TRADE WITH CANADA

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 22

TRADE WITH CANADA

COMMERCIAL AGENT FOR DOMINION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 25. The question of the appointment of a commercial agent for New Zealand in Canada was raised by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Wilford) in the House ot Representatives yesterday. Mr Wilford quoted from a letter appearing in the Dominion to-day. He said that a reference to the values of the trade between the two dominions would make his request more commendable to consideration. The trade with Canada was as follows:

1918. Exports £1,793,5/6 Imports £93,964 1922. Exports £446,457 Imports £1,545)05/ Tho balance of trade had, he said, changed in that period from nearly £1,000,000 iti favour of New Zealand to over £1,000,000 against her. The position was emphasised when a reference was made to the butter exports to Canada, which fell from £271,678 to £91,777 from 1920 to 1922. The Prime Minister pointed out that tho Minister of Industries, whose function it was to deal with overseas trade, was not in the Honso at the moment. Explaining the position as he knew it, Mr Massey said that Canada had not in 1919 recovered sufficiently from the effects of the war, and had not got back to normal production. On the other hand, New Zealand had a large exportable surplus of dairy produce, and a good quantity of butter had been sent to Canada. Matters had changed since then, and Canada was importing butter in large quantities from the west coast of the United States. Mr Massey added that be would have pleasure in consulting the Minister of Industries and Commerce on the subject shortly.