BOOMING EMPIRE TRADE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15873, 12 July 1922, Page 8

BOOMING EMPIRE TRADE.

WHAT NEW ZEALAND CAN DO

An important statement was made by Major E. A. Belcher, one of the members of the British Empire Exhibition Mission, which should be of considerable help and guidance in determining to what extent New Zealand will participate in the greatest Empire Exhibition ever held, to take place in London, in 1924. He said:— "The mission has arrived in New Zealand for the double purpose of discussing with the Dominion Government the. scale of their participation in the British Empire Exhibition in 1924, and a number of technical details regarding, the New Zealand pavilion at the exhibition. Also for the purpose of discussing the business interests throughout New Zealand and the practical benefits which the exhibition can accomplish for New Zealand) industries. We left England in January, and spent the best part of two months in South Africa, settling arrangements with the Union Government for South African participation, which will lie an the scale of a 50,000 ft pavilion. A sum of £45,500 was included in the last estimate, and a further sum is to be provided next year.

"Tho last three months have been spent in Australia, where we have travelled nearly 10,OCO miles by train and car. Wo visited every State, including Tasmania, and! saw a great deal of their primary production and secondary industries. The Australian mission was brought to a conclusion at a Federal and State conference, held at Sydney last week, when tho Australian participation was finally settled. Australia will build a pavilion of 150,000 square feet, and will spend a quarter of a million of money in construction, equipment, and maintenance. This, in my opinion, is not only a very lino lead for the rest of the Empire, but will adequately portray the remarkable development in Australia since site last'took part in any exhibition.

"A distinctive feature of the Australion pavilion will be a definite effort, not only to show the existing position of her "principal industries by means of trophies and exhibits, but also to trace their development by means of models, and to pay special attention to resources which are only beginning to bo tapped. "There is very little doubt that in the course of the next decade Australia is going to take her place in tho world as one of the greatest cotton-producing countries. Her output in cotton jumped last year from 50,00011> to 1,000,0001 b, and this year it is estimated that it will exceed 5,000,0001 b. Cotton is being grown, particularly in Queensland, where the type is middling American., and in the Rivcrina, where they are growing long-staple Egyptian on irrigation areas. "Another rapid development in Australia is in their orchards'. It was estimated last year that nearly 30 per cent, had been added to the" uveas under orchards during tho last three years, and tho planting, of last year and this year lias been greatly increased. . Australians recognise that tho future of the fruit industry lies in canned fruit and dried fruit rather than in fresh fruit and l jam, and most elaborate arrangements are being made at tho exhibition for a determined effort on the part of Australia to capture what are practically virgin markets in England for. these two commodities.

"All Australian meat producers and the Federal Viticultural Council are each going to conduct active propaganda campaigns in Great Britain prior tq and during tho exhibition to popularise Australian meat and Australian wines.

"Generally speaking, one may express one's complete satisfaction with tho results of the various conferences we had, both in Government and business circles, and I am quito sure Australia lias decided that, lveing in the exhibition, she is going to do it well."