far East.