AMERICAN TRADE COMMISSIONERS

Southland Times, Issue 17620, 7 April 1914, Page 7

AMERICAN TRADE COMMISSIONERS

VISIT TO INVERCARGILL.

RECIPROCAL TRADES.

Yesterday the American Trade Commissioners arrived from Dunedin by the YVollochra. and prior to the intercolonial steamer leaving for Melbourne, paid a short visit to Invercargill. The party consisted of Dr A. A. Snowden, of New York City, anil industrial expert of the National Association of Alanufacturers of the United States. Da.vid M. Pury. Indianapolis, president of the Association from 1303 to 1306 and Jno. Kirby, junr., Dayton. Ohio, president of the Association from 1309 to 1313. Airs Kirby also accompanied the commissioners.

The commissioners arrived from the Bluff by the train which readied Invercargill at 1.30 p.m. and left again by the 2,30 p.m. train for Bluff. On arrival they were welcomed by Messrs John AlcOuceu, .1. Crosby Smith, C. I. Ronaldson. .1. T. Praia and .las. Fleming—representatives of tin- Invercargill Chamber of Commerce and of the Southland County Council. Atotor curs were waiting and the party motored out as far as Makarewa where they made an inspection of tiie Southland Frozen Aleut Co.'s works. In between- times a Southland Times reporter managed to secure a short chat with Dr A. A. Snowden, who first of all referred in appreciative terms of the warm hospitality extended to them in every part of the dominion. In coming to .New Zealand they did not anticipate rinding it so far advanced, but many surprises had awaited them. Everything looked prosperous, flic buildings in the various centres which they had visited presented a finished appearance, while the harbours were remarkably good, indicating that rated progress bad been made since New Zealand was tirst colonised. They were also greatly taken with the scenery, some of u hieh was of singular beauty. fvrry year oxer 5000 tourists left the United States for other •countries, and wore they more fully acquainted with the rare inducements New Zoaalnd offered there would, in all probability, be a far greater influx of visitors from America to New Zealand.

Conversing on the question of reciprocal trade. Dr Snowden stated that the advantages to be gained by reciprocal trade between the Untied States and New Zealand were unique. Some years ago the United States exported fairly large quantities of dairy produce, but at present.; owing to tiie heavy internal consumption. they required it all for their own use. They required wool, cheese, butter and meat in as large quantities as they could obtain them, and it was clear that New Zealand could cope with these demands. The United States was essentially a manufacturing country, and as New Zealand was not. lie thought that there could lie no reason why they should not receive the same preferential treatment as was accorded to their AngloSaxon friends. The United States hail removed the tariff on meat and wool and greatly reduced it on tallow, so that they were in a position to say : "We have done this much for yon; will you not do the same for us 3" That country east of the Mississippi, where tiie hulk of the American population lived, would never again produce .sufficient of these products to supply their wants, and it would thus he seen that tiie eastern market offered a splendid opportunity as far as primary products were concerned. The opening of the Panama Canal would make the eastern market easy of access and would he miKli preferable to the Magellan route. The Danish jieople. who were renowned for tiie butter they produced. found their market in England, and -it seemed only natural that Nevv Zealand butter, which was of equally good-quality, should find its market in the United t-tates. Trade must Vie reciprocal, and notiiing did so much as to cement the friendly feeling between countries.

The Association which they represented had over ij.uOo.niji) employees, and had i2.60f*.0<r0,000 invested in plants and factories. It also produced over half of tinannual manufactures i>f the United States, the output from which each year represented i r>.IOO.OiM),iiO(i. The Association would be only too willing to give •New Zealand manufacturers any information they required. t.'ontinuing. Or Snowd-n said that tiiey bad visited the Gear Meat works in Wellington. and the plant there was just as interesting ami up-to-date as could be seen in America. They had tested the finned meats ami round them equal to anything they had ever tasted. They had also visited the Devin Government Farm, and were very much impressed with what they had seen there. in America there were establishes! agricultural colleges, which in off seasons were utilised for the purpose of giving free courses in agriculture to young farmers. It was an inexpensive way of training them, and one that might be followed to advantage in New Zealand. DIVIO STOCK. Dr Snowden stated that they had particularly noted that live slock in New Zealand was of a very high standard, and it .was apparent ttiat breeders had not spared eiliter trouble or expense in securing the very best strains of cattle, horses, and sheep from other countries. He stated that he would like to see visits exchanged, and that a visit from a New Zeaalnd commission would be heartily welcomed in the United States, if the New "Zealand commissioners derived half as much good as his party had by their visit to New Zealand, then a visit would be well worth while. He recognised that a mistake had been made in not devoting more time to the ■South Island. In Christchurch and Dunedin very enthusiastic meetings of the Chambers of Commerce had been held and the Commissioners had been very hospitably entertained. His visit to Invercargill was a short one, but he commended the signs of enterprise shown, and said that the country he had passed through on the motor trip compared favourably with what lie bad seen up north. He had been told in Dunedin to expect very cold weather in Invercargill as the temperature was often below aero, but be was glad that'

lie was not going away with the wrong impression that had been given film. AMERICAN POLITICS. Dr Snowden contrasted American polities with those lit New Zealand, which ho said were much cleaner. In America the term "politician" had for years been one that caused respectable people to shrug their shoulders; in fact, men who had resepet for themselves kept aloof from political parties altogether. "Graft” was rampant, and was in evidence in every part of the political life of the country, whether local or national. During the past five years, however, there bad been signs of a reaction and a steady improvement was now in evidence. Complaints are often heard of Alinisters and members of the Legislature being underpaid, but Dr Snowden stated that they are better paid than in the United Stales. He admitted that that might be the reason why "graft" had taken such a grip of the American politicians. Dr Snowden concluded by again making reference to the subject which is of most importance to him. viz., reciprocal trade He said quite candidly Unit their reason for Promoting the idea was actuated by purely selfish motives, but, nevertheless. New Zealan.l had everything to gain and nothing to lose totalling in with the proposal. He believed in protection by tariffs for industries that were worth while, but he thought that New Zealand would he foolish to protect small industries which were not likely to thrive for the next fifty years or more. New Zealand should specialise in the products for which it is best adapted, and as there was an unlimited demand in America for such products, it Mas easy to arrive at the conclusion that there was a great opening for reciprocal trade between the two countries.