BRITAIN’S STRENGTH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17132, 7 September 1926, Page 7

BRITAIN’S STRENGTH

IN TRADE AND COMMERCE GRATITUDE TO N.Z. “HOLD THE EMPIRE TOGETHER” (Special to tho Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. In an address ai the annual meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner, Mr. L. li. Beale, said that ii the British Empire represented anything at all it represented tradition and history and faith, its foundation was based on courage, justice, and honor, it possessed a history recording achievements which were without equal, and a faith which enabled Britishers to greet the unseen with a cheer. Britishers must present one front to the whole world; see eye to eye, and live as a practical family partnership in which the well-being was mutual. Britain was proud and grateful for all New Zealand was doing to help the .Mother Country along.

The coming Imperial conference was not unlike a directors’ meeting of the biggest organisation in existence, but it had a difference; the shareholders in this organisation had ail unlimited liability and unlimited reward. Other were stepping along, and it was for us all to put forth every ounce of loyalty to hold the Empire together. NEED FOR LOYALTY.

The Empire had never needed loyalty as it did to-dav. Britain’s trade was in value about 20 per cent, less than in 1915, and she was a country which imported a great proportion of foodstuffs, that policy tuning been commenced when coal and iron first became such a factor in the world of commerce. To-day she was importing three-fifths of her foodstuffs. Germany and America had for many years before the war been becoming a real factor in the world of commerce, but in 1915 Britain's trade had shown an enormous increasi —before the set-back of the world conflict. Yet lie could say that Britain actually did still lead the world in commerce, due largely to the growth of inter-Empire trade. For example, before the war Germany had been the pre-eminent in the manufacture of electrical machinery; after the war America, and now Britain, had taken (he trade away from that country. Her motor trade had increased 150 per cent, in three years; her motor-cycle trade had doubled itself in the same period, and in leather and cotton goods she was also forging ahead. Britain’s annual meat hill was a large one and New Zealand deserved to secure all the trade possible in this direction. This she could only do on the merit of quality, and ii' bv scientific methods the Dominion produced and maintained the quality of her export, meat, Britain was ready to lake all they could send home.

The strength gi Britain at home, conclAuted the Commissioner, was the strength of New Zealand and the common strength of the Empire.