THE COURSE OF TRADE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17238, 19 April 1930, Page 16

THE COURSE OF TRADE

OUTLOOK FOR DOMINION OPTIMISTIC VIEW Mallei.-, of importance in trade and commerce were touched upon in an interesting milliner by the president ol the Wei I in^iti.n Chamber of Commerce, Mr. K Salijiond, til its annual meeting. The Dominion's trade position over the past calendar year, said the president, had mi! been an unsatisfactory one. but the lower prices prevailing this year necessarily would circumscribe the Dominion's income. While imports had shown increase over the previous year, the increase was mil one to cause conceriij and imports were last, year \v<■ i 1 within the value of exports, resulting in a trading surplus somewhere approximating the annual interest bill of the I )iJiniiiiiiii payable abroad upon its Government and local body loans. For the last three years there has been an excess of exports of 20A millions, and so long as that average, balance was maintained there would be a feeling of optimism regarding the Dominion's future. Imports were being restricted, and he fell that, New Zealand was in a particularly fortunate position to meet the situation, lie bv no means anticipated that the Dominion's trade balance would swing the wrong side of the ledger. "Due of the planks in the platform of the New Zealand ('handlers of Commerce," he continued, "is that the Government should ii terfcre less with private enterprise, but such a policy en mils the responsibility on our part and on the part of the whole business community that we should.in all respects he. fully qualified to de\elop the trade and enterprises of this lotintry to their greatest extent. It is therefore, right and proper that we should ask ourselves if our calibre of, that is. the average calibre of the. men who actually control our commerce, is us high as it should hp, in a country - ueh as 1 his. where the level of general intelligence is very high indeed. HIGH COMMERCIAL MORALITY.

"Tn one respeit, I know from my own obsei".ations in many countries that the name of the New Zealand business man stand:, hi.'h. I refer lo his com luercial morality. Unfortunately, however, honesty and nood conduct, though essential, are insufficient factors in themselves to ensure success in business or in an. other walk of life. "From a variety of causes, business in all its ramifications is very difficult to conduct suctes.sfully to-day, and the marketing of our produce abroad also becomes more complicated year by year. The hare fact stands out that to-day in manufacturing, marketing, and selling, more knowledge and more ability are required than ever before. That is the reason I ask myself, and I ask you. whether our equipment is as high as it should lie in order to cope with modern conditions. I am of the opinion that the standard is certainly capable of improvement, ami I believe thai you and I and men in similar positions to us in other nails ol New Zealand can do much in ensure that the men who step into our shoes in a few year.-,' time will be ' etter qualified In i ope with the many problems which will confront them. IMI'OIiTANC.i OF KDi'CATIOX. "It is not enough, however, that business should seunu a, higher proportion of the best brains of this country; t is also necessary that business executives should insist that the young men whom they take into their employ, and who hope to be the leaders of business tomorrow, should have a high standard of education. You hear it said v that we suffer in this country from over-educa-tion, but so far as business men are concerned that cry is assuredly wrong. Olher tilings being equal, the educated man in business to-day must heat the uneducated.

"When I say that it is necessary our young business men should be better educated, I do not mean that they should necessarily have a university education before embarking on their careers, though that may yet be required, but most certainly inutrieulation |tandard should be reached if they are to succeed, and wo must see to it that they go on improving their education and increasing their knowledge after they have started their business lives. "To my mind, it- is now essential that the business man should lie able to writ ami speak strong, forcible and sound English, and that be should have a. good woiking knowledge of economics. English i; more important that many of us imagine. How many law cases have been brought about bv ambiguous phrases ii our letters? How many sales lost through lack of ability to use the vital words necessary to force home tin argument

"If we pursue our vision wifli bold unci confident hearts, it is not too much to say that the people of this country •it some not very distant date will b< the verv leaven of the human race."